On ZAP Endurance consider themselves a close-knit family unit when training for professional long-distance competitions in multiple continents around the world. Since 2002, this unique band of brothers (and sisters) have stared the Summer Olympic Games in the face—producing 28 Olympic Trial Qualifiers in almost two decades, but still none have yet to set foot on to Olympic turf. They plan on changing this narrative on their most gruelling road yet towards Tokyo 2020.
In February 2020, On ZAP Endurance will have nine athletes at the Olympic Marathon Trial race in Atlanta – the most number of individuals the group has ever had on the starting line for an Olympic trial since the inception of ZAP 18 years ago. Starting in February, their sponsor and partner, On, is producing a five-episode docu-series to chronicle every step of their journey and training each week - documenting their undying attempt to fulfil an Olympic dream for the first time.
On ZAP Endurance is a non-profit training center for post-collegiate, Olympic hopeful distance runners. ZAP athletes live and train together in Boone, a small town in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains – perfect for endurance athletes looking to train at high altitude year-round. The On ZAP Endurance founders, the late Andy Palmer and his wife Zika, developed the program as a way to give back to distance running – a sport that played a significant role in both their lives. The team's goal is to develop World Class American distance runners by providing them with support that allows them to train like Olympians.
Andrew Hinton said: “We began filming the ON Zap Endurance team a year ago and I’ve been following their twelve month build up to the Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta on Feb 29th 2020. All of these runners dream of making the Olympic team - and they all have a chance because on the day it’s the first three people across the line who get to represent the US. Watching the sheer volume of miles they’ve put in, the injuries, the highs and lows of long distance running, has been inspiring. They have chosen to live in the remote mountains of North Carolina so they can focus on being the best they possibly can. Not many of us get to chase that. We’re now in the final weeks and the team is training in Tallahassee Florida. They are all very aware that this opportunity comes around once every four years. Before the month is out they’ll need to run the race of their lives.”
Starting on Wednesday 5th Feb a new episode will land every week for five weeks on the On-running website.