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.
