By David Rogers. KINGSPORT, Tenn. and CANTON, Ohio — Members of Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance’s elite professional running team continue to rack up “top 5” finishes as the summer racing season heats up.
Andrew Colley edged at the finish line
In what World Athletics reports was Clayton Young’s first race of 2023, the 29-year-old Brigham Young University alum edged Andrew Colley by two seconds on July 15, taking home top honors in the USATF Men’s 8K National Road Race Championships. Colley is a veteran member of the ZAP Endurance elite running team, based in Blowing Rock.
The figure-8 course started outside of the historic J. Fred Johnson Stadium on Fort Henry Dr., then wound its way on and around Kingsport’s candle-lit streets before finishing inside the stadium on the campus of Dobyns-Bennett High School. The USATF National Championship was run in conjunction with the Crazy 8s 8K, on a course advertised as “…the world’s flattest and fastest 8K…”
Colley covered the distance in 22:49, just behind Young’s 22:47. Third place honors went to Isai Rodriguez of Ringwood, Okla., finishing just behind Colley in 22:50.
Young picked up the first place cash award of $5,000, Colley took home the second place prize of $3,000.
As most national championships are, it was a stacked field with some of road racing’s biggest names, including Emmanuel Bor (No. 4), Sam Chelanga (No. 7) and Connor Winter (No. 14).
Among the nearly 2,000 runners competing, ZAP Endurance marathoner Tyler Pennel got some speed work in while finishing No. 18, in 24:22.
Van Ord No. 5 in Canton, Ohio 6K
In a field of 23 elite women’s distance runners, it was another top 5 for ZAP Endurance when Tristin Van Ord finished No. 5 in the Women’s 6k Festival, split into the USA Track & Field’s elite, invitation-only division and a “community” division open to anyone.
Edna Kurgat of Colorado Springs, Colo. took home top honors, finishing the 6K distance in 18:28.11. Nell Rojas of Boulder, Colo., was No. 2 in 18:29.95, followed by Annie Rodenfels (Roslindale, Mass.) in 18:31.22 and Emma Grace Hurley (Atlanta, Ga.) in 18:32.86. Van Ord was just 10 seconds behind the winner, in 18:38.23, battling in the end with Emily Lipari (Kailua, Hawaii), clocked at 18:38.26.
The top five in the open division won cash awards ranging from Kurgat’s $500 to Van Ord’s $100.
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