Student Experience

A Record Turnout for Year’s Final ‘Run With Jim’

April 30, 2024 • By Mike Mather, mike.mather@virginia.edu Mike Mather, mike.mather@virginia.edu

Picture of group of students running at the 'Run with Jim' event.

UVA President Jim Ryan’s annual “Fourth-Year Run With Jim” set another record for participation Tuesday, with nearly 1,500 people signed up. (Photo by Emily Faith Morgan, University Communications)

A record number of participants for the traditional “Fourth-Year Run With Jim” event gathered first on the turf of Scott Stadium and later ambled to the steps of the Rotunda, all hoping to keep pace with University of Virginia President Jim Ryan, fresh off completing his 13th consecutive Boston Marathon.

The number of Wahoos who rose to run at dawn on a Tuesday – nearly 1,500 signed up officially – bested the previous record of roughly 900, set a year earlier. The vast sea of participants snaking through Grounds and sporting white "Run With Jim" T-shirts capped a series of presidential runs with students around the University for the academic year. This final one celebrated the Class of 2024.

Happy last day of classes! I enjoyed spending the morning at our largest #RunWithJim to date, with over 1100 4th-years on a run through Grounds. Many thanks to UVA Clubs for helping organize this special morning – and best of luck to everyone as Final Exercises approach. pic.twitter.com/wBFhRmM4tP
— Jim Ryan (@presjimryan) April 30, 2024

Ryan kicked off the series in 2018, believing maybe a dozen students would join in that first run. More than a hundred did. The events have become so popular that many fourth-year students add them to their bucket lists of things to do before leaving UVA.

After the runners and walkers reached the finish line – an arch of blue, orange and white balloons – many snapped selfies with the president, other University leaders and Cavman. Then, hundreds hung around on the Lawn for “Chill With Cavman.” Here are some photos from the morning’s event: