Video: PUMA Elite Runners Train on East Coast Greenway for Paris Olympics

Founded in 2021, the North Carolina-based Puma Elite Running Team has the self-stated goal of "high performance on track's greatest stage, the Olympics." The unique range of the entire team, from 800 meters to the marathon, makes this group among the most versatile professional track teams in the world.

Coaches Alistair and Amy Cragg, both Olympians in their own right, chose to base the team in the Research Triangle of North Carolina due to the bounty of trails in the area, including 75 nearly continuous miles of the East Coast Greenway.

Learn more about that the decision and the benefits of training on the East Coast Greenway in the video below:

"One of the things that we noticed when we got here was how strong and diverse the community was out here on the trail system, and I think it really is because they all have access to it," Amy Cragg said. "Everybody in the area coming from all different walks of life, they kind of like they converge here. It's really fun seeing and getting to know new people."

At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Fiona O'Keeffe will make her Olympic debut for the United States, while Australian Patrick Tiernan will compete in his third Olympic Games, also in the marathon.

"Having that access to the trail is really big, especially as distance runners. Most of our days are logging mileage, so we're out at the trails even more than on the track. "O'Keeffe said. "Having a trail like the (American Tobacco Trail) that connects to the whole network of greenways is really, really valuable."