Category: Professional

By David Rogers. RICHMOND, Va. — Eighteen seconds doesn’t sound like much when you have just won a 13.1 mile, half marathon road race, but to middle distance specialist becoming a marathoner Ryan Ford of Blowing Rock, it makes all the difference in the world — at least for this year.

Ford won the CarMax Richmond Half Marathon on Nov. 11 with a time of 1:03:18, more than two minutes ahead of his ZAP Endurance teammate and No. 2 finisher, Dan Schaeffer (1:05:26). The only problem? He needed to come in at or under 1:03:00 to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon on Feb. 3, in Orlando, Fla.

Schaeffer, explained ZAP Endurance Pete Rea, is a shorter distance race specialist, usually focusing on the mile up to 5,000 and 10,000 meters. On this day, he “paced” his teammate and friend for the first 10 miles before telling Ford, “Go get ’em!” and easing off the pace. Remarkably, he still finished No. 2, just ahead of a trio of other runners completing the course under 1:06.  The next athletes to finish were 1:08+, more than five minutes behind Ford and three minutes after Schaffer.

So while Ford and Schaffer might go to Orlando to support their six ZAP Endurance teammates who have qualified, they won’t be competing.

Blowing Rock will still be well represented by three ZAP Endurance men and three ZAP Endurance women. The men include Tyler Pennel, who finished fifth in the 2016 Los Angeles-hosted Olympic Trials; Andrew Colley, who in October’s Chicago Marathon established a new ZAP Endurance club record; and Josh Izewski, who had the previous ZAP club record and in July was the top U.S. finisher in the Gold Coast Marathon, in Australia.

On the women’s side, Tristin Van Ord (set a club record at Chicago, too); Annemarie Tuxbury and Whitney Macon have all qualified for the Orlando marathon trials in February.

By David Rogers. NEW YORK CITY — Morgan Beadlescomb (13:44) and Annie Rodenfels won their first national titles in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively, of the USATF 5k Road Racing Championship on Nov. 4 in Manhattan’s Central Park, but Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance was well represented among the leaders. Beadlescomb was representing adidas, the shoe and apparel company.

In the Elite Men’s Division, ZAP middle distance specialist Dan Schaffer finished No. 4, just three seconds behind Beadlescomb in 13:47. To understand just how close it was at the finish, No. 2 Ahmed Muhamed (HOKA Northern Arizona Elite), No. 3 Tai Dinger (unattached) and Schaffer were all credited with the same time of 13:47. Close behind at No. 5 was Brian Barraza (Roots Running) in 13:48 and a second later, No. 6 Woody Kincaid (NIKE) in 13:49.

Of the 26 elite runners entered in the race, held in conjunction with the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K, 14 men finished the 5km course under 14 minutes (within 17 seconds of the winner). While Beadlescomb took home $12,000 for the win, Schaffer netted $2,000 for the fourth place finish.

In the Elite Women’s Division, ZAP Endurance newcomer Amanda Vestri finished No. 7, approximately 16 seconds behind Rodenfels, representing the Boston Athletic Association (15:22).

Also among the leaders were Rachel Smith (Hoka One One), Bethany Hasz (Boston Athletic Association), Keira D’Amato (NIKE), Weini Kelati (UA Dark Sky Distance), and Katie Camerana (unattached), all ahead of Vestri.

A few places behind Vestri was another High Country athlete, Abbey Cooper, at No. 12, representing New Balance. A total of 23 elite female athletes qualified for and competed in the women’s race.

Rodenfels took home the $12,000 money for first place, Vestri came away with $750 for finishing No. 7.

“Overall, it was a good day for ZAP Endurance to place two of our team members among the leaders of a national championship race,” said Pete Rea, head coach of ZAP Endurance.

 

By David Rogers. CHICAGO, Ill. — A perfect day for road racing produced an astonishing world record and four course records for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Oct. 8. Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance’s elite professional running team also came away with new club records and two personal best times.

Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum, just 23 years old, flirted with a new world record in Valencia, Spain, in December 2022 and again at the London Marathon just over four months later. This time, on the streets of Chicago, he became the first person in world history to run the 26.2 mile marathon distance under 2:01, smashing the world marathon record in 2:00:35.

“It was a perfect day for a marathon,” said ZAP Endurance head coach Pete Rea, watching the world record performance at the finish line. “The temperature was in the mid-40s, low humidity, the lightest of winds. It was a thrill for me to witness Kiptum’s performance.”

Rea, of course, had other interests in the race. ZAP team members Andrew Colley, Tristin Van Ord and Annmarie Tuxbury were competing and he anxiously awaited their finishes — and it was worth the wait.

Colley and Van Ord each set new personal records while finishing in the top 15 of their respective divisions. Both also established new ZAP club records.

Colley’s 2:11:22 allowed him to finish No. 15 among the estimated 47,000 runners participating in the event, no longer having to share with teammate Josh Izewski the club record of 2:11:26 he achieved in Rotterdam, in April.

Van Ord finished No. 14 among the women, her 2:25:58 improving on her previous club record of 2:27:07, set in Houston this past January. Tuxbury developed some back troubles during the race, Rea explained, and faded to 2:38:49, well off her personal best of 2:36:59 set in April’s Rotterdam Marathon.

“Andrew set a new personal and club record but I know he is frustrated,” said Rea. “With about 5,000 meters to go, he was running with some guys who ended up finishing two minutes ahead of him. We’ll get that figured out, why he is falling off so much at the end.

“Tristin will take her new personal record, improving by well over a minute, as a positive,” added Rea, “but she had some trouble at the end, too. With about four miles to go she began to slow, but gutted it out to the end.”

Van Ord knows where any trouble began.

“I got a little excited, a little impatient,” she said. “I ran a 5:20 and a 5:22 mile pace for miles 18 and 19, which is about 10 seconds faster per mile than I had been running and it cost me a bit.”

Even so, Van Ord bettered the Olympic standard by almost a full minute. That means if she can finish in the top three in Orlando at the February trials, she gets to go to Paris. In Chicago, there were only five other American women who finished ahead of her.

Sifan Hassan of The Netherlands finished No. 1 among the women, setting a course record of 2:13:44, which is the second fastest women’s time in marathon history. Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich was No. 2 (2:15:37) and Ethiopia’s Megerti Alemu was No. 3 (2:17:09).

Emily Sisson was the top U.S. woman, finishing No. 7 in 2:22:09, with Molly Seidel of the U.S close behind at No. 8 (2:23:07).

Ford, the “Rabbit” 

An unofficial side note from the Chicago Marathon, ZAP Endurance’s middle distance specialist Ryan Ford ran as a hired pace setter.

“The original pace setter hired by the Chicago organizers had gone back to home in Africa and had some trouble with his visa in returning,” said Rea. “So they called me last week to see if we had anyone who might be available to serve as a replacement. As it turned out, Ryan was supposed to run on Oct. 1 in a Twin Cities 10-miler up in Minneapolis-St. Paul, but the race was cancelled two hours before the start because of the heat. So, for Chicago he was hired to run about a 1:04:00 pace for the first half of the race, with bonuses if he reached certain benchmarks. He did great, when he finally pulled off the course at about 18 miles, he was running a 2:08:00 marathon pace, which is pretty remarkable. He said afterwards, ‘I think I am a marathoner now’.”

Rea added that Ford will be trying to qualify for running in February’s U.S. Olympic Trials by competing in the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon at the end of October.

VIDEO CLIP

Zap Endurance head coach Pete Rea offers encouragement to team member Andrew Colley among some of the second group of elite runners in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Video clip by Sean Rea.

CLICK HERE to view brief clip.

 

By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — Three High Country professional athletes are in the Windy City this weekend to compete in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. For ZAP Endurance team members Andrew Colley, Tristin Van Ord and Annmarie Tuxbury, this 26.2 mile adventure around the streets of Chicago will be their final marathon before the U.S. Olympic Trials in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 3, 2024.

WATCH ZAP ENDURANCE ‘BUILD UP TO CHICAGO MARATHON’ VIDEO AT BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE

This will be the 45th running of the Chicago Marathon, a popular event that usually draws some of the world’s top marathoners. The 2023 edition is no exception as, in the men’s division, the already announced professional field includes Ethiopia’s Kinde Atanaw, whose personal best of 2:03:51 was run in Valencia, Spain, in 2019.

At least three other elite U.S. runners will be competing for the podium in Chicago, including Leonard Korir (2:07:56, Amsterdam, 2019), Daniel Mesfun (2:10:06, Toronto, 2018), and Sam Chelanga (2:15:02, Chicago, 2017).

Chicago Marathon organizers also have their eye on Jordan Gusman, of Malta, making his marathon debut but an accomplished, sub 4-minute miler who ran a 1:03:41 half marathon in Houston this past January.

The women’s elite field also includes some formidable competitors in Megertu Alemu of Ethiopia (2:18:32, London, 2022), Rose Harvey of Great Britain (2:17:20, Seville, 2022), and Emiline Delanis of France (2:32:36, Chicago, 2022).

The Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance runners will be right in the mix of things.

Among other goals, Colley aims to better the ZAP Endurance club record he shares with teammate Josh Izewski of 2:11:26, a mark he established in April at the Rotterdam Marathon.

“2023 has brought a level of training consistency that Andrew hasn’t seen in years,” ZAP Endurance head coach Pete Rea told High Country Sports. “It has resulted in the best racing performances of his career. He helped Team USA to a No. 6 team finish this past February in the World Cross Country Championships held in New South Wales, Australia. He had runner-up finishes in the U.S. Cross Country Championship and the U.S. 8km Road Racing Championship. We are excited to see what he can do in Chicago.”

Van Ord is the former Appalachian State cross country and track star who joined ZAP four years ago to help in her transition to marathon running.

“Tristin has also enjoyed a breakout 2023,” said Rea. “She kicked off the year at the Houston Marathon where she finished No. 4 in a personal best of 2:27:07. She has made consistent progress throughout her marathon career, running 2:32 in 2021, 2:29 in 2022 and 2:27 so far this year. In addition to her marathon best, Tristin has run personal bests at 5k and 10k this year, and most recently posted a career-best No. 4 at the U.S. 20k Championships on Labor Day.”

Tuxbury is finishing her first year anniversary as a member of the ZAP Endurance team, making significant gains.

“Tristin’s teammate and training partner, Annmarie will be taking aim at her 2:31:29 personal best set last December at the California International Marathon. She has put together the best buildup of her career. After battling some fatigue early in the training block, she has looked fantastic over the final month of training leading into Chicago.”

In the last few days, another ZAP athlete and Rea have decided to use the Chicago Marathon for multiple purposes.

“In addition to the three athletes racing, Ryan Ford will line up for ‘pacing duty’,” reported Rea. “He will be charged with pacing the group, aiming to run 1:04:00 through halfway.

“On Oct. 1, Ryan was scheduled to run the Twin Cities 10 Miler, but the race was cancelled just two hours prior to the start because of heat concerns. So running the first half of Chicago will serve as a good replacement opportunity for him ahead of the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon at the end of October. In Indianapolis, he will be aiming for the 1:03:00 Olympic Trials qualifying standard that would allow him to enter the U.S. Olympic Trials for the Marathon, on Feb. 3 in Orlando.”

In his stellar collegiate career, Ford was a middle distance specialist in 3,000 meters to 10,000 meter distances, but is now transitioning to the marathon under ZAP Endurance’s mentorship.

The Chicago Marathon race begins at 7:30 a.m. Central/8:30 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, Oct. 8.

 

Special Report from App State Sports. BOONE, N.C. — Shemar Jean-Charles made his debut for the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football, appearing on special teams during the 49ers’ 30-12 victory against the New York Giants.

Another App State alum, Steve Wilks, is the defensive coordinator for the unbeaten 49ers. The Mountaineers have a Sun Belt-leading 11 alums currently on NFL rosters, including two others who are on the roster for the unbeaten Miami Dolphins: Kendall Lamm and Darrynton Evans.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Kendall Lamm – OL, Miami Dolphins

The return of left tackle Terron Armstead meant Lamm switched back to his “swing” tackle title as the top backup at both tackle spots, and he played 17 offensive snaps as the unbeaten Dolphins won 70-20 against Denver. Miami coaches have praised Lamm for his contributions during the strong start. He entered last weekend ranked 10th in Offensive Tackle Pass Block Win Rate, according to ESPN.

Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB, Cincinnati Bengals

Davis-Gaither had one tackle on special teams as he played on 75 percent of special teams plays and six defensive snaps in a Monday Night Football victory against the Los Angeles Rams.

Nick Hampton — OLB, Los Angeles Rams

Hampton, a rookie, made his Monday Night Football debut and appeared on one-third of the special teams plays in the Rams’ 19-16 loss to Cincinnati.

Sam Martin – P, Buffalo Bills

Martin unleashed a 70-yard punt on his only attempt in a 37-3 win against Washington.

D’Marco Jackson — LB, New Orleans Saints

Jackson appeared on 84 percent of the special teams plays in New Orleans’ 18-17 loss to Green Bay.

Ryan Neuzil – OL, Atlanta Falcons

Neuzil blocked on special teams during the Falcons’ loss to Detroit.

Also on NFL Practice Squads
Darrynton Evans – RB, Miami Dolphins
Henry Pearson – FB, Green Bay Packers

On Reserve/Injured List
Cooper Hodges – OL, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jalen Virgil – WR, Denver Broncos

By David Rogers. SEATTLE, Wash. — What started as a battle of football field goals in the first half and well into the third quart of the NFL game between the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 24, quickly morphed into a TD fest of the home team at Lumen Field.

Carolina’s 13-12 halftime lead didn’t last long in the second half. With just under 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter, Seahawks placekicker Jason Myers slotted his fifth field goal to put Seattle ahead, 15-13. Then, two TD scores by running back Kenneth Walker III and a 5-yard pass from Seattle QB Geno Smith to former undrafted free agent wide receiver Jake Bobo proved too much for the visiting Panthers to overcome.

It’s not as if the Panthers didn’t try. Besides the two 4th quarter touchdowns — one a plunge across the goal line by running back Miles Sanders and the final one a 15-yard wrestling pass TD to Adam Thielen from backup QB Andy Dalton — Carolina’s offense was, on the surface at least, productive.

Dalton, called to action after 2023 NFL Draft No. 1 draft pick injured an ankle a week ago against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football, passed for 361 yards and two touchdowns, completing 34-of-58 passes. He spread the ball around to 10 different receivers, including Thielen and D J Chark for 145 and 86 yards, respectively, and one TD each.

The apparent problem was that the Panthers defense had their work cut out for them in containing Seattle’s Geno Smith-led, balanced offense. Walker (18 carries for 97 yards and rookie RB Zach Charbonnet (9 carries, 46 yards) led a Seahawk rushing attack that rolled up 146 net yards to complement 23-of-36 passing by Smith for 296 yards. Each team recorded three TDs, but Seattle was 5-for-5 on field goals while the Panthers were 2-for-3.

Also telling: the Panthers had to punt five times, the Seahawks only twice. The Panthers accumulated a lot of yards, but only got into the red zone twice, converting them into points each time. The Seahawks, they got into the red zone six times, converting on half of them.

By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — It wasn’t the day either Josh Izewski or Tyler Pennel were working toward in the BMW Berlin Marathon on Sept. 24. With Izewski pulling up and out with a “hip flare,” Pennel continued on but was well off his personal best, finishing in 2 hours, 14 minutes and 28 seconds, No. 39 to cross the finish line out of almost 29,000 runners, according to the Berlin Marathon official results.

Pennel’s “PR” was set in the Chevron Houston Marathon this past January, in 2:12:16 where he finished No. 5 in a strong field. ZAP Endurance head coach said before this year’s Berlin race that Pennel and Izewski were both aiming for 2:11, perhaps lower.

At the halfway point in the race, Pennel was running in the No. 55 position, so was able to close on some of those ahead of him by the end. His 3:04 to 3:05 per kilometer pace in the first half of the race slowed to 3:26 by the end, according to data obtained from BMW Berlin Marathon. Pennel was No. 6 in his Men 35 age group.

Izewski, unfortunately, had to drop out after the halfway point, where he was running No. 56 on the shoulder of training partner Pennel, at No. 55.

“Josh had to drop out early because his hip flared up badly,” said Rea, after the race. “Tyler’s 2:14 was an OK day, not great.”

Overall, the race was not without its dramatic moments, however. Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge won a record fifth Berlin Marathon in the Men’s Division, in 2:0242. He was followed by countryman Vincent Kipkemoi (2:03:13) and Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele (2:03:24).

In the Women’s Division, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa blew away the field in world record fashion, recording a 2:11:53, well ahead of second place finisher Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya (2:17:49). Magdalena Shauri of Tanzania was came in No. 3 (2:18:41). Six of the top 8 runners were from Ethiopia.

By David Rogers. NORTHPORT, N.Y. — Among Blowing Rock’s newest residents is Amanda Vestri, 24 — and boy, does she know how to make a first impression.

In her first professional race as a member of the ZAP Endurance elite running team, Vestri finished No. 4 in the women’s division of the USA Track & Field 10k Championships, run in conjunction with the The Great Cow Harbor 10k Run that attracted nearly 4,000 runners.

Including the men, Vestri finished No. 40, overall. Her time of 33:02 was only 1:05 behind the top female finisher, Weini Kelati, 27, of Johnson City, who clocked 31:57. Ednah Kurgat, 32, of Colorado Springs was second in 32:40 and Emma Grace Hurley, 26, of Atlanta was No. 3, in 32:56, crossing the line just six seconds in front of Vestri.

 

 

By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — Both veterans of the Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance elite professional running team, Tyler Pennel and Josh Izewski will again take their talents onto the world stage this weekend for the Sept. 24 Berlin Marathon, in Germany.

Pennel, 35, dealt with nagging injuries off and on since the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in Los Angeles where the eventual second place finisher Meb Keflezigh declared later, “Tyler made the race.” It was a soundbite that reverberated around the world after Pennel gamely broke out of the pack at Mile 13 and led by as much as 90 seconds until he was passed by Galen Rupp at Mile 19. Holding on for a fifth place finish, Pennel forced the pace and forced the frontrunners to respond, and earning international respect.

Pennel’s steady return to the world stage has been methodical, including a 1:05:25 in a Philadelphia half marathon on Sept. 18, 2022, and a respectable 2:12:16 marathon a few months later, at the Jan. 15,2023, Houston Marathon. In some “speed” training, on July 15, he finished No. 18 in the USA Men’s 8km Road Running Championships in Kingsport, Tenn., with a time of 24:23. He has twice finished in the top eight of a major marathon race.

ZAP Endurance teammate Josh Izewski, 33, had some outstanding earlier performances, but really burst onto the global stage earlier this year when he finished No. 5 in Australia’s Gold Coast Marathon, finishing the 26.2 mile distance in 2:11.26. That mark improved on his 2022 Houston Marathon time of 2:12:45, when he finished No. 8. He ran a 1:03:17 half marathon in Philadelphia a year ago.

ZAP Endurance head coach Pete Rea believes that Pennel and Izewski training together leading up to the Berlin race will help both of them, pushing each other and picking each other up where one might falter, running alone.

VIDEO OF THE ZAP DUO’S TRAINING FOR THE BERLIN MARATHON

By David Rogers. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — What started out as a trading field goals slugfest morphed into a battle of TD survival on Sept. 18 at Bank of America Stadium. Visiting New Orleans outlasted Carolina, 20-17. the two NFC South rivals moving in opposite directions. The Saints improve to 2-0, the Panthers fall to 0-2.

It was a costly loss for the Panthers, who lost linebacker Shaq Thompson to what head coach Frank Reich termed a “significant” ankle injury. Unofficially, it was severe enough that many are thinking that Thompson will be out indefinitely, if not for the rest of the 2023 season.

Placekicker Eddie Piniero kept the Panthers in the mix with a 52-yard field goal to open the game, midway through the first quarter, and added a 54-yarder early in the third quarter to tie the game at 6-6.

The Saints then put together a 10-play, 75 yard possession that ended up with reserve running back Tony Jones, Jr. slicing into the end zone from two yards out.

Carolina could not do much in response, having to settle for another field goal by Pineiro, from 36 yards.

New Orleans managed another long drive, 6 plays for 79 yards, ending with another 2-yard plunge by Jones, Jr. for another TD.

While the Saints seemed to put the game away with just over three minutes remaining, Carolina made it interesting with an 11-play, 75 yard TD drive ending with a Bryce Young to Adam Thielen TD pass and a successful Young-to-Thielen pass for a 2-point conversion that put the Panthers within a field goal of tying the game. Such an opportunity went away, however, when Carolina’s onside kick attempt was smothered by New Orleans to all but ice the game with barely a minute remaining.

If there were meaningful highlights for Carolina, it was on the defensive side of the ball, with the Panthers applying constant pressure on New Orleans QB Derek Carr. Defensive lineman Frankie Luvu recorded a pair of sacks while defensive back Vonn Bell poached an interception to stop a Big Easy drive late in the first half.

The 2023 NFL Draft’s first selection, rookie QB Bryce Young, directed an uneven Carolina offense, earning only 239 yards of offense and only 14 first downs. The aforementioned TD, their first, didn’t come until there was barely a minute left in the game. Young’s stat line for evening’s work was completing 22-of-33 pass attempts, for just 153 yards through the air. He ran twice for 34 yards.

Carolina moves ahead hoping to rebound on Sept. 24 at the Seattle Seahawks before returning home to host the Minnesota Vikings’ (0-2) high octane offense on Oct. 1. Things don’t get any easier with consecutive road trips to the Detroit Lions (1-1) on Oct. 8, then south to the Miami Dolphins (2-0)on Oct. 15.