Weitzel Wins 43rd Greenville News Run Downtown 5K

ASICS Greenville Track Club-ELITE's Jason Weitzel ran a solo 14:37 on a cold and windy Saturday morning over the streets of downtown Greenville, SC to win The Greenville News Run Downtown 5K. It was the second fastest time for the historic event, only behind former ASICS GTC-ELITE's Austin Steagall's course record of 14:14 set in 2017. 

It was also Jason's second victory since joining the post-collegiate, Olympic-development program last August. He previously won the Allianz Partners 8K in Richmond, VA (23:06) last November. He is currently ranked second among South Carolina runners in the SC Road Race Rankings, due his runner-up finish in Greenville's United Community Bank 43rd Reedy River Run and as the first SC finisher in December's Mortgage Network Half Marathon in Hardeeville, SC. In that race, which was the 2021 USATF National Championship Half Marathon, Jason placed 21st overall and set three state-resident records en route (15K, 10-Mile and 20K) to his 1:04:45 performance. 

Also of note, it was the 11th time an ASICS GTC-ELITE athlete has placed first in this event. Jason joins Kimberly Ruck (3x), Austin Steagall (2x), Adam Freudenthal (2x), Joe Niemiec, Annie Rodenfels and Chelsi Woodruff as event winners. ASICS GTC-ELITE alum Frank DeVar finished second with a time of 15:37. It was the fourth time Frank has placed among the top four in this race.

Runner-up Frank DeVar, 3rd place Trey Sullivan and winner Jason Weitzel.

ASICS Greenville Track Club-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. 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. ASICS GTC-ELITE also produced the South Carolina Men's 2020 Long Distance Runner of the Year. 

​The post-collegiate, Olympic development program is sponsored by ASICS, the 50-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), 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 Movement (treadmill body weight support).  The club is a proud and active member of both the Road Runners Club of America and  USATF.​