Suver & Tapia Awarded RRCA Roads Scholar Grants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 17, 2013




Suver & Tapia Awarded RRCA Roads Scholar Grants


(Colorado Springs, CO) - Mattie Suver (adidas/BRC) and Daniel Tapia (Mizuno/SRA) have both been awarded $5000 Roads Scholar grants by the Road Runners Club of America. SInce 1996, the RRCA has awarded over $450,000 to promising post-collegiate distance runners to help support their development into national and world-class road runners.


Tapia had a breakout year winning the 2012 California International Marathon, finished 9th at the 2013 Boston Marathon and being named to the U.S. national team where he finished 27th in the marathon at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Moscow.


Suver also excelled on the roads over the past year, posting personal bests at every distance from 10k (32:29) to the half marathon (1:11:56.) She was named to three USA international teams and is currently leading the US Road Running Circuit.


“I am extremely honored to be selected as a 2013 recipient of the RRCA Roads Scholar grant,” Suver explained. “Opportunities like this are what allow us as distance runners to continue pursuing our dreams, and I am very grateful to have the support of the Road Runner’s Club of America.”


For more information on the grant and the RRCA go to http://www.rrca.org/services/news-entry/road-runners-club-of-america-announces-2013-roads-scholar-class/
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Tapia & Birdsong To Compete In Amsterdam Marathon;
Korir To Pace Toronto Marathon;
Maiyo & Heath Set To Defend Team Title At Army 10-Miler;
Foster & Thomas To Use Denver Half-Marathon For Training


(Colorado Springs, CO) - Daniel Tapia (Mizuno/SRA) will look to improve on his personal best at Sunday's TCS Amsterdam Marathon, while Brandon Birdsong (adidas/BRC) will provide pacing duties with the possibility of finishing. Tapia, who set his PB of 2:14:30 at the 2013 Boston Marathon and represented the US at the World Championships in August, will be starting his fourth marathon within a year while Birdsong will be in his first marathon ever.


Leonard Korir (Nike) will also gain some marathon experience as he plans to pace the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The marathon continues to be a top level event for both elite runners and for fans as the race reportedly pays elite athletes somewhere less than a third of its $3.3 million budget. In addition, race organizers have arranged for the marathon to be webcast on CBC television's website.


Also on Sunday, Augustus Maiyo and Kyle Heath (WCAP), as well as Edwin Sang, will lead the Army team in defending its team title at the Army 10-Miler in Washington D.C. Officials had planned to alter the race course due to the government shutdown, but with the shutdown ending it will return to its original format.


Finally, Wendy Thomas and Christie Foster, both with adidas/BRC, will use the Denver Half Marathon as part of a training workout as they prepare for the California International Marathon.
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ABOUT AMERICAN DISTANCE PROJECT
The American Distance Project is a non-profit organization whose primary goal is the development of American distance runners to be internationally competitive. The ADP is located on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, taking advantage of incredible training resources in and around Colorado Springs and Woodland Park. The ADP is coached by Renato Canova and Scott Simmons. For more information, visit www.AmericanDistanceProject.com

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Contact:
Scott Simmons

Daniel Tapia (North Monterey County HS, Castroville 2004; Hartnell College, Salinas)
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