Minnesota Athletes Sign With Nike/OTC

New Blog, Get In The Trailer, has been busy introducing new members of OTC Elite this week.  To my surprise, two new members of the team are Ben Blankenship and Hassan Mead.  Both athletes are Minnesota High School graduates, Stillwater and Minneapolis South, respectively, and U of M graduates as well.  Now, before you, or they, go on the defensive, I want to say that I am surprised that Nike is signing athletes with potential instead of ahletes that have already accomplised a lot.  Typically, it takes a gargantuan performance to gain a spot with Nike or OTC.  In the past, athletes who have histories of collapsed lungs or total hip replacements don't get signed by Nike.  I am happy that Nike is giving these guys a shot and I wish them the best of luck.  They are no slouches and only stand to get faster.  Mead is said to be training with Chelimo, Chelanga and Thompson.  It is unclear who Blankenship will be training with.  After the recent success of OTC members Galen Rupp and Mo Farah it is exciting to see Minnesotans entering into that group.  They join Elliott Heath as the current Minnesotans on the most Elite Professional running group in the US.