Fiona O'Keefe wasn't the only North Carolina resident running either, she was among 14 athletes from the state running in the marathon trials - only six other states were better represented.
MONDAY. THE PUBLIC CAN VIEW THE PROPERTY FROM NOON TO 02:00PM TOMORROW. >> 172 DAYS AND COUNTING UNTIL THE SUMMER OLYMPICS IN 2024. IN PARIS. BUT THE EXCITEMENT IS ALREADY BUILDING THE RALLY RUNNING COMMUNITY GATHERED SATURDAY TO WATCHING OLYMPIC MARATHON TRIALS. AND THERE THEY ARE WATCHING THEM ON TELEVISION THERE. FIONA O'KEEFE, TRAINS HERE IN THE TRIANGLE. SHE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE IN FIRST PLACE. HER FIRST EVER MARATHON. SHE WASN'T THE ONLY NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENT RUNNING THIS WEEKEND. WRAL'S ALI INGERSOLL TELLS US WHY THE STATE IS BECOMING SUCH A POPULAR PLACE FOR ELITE ATHLETES. >> THIS IS WHERE MANY RUNNERS MYSELF INCLUDED OFTEN SEE NEWLY MINTED OLYMPIC TRIAL CHAMPION FEELING O'KEEFE AND HER PERMANENTLY TEAMMATES TRAINING A LOT OF THE MANY MILES ALONG THE AMERICAN TOBACCO TRAIL, NORTH CAROLINA, STARTING TO GET A LOT A LOT OF SHINE WHEN IT COMES TO RUNNING AND IT SHOWS FOR STARTERS, O'KEEFE WAS AMONG 14 ATHLETES FROM THE STATE. >> RUNNING IN THE MARATHON TRIALS, ONLY 6 OTHER STATES ARE BETTER REPRESENTED. IT'S OBVIOUS ON THIS HEAT MAP OF HOW POPULAR RUNNING IS AROUND THE TRIANGLE. >> FROM 1000 FOOT VIEW ON STRAVA FITNESS TRACKING APP. YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A HOT SPOT AROUND OUR REGION AND ZOOMING IN CLOSER TO THE STATE. HIGHLIGHTS POPULAR ROUTES LIKE DOWNTOWN QUARTERS. IN ADDITION TO THE ATT STEAD, ALEX MARTIN, THE OWNER OF THE ANALOGY SAYS TRAINING YEARS CHALLENGING, BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES RUNNERS FROM THE REGION SUCCEED. NOT ONLY DOES IT PROVIDE LIKE ANOTHER MENTAL BARRIER JUST WHERE THEY'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, SUMMER BUT IT DOES SERVE AS A REALLY, REALLY GOOD CAN THIS FOR ALL TYPES ARE RUNNING BEYOND THAT, THERE'S THE COMMUNITY RALLY BOASTS NEARLY A DOZEN RUN CLUBS WHERE PEOPLE OF ALL CASES HIT THE STREETS. >> WHILE THE CLIMATE ON CAMPUS CAN BE CONTROLLED, THAT CAN TO GO OUT AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT, MILES, I THINK IT'S LIKE BUILDS CAMARADERIE AND IT BUILDS CAMARADERIE TO VERY, VERY DEEP AND SOMETIMES THAT FORGES THE BEST RELATIONSHIPS AND FOR WAR. AND IT IS WHAT SETS RALLY APART FROM SO MANY OTHER PLACES. >> AND MAKES RUNNING HERE. SO SPECIAL AND THE PLACE THAT ELITES WANT TO TRAIN IN RALEIGH, ALI INGERSOLL WRAL NEWS AND IT'S GOING TO BE HERE BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THE 2024 SUMMER GAMES IN PAIRS CAN BE
