American Distance Project Newsletter Update

American Distance Project Update

(Colorado Springs, CO) After a respite of a year, the American Distance Project newsletter is back. While the newsletter has been on hiatus, the ADP has not. Following are the highlights of 2014 and 2015:

ROSTER CHANGES:

ADP has welcomed many athletes and, as well, wished others good luck in their new adventures. Joining ADP in 2014-15 were:

IAN BURRELL (adidas): Originally from Colorado Springs, Ian returns after finishing law school to begin practicing as an attorney and pursuing higher athletic goals.

KATIE RAINSBERGER (AAHS): Very untraditional for the ADP, Katie just finished her junior year at Air Academy High School (ironically, Ian's alma mater). Coach Simmons has been coaching hand-in-hand with Katie's mother, Lisa Rainsberger, the last American to win the Boston Marathon. 2015 saw Katie make two US national XC teams as well as post a world-leading 16-year old mark of 4:40 for the mile.

JULIUS BOR (All-Army): Kenyan-born, now US naturalized, Julius is, a sub 4:00-miler, is the brother of Hillary Bor, both members of the US Army based at Colorado Springs' Ft. Carson.

MESHACK KOYIAKI (All-Army): Another Kenyan-American soldier based at Ft. Carson, Meshack and Simmons have a past as in 2010 Meshack, competing for DII Columbus State, was undefeated throughout the XC season setting course records at Alabama and Louisville, before suffering his first loss of the season to Simmons-coached Michael Crouch at the DII national championships.

KENNY FOSTER (adidas): While not new to the ADP, Kenny has returned from Army deployment in Kuwait, and now, entering the Reserves, is refocusing on his running career.

JOSEF TESSEMA: Ethiopian-born and US naturalized, Tessema, a Virginia high school and Norfolk State grad, is just now progressing into quality training with a bright professional career ahead.

NEW WEBSITE:

The web address remains the same (www.americandistanceproject.com) but the site is now more interactive and connects to our Facebook and Twitter accounts. Check out the website for new news!

BOOKS/DVDS:

The ADP offers training books including Take The Lead: A Revolutionary Approach To Coaching Cross Country and Canovathon, as well as many DVDs of presentations from elite coaches including Renato Canova, high school legend Bill Aris, Scott Simmons, and Dr. Joe Vigil, among others.

2014-2015 HIGHLIGHTS:

In case you missed it, ADP athletes have been tearing it up in 2014 and 2015. Some highlights include:

BETSY SAINA: Her first year out of college, Betsy not only arrived on the world stage, but held her own. 2014 saw her run PBs at every distance: 3k: 8:38.01, 5k: 14:39.49 (3-seconds over American record breaker Molly Huddle); and a World leading 10k of 30:46. Betsy won a string of prestigious road races including the Tilburg 10k, New Balance Falmouth Road Race and the Morrisons Great Manchester Run.

MATTIE SUVER: In the past year, Suver secured three USA national team spots including the 2015 World Half Marathon, the 2015 NACA XC Championships and the 2015 World Cross Country Championships with her runner-up US XC Champs finish. She also posted a World and Olympic 10k "A" standard at 31:54.43. She finished in 6th as the top American at the prestigious Bolder Boulder 10k in 2015, as well.

JOE GRAY: Gray again was selected as USA Track & Field's Mountain Runner of the Year for 2014. In 2015, he qualified for his 14th US national team finishing 7th at the NACAC XC champs. He aslo won the prestigious Mt. Washington race with a new American record, won the Mt SAC relays 10k wire-to-wire, and was 4th at the 2014 US XC Championships.

Stay tuned for more updates on the ADP and follow us on Facebook and Twitter!