“It's simple. Houston has a reputation for being fast. I made it a goal to hit the Olympic Trials standard in 2018, and I'm still chasing it. I'm getting closer and closer with each race and am taking another stab at it.”

"Running is a gift and I just love the ability to move. The high school version of myself would have told you it's all about winning, but I grew up and learned there is more to it than that.  I learned this because my mom has been in a wheelchair since I was born and I finally started to reflect on her life and the sacrifices she's made."

“I just didn’t have the fight in my body anymore. It quickly went from ok to trying to get to the finish the best I could. Definitely a disappointment, but I did my best and put myself in a position to succeed if I had it in me. I learned a lot from this one and am not beating myself. This is the marathon, and failure is sure as hell part of it.”

Zach finished in 2:25:38. To be continued...

Words by Robbie Lawless, Photos by Collin Ross Findlay