Ame For It Elite, founded and coached by Dave Ames, is a semi-professional US based racing team, focusing primarily on athletes seeking to either turn pro, semi-pro, achieve or work towards an Olympic Trials Qualifier (roads or track), and make the investment to becoming one of the best runners in the US and beyond.

Ame For It Elite Requirements

  • Ame For It Elite

    Marathon: Sub 2:30 (men) / Sub 3:00 (women)
    Half Marathon:
    Sub 1:14 (men) / Sub 1:25 (women)
    10k:
    Sub 32:00 (men) / Sub 37:00 (women)

  • Elite Masters (40+)

    Marathon: Sub 2:45 (men) / Sub 3:15 (women)
    Half Marathon: Sub 1:20 (men) / Sub 1:32 (women)
    5k: Sub 17:00 (men) / Sub 20:00 (women)

Athlete Spotlight Corner

As we have entered 2024, here is a sneak peek at a few of our elites, and what they are up to!

  • Katie Irgens

    MYSTIC, CT

    Katie is a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy. While working full time on submarines, she found and has created the balance to also train at a high level. Katie came to Dave just missing the OTQ at Marathon in 2020. Recently she raced to 5th at the Armed Forces Cross Country Championships and qualified to represent the US World Team at Worlds in Switzerland (March 2025) — She broke the course record at half marathon in NH in 2021, placed 4th overall at Marine Corps Marathon (DC, 2022) while winning the Armed Forces Division (individual title) and ran a strong race to place 30th in a mega talented field at the 2022 USATF Cross Country Championships in Richmond, VA. Katie ran top 20 at the always competitive Mesa Half Marathon (AZ) and top 10 at the Manchester Marathon (UK). Katie looks to continue a hot streak of successful running in 2025, with an eventual goal of the OTQ and expanding her cross resume. Katie is married to her awesome husband Matthew, and 12 days before Coach Dave and Gregoria, welcomed their first child, they had a son, Killian. They live in Washington, DC with their awesome and wicked fast dog, Luna!

  • Kelli Short

    SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

    Kelli has teamed up with Coach Dave off and on since their days of living in Boston at the same time. Now in SoCal, Kelli and Dave are able to work in person much more, as they focus on re-vitalizing her former track career, now as a mom, while also fine tuning middle distance road racing up to half marathon. Short, a former D1 800m runner at LaSalle University, and hailing from Philadelphia, has won multiple races in and around Southern California, set PR's from 1 mile to half marathon, and looks forward to an amazing 2025. She recently transitioned to longer distance racing and PR’d big at the Amaco Houston Half Marathon, Jan 2025. Kelli is married to her husband Nano, and they have 2 children who love going to watch mom race!

  • Lenny Ramsey

    FAYETTEVILLE, AR

    Lenny comes to Ame For It Elite with a bit of a different background than most. She decided in 2023, it was time to hang up her professional racing career for a bit at Triathlon, and focus primarily on running, under the direction of Coach Dave. A huge switch, but enters the team as one of the fastest women at marathon off the bike (2:58) in Ironman. Lenny and Dave will be working towards the Olympic Marathon Trials in 2028 and more recent take her first spin of the Boston Marathon course this April 2025. In 2024, she debuted with a top 40 finish at the always competitive Houston Marathon, shaving 5 mins off her PR in a short 12 week build from when she signed on here. Fast forward to September 2024, and she placed 2nd at the legendary Godpepper 10K on the Arkansas Cross Country course. Lenny lives and trains in Fayetteville, AR and is married to her awesome wife Becca. They welcomed their first child, a son, Knox, only a few weeks after Coach Dave and Gregoria!