RRCA Annual Report_Layout 1 3/5/12 12:38 PM Page 11
Roads Scholars® Program
Since 1996, the RRCA has raised over $420,000 for the Roads Scholar® program. The goal of the proH gram is to assist American post collegiate runners who show great promise to develop into national and worldHclass road running athletes. The grants
awarded by the RRCA go directly to the athletes to help support their goals of becoming worldH class distance runners. The RRCA congratulates the 2011H2012 Class of Roads Scholars:
Tyler McCandless McCandless graduated from Northampton High School where he was a District 11 Champion and record holder in the 3200 meter run with a time of 9:13.01, as well as a PIAA State Medalist in Cross Country and Track and Field. After graduating, McCandless ran one year for the University of Mary+ land before transferring to Penn State University. At Penn State, he "lourished under Coach Beth Al+ ford+Sullivan, steadily progressing to a 29:15 personal best 10k and an All+American performance in that event in the spring of 2010. McCandless quickly showed promise as a professional road racer with a 46:04 15k at the Utica Boilermaker, claiming top American honors. He was also the top Amer+ ican "inisher at the Buffalo Subaru Chase 4+Miler, and he won the San Francisco Half+Marathon and set a course record with a time of 1:05:02. In his debut marathon, McCandless "inished 6th at the 2010 California International Marathon with a time of 2:17:22. In 2011, he ran 1:05:38 at the USA Half+Marathon Championships and 45:17 at the USA 15k Championships. He also won and broke the course record in Denver, Colorado at the 2011 RRCA Colorado State Championships 10 mile in a time of 52:08 at 5300ft elevation. He "inished 8th overall and top American at the 2011 Indianapolis Mini+ Marathon with a time of 1:05:09 and followed that with a 2:17:09 marathon personal best at Grandma ’s Marathon to "inish 11th overall.
Megan Duwell Duwell is a 2005 graduate of West Bend West High School in West Bend, Wisconsin, where she was class valedictorian and won Wisconsin Division I state titles in the 800 meters as a sophomore and junior. She ran for the University of Minnesota where she graduated from the Carlson School of Man+ agement in May 2010. Duwell "inished her running career at the University of Minnesota as a three+ time All+American and a two+time Individual Big Ten Conference Champion. She steadily progressed and improved throughout her collegiate career, leaving the University of Minnesota as a school record holder in four events. Duwell is a member of Team USA Arizona, adidas+McMillan Elite located in Flagstaff, Arizona. Since joining Team USA Arizona, Duwell has achieved several top ten "inishes in+ cluding the USA 10k Championship (7th), the USA Cross Country Championship (9th), and the Man+ chester Road Race (10th). She was a member of the winning team at the Club Cross Championship with fellow adidas+McMillan Elite runners. Her 9th place individual "inish at the US Cross Champi+ onships in San Diego earned her a spot to race at the NACAC Cross Country Meet in Trinidad in Feb+ ruary 2011. Duwell won silver in the women's 6 km to lead Team USA women to the team gold medal.
RRCA Annual Report • 11