Leah Moore (r), with her mother,
after winning the 2002 ORTC
Women's Run for the Rose.

Local running star Leah Moore has qualified for the 2004 U.S. Olympic marathon trials. A native of Oak Ridge, Leah began her track and field career as a sophomore at Oak Ridge High School, racing with both the junior varsity and varsity teams.

After High School, Leah enrolled at UT-Chattanooga and joined the collegiate track team as a walk-on, concentrating on the 10,000 meter distance and eventually earning a full scholarship by her senior year.

Graduating in 1999 with a BS in Nutritional Science, she moved to Atlanta in 2000 and enrolled at Georgia State University, where the 26-year old is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Exercise Physiology.

 

While living in Atlanta she met private running coach Bill Stewart, who currently advises every aspect of her 90+ mile-per-week training regimen. Leah and Bill spoke articulately and passionately about their sport at the March 6 meeting of the ORTC. Besides coaching Leah to Olympic form, Bill owns Advanced Running and counsels runners of all abilities at the non-profit ZAPfitness running vacation camp in Blowing Rock, NC.

Leah's personal best in the 5K is 17:33, 35:45 in the 10K, and 2:46:39 in the marathon. Amazingly, she qualified for the Olympic trials while running the first marathon of her career, the Motorola Marathon in Austin, TX, November 2002.

In April of 2004, Leah will compete in the U.S. Women's Marathon Championship at the St. Louis Marathon (which has a good chance of being televised nationally). The top female finishers will be selected for the U.S. Olympic Team to compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Congratulations to Leah for a tremendous accomplishment! Please join fellow ORTC members and all Oak Ridgers in cheering for a talented, hard-working athlete and a delightful person!