Greenville Track Club-ELITE - a post-collegiate, Olympic-development program
8 USA Olympic Trials Qualifiers
established 2012
8 USA Olympic Trials Qualifiers
established 2012
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 Greenville Track Club-ELITE is proud to announce that Alison (Parris) Leonard has been added to the Board of Directors of the post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. Alison is an alum of the program and was the second woman to join GTC-ELITE. "This is an exciting time for our program and having Alison join our Board of Directors is an important step in our evolution," explained Director/Coach Mike Caldwell. "Alison has lived the life of a post-collegiate athlete and was mentored by our late coach Laura Caldwell, so she brings valuable experience to our board and understands our mission and culture." Alison worked for three years in her home state of Maryland following her 2011 graduation from James Madison University, with the intention of pursuing post-collegiate running once completely healthy following some persistent injuries during her collegiate career. Once healthy, she was selected to attend the RRCA Run Pro Camp, where her interest spiked and she contacted GTC-ELITE. After her successful interview visit, she relocated to Greenville, SC in May of 2014. During her time with the program Alison competed in almost 40 races and finished among the top five 30 times, including 14 victories and set five course records. She competed in three USATF Club Cross Country Nationals with two top 40 finishes (26th and 33rd). Parris and her teammates placed 8th at those championships in 2015 in San Francisco. She ran personal bests of 16:29 for 5,000 meters, 27:13 for 8K and 35:12 for 10K. She also placed 6th at the 2015 Peachtree Road Race. Alison has made Greenville her home and recently married Matt Leonard in December of 2022. Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is in its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic development program. 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 and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase. 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 51-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 is excited to announce that Davonte Jett-Reynolds will be joining the post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. The Adams State University graduate has personal bests of 3:47.95 (1500m), 4:01.67 (mile), 8:02.7 (3000m) and 13:59.44 (5000m). Davonte graduated from high school in Page, Arizona before attending junior college at Central Arizona Central College and then matriculating at Adams State University in Alamosa, CO. "We are excited to have Davonte join our program as he continues to pursue his running goals," stated the program's director/coach, Mike Caldwell. "Looking ahead, we believe he has much room to develop and grow at both the 1500-meter and 5,000m distances and those in between. He is coming from one of the NCAA Division II traditional powerhouse programs. And, he will definitely experience quite a change in training elevation as Alamosa is 7545 feet above sea level and Greenville is approximately 1,000 feet in elevation. Hopefully, all of that additional oxygen will be a treat for him."  Davonte (l) with Eddie Garcia (c) and Jason Weitzel (r).  Coach Mike & Davonte Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is in its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic development program. 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 and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase. 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 51-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.  Please see more information @ Laura Caldwell Fellowship
Greenville Track Club-ELITE's Eddie Garcia ran a solo 24:07 to easily win the 44th edition of the Sunrise 8K in Simpsonville, SC on a very early Saturday morning. Garcia took the lead from the starter's horn at sunrise (6:18 am) and covered the 8K distance at 4:51 per mile pace which is a new course record. Coming into the race he was ranked third in the South Carolina Road Race Rankings. Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is in its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic development program. 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 and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase. 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 51-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 and Eddie Garcia remain ranked second and third in the most recent South Carolina Road Race Rankings published by USATF State Record Keeper Bill Marable. Weitzel maintains the runner-up ranking for the 19th consecutive month, behind only 2022's South Carolina Long Distance Runner of the Year James Quattlebaum. Quattlebaum, who represents Run In, previously won the SCLDROY honors in 2019 and 2021. Garcia, was the 2020 SCLD Runner of the Year in 2020. In 2023 Weitzel has won the MGC Long Run 15K in Columbia, SC in late February and previously placed second to Quattlebaum in the 44th edition of the GTC Run Downtown 5K in January. Garcia won Greenville's Run Through the Zoo 5K in November of 2022 and then placed third (behind Quattlebaum and Weitzel) in the GTC Run Downtown 5K before finishing second to his teammate Weitzel in the MGC Long Run 15K. Weitzel and Garcia placed 14th and 16th in the USATF 15K Championships on March 4th in Jacksonville, FL's Gate River Run. However, those results do not affect the South Carolina rankings since the race was not in SC. In April's United Community Bank 45th Reedy River Run 10K, Quattlebaum defended his title and Weitzel placed second for the third consecutive year. GTC-ELITE alums Ricky Flynn and Roland Hakes (now residing in Columbia) are ranked fifth and sixth, respectively. Flynn placed third in the United Community Bank Reedy River Run 10K for the third straight year. Hakes placed third, behind Weitzel and Garcia, in the MGC Long Run 15K in February. South Carolina Road Race Rankings |
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Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is entering its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic development program. 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 and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase. 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 51-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.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 51-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.
Mackenzie Donahue visited Greenville with her then fiancé Greg Lowe in December of 2019 to interview with Greenville Track Club-ELITE as a potential program to pursue her running goals. After marrying Greg in the summer of 2020 they relocated to Greenville from their homes in Buffalo, NY as she joined the post-collegiate, Olympic-development program. She was employed at Fleet Feet and Greg worked as a physical therapist at Purposed PT.
After 33 months in Greenville, she and Greg will be moving back home to Buffalo at the end of May as Greg has a teaching position at their alma mater, Daemen University. Greg will also be starting his own physical therapy business.
During her time with the program, Mackenzie competed in 15 races and placed among the top four in nine of those competitions. She won the 2021 Red, White & Blue Shoes 5K and placed 3rd, 2nd and 4th in the most recent United Community Bank Reedy River Run 10Ks. Her proudest moment was running her personal best of 2:48:50 in the 2021 Philadelphia Marathon.
Mackenzie explained, “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to run for the GTC-Elite program these past few years and for everything that Coaches Mike and Laura have done for me! I feel like I’ve grown so much as a runner and as an individual during my time in Greenville, and I’m so thankful for experiencing being a part of this awesome elite running program and the community that has come with it. I’m also grateful to have had the opportunity to run with some incredibly talented teammates who I’ve been able to learn so much from. I wish the program only the best moving forward and I’m so excited to see where GTC Elite takes Jason and Eddie next— I’m so excited to see their talent continue to progress and I’ll miss them so much as well! I’ll be continuing to root for the team’s future success and growth!”
"Mackenzie will be missed by all who know her," stated GTC-ELITE coach Mike Caldwell. "She is always so positive and brings her smile to workout sessions and lifts everyone's spirits and I will definitely miss her enthusiasm. She and Greg were a valuable part of our program, but life keeps moving on and they are ready for the next phase in their lives. We wish them the best and know they will have great memories of their time in Greenville."
After 33 months in Greenville, she and Greg will be moving back home to Buffalo at the end of May as Greg has a teaching position at their alma mater, Daemen University. Greg will also be starting his own physical therapy business.
During her time with the program, Mackenzie competed in 15 races and placed among the top four in nine of those competitions. She won the 2021 Red, White & Blue Shoes 5K and placed 3rd, 2nd and 4th in the most recent United Community Bank Reedy River Run 10Ks. Her proudest moment was running her personal best of 2:48:50 in the 2021 Philadelphia Marathon.
Mackenzie explained, “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to run for the GTC-Elite program these past few years and for everything that Coaches Mike and Laura have done for me! I feel like I’ve grown so much as a runner and as an individual during my time in Greenville, and I’m so thankful for experiencing being a part of this awesome elite running program and the community that has come with it. I’m also grateful to have had the opportunity to run with some incredibly talented teammates who I’ve been able to learn so much from. I wish the program only the best moving forward and I’m so excited to see where GTC Elite takes Jason and Eddie next— I’m so excited to see their talent continue to progress and I’ll miss them so much as well! I’ll be continuing to root for the team’s future success and growth!”
"Mackenzie will be missed by all who know her," stated GTC-ELITE coach Mike Caldwell. "She is always so positive and brings her smile to workout sessions and lifts everyone's spirits and I will definitely miss her enthusiasm. She and Greg were a valuable part of our program, but life keeps moving on and they are ready for the next phase in their lives. We wish them the best and know they will have great memories of their time in Greenville."
Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is entering its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic development program. 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 and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase. 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 51-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.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 51-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.
 Top 5 Men: Jason 2nd from left. |  Jason Weitzel |
Greenville Track Club-ELITE's Jason Weitzel placed second in the United Community Bank Reedy River Run for the third consecutive year. On a stormy Saturday morning, the 10K race started on time at 7:15 am after a quick moving thunder storm moved over Greenville between 5:00 and 6:30 am. Once the starter's horn sounded, Jason ran with three-time race champion James Quattlebaum as they passed the first mile in 4:39 and reached 5K at 14:30. Quattlebaum pulled away over the second half of the race through Cleveland, Cancer Survivor's and Falls Parks. James became the first to win four titles in the 45 editions of this historic race and ran a quick 29:22--only two seconds off the course record he set last year. Weitzel finished alone in second with a time of 30:15. Ricky Flynn (31:27)) was third for the third consecutive year.
Weitzel's GTC-ELITE teammate, Mackenzie Lowe, ran 37:22 to place fourth among women. She previously placed 3rd in 2021 and 2nd in 2022. The women's race was won by the Atlanta Track Club Elite's Joanna Stephens in 35:31. She was followed by Simpsonville's Alyssa Bloomquist (a multiple time Olympic Trials qualifier) in 36:07. Shelby Jaramillo finished third for the second straight year by running 37:19 and besting Lowe by three seconds. Last year's champion, Victoria Hammersmith, was fifth with a time of 38:23.
Top 5 Women: Stephens, Bloomquist, Jaramillo, Lowe and Hammersmith
Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is entering its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic development program. 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 and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase. 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 51-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.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 51-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 Eddie Garcia ran his debut BAA (Boston) Marathon on a damp Patriots Day in the deepest field of elite runners in race history. Conditions at the 9:37 am start were 49F/9C with 95% humidity and damp road surfaces. Eddie, whose most recent marathon was the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, OR in July, started conservatively as he followed his race plan and passed the first 5K in 16:12 and 10K in 32:29 (sub-2:17 pace). After covering 15K in 48:57, he passed 20K in 1:05:25 and halfway (21.1K) at 1:09:01. At 25K his split was 1:22:06, still just under 2:18:30 pace. That pace was close to plan as the strategy was to conserve energy on the downhill first half, cover the hilly section of Heartbreak Hill (actually a series of hills) and finish the final 10K strong.
However, sometimes things don't go as planned, and Eddie ran into trouble on the hills. "I had a tough one today," he explained soon after finishing. "My legs did not respond well to the hills in the second half. I had to go to the medical tent at mile 24 as my hamstring was cramping. They assessed my condition said it was okay to keep moving, so I drank some more fluids and jogged to the finish."
Not wanting to DNF (Did Not Finish), Eddie gutted it out to cross the final timing mat at 2:39:10.
Even the world's greatest marathoner has an off day as Eliud Kipchoge was dropped in the hills and finished sixth in 2:09:23--the slowest time in his illustrious career, which includes two Olympic Marathon Gold Medals, the current world record and the only human to break two hours for the distance.
However, sometimes things don't go as planned, and Eddie ran into trouble on the hills. "I had a tough one today," he explained soon after finishing. "My legs did not respond well to the hills in the second half. I had to go to the medical tent at mile 24 as my hamstring was cramping. They assessed my condition said it was okay to keep moving, so I drank some more fluids and jogged to the finish."
Not wanting to DNF (Did Not Finish), Eddie gutted it out to cross the final timing mat at 2:39:10.
Even the world's greatest marathoner has an off day as Eliud Kipchoge was dropped in the hills and finished sixth in 2:09:23--the slowest time in his illustrious career, which includes two Olympic Marathon Gold Medals, the current world record and the only human to break two hours for the distance.
 Eddie and his wife Sydney. |  Prepping Fuel/Hydration Bottles |
Greenville Track Club-ELITE was established in 2012 and is entering its second decade as a post-collegiate, Olympic development program. 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 and participant in the 2021 USATF Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 3000m Steeplechase. 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 51-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.
The program is sponsored and supported by the 51-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.
