USA Distance Project
The Athletes

Talented athletes participate in each of the USA Distance Project camps. Team Running USA and Team USA Minnesota's athletes and have submitted their journal entries. Check back soon for bios and entries from these athletes.

Kassi Andersen Team Running USA Kassi Andersen, 24, joined Team Running USA in 2007. She was the 2003 NCAA steeplechase champion and 2003 and 2004 USA Outdoor Championships steeplechase runner-up; She was an 8-time All-American at BYU. Read Kassi Andersen's journal entries here.
Emily Brown Team USA Minnesota A four-time All-American at the University of Minnesota, Brown, 23, joined Team USA Minnesota in the summer of 2007 and right away started setting new PRs: in the fall of 2007 on the roads, she won the TC [Twin Cities] 5K in a PR-time of 16:19 and placed second (56:40) in The Women Run the Cities 10-mile, her debut at this distance In the winter of 2008, during the indoor track season, Brown has achieved PRs in the mile and 3000 meters. On January 26, she won the 3000 at the Minnesota Classic in a time of 9:10.6, not only a 17-second PR for her, but also a University of Minnesota Fieldhouse record. On February 23, Brown won the mile at the University of Minnesota’s Parent’s Day Open in 4:37.58 (second place was 5:05.24). Brown placed third at the 2008 USA Cross Country Championships and will be a member of the U.S. World Cross Country team. Read Emily Brown's journal entries here.
Andrew Carlson Team USA Minnesota The University of Minnesota school record holder in the 5000 meters, Carlson, 25, joined Team USA Minnesota shortly after graduating in 2005. He opened his 2006 season with a fifth-place finish at the USA Half-Marathon Championships, and finished as the runner-up at the USA 10-Mile Championships in mid-April. He also represented the U.S. at the 2006 World Road 20k Championships in Hungary. In 2007, he placed fourth at the USA Half-Marathon Championships as well as at the USA 5K Championships. . In 2008, Carlson achieved his first national championship by winning the Gate River 15k on March 8 with a personal best time of 44:12.
Caroline Cretti ZAP Fitness Since her arrival at ZAP in the fall of 2006, Caroline Cretti, 23, has found much success on the track and the roads. In the spring of 2007, she ran a 10,000-meter PR of 33:58.6 at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, which will also allow her to compete at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials –Track & Field. After an incredible fifth-place finish debut marathon (The 2007 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon), Cretti’s time of 2:43:11 qualified her to compete in the 2008 Olympic Team Trials – Women’s Marathon. Caroline also ran a quick 26:34 for 8k at the 2006 Ntelos 8k in Virginia and was named to the 2006 US Chiba Ekiden Relay team, a team she anchored. Read Caroline Cretti ’s journal entries here.
Ian Dobson Team Running USA A 2005 graduate of Stanford University, Dobson, 25, won the NCAA indoor 5000-meter title that year. He was the runner-up at the 2005 USA Track & Field Championships 5000 meters and represented the United States in that event at the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki. In 2006, Dobson exceled at a variety of distances—he won the Manchester Road Race (4.748 miles) in 21:39 and won the Big Sur Half Marathon in 62:32. Read Ian Dobson's journal entries here.
Joe Driscoll ZAP Fitness Joe Driscoll, 28, trained with ZAP Fitness from 2003 until 2007. While at ZAP he achieved several personal bests from distances ranging from 5000 meters to the 20K. Joe qualified for USATF Outdoor Championships in the 10,000 meters in '05 & '06, was top 10 at the U.S. Cross Country Championships (12K) in '05 and made the World Road Championship Team 20k as a result of his fourth-place finish at the U.S. 20K Championships in 2006. In 2007, Joe achieved a personal best of 2:18.22 in the marathon at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials- men’s marathon where he placed 23rd. In 2008, he moved to Portland, Oregon, where he plans to train for the 2008 Olympic Team Track and Field Trials. Read Joe Driscoll’s journal entries here.
Matt Gabrielson Team USA Minnesota A four-time state champion in Iowa, Gabrielson, 29, won five Missouri Valley Conference titles while at Drake University. He joined Team USA Minnesota in 2001. He was third at the 2003 USA 10K Championships, and third at the 2004 USA 5K Championships. He finished as the runner—up at the 2005 USA Half-Marathon Championships in his debut at the distance, and went on to qualify for his first IAAF World Cross Country Championships one month later. Gabrielson finished sixth in the 12K at the USA Cross Country Championships in 2006 and again competed for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. He ran his debut marathon in 2006, at the ING New York City Marathon, finishing in 20th overall with a time of 2:19:53. In 2007, he finished 12th at the USA Cross Country Championships, again earning a spot on the U.S. world team. Gabrielson has an Olympic Trials qualifier in the 5000m of 13:30.68. Read Matt Gabrielson's journal entries here.
Allison Grace ZAP Fitness Allison Grace, 25, comes to ZAP having performed extremely well her last two years at the University of Kentucky in distances from 1500 meters to 5K. Grace ran her first ever track 10,000m race in November of 2007 and came away with an Olympic Trials Qualifying time of 33:29.3. Alli also won the Aileen Meagher Classic (Halifax, Nova Scotia) in 2007 in the 1,500m and ran personal bests in the 1,500m, 3k and 5,000m on the track. An Ohio native Grace is a three-time All SEC performer in cross country. Her goals include Olympic Trials berths in the 5K as well as developing her road racing skills. Read Allison Grace’s journal entries here.
Ryan Hall Team Running USA One of the nation's most promising distance runners since his high school days in California, Hall, now 25, won the 2005 NCAA 5000-meter title in his final race for Stanford University. He represented the United States at the 2005 IAAF World Championships in the 5000 meters, and won his first U.S. title at the USA Cross Country Championships in New York City in February 2006. In 2007, Hall won the USA Half-Marathon Championships, breaking the American record in a time of 59:43. At the Flora London Marathon, Hall ran a time of 2:08:24, the fastest debut time by an American-born runner. At the USA Olympic Team Trials – men’s marathon in November of 2007, on a slow and very difficult course, Hall broke the Olympic Trials record with his winning time of 2:09:02. Read Ryan Hall's journal entries here.
Sara Hall Team Running USA Since 2006, Sara Hall, 24, has been concentrating on the mile. In 2008, Hall nearly won the women’s mile at the Millrose Games; she placed second with a time of 4:36:11, 8/100ths of a second of from Kar Goucher’s winning time. She was second at the New Balance Games in 2007 in 4:32.68. She was fifth in the 1500 meters at the outdoor 2007 USA Track & Field Championships in 4:08.99. In 2006, Hall won the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile as well as the USA 5K road championships. A two-time PAC-10 Conference cross country champion, Hall was a three-time NCAA Championships runner-up in the 5000 meters. She led her Stanford University team to the NCAA title with her third-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2003. As a high school student, the former Sara Bei was the first Californian ever to win four state cross country championships before capturing the 2000 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships national title to close out her prep career. Read Sara Hall's journal entries here.
Deena Kastor Team Running USA One of the greatest American distance runners ever, Kastor, 35, holds USA records at 10,000 meters, 5K, 8K, 15K, 20K, half-marathon, and marathon, and has earned two individual medals at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. The 2004 Olympic Games bronze medalist in the marathon, Kastor broke her own American Record at the 2006 Flora London Marathon, becoming only the eighth woman in history to crack the 2:20 barrier. London was the second major marathon victory in her career; she also won the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 2005. Read Deena Kastor's journal entries here.
Jason Lehmkuhle Team USA Minnesota An All-American at 5000 and 10,000 meters while at Drake University, Lehmkuhle, 30, had an outstanding 2005 season, representing the United States at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, IAAF World Championships Marathon, and IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships. In 2007, Lehmkuhle finished in the top five at the USA Half-Marathon Championships, the USA 15K Championships, the USA 10K Championships, the USA 20K Championships, and the USA 10 Mile Championships. To top off 2007, he finished fifth in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials- Men's Marathon in New York City with a PR of 2:12:54, on what was considered to be a very difficult course. In his first race of 2008, Lehmkuhle finished second at the USA Half-Marathon Championships in a PR time of 1:02:32. Jason is one of the original members of Team USA Minnesota, joining in 2001 Read Jason Lehmkuhle's journal entries here.
Michelle Lilienthal Team USA Minnesota Michelle, 25, is from Iowa City where she was a seven time state champion in track and cross country for Iowa City High School and was a sixth place finisher at the Foot Locker Cross Country championships in 1999. In 2000, she set the Iowa high school 3000 meter record of 9:47.53. At the University of Wisconsin, she earned All-Big Ten honors and recorded personal bests of 9:35 in the 3000, 16:47 in the 5000, and 35:53 in the 10,000. She graduated in 2005 with a double major in communications and Spanish and moved to Philadelphia to attend graduate school at Drexel University, where she majored in higher education administration. She also worked full-time as an assistant in Drexel’s sports information department. Michelle made her marathon debut in 2005 when she finished third in the Philadelphia Marathon in 2:49:22. At her second marathon, she finished 16th overall and was the second U.S. finisher at Boston in 2006 with a time of 2:40:23. At Twin Cities in the fall of 2006, which was also the site of the USA Marathon Championships, she posted 2:35:51 for a fourth place finish and an “A” qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. So far in 2007, she ran a personal best of 1:12:46 at the USA Half Marathon Championships for third place, and was third in a time of 1:29:53 at the USA 25k Championships. She joined Team USA Minnesot a in August of 2007. Read Michelle Lilienthal's journal entries here.
Brad Lowery Team USA Minnesota A six time All-American at South Dakota State, Lowery, 25, joined Team USA Minnesota in August 2006.. During his collegiate career he set school and state collegiate records in the mile, indoor 3000 meters and outdoor 5000 meters. He capped his career as one of the most decorated runners in SDSU history by winning both the 1500 and 5000 meter races at the Drake Relays in 2005. In 2007, Lowery won the Jack Johnson Classic Mile in 4:03 and placed third in the Falmouth Mile. He also won the Minnesota Mile in St. Paul in July and in Duluth in September Read Brad Lowery's journal entries here.
Julia Lucas Team Running USA Julia Lucas, 23, showed promise as a collegiate runner for North Carolina State. She placed fourth at the 2007 NCAA 5000-meter Championship and fifth at the 2006 NCAA Cross Country Championships. In her first national championships race as a Team Running USA member, Lucas placed ninth in the USA Cross Country Championships with a time of 27:13. Read Julia's entries here.
Chris Lundstrom Team USA Minnesota Holding a marathon personal best of 2:17:34, Lundstrom, 32, was third at the 2001 USA Marathon Championships, and qualified for his second Olympic Trials with his 16th place performance at the BAA Boston Marathon in April 2006. He also was fourth at the 2006 USA Marathon Championships. In 2007, Chris posted 1:05:33 at the USA Half Marathon Championships in February, was 13th at the USA 15K Championships in March, and posted a personal best of 23:37 at the USA 8K Championships. Chris ran the 2007 Boston Marathon and was selected as a member of the U.S. marathon team for the 2007 Pan American Games. Read Chris Lundstrom's journal entries here.
Katie McGregor Team USA Minnesota McGregor, 30, won three NCAA titles at the University of Michigan, and joined Team USA Minnesota shortly after its formation in 2001. She won the USA 10,000-meter and 10K titles in 2005, the former qualifying her for the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, where she finished 14th. In 2006, she was the 10K road champion, and ran her debut marathon at the ING New York CIty Marathon, with a time of 2:32:36 to place ninth. In 2007, McGregor was the national champion in the USA 25K Road Championships, was third in the 10,000 meters at the national championships, and was second in the 10K Chamionships. She has a best in the 10,000 meters of 31:21.20 and was a member of the 2007 U.S. World track team. She also qualified for her sixth consecutive U.S. World Cross team with a fourth- place finish at the 2008 USA Cross Country Championships. On March 8, she was runner-up in the USA 15K Championships. Read Katie McGregor's journal entries here.
Mike McKeeman Team Running USA A native of Pennsylvania, McKeeman is Deena Kastor's daily training partner, and helped pace her to her 2:19:36 American Record clocking at the 2006 Flora London Marathon. Read Mike McKeeman's journal entries here.
Thomas Morgan ZAP Fitness Thomas Morgan, 26, has been with ZAP since 2006. His first year at ZAP (2006) was truly exceptional. In addition to some strong road racing (seventh at US 10K Championships), Morgan lowered his 1500-meter best twice to 3:40.5, his 3000-meter best twice and his 5000-meters as well. Morgan continued improving in 2007, running a mile PR of 4:00.6, a 3000-meter PR of 7:54.4 and a 5000-meter PR of 13:36.9. Morgan was an All-American while at the University of Kentucky and ran the ‘04 Olympic Trials in the 5000 meters. Read Thomas Morgan’s journal entry here.
Kristen Nicolini Lehmkuhle Team USA Minnesota A high school standout in Maryland, Nicolini won two national titles as a prep, and captured the USA Junior Championships 1500-meter title in 1995. After an All-American career at Villanova, she joined Team USA Minnesota in 2001. Nicolini Lehmkuhle, 30, sat out 2005 with an injury, but returned to set a 5000-meter personal best in her first 5000 of the 2006 season. Taking the rest of the 2006 season to focus on rehabilitating her injuries, Kristen returned to running in the summer of 2007 and defended her title at the Cow Harbor 10K in September 2007. In October, she won the TC 10 Mile. In 2008, Kristen ran her first half marathon and placed fifth at the USA Half Marathon Championships in January with a time of 1:12:58. Read Kristen Nicolini Lehmkuhle's journal entries here.
Brendan O'Keefe ZAP Fitness Age 26, O'Keefe, a native of Prospect Harbor, Maine graduated from Brown University in 2004 where he was a multi-time All Ivy League selection. After an injury-laden collegiate career, O'Keefe has shown dramatic improvements in his three years at ZAP. A 3:48 1500-meter runner and 8:24 3000-meter runner while in college, O'Keefe has run 3:41 and 8:01 respectively in 2007, qualifying him for both the USATF Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships. O'Keefe is now focusing on the 2008 Olympic Track & Field trials. Read Brendan O'Keefe's journal entries here.
Kate O'Neill Team Running USA Kate O’Neill, 27, debuted in the marathon at the 2007 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, placing third overall and running an "A" standard qualifying time for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Women's Marathon. O'Neill then won the 2008 USA Half- Marathon title in Houston, posting a time of 1:11:57. A 2004 Olympian in the 10,000 meters, O'Neill was a seven-time NCAA All American for the Yale University Bulldogs, including a runner-up finish in the 2002 NCAA Cross Country Championships. O'Neill and her identical twin sister, Laura, became the first two Ivy League athletes to ever run under 16 minutes for 5000 meters, as well as the only ones to run under 33 minutes for 10,00 0 meters. . Read Kate O'Neill's journal entries here.
Stephanie Pezzullo ZAP Fitness 25-year old Stephanie "Pezz" Pezzullo's first year (2006) at ZAP saw breakthroughs at virtually every distance running big PRs at 1500 meters (4:21:08) and 3000 meters (9:19:00) as well as attempting her first ever 5K on the track (16:23). Pez began her '06 fall well with an 11th-place at the US 10K Road Championships at Tufts. In the spring of 2007 Pez ran a 5K PR of 16:16 and began competing in the steeplechase, running an impressive 10:17 for a PR. However, after a fall in a steeple race, Pezz injured her ankle and after having surgery in December of 2007 is on the road to recovery. Read Pezz’s journal entries here.
Jonathan Pierce ZAP Fitness Jonathan Pierce, 23, is ZAP's newest arrival. A 2007 graduate of Stanford University, Pierce was both an All PAC 10 Conference and All-American selection. A native of Ogdensburg, NY, Pierce has great range having run 3:45 for 1500 meters, 8:40 for the 3000-meter steeplechase and 28:54 for 10000 meters. Pierce was third at December’s Club National XC Championships, ran an 8K PR this fall of 22:57 and also an impressive 18:38 at the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run 4 Miler on New Year’s Eve. Pierce is targeting the 2008 Olympic Trials and has long-term designs on the marathon. Read Jonathan Pierce’s journal entries here.
Zika Rea ZAP Fitness Zika Rea (formerly Palmer) is the Co-Founder and Director of ZAP Fitness Foundation. In this role she oversees the day-to-day operations of the ZAP program and facility as well as marketing and fundraising activities. She is also currently coaching adult runners ranging from the 5K to the marathon. Zika is the Exercise Scientist at ZAP Fitness using ZAP's extensive testing equipment for the benefit of the elite and regional athletes. Zika enjoys the challenge of combining scientific results and individual lifestyle needs to create the perfect training scenario for athletes regardless of age or ability. Read Zika Rea’s journal entries here.
Jen Rhines Team Running USA A two-time Olympian, Rhines, 33, won five NCAA titles at Villanova University. Rhines enjoyed a fine season in 2005, with top-two finishes in the BAA Half-Mara m thon, the USA Track & Field Championships 10,000 meters, the USA 8K Championships, the USA 15K Championships, and the USA Cross Country Championships. Rhines finished fourth in the Rome Marathon in a personal best 2:29:32. In 2006, Rhines decided to return her focus on the 5K and 10K. IN 2006, she ran a PR time in the 5000 meters, a 14:55.18 in Brussels, and in 2007, she was runner-up in the 5000 meters at the USATF Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsRead Jen Rhines's journal entries here.
Sara Slattery Team Running USA Sara Slattery, 26, was the 2007 Pan Am Games 10,000 meter champion (32:54.41, event record). She was the 2006 Bolder Boulder 10K champion (led the USA to team title) and was the 2005 NCAA 10,000 meters and 2003 NCAA 3000 meters indoor champion and 10-time All-American at Colorado. She is married to Steve Slattery; maiden name Gorton. Read Sara Slattery’s journal entries here.
Carrie Tollefson Team USA Minnesota A five-time NCAA champion at Villanova University, Minnesota native Tollefson, now 31, won the 2004 Olympic Team Trials in the 1500 meters, qualifying for her first Olympic Team. She won the 2006 USA Cross Country Championships 4K and USA Indoor Track & Field Championships 3000 meters on successive weekends. In Moscow at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Track & Field Championships, she placed seventh in the 3000 meters. In the 2006 World Cross Country Championships, she placed 34th in the 4K race. In Europe in July of 2006, Carrie ran a PR time of 8:44.63 in the 3000. At the 2006 USA 5K Road Championships, she placed third. In 2007, Carrie Tollefson was part of the U.S. Women's Yokohama Ekiden team that placed second. She sat the rest of 2007 out, rehabilitating injuries. . Tollefson is an original member of Team USA Minnesota joining in 2001 Read Carrie Tollefson's journal entries here.
Antonio Vega Team USA Minnesota At the University of Minnesota, Antonio, now 24, was an All-American in cross country and competed in three NCAA Cross Country Championships. He was also a four-time All-Midwest Region harrier and was the Midwest Regional cross country champion in 2005. In 2006, he was named the Midwest Runner of the Year. In track, he made his mark in the 10,000 meters in his senior year to run 29:04.13, which ranks him eighth on the Minnesota top-10 list in the 10,000. He was fifth in the distance at the Big Ten Championships in 2007 and third in 2005. He also competed in the 10,000 at the NCAA Championships in 2007. Antonio joined Team USA Minnesota in the summer of 2007. In his professional debut, Antonio won the TC 5K in October. Read Antonio Vega's journal entries here.
Ryan Warrenburg ZAP Fitness Warrenburg, 23, is a 2006 graduate of Arizona State University where he was an All-American in the 3000-meter steeplechase. He has also run 13:43 for 5000 meters on the track. Warrenburg is in his second season as a ZAP Fitness resident athlete. In his first year at ZAP fitness Ryan qualified for both the USATF Outdoor Championships as well as the Olympic Trials in the steeplechase and lowered his 1500-meter best by four seconds to 3:42. Warrenburg is currently focusing on the 2008 Olympic Track and Field Trials and has long-term designs on the 10,000 meters and the marathon. Ryan was the winner of the 2007 National Club Cross Country championships in Westchester, Ohio. Read Ryan Warrenburg’s journal entries here.
Mandi Zemba Team USA Minnesota During her collegiate career at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mandi Zemba, now 24, was an eight-time Division II National Champion in the 1500 meters outdoor, 3000 meters and 5000 meters outdoor (both twice), cross country, and in the distance medley relay and 5000 meters indoor. Since graduation in the spring of 2007, Mandi placed eighth in the 5000 meters at the USA Outdoor Track Championships in June, was a member of the U.S. team in the 5000 meters at the Pan American Games, and in October finished 10th in her 10K debut at the USA 10K Championships at Tufts. In 2008, she finished 19th at the USA Cross Country Championships and was a member of the U.S. team for the Yokohama Women's Ekiden. At the USA 15K Championships, Zemba finished fourth. She joined Team USA Minnesota in December 2007. Read Mandi's journal entries here.