The runners on the Midwest team can draw inspiration from Jorge Torres, the only male athlete ever to qualify for 4 Foot Locker finals, as well as many other professional runners.
Among the many benefits of being a Foot Locker finalist (a trip to San Diego, a stay at the famous Hotel Del Coronado, plenty of gear from the sponsor), interacting with the professional runners may be the most meaningful. Every year, Foot Locker brings in "Team Captains" to guide the athletes from each of the four regions, providing advice and inspiration before and during the race. The finalists get to run with international athletes on Thursday and at the course on Friday, and they can also have the great opportunity to talk about the running lifestyle with men and women who have mastered it and found success on the high school, college, and professional level.
This year's group of captains includes numerous former Foot Locker finalists, including a handful of former champions, and many of the professionals have NCAA titles, USATF championships, World Championship races, and even the Olympics on their resumes. Click through to see the 2015 captains for each Foot Locker region team!
