Drew Breaks Course Record at GTC Sunrise Run 8K

Greenville Track Club-ELITE's Ryan Drew had a memorable Saturday morning as he ran 23:54 to break the year-old course record by 12 seconds in the 46th edition of the GTC Sunrise Run 8K in Simpsonville, SC. This was the third consecutive year that a GTC-ELITE athlete won by setting a new course record. Eduardo Garcia ran 24:07 in 2023 and Karl Thiessen bested that with a 24:06 in 2024. 

The rolling 8-kilometer course didn't pose a problem for Drew, who almost missed the race as his car ran out of gas on the freeway before 5:00 am on his way to Simpsonville. However, he overcame that situation  and was on the starting line for the 6:16 am sunrise start. After an opening 4:44 mile, his final time averaged 4:48 or 2:59 per kilometer. 

GTC-ELITE Men's Top Performances at Sunrise Run 8K​

1. Ryan Drew, GTC-ELITE - 23:54 - (2025) Course Record
2. Karl Thiessen, GTC-ELITE - 24:06 (2024) Course Record
3. Eduardo Garcia, GTC-ELITE - 24:07 (2023) Course Record
4. Eduardo Garcia, GTC-ELITE - 25:01 (2018)
5. Zach Mains, GTC-ELITE - 25:04 (2018)
6. Wallace Campbell, GTC-ELITE - 25:24 (2013)
7. Chas Armstrong, GTC-ELITE - 26:00 (2013)

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Ryan receiving award from race director Tim Stewart.

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.​