Greenville Track Club-ELITE - a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program
11 USA Olympic Trials Qualifiers
established 2012
11 USA Olympic Trials Qualifiers
established 2012
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I started realizing my Olympic dream on Tuesday and I’m excited to share my experiences with you all. I want to document these life memories as a way to express my gratitude for all of the support I’ve received over the years. -- Eduardo Garcia Tuesday 7/22 I arrived in Mulhouse, France for a short training camp hosted by the PANAM Sports Organization on Tuesday at 6:30 pm Central European Time Zone. I was pretty exhausted after a day of travel leaving Miami on Monday at 10:05pm Eastern Time Zone. I got something to eat and called it a day. Wednesday 7/23 I set my alarm for 7am, but after hitting the snooze for an hour, I decided to let my body dictate when I should start the day. I had two runs planned for the day to shake out the legs from travel. I did my first run and found a beautiful rail trail that runs along the countryside of Mulhouse. I can’t read in French, but I trusted the signs on the path that had a pedestrian and a bike. I had breakfast and had a tour to see my new home for the next few days. The camp is for all the countries in the Americas and the Caribbean. I decided to take full advantage of the amenities and start recovering. I did massage where I met Lillo, who I built a great rapport with along with a fellow massage therapist Nicolas. I then did a full body cryotherapy treatment and loved how I felt once I got out. I can get used to this! Thursday 7/24 Today was a big day and one that I’d been visualizing in my mind for a while. It was my last progressive long run with fuel. The duration is 2 hours and 30 minutes and the goal is to progress into a faster pace throughout the run while practicing taking fluids every 5k. I knew this was an important session and I was determined to make it count. Yesterday I worked with Jorge, who leads the day-to-day for the track athletes. I requested a bike for my athlete support person Keith and he delivered! Everything was set in motion and Keith said that I looked like “poetry in motion.” I sure felt like it and was left feeling reassured and confident. I’m ready. I once again did cryotherapy and another massage with Nicola. Tomorrow the next part of the journey continues as I head to the Olympic Village. Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is in 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 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 also produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 52-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Carolina Spine and Rehab, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Cocoa Elite recovery products, UCAN energy products, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility), On Pace Wellness (nutrition coaching) 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.
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Greenville Track Club-ELITE's Jack Mastandrea and Jason Weitzel finished 7th and 9th, respectively, in Saturday night's USATF 8K Championship in Kingsport, TN. The Crazy 8s race has been touted as one of the best road races in the country and has hosted the USATF Championship for the past few years. With an 8:58 pm start, the course winds through Kingsport and finishes in a football stadium. Mastandrea ran 23:24 and Weitzel 23:39 to earn $600 and $400 for their placings among some of the nation's best road racers. Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is in 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 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 also produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 52-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Carolina Spine and Rehab, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Cocoa Elite recovery products, UCAN energy products, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility), On Pace Wellness (nutrition coaching) 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 led from the gun and easily won the Project SC GVL One Mile Challenge on Saturday evening at Furman University's track facility. After covering the first lap (409 meters) in 1:00.21 with a huge lead on the following pack, he slowed somewhat over the final three circuits and finished with a time of 4:16. The event was community oriented and attracted over 100 participants and six heats of competition. It was sponsored by Brooks and produced by local running retailer Run In. Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is in 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 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 also produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 52-year-old Greenville Track Club, ASICS, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Carolina Spine and Rehab, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Cocoa Elite recovery products, UCAN energy products, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility), On Pace Wellness (nutrition coaching) 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, Jack Mastandrea and Eduardo Garcia remain ranked 2nd, 3rd and 4th, respectively, in the South Carolina Road Race Rankings released by USATF State Record Keeper Bill Marable on July 17, 2024. These rankings, through July 5, are basically the same as previously reported in the month of June. Greenville's James Quattlebaum is ranked first as he had an impressive showing in Charleston's Cooper River Bridge Run (8th place), which vaulted him back into the top position in April. GTC-ELITE's Jack Mastandrea is ranked third, coming off his 29:03 clocking in Charleston and 12th place finish. Weitzel placed 14th there and their teammate Eduardo Garcia had a road PB of 29:31 for 15th. Garcia has been selected to represent the US Virgin Islands in the Paris Olympic marathon on August 10th. Weitzel and Mastandrea recently placed 13th and 19th at the 55th Peachtree Road Race 10K in Atlanta on July 4. However, since that race is not within the confines of South Carolina it does not affect the SC Road Race Rankings. Both runners are also entered in the USATF 8K Championships in Kingsport, TN on July 20. GTC-ELITE alums Ricky Flynn (Greenville) and Roland Hakes (now residing in Columbia) are ranked 7th and 8th. Greenville runners claimed the top five positions and seven among the state's top ten. Greenville runners occupy the top five rankings and seven of the top ten. South Carolina Road Race Rankings |
MEN Open Jason Weitzel, Greenville 35-39 Solomon Kagimbi, Columbia/KEN 40-44 Jason Dimery, Lexington 45-49 Orinthal Striggles, Columbia 50-54 John Turner, Charleston 55-59 Robert McBee, York 60-64 Tim Stewart, Simpsonville 65-69 Tony Glaser, Summerville 70-74 Bob Foster, Charleston 75-79 David Spark, Greenville 80-84 George Luke, Greenville 85-89 George Hagan, Murrells Inlet | WOMEN Open Alyssa Bloomquist, Simpsonville 35-39 Joy Miller, West Columbia 40-44 Alison Chapman, Mount Pleasant 45-49 Rives O’Connell, Folly Beach 50-54 Shannon Godby, Columbia 55-59 Barbara Brandenburg, Columbia 60-64 Sarah Allers, Fort Mill 65-69 Ruth Marie Embler, Charleston 70-74 Nonie Hudnall, Spartanburg 75-79 Nancy Curry, Mount Pleasant 80-84 Joyce Rasberry, Greenville |