ZAP-Reebok athlete Aaron Nelson garnered a spot on his first US Senior team by virtue of his 13th place finish at this past weekend’s US Cross Country Championships. The race took place in Tallahassee, Florida, where the ZAP team is stationed for winter training. The men’s race was loaded with talent, including multiple Olympic medalists and national champions. The 10k race was an uneven affair with a number of athletes surging to the front throughout over the rolling hills. The surges slowly whittled down the lead pack, but at 8k there were still over a dozen men in contention, including Nelson who had been firmly planted in the top 10 for the majority of the race. When defending champion Leonard Korir and 2-time Olympic medalist Galen Rupp hit the front with 2k remaining the pace quickened dramatically. While they would go on to finish 1st and 2nd, Nelson surged to the finish and his 13th place was rewarded with a ticket to El Salvador for the 2018 North American Caribbean Central American Championships on February 17th where he will compete for Team USA.