Run Elite Program

GRANT FISHER!!! Bronze Medal in the 10,000m in the 2024 Paris Olympics! We are proud of Grant and proud that he is a REP athlete! What a race!

With seven distance runners from our state joining Team USA’s talented lineup in Paris this summer, Utah is making a big statement on the international stage at the 2024 Olympics. Sen. McKell recently met with former Olympian Jared Ward at the runners’ training session to discuss what sets these athletes apart. As the Senate Chair of Utah’s Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Coordination Committee, Sen. McKell has been working closely with Jared to promote Utah’s Run Elite Program (REP), providing a strong support system for Utah’s runners. Utah will continue to be a top destination for athletes to train and reach their full potential. #utpol #utleg

Yesterday we had the opportunity to meet up with the CEO of Intermountain Health, Rob Allen at the Lehi Clinic with some of the staff and medical team that supports our runners. Rob was complimentary of the partnership between his team and REP. It is a unique partnership and allows the runner at REP to have access to world class medical staff to help these runners prepare for and compete at the highest level. We are grateful for Intermountain Health and all they do to support running in Utah.

This past weekend I had the privilege of traveling to the USA Olympic Marathon Trials with many of the Run Elite Program (REP) athletes that I work with as an Intermountain Health Physical Therapist who were racing to earn a spot on the USA Olympic Team that will be competing in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. What an amazing weekend it was! With eight REP athletes competing, two of them finished in the top three spots and punched their tickets to the Paris Summer Olympics! Conner Mantz (Nike) and Clayton Young (ASICS Corporation) took home Gold and Silver in incredible fashion. To say that was one of the best moments of my career in physical therapy is an understatement. As a witness to what goes on behind the scenes in order for these two amazing athletes to accomplish what they just did is remarkable. When they crossed the finish line together in 1st and 2nd, it was so symbolic of everything they did to get there. These athletes ran 120+ miles each week, they were dedicated to their strength and conditioning, they prioritized their recovery in the form of sleep, nutrition and physical therapy, they pushed through extremely difficult workouts, they worked on fortifying their mental health and ultimately they sacrificed so much to live an ELITE lifestyle to make sure they were able to perform better than anyone else they toed the line against. Being able to work with these athletes each week in the clinic is a honor and privilege I do not take lightly. I am so proud of the entire REP team for what they achieved this weekend and what they continue to do on and off the track and marathon course. More than being extremely fast runners, they are also amazing PEOPLE. As all of these athletes continue to train and compete at the worlds highest stages, make sure to keep an eye out for what they will accomplish! #running #physicaltherapy #sportsmedicine #healthcare #marathon #olympics #olympicgames #olympics2024 #paris2024 #intermountainhealth #nike #asics #runeliteprogram #utah #usa Intermountain Health Run Elite Program

Over the weekend, I had the privilege of attending the USA Track & Field Marathon Olympic Trials with the Run Elite Program. Watching hundreds of elite runners line up and give their all was inspiring, and the highlight was watching Conner Mantz and Clayton Young make the US Olympic team! The biggest takeaway for me coming out of the weekend was just the power of a team. Conner and Clayton (and every other athlete out there) put in so much work to get to the starting line and to execute on the day of the race. But they also had wives, family, friends, coaches, the REP team, healthcare providers (shoutout to their PT/my husband, Scott McKeel, PT, DPT Intermountain Health) and so many others who played a role in helping them get there. It's amazing to see what's possible when a group of people comes together to achieve and support a common goal, and it's pretty darn fun to celebrate the wins together! I'm coming into this week inspired and motivated. And just for fun, I had to get a picture of my Chloe girl with Clayton at the after-party! #paris2024