Rising Stars: Shane Tate

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Growing Up Elevated

When Shane Tate joined Elevated Distance Training, he was just six years old.

Six years later, Shane is the longest-standing athlete in EDT history and has grown from one of the youngest runners on the team into one of its most accomplished athletes and emerging leaders.

Now 11 and in sixth grade, Shane lives and breathes running. He follows professional track the way other kids follow their favorite sports, knows the athletes, watches the big races and dreams of someday lining up alongside them. Even when he isn't competing, Shane rarely misses an EDT event. He loves being around the sport, cheering for his teammates and being part of the team.

That connection to EDT means a lot to Shane. He prides himself on knowing the names of athletes throughout the program and has eagerly stepped into a leadership role as he has gotten older. He is consistently positive and encouraging, especially with younger runners who are beginning the same journey he started six years ago.

And Shane has certainly given them an example of what is possible.

Setting the Standard

Shane has established EDT team records across multiple ages from 8 through 11 in the 800m, mile and 3K. His current personal bests include a 2:25 800m, 5:21 mile, 11:04 3K and 18:30 5K.

At just eight years old, Shane became the first athlete in Elevated history to earn All-American honors. He has returned to the national stage several times since and considers earning All-American honors three times in cross country among his proudest accomplishments.

But Shane isn't particularly interested in setting small goals.

This year, he wants to break five minutes in the mile and become a national champion. Looking further ahead, his dream is to become a professional runner and someday compete in the Olympic Games.

That willingness to dream big has helped younger EDT athletes see what they might be capable of themselves.

A Student of Running

One of Shane's greatest strengths is how much he wants to understand the sport.

After a difficult race, he wants to figure out what went wrong and what he can change. After a PR, he looks at what worked and how his training helped him get there. Years of racing have taught him that every experience can provide something useful for the next one.

His favorite event is the 3K because it provides what he calls the perfect balance between "short and fast" and "long and consistent."

For all the analysis and ambitious goals, however, Shane has never forgotten that running is supposed to be fun.

His advice to a new runner says it best:

"Make sure that you work hard and enjoy it. You don't want to make yourself hate this awesome sport."

Shane lives that advice. He can be intensely competitive when it is time to race, but he is also constantly laughing, joking and enjoying the experience with his teammates.

Some of his favorite EDT memories have come during team travel. One that stands out came at the 2026 Washburn meet. After dinner, Shane and his teammates went outside into the freezing weather and started having impromptu street races in the parking lot.

Those are the moments that make EDT special to him.

More Than a Runner

Outside of running, Shane's biggest passion is drumming. He practices several times a week and enjoys challenging himself with increasingly difficult songs. His favorite hype song is appropriately energetic: "Born With Nothing, Die With Everything" by Papa Roach.

On race weekends, Costa Vida is his preferred pre-race meal, chocolate milk is his go-to post-race treat, and Sugar Skulls take the title for his favorite ChicknLegs design.

Shane also credits his family for supporting him regardless of what happens on race day. He names his dad as one of his biggest inspirations because of the countless conversations they have about running and the encouragement to believe that even his biggest goals are possible.

Growing Up Elevated

Shane's story is about much more than records and All-American finishes.

He has spent more than half his life as part of EDT. Along the way, he has helped show what it looks like to compete hard, set big goals, learn from failure, celebrate success and still have fun doing it.

Six years ago, Shane was one of the little kids just beginning his running journey with a brand-new club.

Today, he is a team record holder, an All-American, a leader and someone younger athletes can look toward and see what might be possible.

And with dreams of national championships, a sub-five-minute mile and maybe even an Olympic starting line someday, Shane is nowhere close to finished.

At just 11 years old, he's only getting started.