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Blowing Rock’s Ryan Ford Wins Men’s Elite 5000m Race at Mt. Sac Relays, ZAP Trio Shines in Historic Event

Left to right, Dan Schaffer, Tristin Van Ord, and Ryan Ford helped ZAP Endurance show dominance at the 5,000 meters distance in the 2023 Mt. Sac Relays. While Ford won the Elite Men’s 5,000m, Schaffer was No. 3 in the same race and Van Ord finished No. 3 in the Elite Women;s 5,000m. Photo courtesy of Pete Rea, ZAP Endurance

By David Rogers

Walnut, Calif. — It might have been close to “tax day” for most Americans on April 14, but a trio of Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance athletes overcame the taxing challenge of long distance running at the historic Mt. Sac Relays, staged in the Hilmer Lodge Stadium on the campus of Mt. San Antonio College.

ZAP’s Ryan Ford and Dan Schaffer finished first and third, respectively, in a field of 28 athletes competing in the Men’s Elite Division at the 5,000 meters distance. Just about 15 minutes earlier, ZAP’s Tristin Van Ord finished in third place among the 25 elite runners competing in the Women’s Elite Division of the 5,000 meters.

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