The 
icon means you can connect with this athlete on AthleteBiz!
News & Notes
Joseph Gray announced as member of USA team competing at World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships. Joseph said, “I look forward to challenging myself at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships as it will be a far different experience than the Classic World Mountain Running Championship distance and I’m a sucker for new challenges.” In addition to this event, he will also be suiting up to represent Team USA at the North American Central American Mountain Running Championships. Read the full article Top U.S. Mountain Runners Announced for the 15th WMRA Long Distance Mountain Running Championships on ATRA
Gabriele Grunewald shares her top tips to get ready for the running season. On taking the first step, she says, “The first mile is always the hardest. I tell myself that you can’t judge a run by the first mile. Even when I’m not feeling like working out, I just commit to at least getting out the door and running a mile and once I get through that first mile, I always end up going further.” Read each of her tips in the feature Runner Gabriele Grunewald thinks about the greater good as she faces down cancer on Star Tribune
Related: Click here to donate to Brave Like Gabe
ZAP Fitness‘s Joanna Thompson penned a narrative on her 10th place finish at Boston. “Those 26.2 were a lesson in persistence, preparation, and collaboration. There are moments in any race when quitting seems like a great option. But, provided you aren’t injured or in danger of physical collapse, seeing the race through – even a brutal one – pays off.” Read her full story Racing on an imperfect day on RunBlogRun
Sandi Morris wrote about her trip to the top of the podium at the Indoor World Championships. “Exactly one month from being in excruciating pain from a disk protrusion, I accomplished something I consider to be one of the greatest achievements of my career – became World Indoor Champion.” Read the full post Excruciating Pain, to the Top of the Podium
Related: Purchase a limited-edition, autographed Sandi Morris art print
ICYMI
At Penn Relays…
- Team USA dominated in the relays, finishing with a team atop the podium in 5 of 6 races. Those teams included Kendra Chambers on the 4×4 squad and Je’von Hutchison in the Sprint Medley
- HOKA New Jersey New York Track Club took the top 4 spots in the mile, with Johnny Gregorek winning in 3:54
- Charlene Lipsey doubled her usual distance and won the mile in 4:31
- Maria Michta-Coffey lowered her PR in the 5K Racewalk to 21:48, then hopped a plane to China to compete in the Race Walking Team World Championships
At Drake…
- Reed Fischer won the 5K in 13:53, reliving some of those college moments, as this event takes place at his alma mater
- Sandi Morris jumped 16 feet (!) en route to winning the pole vault
- Jenny Simpson set a new American Record in the 2-mile, with a finishing time of 9:16. Rachel Schneider, Brenda Martinez, and Stephanie Garcia finished 2-3-4, respectively
There were a ton more of awesome performances this weekend at Penn and Drake, catch our full recap in Track Shorts
Reasons to Celebrate
Donald Scott got married this weekend! Wish him congratulations @DonaldScott_II
Stephanie Garcia’s birthday is May 3. Send her good vibes @steph_steeples
That’s all for today! If you liked what you read today, please keep checking back in and we’ll keep supplying the Buzz from the athletes on AthleteBiz and beyond!
