Category: Professional

By David Rogers. PORTLAND, Ore. — Whether consciously or sub-consciously, a long distance runner’s otherwise losing performance can make him a track team’s MVP on any given day.

Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance team member Ryan Ford unofficially earned that honor  on June 9 while competing in a 5000-meter race at the Portland Track Festival.

Ford, who was joined by ZAP teammates Andrew Colley and Eric van der Els in the elite international field for the 5000 race in Portland, had previously qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials (June 21-29, Eugene, Ore.) at the 10,000 meters distance. All three were hoping to automatically qualify at the shorter, 5000-meter distance, too, by running faster than 13:25, the auto-qualifying standard set for the Trials. The Portland event was the last opportunity before the qualifying window closed, according to ZAP Endurance head coach Pete Rea.

“The race started out slow,” Rea recalled to High Country Sports. “So Ryan picked it up and did all of the heavy lifting. He pulled the rest of the pack with him until burning out with two laps to go. He didn’t win but his understanding what was needed and his initiative vs. our goals proved critical.”

Without Ford’s torrid pace, Rea said, there was a lower probability that van der Els, Colley and the other top seven competitors would have bettered the automatic-qualifying standard because of the slow, early pace.

As it turned out, both van der Els and Colley lowered their personal bests for the 5000m, to 13:21.78 and 13:23:24, respectively, in placing No. 4 and No. 6 in the elite field.

Dylan Jacobs, running under the Switzerland-based On athletic apparel banner, finished No.1 (13:18.18), followed by India national team member Gulveer Singh (13:18.92) at No. 2 and Wesley Kiptoo (13:21.77) at No. 3 (just 1/100th of a second ahead of ZAP’s van der Els).

van der Els’ No.4 finish established a new ZAP Endurance team record for the 5000-meter distance, the long-standing old record set by Tommy Morgan (13:27; 2004-2011). Morgan, who now lives in Oregon with his wife and children, was on hand to help celebrate the ZAP team’s accomplishments.

Also among the 20-man field of runners in the 5000-meter event was Daniel Simmons, an American Fork High School (Utah) athlete who smashed his own national high school record in finishing No. 8, in 13:25.86, a fraction of a second short of the automatic qualifying standard for  U.S. Trials.

ZAP Endurance, the Blowing Rock-based, professional running team organized in 2001 by former women’s elite marathoner Zika Rea, will have almost half of their elite distance running team members competing in Eugene’s U.S. Olympic Trials, vying for berths representing the United States at the Paris Olympics.

• Women’s 10,000m: Amanda Vestri
• Men’s 10,000m: Ryan Ford, Andrew Colley
• Men’s 5000m: Eric van der Els, Andrew Colley

Of the other members of the ZAP team, Tristin Van Ord, Tyler Pennel, Josh Izewski, Annmarie Tuxbury and Whitney Macon are focused on the marathon. Dan Schaffer just missed qualifying for the U.S. Trials at 1500 meters.

By David Rogers. NEW YORK CITY — Running a long distance race through the swales, hills and curves of Central Park is a lot different — and more challenging — than competing on a flat, oval track.

That didn’t seem to bother Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance professional team member Amanda Vestri on June 8 as she negotiated the historic Mastercard Mini Women’s 10K course, finishing the road race just seven seconds slower than the personal best she ran on the outskirts of London (England) three  weeks ago.

Vestri’s effort in the Big Apple was top American and good enough for No. 4 overall in the elite international field. Her time of 31:17 was a little more than six seconds slower than the 31:10.53 she recorded on the London oval on May 18, and just 30 seconds behind Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi’s winning time of 30:47. Two Kenya runners, Sharo n Lokedi (31:04) and Sheila Chepkirui (31:09) were all that separated the High Country’s Vestri from a podium finish.

At 24, Vestri was the youngest athlete among some of the world’s best. The former Syracuse University distance star has made dramatic strides since joining ZAP Endurance in late summer 2023.. Her 31:10.53 in London is the eighth best performance by an American this season, according to World Athletics, and makes her a “dark horse” contender to make the U.S. Olympic team headed to Paris later this summer. The Trials are scheduled for June 21-29, in Eugene, Ore.

 

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Looking to remain unbeaten, Appalachian FC faced Greenville United June 8 in NPSL competition. The home side relied on late-game heroics to salvage a draw after 90 minutes.

Solid defensive play was the theme of the first half. Greenville had the best opportunity through the first 45, but App FC goalkeeper Charlie Walker was there to smother the loose ball. Both teams remained scoreless into the locker room.

Scoring chances were more frequent in the second half, but both goalies held strong as the game approached the 60-minute mark. In the 59th minute, Walker received a red card resulting in a Greenville penalty kick. Luc Achermann-Stanfield sent the ball past backup goalkeeper Lucas Hatsios, and the visitors scored the game’s first goal. 

With time running out and playing down a man, Appalachian seemed to produce their best chances. Forward Elie Bokota had a solo opportunity against the Greenville goalkeeper in the 86th minute, but sent the ball over the crossbar. Defender Rashawn Kellman followed that with a dangerous look in the 89th minute before the ball glanced off the side of his foot and the visitors cleared the ball.

In stoppage time, App FC set up for a free kick. The ball was sent into the chaotic penalty area, and Kevin Arguello was able to poke it just past the Greenville goalie, knotting the game with just minutes to play. The final whistle sounded, and the home side escaped with a draw.

Appalachian FC head coach Dale Parker was happy that his side salvaged a draw, but felt that they could have come away with more.

“Obviously delighted that we built the result out of [the game] under difficult circumstances, to play as long as we did with 10 players and to somehow find a way to equalize” Parker said. “Really, we should have won it. We had enough chances in that second half to win it.”

Parker explained his message to the team after losing his goalkeeper to a red card.

“Keep doing what we’re doing,” Parker said. “They weren’t causing us a problem. I felt we could play with nine men, we could play with eight, and we’d still be the better team. It didn’t bother me that much.”

Appalachian FC concludes their three-game homestand June 15 with a match against 865 Alliance. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex in Boone.

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Soccer fans in the High Country couldn’t have asked for better weather June 1, when Appalachian FC took on Bristol Rhythm AFC in a Saturday night match. App FC came away with three goals of their own after 90 minutes of dominating play — plus a generous “own goal”,  given to them by Bristol, for a 4-0 shutout win.

Following sustained pressure through the first 10 minutes of play, Appalachian forward Elie Bokota continued his hot streak with a low drive from beyond the penalty area that just got past Bristol goalkeeper Logan Cassel. 

Just six minutes later, Bristol defender Grayson Cunningham attempted to pass the ball to his goalie. Before Cassel could react, the ball trickled into his own net, doubling App FC’s advantage in the 19th minute.

Later in the half, Bokota headed the ball to teammate Thomas de Graauw, who drilled it into the upper corner. Appalachian took a 3-0 lead into halftime.

Trailing by three out of the locker room, Bristol had a clear chip on their shoulders. Cunningham’s day went from bad to worse as he received an immediate red card following a hard foul in the 49th minute. Fellow Rhythm defender Archie Day received a yellow card for dissent in the aftermath of Cunningham’s being sent off. Day picked up a second yellow card minutes later, and the visitors were forced to play with just nine men for the remaining 35 minutes.

Following early fireworks in the second half, there was a lull in action. Appalachian was focused on holding their three-goal advantage by dominating possession, and Bristol was unable to get their offense going. A goal in the 90th minute by substitute forward Kevin Arguello sealed the match for App FC.

Appalachian head coach Dale Parker shared his gameplan following his team’s dominant victory.

“I think the message before the game was to make sure we start well, leave no doubt in that first 10, 15 minutes,” Parker said. “This is a home game, get the fans involved. We always like to do that as quickly as we can. I think we definitely accomplished that and it typically leads to a strong performance.”

Elie Bokota was key for the home side, scoring the eventual game-winning goal and assisting on another. Bokota spoke on his motivation to continue his impressive form.

“Right now, I’m on a mission,” Bokota said “This year I want to score as many goals as possible. Last year, I heard that there’s a guy that played a couple of years back who had a record of 14 or 15 goals. I want to break that record.”

“Right now, I’m on a mission”

Parker was complimentary of Bokota and his role on the team.

“He’s a massively important player for us,” Parker said. “He’s tricky, he’s slippery, he can score goals. He’s added that to his game over the past year. Hopefully that continues. It’s going to be a long season and we need him fit, healthy and scoring goals if we want to have team success.”

Appalachian FC is No. 2 in the NPSL Southeast standings but have played one less game than first-place Hickory FC. Their next match is against Greenville United June 8 at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex in Boone at 7 p.m..

By David Rogers. CONCORD, N.C. — After more than a half century of military training and leadership in the field, some actions are instinctive.

When U.S. Army Major General (Retired) Chuck Swannack observed a small platoon of some three dozen soldiers ambling by the front of the Media Center at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26, he started barking out a drill sergeant-like cadence. It was a sweltering hot day but the unit was in full camouflage dress, complete with beret — and Swannack expected more, even if no longer an active U.S. Army officer.

“I hate seeing that (casualness),” he said.

In many respects, Swannack is a veteran’s veteran. Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1971, he served more than 30 years in command and staff positions at every level from platoon to the Department of the Army.  Prior to retirement in 2006, he commanded the 82nd Airborne Division, then subsequently the 18th Airborne Corps. and Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty). As he rose through the ranks, he took on significant leadership roles around the world, including in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Panama, Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan, among others. At one point in his career, he was Deputy Director for Strategy, Plans and Policy within the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans in the U.S. Army headquarters. He is a graduate of Capstone and the National War College, as well as holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech.

It shows we love them, we salute them, we engage them and we enable them.

After his 2006 retirement, Swannack served as a consultant to several defense-related companies before becoming CEO of U.S. Logistics, serving from 2010-2013, which he helped guide from early stage company to a $50 million veteran logistics services company.

In early 2014, Swannack joined Speedway Motorsports as the executive director of Speedway Children’s Charities, a 501c(3) nonprofit with a mission of assisting underprivileged children become productive adults.

“I have been with Speedway Motorsports for 10 years,” Swannack explained to Blowing Rock News before the running of the Coca-Cola 600, one of NASCAR’s premier Cup Series races. “The first five was as executive director of Speedway Children’s Charities. The last five have been as Vice President of Veterans Affairs. Now we are trying to not only help children but veterans and their families. I run a program called, ‘Welcome Home Patriots.’ It shows that we love them, we salute them, we engage them and we enable them.”

Swannack is also involved with another nonprofit, the Patriot Military Family Foundation, which is focused on veterans health, their support and their families’ support.

“We get service dogs for them. We get homes for them. And we get them treatment for PTSD,” Swannack said of his work with PMFF.

For the Coca-Cola 600, Swannack procured a sponsor for 100 veterans and families, Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR), a defense contractor that provides base camp services all around the world. The participating veterans are from Fort Liberty, the Seymour Johnson Air Base, the North Carolina National Guard and U.S. Marine Corps recruiters in the area.

“Today is all about honoring and remembering,” said Swannack. “We have 150 Gold Star families, whose loved ones gave their lives in service of this country. Hopefully, everyone will applaud that service and sacrifice in some way.”

Swannack added his hope that the veterans and their families have a unique and special experience by attending this NASCAR event.

“There are three things going on today (as part of the race),” he said. “One is recognizing the fallen with their names on the windshield of every driver. Second, the tires by Goodyear have an ‘honoring and remembering’ message on the sidewalls. And then, at the end of Stage 2, we are going to stop everything for one full minute of silence to honor and remember.”

 

 

By David Rogers. CONCORD, N.C. — Thanks to a weather-shortened Coca-Cola 600 Cup Series race on May 26 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Christopher Bell was declared the winner after 249 of the 400 scheduled laps and a packed house of NASCAR fans didn’t get to see if a late-arriving Kyle Larson, Jr. could improve on the No. 13 position he inherited from early relief driver Justin Allgeier.

BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article. For best photography viewing on a desktop monitor or laptop, please click on any image for Slide Show mode.

Larson, of course, had already been deprived of a full double-double day when weather delayed the start of the Indianapolis 500 for several hours. Once it got going, Larson, an Indy Car rookie, finished a respectable No. 18 in the 33-car field and crossed the finish line only nine seconds behind leader Josef Newgarden of Team Penske. Newgarden’s time was 2 hours, 58 minutes, 49.749 seconds vs. Larson’s 2:58:58.892 piloting the Arrow McLaren SP car, a partnership involving the California native’s NASCAR team owner, Hendrick Motorsports.

Behind No. 1 Bell in the Coca-Cola 600 race were No. 2 Brad Keselowski, No. 3 William Byron, No. 4 Tyler Reddick and No. 5 Denny Hamlin to round out the top five finishers.

After NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports officials decided to call the race because a restart was unlikely until far after midnight and an uncertain weather forecast even at that, Bell sounded almost apologetic in speaking with reporters.

“It is a win for us but I wanted to race,” he said.

Although they were unlikely to have gotten home until after 3:00 a.m. if the race had been restarted, a lot of fans were angry and felt cheated, booing as Bell took home the honors. They weren’t necessarily booing Bell, but the race-shortening circumstances.

To his credit, Bell led a race-high 90 laps, won Stage 2, and was running in or near the top five throughout the race after starting No. 3, behind pole sitter Ty Gibbs and No. 2 starter Byron.

In his media center comments, Bell noted that not only did he lead laps but was able to pass cars and get back into the lead after losing it. He took particular care to credit his pit crew for helping keep him among the leaders.

“We had great pit stops,” he said.

Racing aside, the Coca-Cola 600 has evolved as an impressive celebration by the stock car racing community as it remembers and honors military veterans who have served and especially those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country, as well as the military families who have also been asked to sacrifice.

Speedway Motorsports, Charlotte Motor Speedway, and NASCAR pulled out all the stops for the 2024 pre-race and in-race ceremonies to honor and remember. Each driver had the name of a fallen military veteran on his windshield. Goodyear had an “honoring and remembering” note on the sidewalls of its tires. At the end of Stage 2, the cars all lined up on pit road, turned off their engines, and the entire racetrack recognized a minute of silence to remember those who gave their lives. In pre-race ceremonies, military choral groups sang, helicopters flew over the infield turf in front of the grandstand to deploy and later pick up soldiers. In addition, just as the singing of the Star Spangled Banner was reaching its climax, a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber passed overhead.

Fans may well have been disappointed by the racing’s end but there was no denying the fan enthusiasm for the race organizers’ planning and logistics for honoring and remembering military veterans.

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — It was a night of storylines — and were there ever stories to tell at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race.

For best viewing of photos on a laptop or desktop monitor, please click on any image for Slide Show mode.

The NASCAR, Speedway Motorsports and Wilkes communities — and catching up with Mother (Nature)

Road & Track magazine described the May 18 weather event the day before the All-Star Race as a “massive downpour.” FOX Weather reported that the flooding turned the North Wilkesboro Speedway into a swimming pool for NASCAR crew members. Weather bulletins reported more than four inches of rain fell on North Wilkesboro Speedway in just two hours, causing flash flooding in and around the track as creeks in the area rose to overflowing.

To say that Speedway Motorsports, North Wilkesboro Speedway, and NASCAR did yeoman’s work in collaborating with the Wilkes County community to get things ready for Sunday morning’s delayed Truck Series race as well as the All-Star Open and All-Star Race in the evening would be an understatement.

Scott Cooper, Senior VP and Director of Communications for Speedway Motorsports explained to media representatives on Sunday that NWS had lost 40 percent of its race parking. Wilkes Community College pitched in to provide parking and other community interests like the Wilkes County Boy Scouts contributed buses and other vehicles to use as shuttles to and from the racetrack. For the parking areas next to the Speedway (hilly pastureland), the organizing team got a rock quarry to open in the wee hours of Saturday night and Sunday morning, with delivery of some 900 tons of gravel to spread on parking lot roadways.

Then, of course, there was pumping water out of the infield and off the track.

Driver reactions to the NWS track repaving

Universally, we heard nothing but rave reviews from every driver interviewed, as well as crew chiefs. Several noted that the multiple grooves around the track were exceptional for a repaving on any track. Among others, Joey Logano said that those involved with the repaving had kept some of the track’s personality, such as the flatter corners in Turn 1 and Turn 2 as well as a “bump” on the inside of Turn 1. The most common reaction, “This was fun.”

The Tire ‘Option’

For the All-Star Race, NASCAR and Goodyear collaborated on providing the race teams with three tire options: [1] the “yellow” or Prime tire; [2] the “red” or Option tire; and [3] the “white,” a tire for Wet conditions, if needed.

The softer Option tire was advertised to drivers and media representatives before the race as “providing more grip” facilitating higher speeds, but that it “fell off faster,” meaning that it lost traction much quicker than the Primary tire. The default tire selection was the Prime, ostensibly giving drivers a more durable tire in dry conditions.

Seeing how Joey Logano and others who stuck with the Option tire performed without experiencing much in the way of falloff, by Stage Two just about everyone was running their softer tires.

The Fisticuffs

The softer Option tire actually played a role in the middle of the second lap as Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. stuck his car in the 3-wide middle between Denny Hamlin on the inside and Kyle Busch, Jr. on the outside. Although video replays from Ty Gibbs’ car seemed to indicate that Stenhouse gave Busch plenty of room, the Las Vegas native seemed to think Stenhouse’s move to pass him on the inside ran Busch up into the wall. Less than a lap later, Busch clearly retaliated by bumping Stenhouse’s left rear quarter-panel, ultimately turning him to crash into the outside wall and out of the race.

Before going to the care center for his mandatory, post-crash medical evaluation, Stenhouse parked his car in Busch’s pit box and climbed a ladder to have a few words with the No. 8’s crew chief, Randall Burnett and Richard Childress Racing’s Vice President of Competition, Andy Petree.

After the race, Stenhouse confronted Busch on Pit Row. The two seemed to be exchanging explanations as to what happened, when suddenly Stenhouse took a big swing and appeared to connect before the onlooking pit crews joined the fray, some trying to separate the combatants, others seeming bent on a fight.

Kyle Larson

With a lot of media resources committed to whether or not Kyle Larson would make it to North Wilkesboro for the All-Star Race after qualifying for the Indianapolis 500, the Hendrick Motorsports driver was helicoptered to the venue from the Wilkesboro airport with roughly 30 minutes to spare. It was enough time for him to even get a TV interview in before the race, up on Victory Lane atop the Media Center.

After setting a rookie record in Indianapolis and qualifying an astonishing fifth fastest time, Larson started at the rear of the All-Star field (@ No. 20) because of a driver change. Kevin Harvick piloted the No. 5 car in qualifying to the No. 12 position.

Larson still has to worry about the Memorial Day Double, driving the Indianapolis 500 early in the day then trying to make it to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600 in the early evening. Perhaps the biggest concern is if the Indianapolis race runs long because of weather delays.

The Winner

Oh, yeah, there was a dominating winner in Joey Logano, who along with William Byron and Ty Gibbs participated in a Goodyear and NASCAR administered “tire test” over two days in mid-March. He stated that the three of them tested as many as 60 different compounds over the two days. After the “red” tire was decided on as the Option tire, Logano reportedly ran a significant number of laps, apparently concluding that after a small “fall off” the tire performance seemed to flatten out, providing adequate traction.

Logano hasn’t won a points race so far in the 2024 season, so his winning the All-Star Race was a welcome respite for his winning drought. As he was interviewed in the Media Center after the race, Logano was candid in saying, “One of my first thoughts was that this wasn’t a points race. But then, I have a million reasons to smile!” (referring to the million dollar prize for the race winner)

Media Treat: Hall of Famers’ Interviews

In the mid-afternoon on May 19, before the All-Star Race, NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports brought Hall of Famers Richard Childress and Chad Knaus into the Media Center to field questions about their careers, as well as their perceptions of the “new” North Wilkesboro Speedway venue.

Childress, who started as a driver in 1969 and became a team owner in 1981, installing Dale Earnhardt as the driver of his No. 3 car and a year later hired Ricky Rudd. In answer to a reporter’s question, Childress identified Rudd as having a particular significant impact on his life and career in racing.

Knaus, who rose from rear tire changer to crew chief for Jimmie Johnson’s seven Cup Series championships driving for Hendrick Motorsports, provided observations as to how the crew chief role has changed, especially with technology. In Knaus’ new role with Hendrick as Vice President of Competition, he said as an organization they try to evaluate every individual crew chief’s strengths and weaknesses and surround him with professional with the skillsets that are most needed.

 

 

 

 

 

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — It is why they play the WHOLE 90 minutes. Down 2-0 to Apotheos in the 80th minute, Appalachian FC’s Elie Bokota found the back of the net in the 81st minute to shrink the deficit, then teammate Ken Raghoebar blistered a goal in the 88th minute to tie the score, 2-2.

BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article. For best viewing of photography on desktop monitor or laptop, please click on any image for Slide Show mode.

While Appalachian FC displayed its offensive power in the first half with several of the most exciting and dramatic attack opportunities, they all flew just wide or were saved just as dramatically by the Apotheos goalkeeper, Newsha Mirfendereski, either leaping high to corral an attempt or diving to smother a “worm burner” skipping toward the net.

Meanwhile, Apotheos — the Atlanta-based team that was runner-up to Tulsa Athletic in the 2023 National Premier Soccer League Championship Game (losing on penalty kicks) — was able to capitalize on one of the few opportunities it had in the opening half on a long goal from outside the box. Appalachian FC’s defense and midfield play limited Apotheos’ opportunities, but the Locomotives took a 1-0 lead into intermission and added a penalty kick in the second half to increase their advantage, 2-0.

And that led to Appalachian FC’s late comeback to tie the game.

Next up for Appalachian FC is a road test on May 25 in Knoxville, Tenn., against 865 Alliance. The Sasquatch crew returns home on June 1 to face the Bristol Rhythm AFC at Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex.

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. LONDON — In what can only be described as an “awesome” trip across the pond, two Blowing Rock-based athletes clipped significant time off their respective personal bests at the 10,000 meters’ distance.

Vestri finishes No. 3 in elite international field

Both members of the ZAP Endurance professional running team, Amanda Vestri bettered her previous personal best by 44 seconds in claiming the No. 3 finishing spot (31:10.52) in the Night of 10,000 Meters PBs premier women’s division race, hosted at the Parliament Hill Fields Athletic Track in north London.  Vestri, a former star collegiate performer at Syracuse University, joined the ZAP team last September and has been making steady progress as she aims for the U.S. Olympic Team qualifying races in June.  According to World Athletics, Vestri’s previous personal best was as a collegian in March 2023, 32:08.26, in Palo Alto, Calif. World Athletics also lists her May 18 race in London as the 8th-best American at the 10,000 meters distance.

Vestri was one of two Americans to finish in the top three of the elite international field of 31 runners. Fiona O’Keefe of the U.S finished No. 2, her time of 31:03.46 within a half-second of Great Britain’s Megan Keith at No. 1 (31:03.02).

Ryan Ford earns ‘Top 10’

Blowing Rock’s Ryan Ford also took considerable time off his previous personal best on the Parliament Hill track, finishing No. 10 in the elite international field of 39 male runners, crossing the line in 27:40.80.  World Athletics lists his previous best as 28:09.53, in a Walnut, Calif. race in May 2023.

Ford was just 18 seconds behind the No. 1 runner, Mohamed Ismael of Djibouti. Ford was the second U.S. runner to cross the finish line, the first being Paul Chelimo at No. 3, just over six seconds ahead.

“It was a great night,” said ZAP Endurance head coach Pete Rea after the two races were completed. “These were massive personal bests for Amanda and Ryan as they prepare for June’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Ore. Lowering a personal best gets harder and harder as you go faster and faster.”

Vestri’s performance in London is just the latest in a series of accomplishments since joining ZAP Endurance. In September 2023, she placed No. 4 in the USATF 10 Championships in Northport, N.Y., then followed that up on Dec. 3 by placing No. 8 out of 200 top-ranked collegiate and professional runners in Boston at 5,000 meters. A week later she captured the USATF National Cross Country title in Tallahassee, Fla., then won the Oskar Blues 4-Miler in Brevard, N.C. before winning “The Ten” (10,000 meters) as part of a stacked field in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., this past March. Just over a month ago, Vestri, placed No. 3 in an elite international field at 5,000 meters in Azusa Pacific, Calif., qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials at that distance in the process.

Ford and ZAP teammate Dan Schaffer finished 1-2 last November in the Richmond Half Marathon, with Ford just 18 seconds off the U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying standard for the marathon. The former collegiate runner at Iowa State and Tennessee-Martin is transitioning from middle and shorter distance races to the marathon, but for the 2024 Olympics, he will be trying to qualify for the U.S. team in Eugene at the 5,000 meters or 10,000 meters distances.