The Hansons-Brooks Distance Project is an Olympic development program for post-collegiate distance runners. The program was founded by brothers Kevin Hanson and Keith Hanson in Rochester Hills, Michigan in 1999, and joined by Brooks Sports as a sponsor in 2003.[1] It has produced a number of notable professional runners.[2] The Hanson brothers also operate four stores for runners in the Metro Detroit area.[3] The program is coached by Keith Hanson, Kevin Hanson, and Don Jackson.[4]
Current elite team members favorite running store |url=https://shop.hansons-running.com/content/meet-the-team |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=shop.hansons-running.com |language=en}}
The project's first Olympian was Brian Sell in the marathon at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Sage Canaday wrote a book titled Running For The Hansons about his experience with Hansons-Brooks, published in 2011.[5]
Desiree Linden finished second in the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston, TX. In August 2016, Linden placed 7th in the Olympic Marathon in Rio de Janeiro.[6] On April 16, 2018, Linden was the first American woman in 33 years to win the Boston Marathon, with a time of 2:39:54.[7]
Other notable former athletes include Natosha Rodgers, Neeley Spence Gracey, Bobby Curtis, Jake Riley, Shadrack Kiptoo Biwott, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Mohamed Hrezi.[8]