ZAP Fitness, the Blowing Rock based training complex for training national athletes, took a strong field of their talented runners to Europe to compete with other world class athletes. The American team picked up the 1st place team title as well as a number of other strong performances in a stiff competition.
ZAP resident athletes Jon Pierce and Thomas Morgan took to the European Cross Country circuit on Sunday, February 24 at Europe’s oldest and most prestigious cross country race: the Ras na Heireann in Dunleer, Ireland. Pierce was 4th over the 6 kilometer course in 17:57 and Morgan was 5th in 18:04. They were followed by American Pat Tarpy (6th), Irishman Mark Carroll (7th), and American Christian Hesch (8th).
On February 24th ZAP’s Allison Grace competed as a member of the American Yokohama Ekiden Relay team in Yokohama, Japan. Grace contested a 6 kilometer leg as part of the US team which finished 12th.
Back in America, Kyle King finished 4th in the 3000m at the February 23rd AT&T USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships. After a pedestrian first mile King finished his last kilometer in 2:28 to secure his highest finish at a US Championship.
The following day ZAP resident athlete Brendan O’Keefe finished 10th in the 1500m in a time of 3:44.4. The meet was O’Keefe’s third consecutive USATF Championship appearance after more than 5 years of injury, a sign of great things to come in an Olympic year.
Thomas M organ was named to his first US Championship on February 25th and competed as a member of the North American Championship Cross Country Team on Saturday March 2 in Orlando, Florida’s Wide World of Sports Complex. Joining Morgan on the American squad are Ben Bruce, Josh Simpson, and Travis Laird.
The ZAP Fitness campus is located in the beautiful Blackberry Valley just south of Blowing Rock and is a year around nationally popular destination for athletes of all ages.
Operated by Zika and Pete Rea, with Randy Ashley on board as the private coach, the facility is endorsed and supported by Reebok, one of the proud sponsor of ZAP Fitness programming including Elite Development, Adult Running Vacations and Youth Fitness Initiatives.