Greenville Track Club-ELITE - a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program
established 2012
11 USA Olympic Trials Qualifiers
One Paris 2024 Olympian
established 2012
11 USA Olympic Trials Qualifiers
One Paris 2024 Olympian
|
|
 Greenville Track Club-ELITE is excited to announce the addition of Noah Fisher. An Ohio native, he graduated from the University of Findlay in his home state with a Bachelor of Science degree in Adolescent/Young Adult Integrated Mathematics and a BS in Mathematics. He most recently was in the MBA program and plans tol complete that degree in the future. Noah's running career was highlighted by earning NCAA Division II Cross Country All American honors in both 2023 and 2024. He also was an All American in the 10,000-meter event on track in 2024 and was a multiple times conference champion in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in cross country and track. "We are looking forward to Noah joining our training group," stated GTC-ELITE Director/Coach Mike Caldwell. "On his visit to Greenville he fit in very well with our current athletes and should benefit from their post-collegiate experiences and wisdom. Training with guys like Olympian Eduardo Garcia, Jason Weitzel, Jack Mastandrea and Ryan Drew should boost Noah's development not only on the track, but also as he begins his road career."  Noah, on right, with the guys. Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is well into its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. The program developed and produced one participant for the 2024 Olympic Games marathon in Paris; four qualifiers for the 2016 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Los Angeles; one qualifier/participant for the 2019 Pam American Games Marathon in Lima, Peru; three qualifiers/two participants for the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta, GA; one qualifier and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase in Eugene, OR; and three qualifiers for the 2024 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando, FL. The program's runners set four South Carolina State road race records in 2020 (5K, 15K and Half Marathon--twice) and three (15K, 10-Mile and 20K) in 2021. GTC-ELITE produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year and recently had the top two ranked South Carolina road racers for 2024.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 53-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility) and LEVER Movement (treadmill body weight support). The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and USATF.
0 Comments
Greenville Track Club-ELITE's Ryan Drew ran 4:07.7 to place sixth in the Men's Pro Race at the second annual Meck Mile in Charlotte, NC on Saturday evening. He improved from his eighth place (4:14.3) finish last year and was over 6.5 seconds faster. The time is the fastest "road mile" in GTC-ELITE's 12-year history even though the Charlotte course is somewhat challenging with a few tight turns and up and downhill segments. It was Ryan's second road mile of the season as he previously placed second in the Governor's Cup Main Street Mile in Columbia on April 11.
 Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is well into its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. The program developed and produced one participant for the 2024 Olympic Games marathon in Paris; four qualifiers for the 2016 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Los Angeles; one qualifier/participant for the 2019 Pam American Games Marathon in Lima, Peru; three qualifiers/two participants for the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta, GA; one qualifier and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase in Eugene, OR; and three qualifiers for the 2024 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando, FL. The program's runners set four South Carolina State road race records in 2020 (5K, 15K and Half Marathon--twice) and three (15K, 10-Mile and 20K) in 2021. GTC-ELITE produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year and recently had the top two ranked South Carolina road racers for 2024.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 53-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility) and LEVER Movement (treadmill body weight support). The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and USATF.  Greenville Track Club founder and current co-president Bill Keesling presented Eduardo Garcia a commemorative plaque in honor of his participation in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at the club's May meeting. Eduardo was also highlighted as the meeting's speaker and entertained the attendees with details about his amazing experience leading up to and during his time in Paris. He is currently rehabbing from his second hip surgery since undergoing an injury (one procedure on each hip to clean up previous damage to tissues). Eddie has been a member of Greenville Track Club-ELITE, sponsored by the GTC, since 2018. His future plans include regaining his competitive fitness and focus on the LA '28 Games.  GTC founder and current co-president Bill Keesling, Eduardo Garcia and GTC-ELITE coach Mike Caldwell Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is well into its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. The program developed and produced one participant for the 2024 Olympic Games marathon in Paris; four qualifiers for the 2016 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Los Angeles; one qualifier/participant for the 2019 Pam American Games Marathon in Lima, Peru; three qualifiers/two participants for the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta, GA; one qualifier and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase in Eugene, OR; and three qualifiers for the 2024 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando, FL. The program's runners set four South Carolina State road race records in 2020 (5K, 15K and Half Marathon--twice) and three (15K, 10-Mile and 20K) in 2021. GTC-ELITE produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year and recently had the top two ranked South Carolina road racers for 2024.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 53-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility) and LEVER Movement (treadmill body weight support). The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and USATF.  Greenville Track Club-ELITE had two athletes compete at the Duke Twilight meet in Durham, NC on Sunday evening. Ryan Drew ran 3:45.55 in the men's 1500-meter event. After passing the first 300 meters in 5th place (in Heat 3) at 43.55, and 700 meters in 1:45.18 (1:01.6), he took the lead with a 1:00.39 lap (2:45.53 at 1100m) despite running wide in traffic. He closed the final 400m in 1:00.01 while finishing fifth in that heat. His time was .5 second off his 3:45.05 at the Charlotte Invitational last weekend.
Davonte Jett-Reynolds placed fourth in the 5,000 meters with a time of 14:01.84. He ran with the lead group and was in third place after 1800 meters, passed in 6:05.93. He then dropped back to seventh position before passing 3,000m in 8:23.48. He remained in that position as his pace slowed slightly to 69-70 seconds for the next few 400m, before rallying for a final lap of 1:02.3. That was the fastest final lap of any of the 20 finishers. His time was slightly faster than the 14:03.44 he ran at the Charlotte Invitational last weekend.
Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is well into its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. The program developed and produced one participant for the 2024 Olympic Games marathon in Paris; four qualifiers for the 2016 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Los Angeles; one qualifier/participant for the 2019 Pam American Games Marathon in Lima, Peru; three qualifiers/two participants for the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta, GA; one qualifier and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase in Eugene, OR; and three qualifiers for the 2024 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando, FL. The program's runners set four South Carolina State road race records in 2020 (5K, 15K and Half Marathon--twice) and three (15K, 10-Mile and 20K) in 2021. GTC-ELITE produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year and recently had the top two ranked South Carolina road racers for 2024.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 53-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility) and LEVER Movement (treadmill body weight support). The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and USATF.
Greenville Track Club-ELITE's Ryan Drew ran 3:45.05 to place third in the men's 1500-meter at the Charlotte Invitational at UNC Charlotte. He ran a fine 1:57.7 for 800m between 300m and 1100m, but slowed over the final 200. It was still the best 1500m performance in GTC-ELITE history, besting his 3:45.58 from this meet in 2024.  Later in the evening his teammates, Davonte Jett-Reynolds, Jason Weitzel and Jack Mastandrea, ran in the 5,000-meter Invite and placed second, third and fifth, respectively, in the field of 34. After a rather pedestrian pace between 200m and 600m (70 seconds) the pace slightly quickened as eventual winner Rogerio Amaral of the University of South Carolina led through 1000m in 2:49.89. The three GTC-ELITE runners were just off the lead and among the top five. At 3,000m all three were less than one-second off the lead and were at 8:28. The high humidity seemed to affect the pace as almost everyone slowed after 3400 meters. However, Amaral's pace picked up significantly over the last kilometer as he won in 13:54.1. Jett-Reynolds closed with a final 400 of 64.04 to placed second in 14:03.44. Weitzel was third in 14:13.5 and Mastandrea was fifth at 14:25.95. Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is well into its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. The program developed and produced one participant for the 2024 Olympic Games marathon in Paris; four qualifiers for the 2016 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Los Angeles; one qualifier/participant for the 2019 Pam American Games Marathon in Lima, Peru; three qualifiers/two participants for the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta, GA; one qualifier and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase in Eugene, OR; and three qualifiers for the 2024 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando, FL. The program's runners set four South Carolina State road race records in 2020 (5K, 15K and Half Marathon--twice) and three (15K, 10-Mile and 20K) in 2021. GTC-ELITE produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year and recently had the top two ranked South Carolina road racers for 2024.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 53-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility) and LEVER Movement (treadmill body weight support). The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and USATF.  Greenville Track Club-ELITE's Jason Weitzel ran 29:48 to place second in the 47th edition of the United Community Reedy River Run in downtown Greenville, SC on Saturday morning. With the temperature at 59-degrees for the 7:15 am start, Jason followed now-five-time winner James Quattlebaum around the 10K course that crosses the Reedy River at six different places. Weitzel was just shy of his 29:44 winning time in 2024. It was also his fourth runner-up placing in this historic event. Since 2021 Jason has placed among the first two finishers on each occasion. His top three time performances are 29:44, 29:47 and 29:48. Jason earned $625 for his performance, including $400 for second place, $175 for breaking 29:50 and $50 as second South Carolina resident. Quattlebaum broke his own "event record" (course has varied over the years due to multiple construction projects in downtown Greenville) with an impressive 29:03. His previous best and event record in this race was 29:20. James earned a total of $1100 ($500 for winning, $500 for event record and $100 for first South Carolina resident).   Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is well into its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. The program developed and produced one participant for the 2024 Olympic Games marathon in Paris; four qualifiers for the 2016 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Los Angeles; one qualifier/participant for the 2019 Pam American Games Marathon in Lima, Peru; three qualifiers/two participants for the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta, GA; one qualifier and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase in Eugene, OR; and three qualifiers for the 2024 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando, FL. The program's runners set four South Carolina State road race records in 2020 (5K, 15K and Half Marathon--twice) and three (15K, 10-Mile and 20K) in 2021. GTC-ELITE produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year and recently had the top two ranked South Carolina road racers for 2024.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 53-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility) and LEVER Movement (treadmill body weight support). The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and USATF.
Greenville Track Club-ELITE's Ryan Drew ran 4:09 to place second overall (by only one second) in this year's Governor's Cup Main Street Mile in downtown Columbia, SC on Friday evening. Ryan ran among the front pack as it made the 180-degree turnaround at halfway. Greenville's Coen Roberts led there in 1:57. As the leaders ran back up the slight incline to the finish and into a headwind, eventual winner Ali Abdilmana and Drew passed Roberts with less than 200 meters remaining. Drew then made an attempt to overtake Abdilmana, but the Ethiopian held him off to win in 4:08. The winner earned a $500 check, while Drew received $400 for his effort and Roberts $300. Abdimana, who was the 2024 winner of the prestigious Cooper River Bridge Run 10K and placed third in that race last weekend, currently trains in Chapel Hill, NC.   Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is well into its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. The program developed and produced one participant for the 2024 Olympic Games marathon in Paris; four qualifiers for the 2016 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Los Angeles; one qualifier/participant for the 2019 Pam American Games Marathon in Lima, Peru; three qualifiers/two participants for the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta, GA; one qualifier and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase in Eugene, OR; and three qualifiers for the 2024 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando, FL. The program's runners set four South Carolina State road race records in 2020 (5K, 15K and Half Marathon--twice) and three (15K, 10-Mile and 20K) in 2021. GTC-ELITE produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year and recently had the top two ranked South Carolina road racers for 2024.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 53-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility) and LEVER Movement (treadmill body weight support). The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and USATF.  Ryan Drew, Davonte Jett-Reynolds, Jack Mastandrea and Jason Weitzel Greenville Track Club-ELITE's Jack Mastandrea is currently ranked second in the most recent South Carolina Road Race Rankings published on April 10 by USATF SC Record Keeper Bill Marable. His teammates Jason Weitzel, Davonte Jett-Reynolds and Ryan Drew are ranked fourth, seventh and ninth, respectively. Former GTC-ELITE members Ricky Flynn and Roland Hakes are ranked third and fifth. James Quattlebaum of Greenville is ranked first for the second consecutive month, a spot he has occupied many times previously. Six of the top ten men are from Greenville and the Upstate while four are from the Midlands of the state. South Carolina Road Race Rankings |
| 1. James Quattlebaum (29, Greenville) 2. Jack Mastandrea (27, Greenville)* 3. Ricky Flynn (37, Greenville)** 4. Jason Weitzel (28, Greenville)* 5. Roland Hakes (32, Irmo)** 6. Solomon Kagimbi (37, Columbia) 7. Davonte Jett-Reynolds (27, Greenville)* 8. Hunter Jarvis (27, Columbia) 9. Ryan Drew (27, Greenville)* 10. Nicholas Deamer (24, Summerville) * GTC-ELITE ** former GTC-ELITE |
Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is well into its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. The program developed and produced one participant for the 2024 Olympic Games marathon in Paris; four qualifiers for the 2016 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Los Angeles; one qualifier/participant for the 2019 Pam American Games Marathon in Lima, Peru; three qualifiers/two participants for the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta, GA; one qualifier and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase in Eugene, OR; and three qualifiers for the 2024 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando, FL. The program's runners set four South Carolina State road race records in 2020 (5K, 15K and Half Marathon--twice) and three (15K, 10-Mile and 20K) in 2021. GTC-ELITE produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year and recently had the top two ranked South Carolina road racers for 2024.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 53-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility) and LEVER Movement (treadmill body weight support). The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and USATF.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 53-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility) and LEVER Movement (treadmill body weight support). The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and USATF.
Greenville Track Club-ELITE's Jack Mastandrea ran 29:56 to place 12th in the huge Cooper River Bridge Run 10K in Charleston, SC on Saturday morning. It was the same finish placing as in 2024 for Jack, although times were slower this year due to the warmer and very humid conditions. He finished sixth among USA runners in the international field.
Jack's teammate and training partner, Jason Weitzel, had an off-day as he slowed over the final kilometers and placed 16th with a time of 30:46. That was well off his personal best for this race of 29:22 in 2022.
This year's race, the 48th edition, attracted over 36,000 participants to the Holy City.
Jack's teammate and training partner, Jason Weitzel, had an off-day as he slowed over the final kilometers and placed 16th with a time of 30:46. That was well off his personal best for this race of 29:22 in 2022.
This year's race, the 48th edition, attracted over 36,000 participants to the Holy City.
Top Performances by |  Jason & Jack after a workout. |
Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is well into its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. The program developed and produced one participant for the 2024 Olympic Games marathon in Paris; four qualifiers for the 2016 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Los Angeles; one qualifier/participant for the 2019 Pam American Games Marathon in Lima, Peru; three qualifiers/two participants for the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta, GA; one qualifier and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase in Eugene, OR; and three qualifiers for the 2024 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando, FL. The program's runners set four South Carolina State road race records in 2020 (5K, 15K and Half Marathon--twice) and three (15K, 10-Mile and 20K) in 2021. GTC-ELITE produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year and recently had the top two ranked South Carolina road racers for 2024.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 53-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility) and LEVER Movement (treadmill body weight support). The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and USATF.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 53-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility) and LEVER Movement (treadmill body weight support). The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and USATF.
GTC Newsletter editor Bill Blask interviewed GTC-ELITE's Jason Weitzel for the club's quarterly newsletter. It is a good read and provides more insight regarding Jason and his running career. It is included in Athlete's Interviews page on this website (under the News Blob heading at the top of the page) or just CLICK HERE.
