Forner Wins Women's United Community Bank 43rd Reedy River Run 10K & Weitzel Takes Second Overall.

Emily Forner. (photo: Stephen Moore)

On a cloudy and humid Labor Day morning with temperatures in the low 70s, ASICS Greenville Track Club ELITE's Emily Forner won the women's division of the United Community Bank 43rd Reedy River Run. Forner covered the hilly 10-kilometer course that starts and finishes on downtown Greenville's S. Main Street bridge in a time of 37:28. It was the first road 10K for the former NCAA DIII 3,000m champio while at Allegheny College. The victory also earned Forner the Road Runner's Club of America South Carolina State 10K championship.  Emily's teammate, Mackenzie Lowe, placed third among women with a time of 37:55. 

The overall winner was Olympic Trials Qualifier (both marathon and 3000m-Steeplechase) James Quattlebaum of Greenville, who just missed breaking 30 minutes with a time of 30:01. ASICS GTC-ELITE'S Jason Weitzel pulled away from Greenville's Ricky Flynn over the final kilometer to place second with a time of 30:22. It was Jason's first race as a member of the post-collegiate, Olympic-development program and he earned a total of $550 ($400 for 2nd + $100 time bonus + $50 for second SC runner). Flynn, a past member of ASICS GTC-ELITE whose focus is now in triathlon, ran 30:56 for third.  

Jason Weitzel

Mackenzie Lowe

GTC-ELITE was established in 2012. The program produced 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 and one qualifier for and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase.  Also, the group set four South Carolina State road race records in 2020 (5K, 15K and Half Marathon).  The post-collegiate, Olympic development program is sponsored by ASICS, the 49-year-old Greenville Track Club, Joy Real Estate (Adopt an Athlete partner), the Borch Foundation, generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Carolina Spine and Rehab, Roll Recovery products, FinalSurge (on-line training log), The ATI Running Academy, ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots, Cocoa Elite recovery products, Stryd Running, Coach Bob Williams Pace Calculator, the DorsiFlex (stretching device), the MOBO board (balance & mobility), On Pace Wellness (nutrition coaching) and LEVER Running (treadmill body weight support).  The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and  USATF.​