Cole forms national championship running team • Current release

Mike Cole and John Poray have been talking about starting a running team over 40 for a number of years.

“We waited until John and Jesse Davis were 40 and we were hoping I could still run decently and help the team,” said Cole, a 46-year-old Zionsville resident.

The Indiana Elite Athletic Club won the US National Athletics Club Cross-Country Championships 40-and-over 10K champions on December 11 in Tallahassee, Florida.

“We are very proud and happy. One of the best running moments of my life, and I’ve had many, was putting a team together to win a national title. (It’s) pretty special, ”said Cole.

Davis, a resident of Indianapolis, was the race winner in 32 minutes and 55.1 seconds.

“Jesse is a two-time Olympic qualifier in the marathon and he’s an all-round good runner,” said Cole, who competed for Ball State University’s cross country and track teams.

Team member John Poray of Fishers finished 12th. Other team members’ placements were Bryan Lindsay, Zionsville, 19th; Tom Burns, Westfield, 28th; and Jasen Ritter, Indianapolis, 40. The top five were counted in the overall winner’s ranking.

Cole was 41st and Jeff Zeha, Fishers, 77th and Rob Awe, Carmel, 120th.

“Bryan Lindsay was runner-up in the NCAA Championships at 1,500 when he was at BYU,” said Cole. “There are some really good athletes on our team. It’s crazy that we all live within 30 to 30 miles except Mike Jackson, who lives in Bloomington and (he) couldn’t drive to the race. “

Poray competed for the University of Indianapolis in cross country and track and field, while Davis ran at Ball State and the University of Southern Indiana. Burns, who ran for Indiana University, was the 2005 Big Ten obstacle course champion.

Ritter, a former participant from the state of Florida, is the oldest runner at 47.

“This is our first national championship we’ve competed together,” said Cole. “USA athletics has several national championship titles. We have high hopes of winning everything we achieve. “

Cole said there are championships in 3 miles, 1 mile, 10 mile, and half marathon.

The 5K road championships take place in February.

Cole’s eldest son, Logan, runs for the Northern Colorado cross-country and track and field teams. His youngest two sons, Skyler and Aidan, are runners at Zionsville Community High School.