INDIANAPOLIS - Marking a trend of continued growth, road runners and walkers raised $714 million for charity in 2006, USA Track & Field (USATF) announced Monday. The figure marks a nearly 9 percent increase over 2005 and shows continued, steady increases since USATF began its annual charity survey in 2002.

The Nike Women's Marathon and Half-Marathon was named the 2006 USATF Charitable Race of the Year, while the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its GREAT STRIDES program was honored as 2006 Charitable Organization of the Year.

Conducted internally by USATF, the national governing body of track and field, long-distance running and race walking, the study revealed that more than $714 million was raised for charitable causes by runners in 2006. USATF gathered data from national charitable race series/organizations and a sample of nearly 200 running/walking races, including many of the country's largest races.

"The continued growth of charity fundraising in the current economic climate shows the dedication of charity runners and walkers to their cause, as well as the strength of road running in this country," said USATF CEO Craig A. Masback. "The phenomenon of running and fitness as a cultural, social and economic movement continues unabated. It is only a matter of time before the billion dollar mark becomes the norm for this study."