A post-collegiate competitive team chasing qualifying standards, national championships, and Olympic Trials berths. Coached by Hayden Cox in Greenville, SC.
Membership is by application only. Committed athletes with competitive goals and a coachable mindset.
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Meet the Athletes
Marcus showed up to his first Grassroots practice with a pair of beat-up racing flats and a quiet determination that Hayden spotted immediately. He didn’t say much. He just ran. And it was clear there was something left in the tank.
Two years of training alone after college had slowly drained something out of the sport. Running had started to feel like something he did in spite of everything, not because of it. It wasn’t his legs that needed developing. It was his belief.
The community changed that. People who got up for 6am workouts not because they had to, but because they wanted to. That energy is contagious. It made Marcus want to be better every single day.
In the spring of his second year with Grassroots, Marcus crossed the finish line at the USATF Outdoor Championships with a 13:51. A personal best by over fifty seconds. He called his college coach from the infield. They both cried.
“I didn’t realize how much I needed to be around people who understood it. This sport is lonely without that.”
Race Results
Latest Results
Full results archiveUSATF Distance Classic
February 22, 2026 · Los Angeles, CA
| Place | Athlete | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Marcus Delray | 13:51 |
| 7th | Priya Nanduri | 4:31 |
| 12th | Elijah Torres | 1:48.2 |
Houston Marathon
January 18, 2026 · Houston, TX
| Place | Athlete | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 18th | Sam Okafor | 2:18:41 |
| 31st | Claire Whitmore | 2:37:08 |
Furman Elite Invitational
January 10, 2026 · Greenville, SC
| Place | Athlete | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Darius Brooks | 50.14 |
| 2nd | Jonah Parrish | 8:44 |
| 4th | Ava Chen | 33:18 |
Coach's Note
Hayden Cox
Head Coach
Good few weeks for the group. We spent most of January in a heavy aerobic block and honestly some of these early-season marks caught me off guard in the best way.
Marcus dropped a 13:51 on legs that were supposed to be tired. Priya ran 4:31 with a negative split, which is the race we've been working toward for months. Sam went 2:18 at Houston in his first real marathon build. That one hit different. He called me from the finish line and neither of us could talk for a minute.
Darius opened with a 50.1 in the hurdles at Furman, which is absurd for January. We made one adjustment to his stride pattern between 7 and 8 and it unlocked something. Claire's OTQ speaks for itself.
Outdoor season is where this gets real. The fitness is there. Now we race.
Updated February 28, 2026
Your Chapter
Starts Here
Every athlete on this page started with the same thing. A decision to show up. That's all it takes.
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