CHANGE OF PLAN LEADS WESTRY TO NEW YORK CITY MARATHON DEBUT
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly:all rights reserved, used with permission.
NEW YORK (Oct. 30) — Amanda Vestry finished third at the USATF Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta last March and earned a spot on the USATF team for the World Road Championships in San Diego in September. The Brooks-sponsored athlete clocked 1:08:17 on the hilly course and was excited to make her first national team after a late fightback. race.
“By the grace of God,” Vestry said when asked how he kept his composure in the final stages of the competition. “That was the only thing I held on to until the end. I was like, God, just get me through this. From eight to twelve miles I was suffering very badly.”
But just three days later, World Athletics said the championships would be moved from San Diego, and a few weeks later they were canceled altogether. Vestry’s fall plans had to change, and she felt the pull of the marathon, a distance her coaches in both high school and college said she was destined for.
“When the half marathon world championships weren’t going to be in San Diego in September that I qualified for, you know what? We have other options,” Vestry said. Race Results: Weekly In an interview at a Midtown hotel. He continued. “I watched the Boston Marathon this past year and I think watching so many people, so many athletes that I know, race that marathon, I was just really inspired by it. I just wanted to be a part of it.”
The performances of two of those athletes, Jessica McClain and Annie Frisby, really lit a fire under the Vestry. They finished seventh and eighth, respectively, and were the first and second Americans race.
“Jess McClain seems like a Brooks athlete, and just seeing him be the best American was great,” Vestry continued. “Annie Frisby, who was my longtime roommate at Iowa State, to see her become the second All-American was just inspiring. That’s when I knew I really wanted to run a marathon.”
Working with her trainer Pete Rea and agent Josh Cox, Vestry decided that New York made the most sense for her debut, despite the hilly course, all-women format, lack of pacemakers and a convoluted international field. Vestry grew up in Webster, New York, about a 20-minute drive from Rochester, and competing in New York just felt right. He already had a relationship with her race organizer, New York Road Runners and had successfully competed in all three of their events.
“Pete, my coach, and I went back and forth between Chicago and New York,” Vestry explained. “Honestly, the decision wasn’t that long before we came to the conclusion in New York.” He continued: (Dash 5-K) two years ago and it was just really cool to see.”
But there was a bigger reason for Vestry to choose New York. championship-style format that emphasizes head-to-head. race excelling at achieving fast times.
“I didn’t want to time my first marathon,” Vestry said. “I wanted to run it on my terms and race it. I think it’s really cool to have a super fast marathon PR, but I don’t think that’s what New York is. I think New York is about place, about experience, about being patient raceand to do something that is incredibly rare, cross all boroughs. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime. That’s why I chose New York, and I’m excited about it.”
Vestry went on a few summer trips tribesand even won his first national title at the USATF 6-K Championships in Canton, Ohio on July 12th. She then competed in the 10,000m at the USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., on July 31, where she finished eighth. He took a little time to recover, then jumped right into his marathon build-up in August.
“We decided that I would take ten days, like an easy run, (and) a few days off,” Vestry said. “Then we got right into it. I did my first long run in August and since then we’ve just been on a roll. Pete’s approach to marathon training is taking shape very, very slowly. I think that helped me feel like I’m still climbing now.”
Vestry told him per week runs peaked at 115, and his 23-mile run was the longest run of his life. He also ran 16 miles race– tempo run as part of a 22 mile day. On October 5th, he ran the Twin Cities 10-miler in Minneapolis with completely tired legs and ran a very solid 53:14. That’s the equivalent of a 2:29:12 marathon using the time-tested Riegel Formula, but with absolutely no wrinkles.
“I did the 10-miler in the Twin Cities and it was pretty good … check-in point,” Vestry said. “We weren’t anywhere near the form we were in after four weeks, which is now. I think we timed it pretty well. Running on tired legs was a different boost that I didn’t really realize until I ran it. race“.
On Sunday, Vestry prefers to keep its specific goals private. But he already knows how he plans to execute racebeing both alert and patient.
“I’m usually not very patient tribesSo we’ve been patient in practice,” Vestry said. “I think New York is the definition of patient. race. I’ve watched a few of the marathons over the last few weeks to get an idea of how it plays, and it’s a lot of patience, patience, patience. Then real race starts around 10-K.”
Making her New York City debut, Vestry joins an ultra-elite group of American women who have chosen the TCS New York City Marathon for their first marathon; Dina Castor in 2001 (seventh in 2:26:58), Marla Runyan in 2002 (fourth in 2:27:10), Kara Goucher (2:27:10), Kara Goucher (2:27:10) Flanagan in 2010 (second in 2:28:40), Laura Twitt in 2015 (seventh in 2:28:23), Molly Huddle in 2016 (third in 2:28:13), and Annie Frisby in 2021 (seventh in 2:26). Flanagan won race in 2017, which Vestry watched on TV as an 18-year-old.
“It’s definitely surreal,” Vestry said as he reflected on the great history of American debuts in New York. “You have Cara Goucher, who I’ve been lucky enough to talk to a few times about the marathon distance.” He continued. It’s going to be a great opportunity. Honestly, I’m excited to debut in New York and get into the crowd.”
The vestry has already accomplished its first goal for Sunday race: Getting to a healthy starting line. From there, he could feel lucky with any outcome.
“I think a good day is the fact that I came to the starting line healthy, mentally and physically ready. I loved the shape and can go out and celebrate. If I can cross that line and say I did my best, that will be a success for me. Running smart and running bold is my main goal.”
