Lexi Zeis ran the Olympic Trials back in February as her first experience at the marathon distance. But, we both knew it was a glorified training run as she wasn't quite ready to "race" the marathon yet. This past December at the Marathon Project, she had her first real-go at racing the marathon distance finishing 16th in 2:32:40 making her one of the fastest US marathoners under age 25 in history.

Roots Running Sessions

Becoming a Marathoner: Lexi Zeis recaps her "true" marathon breakthrough

Noah Droddy became the #9 fastest US men's marathoner running 2:09:09 at the Marathon Project event in Arizona on Dec. 20th. He and Frank Lara (who helped pace the event) talk about the build-up to the race, staying motivated during the pandemic, and looking ahead to 2021.

The Marathon Project: capping off a chaotic year on a very high note.

Frank Lara graduated from Furman University in 2019 and although he showed glimpses of his potential while in college, he didn't have the same accolades or fanfare as some of his competitors. But, he has burst onto the scene this year with a US title, a 27:44 10km PR, and an automatic qualifier to the US Olympic Track and Field Trials in June 2021. He is a tough, gritty competitor that has adapted quickly to post-collegiate running, now finding his name mentioned with some of the best in the country.

The Rise of Frank: recapping Frank Lara's outstanding run of 2020 performances

2020 Olympic Marathon Trials Week!!! I sit down with American Running Legend Benji Durden to talk about marathoning, athletic development, training and racing in Atlanta, and his 2nd place finish at the 1980 Olympic Trials Marathon.

Original Gangsters of Distance Running: Interview with American Running Legend Benji Durden

It took Maggie a little bit to realize her potential. But with confidence growing to match her fitness, she's starting to scratch the surface of what she's capable of. She recently ran 70:06 at the Houston Half Marathon, ranking her 25th of all-time in the US, in only her second time running the distance. Maggie discusses that race, her background with running, and what's ahead in 2020.

She's Figuring It Out: Maggie Montoya recaps her standout performance at the Houston 1/2 Marathon

After subpar debuts or disappointing past experiences at the marathon distance, our guys (Noah, Alex, and Willie) took big steps forward at the Chicago Marathon in October. It was a good day for what it meant: a positive experience in the event and affirmation that they belong at the distance. Enjoy hearing about their experience.

Marathon Redemption: Recapping our guys experience at the 2019 Chicago Marathon

In this episode, we sit down with our newest female athlete Jen Bergman to detail her big PR at the Chicago marathon, her return to competitive running after a year off, and re-capturing the success she showed as a 7-time All-American at the University of Arizona.

The Return of Jen Bergman

Get to know one of our newest female athletes: Alexis (Lexi) Zeis. Lexi was a 13x All-American and 3x National Champ for Div 2 - University of Mary. She'll be one to keep an eye on in the future.

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Roots Running Sessions

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