The ZAP Fitness-Reebok crew had a banner day in the nation’s capital yesterday at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Miler and RRCA National 10 Mile Championship. Racing against a world-class field the group of Andrew Colley, Matt McClintock, Josh Izewski, Johnny Crain, and ZAP training partner Pardon Ndhlovu came away with 2 top 10 finishers and 4 personal best times.
The men’s lead pack was tightly bunched through the opening 10k, passed in 29:18, with 15 men still in contention for the win. Izewski, McClintock and Colley were among those in contention as the group moved through 7 miles and around the tip of Haynes Point in Potomac Park. As the group made the final turn for home 2.5 miles from the finish the pace increased dramatically and the pack splintered apart.
Izewski, Colley and McClintock worked together amongst a pack of 5 as they moved into the final mile. Colley was the first to make a move just past 15k, breaking the pack open with McClintock the only one able to follow. McClintock and Colley went on to finish 9th and 10th in personal best times of 47:10 and 47:12, 4:43 and 4:44 mile pace respectively. Teammate Josh Izewski came in shortly after in 13th, also in a huge personal best time of 47:26. Crain was the 8th US finisher across line in 49:10 with Ndhlovu coming in a minute later in a personal best of 50:25.
McClintock and Crain were both recipients of the 2017 RRCA Roads Scholar Grant and the team was thrilled to notch 2 top in finishes at the RRCA National Championship event over the weekend. The RRCA has a long standing history of supporting athletes at all levels and offered a bonus to the first Roads Scholar recipient or RunPro alum to cross the line yesterday. McClintock, who also attended the RRCA’s RunPro Camp, a weekend retreat that assists recent college graduates with making the transition to professional running, just missed the RRCA bonus by 6 seconds.