Heading into its fourth 12 months in 2026, The Path Crew is as soon as once more recruiting its subsequent class of younger path working elites who wish to take the following step of their working careers. The applying course of is open till Sunday, February 8.
Member of TTT put together for the 2025 Moab Half Marathon. Photograph: Jeff Jones
Should you’re a U.S.-based runner between 20 and 30 years previous and specializing in sub-ultra distances, The Path Crew (TTT) supplies a helpful alternative to make the most of mentorship, journey help, coaching camps, and media protection. Program founder and four-time USATF nationwide champion Andy Wacker says they’re in search of the “most elite and promising younger path runners on the continent.”
This system, based in 2023, is designed to develop up-and-coming path runners needing further help for advancing their working careers. In accordance with Wacker, “We aren’t coaches, and we aren’t a shoe sponsor. We’re the guts and soul of path working and concentrate on how we may also help bridge the hole for elite, improvement runners, whether or not that’s financially, by paying for race entries, race housing, and journey, or by serving to them assemble a world-class help system.”
Like final 12 months, the 2026 program will deliver on six new athletes to hitch the remainder of the 20-person group. This 12 months, this system will concentrate on bringing runners to a few of probably the most outstanding U.S. sub-ultra distance races: the Sunapee Scramble, Damaged Arrow Skyrace, and Moab Half Marathon. The occasions function the 2026 U.S. Mountain Operating Championships within the Up and Down Traditional distance, a cease on the 2026 Mountain Operating World Cup, and the 2026 USATF Path Half Marathon Nationwide Championships, respectively.
Sophie Wright and Shea Aquilano, each members of the 2025 TTT. Photograph: Andy Wacker
This system has a historical past of success, having beforehand assisted Anna Gibson, Christian Allen, and Lauren Gregory with their racing, all of whom went on to attain nationwide and worldwide success. This system has fostered long-term relationships with most of the runners who’ve handed via it, and “graduates” nonetheless function a large and skilled community for brand spanking new group members.
TTT members obtain uniforms, sneakers, and equipment from program sponsors, in addition to housing at key races, skilled images, and consults with physiotherapists, chiropractors, energy coaches, and extra. Runners additionally obtain personalised mentorship from skilled runners reminiscent of Allen, Courtney Coppinger, Rachel Tomajczyk, and Grayson Murphy.
The 2025 TTT gathers for a winter coaching camp in Moab, Utah. Photograph: Jeff Jones
12 months after 12 months, members of TTT see success. The 2025 class had Shea Aquilano place second on the 2025 JFK 50 Mile, 14th on the Path World Championships Lengthy Path, and win the Gorge Waterfalls 100k. Emily Clarke additionally positioned fifth on the Mammoth Trailfest 50k, and Hawk Name positioned eleventh on the Damaged Arrow 23k.
TTT gives a singular alternative to be a part of a working group. Wacker says, “I consider strongly in synergy. I believe we frequently see path working as a person endeavor and miss out on the truth that group is what differentiates path from different kinds of working. My philosophy is that working collectively makes you quicker, and that working with a group makes us higher.”
Hawk Name, member of the 2025 TTT. Photograph: Mike McMonagle
Now in its fourth 12 months, Wacker has seen the mentorship impact in his program. “Our group capabilities like a Division I cross-country group. You enter as a freshman: weak, figuring out nothing. You might be requested to rise to a brand new stage, guided by upperclassmen, accumulating athletic prowess. In a 12 months or two, that freshman is the professional main the following technology.”
Should you suppose you’d be a very good match for this system and are desirous about making use of, you could find extra data on the Path Crew web site and obtain the software for this system.
The 2025 TTT trains collectively in Moab, Utah. Photograph: Jeff Jones
