Blowing Rock’s Vestri places No. 2 at USATF Women’s 6k Championship

By David Rogers. CANTON, Ohio — It is summertime in Canton, Ohio, but the NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement was still 19 days in the future. All the attention on July 13 was about the 22 elite women’s runners competing in the USA Track & Field (USATF) Women’s 6k Championship — and Blowing Rock’s ZAP Endurance was well represented.

Closing out her first remarkable year as a professional runner, ZAP Endurance member Amanda Vestri completed the 3.73-miles course (with 13 twists and turns from Malone University to downtown Canton) in 18 minutes, 16 seconds (18:16), finishing No. 2. She was just 13 seconds behind first place Annie Rodenfels, a 27-yearold athlete from Newton, Mass., representing the Boston Athletic Association/adidas. Rodenfels is one of the nation’s top 3,000-meters Steeplechase performers, qualifying for the finals of the U.S. Olympic Trials in the event where she finished No. 8. Similarly, Vestri also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials, in the 10k, where she finished No. 5.

Vestri went out strong in the Women’s 6k Championship event (held in conjunction with the larger, Women’s 6k Festival, with almost 300 athletes competing), leading the race as they neared the first mile marker.

The official scorer has Vestri in third place at the end of the first mile, with Rodenfels at No. 5. The Blowing Rock runner finished the first mile in a blistering 4:49 in near 90-degree heat.

Rachel Smith, of Flagstaff, Ariz., was credited with the No. 1 finish of the first mile, with an identical time as Vestri, in 4:49. With Rodenfels’ first mile also recorded as 4:49, it would be accurate to say that the early leaders were tightly bunched.

At some point during the second mile, Rodenfels took command of the race, surging to the lead for good and crossing the second mile marker in 9:41. The field was still bunched, however, as Vestri completed the second mile in 9:42, recorded to be in the No. 5 position, with Emma Grace Hurley of Zionsville, Ind., listed at No. 2 but with the same time as Vestri. Abby Nichols of Flagstaff, Ariz. was also in the 9:42 group, as was Smith.

In the last 1.73 miles, Rodenfels expanded her advantage over the rest of the group, while second-place Vestri finished four seconds ahead of No. 3, Hurley.

In addition to Rodenfels (3000 Steeplechase) and Vestri (10k), Nichols (5k), Allie Ostrander (3000 Steeplechase) and Natosha Rogers (5k and 10k) competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials.

The top eight finishers collected prize money, including Rodenfels ($6,000) and Vestri ($4,000). The top three finishers, including Vestri, also picked up a $2,500 bonus for running under 18:30.

Afterward, ZAP Endurance head coach Pete Rea had high praise for his newest team member.

“Amanda had an excellent first year as a pro,” said Rea. “She improved exponentially on both the track and in road racing. On the track, she improved her 10,000 meters time by a full minute (placing No. 5 at the U.S. Olympic Trials in late June) and on the roads as well. She was No. 10 at the U.S. 20k last September, No. 7 at the U.S. Road 5k, No. 4 at the Road 10k and now runner-up in the 6k to close out her year. She is young, just 24, so I believe she’ll see international success in the coming years.”

TOP 10 FINISHERS IN USA TRACK & FIELD WOMEN’S 6K CHAMPIONSHIP