Coaches Kevin and Keith Hanson of the Hansons-Brooks ODP, photo courtesy of Brooks Running
Hansons-Brooks ODP, photo by Brooks Running
The Hansons-Brooks ODP women captured first place at the 2017 USATF Club Cross Country Championships this past weekend. Here’s a quick report on the men and women who ran for Brooks at the USATF Club Championships.
Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project Returns to the Top at Club Cross Country Championships
The Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project (ODP) women’s team today captured the U.S. Club Cross Country Championships team title, returning to the top of the long distance charts.
The Hansons-Brooks women sent a tight pack soaring across the finish line in second, third and fourth places led by newcomer Chelsea Blaase to ultimately score 55 points against runner-up Boston Athletic Association. Blaase finished the 6-kilometer course in 19 minutes, 49 seconds just ahead of teammates Olivia Pratt (19:50) and Anne-Marie Blaney (19:51).
On the men’s side, Ian La Mere captured the individual crown finishing the 10-kilometer course in 29 minutes, 10 seconds. This was La Mere’s second race as a professional; he debuted with the team in October at the U.S. 10-Mile Championships where he placed seventh. Teammate Ryan Mahalsky finished third overall in 29:14.
The Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project began in 2003 after successes at the Club Cross Country Championships launched the group to the forefront of U.S. distance running. After having produced two Olympians (with two currently on its roster), numerous World Team members and dozens of marathon wins, the Hansons-Brooks ODP returned to its roots on the cross country course and once again captured the team title. With a healthy mix of veteran athletes and newcomers only months into their professional careers, the Hansons’ win lends added meaning to the group’s team approach.
The following men and women donned the Hansons-Brooks red and yellow on the course in Lexington, Ky., today:
Women
Chelsea Blaase
Anne-Marie Blaney
Melanie Brender
Cally Macumber
Olivia Pratt
Rachele Schulist
Men
Bobby Curtis
Brendan Gregg
Ian La Mere
Trent Lusignan
Ryan Mahalsky
Caleb Rhynard
Hansons-Brooks wants to see cross country flourish through the professional level; one long term goal of the ODP returning to club cross country is to reinvigorate the sport. For more information on the Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project and to learn more about how Brooks invests into the sport, visit brooksrunning.com.
