Our mission

To promote and foster the development of adult runners in the Philadelphia area in their pursuit of ever-faster times, team championships, and Olympic dreams.

Philadelphia Runner Track Club and its members strive in their efforts, athletic and otherwise, to bring recognition to the club, its members, its sponsors and affiliates, as well as its friends and the greater Philadelphia community.

About us

PRTC offers training groups, sponsorship support, and community to its membership. We compete both as a team and individually on the local and national levels. Common race goals include USATF cross country, track, and road competitions.

PRTC also hosts social events and offers volunteer opportunities.

Club HISTORY

Philadelphia Runner Track Club began in the fall of 2000 as an athlete-organized and operated competitive running team. Initially known as SureKill Track Club, namesake of the most challenging hill on Philadelphia’s venerable Belmont Plateau cross-country course, the club was founded by LaSalle University graduates Brian Gallagher, Pete Dougherty, and Tom Sabol. Their goal was to establish a club to promote and foster the development of post-collegiate runners in their pursuit of ever-faster times, national championships and Olympic dreams – and they did just that.

After a year and a half, the team changed its name to Philadelphia Track Club (PTC), so as to be more recognized with the region where they lived and trained. It was during the four years as PTC that the team really began to grow and flourish, expanding from a handful of friends to a corps of several dozen competitive runners. Five of those runners qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (Ted Callinan and Matt Byrne in 2004 and 2008; Michele Lilienthal, Abby Dean, and Meredith Lambert in 2008). The team attracted sponsors: first PUMA (2002), then Philadelphia Runner, the city’s premier specialty running store (2006), followed by Diadora (2018), and presently ASICS (2021)

In 2014, PRTC reorganized with a new generation of athletes. The club incorporated as a non-profit in 2017 and once again attracted members aiming to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. PRTC currently competes as a team in the USATF Mid-Atlantic Grand Prix race series and at USATF Club XC Nationals.

2023 - 2024 Board of Directors

Board President - Stephanie Ng
Vice President - Andrew Potocek
Community Director - Sarah Tampio
Development Director - Becca Nichols Franqui
Treasurer - Nick Cardamone
Media Director - Sarah Moxham
Women's Director - Liz Coda
Men's Director - Declan Walkush
Women's Elite Director - Ellen Feringa
Men's Elite Director - Zach Michon