Thursday, September 29, 2005

Zeller races to Olympic start line

By MIKE SMITH
Capital Journal Staff


The finish line may be half a world away and three years in the future, but for Torry Zeller, the start is now on the streets of Pierre.

The Pierre educator has been training nonstop in his bid to qualify for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The first opportunity to qualify for the U.S. team trials in three years is Sunday at the Twin Cities Marathon.

Zeller comes in with a lot of confidence as he finished second Sept. 18 at the 10-kilometer Corporate Cup race in Omaha.

That was kind of a prep race for Twin Cities, said Zeller. It was to get my legs moving a little and get into race mode.

Zeller finished the race in 32 minutes and 21 seconds.

I've run faster times but it was good for the day, he said. It was semi-warm and humid.

More than 3,000 runners took part. The winner was Curt Kaiser, a former U.S. marathon Olympic qualifier.

I controlled the race for the first five and a half miles but didn't have enough leg for the end, said Zeller. But getting beat by an elite runner makes it easier to take.

Zeller will be running with the elite of the U.S. and world marathon community on Sunday. The Twin Cities Marathon is the 10th largest marathon in the world. More than 20,000 runners are expected to compete. Zeller will not have to fight his way through the crowd as he will start in the front with the other top runners.

The race begins at 7:15 a.m. outside the Metrodome in Minneapolis. It finishes more than 26 miles later at the State Capitol steps in St. Paul.

Zeller will be fighting the clock more than any individual. The qualifying time he needs to achieve is 2 hours and 20 minutes to nail down a spot in the qualifying trials. He competed at the Twin Cities last year and finished in 2:32.

I was on a pace to break 2:20 but my legs tightened up and I had to walk it in, he said.

The experience only fueled Zeller's desire. He runs the equivalent of about five marathons a week to get ready.

I've been training pretty hard for the last four weeks, he said. I run about 120 to 140 miles a week or about 20 miles a day. I'm at a different level (than last year). I put in a lot of work and sweat and have more confidence.

The loneliness of the long distance runner is famous, but Zeller is not going through it without support. Scott Munson, a former University of South Dakota and Morningside College coach has been helping to direct Zeller's workouts.

First National Bank has set up a foundation to help provide financial support. St. Mary's Healthcare Center and chiropractor Dr. Curt Kuehl and Capital Sports have also been supporting Zeller's Olympic dream.

That dreams was born as a young Pierre Governor runner. A two-time ESD cross country champion, Zeller returned to his alma mater to coach the team for two years. He is still in education as he works for The Right Turn and the women's prison.

The Twin Cities Marathon is only the first of a series of qualifying races until 2008. Zeller believes the only race he needs to win is with his own expectations.

The key is I only have to prove to myself I can go out and do it, he said. Mark Morris (another Pierre cross-country standout) told me They put their pants on the same as you do. Don't think they are that far ahead of you.

Thursday, November 04, 2004

Zeller starts long run to Olympics

By CHUCK CLEMENT
Capital Journal Staff


Efforts to achieve an Olympic goal have started among Pierre area residents to help a local athlete, Torry Zeller, qualify for the marathon competition during the next Olympic games in 2008.

Pierre mayor Dennis Eisnach and Bob Judson announced Thursday that they and Bob Riter have established the Pierre-Fort Pierre Olympic Qualification Fund through the Oahe Foundation at the BankWest trust department. Eisnach said Zeller, a fifth-grade teacher in the Pierre School District, has run several marathons during the last couple of years and demonstrated the ability and desire to compete at a world-class level in running.

It's a opportunity to send one of our local people to the Olympics, Eisnach said. It isn't often that you have someone that has the potential to be on the Olympic team.

In 2004, Zeller, 28, finished 17th out of 10,000 runners in the Duluth Marathon and 34th out of 10,000 in the Twin Cities Marathon, showing that he has the athletic ability to compete at the top levels of marathon running. Eisnach said Zeller finished the Duluth contest at about 2 hours, 29 minutes, and the Twin Cities competition at 2 hours, 19 minutes.

Zeller ran very successfully in distance competition at track and field for Riggs High School during the 1990s and later competed as a track athlete at the University of Sioux Falls.

We can appreciate that this young man has the potential, Eisnach said. Now is the time to go public to see if there are people out there who have the same interests we do. To get behind this effort and help Torry.

Zeller has to finish well at a qualifying marathon, such as the Chicago Marathon, in order to receive an invitation to the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Eisnach said that individuals have committed about $1,200 to the trust fund. He and other have estimated that travel and other expenses for competing in one qualifying marathon could amount to $1,700.

Zeller will also have other expenses including running shoes that usually wear out after 500 miles. A pair of track shoes will wear out for Zeller in about a month at his training pace, running 10 miles each day to stay in shape.

Eisnach said the fund organizers also want to purchase a top-level treadmill for Zeller so he can train indoors during the winter months in Pierre. Such a treadmill will cost about $10,000.
That's why we're here, Eisnach said. To help him with what he needs to do.

The donations to the qualification fund are tax deductible, and the money is available to other area athletes who may want to qualify for the Olympics, including Brad Lowery, a South Dakota State University student and All-American athlete.

Other area residents have agreed to assist Zeller in his efforts to join the Olympic team. Scott Munson, a former University of South Dakota track coach, will serve as an adviser and coach. Dr. Gon Sanchez and Dr. Curt Kuehl, a chiropractor, will provide assistance as medical advisers. The staff at St. Mary's Healthcare Center in Pierre have agreed to help with athletic training and physical therapy.

Individuals who are interested in donating to the fund can contact Eisnach, Judson or Riter. They also can contact Bruce Ley at the BankWest trust department.