In case you didn't hear, a new pro training group opened shop in Flagstaff, Arizona. Team Northern Arizona Elite, the creation of Ben and Jen Rosario, launched with the hopes of building one of the strongest training groups in the United States, with the obvious focus on U.S. titles and Olympic aspirations. Odds are, you've heard of Ben Rosario before. The former DII All-American at Truman State University ran for a while with the Hansons Brooks Distance Project, founded a few running stores in St. Louis (Big River Running Company), brought the USA Cross Country Championships to St. Louis and launched RunFanShop.com.

Rosario's latest venture is arguably his most ambitious, as he tries to redefine how pro groups market themselves. With so much excitement around the new group, we caught up with Rosario recently, discussing the launch of the team and much, much more.

SB: First things first...tell us a bit about Northern Arizona Elite, how it came to be and where you hope to take it?

BR: Sure. Back in July my wife Jen and I launched an online retail store for running fans called RunFanShop.com. In conjunction with the shop we launched Team RunFan, a small group of athletes that I was working with here in Flagstaff. As the months went by we were having so much fun with the team stuff that we decided what we really wanted to do long term was have a full-on professional group. That's when the idea for Northern Arizona Elite was born. 

The timing was perfect because there were already a few other athletes in town who had reached out to us about perhaps joining our group so it wasn't hard to expand the roster and get us to the point where we felt we had a group that was worthy of being called a professional team. Now it's a matter of taking the next step, which is to create a real value for the group by creating a fan base that will hopefully make us attractive to potential corporate partners.

SB: McMillan Elite in Flagstaff disbanded last year. Were you able to pick up any of the pieces of that group and bring them in for Northern Arizona Elite?

BR: Greg did a fantastic job for a long time with McMillanElite. For him though, I think it was just time to spend more time with his family and more time on his full-time job which is his mcmllanrunning.com website. I think that's important for people to know. But yes, we were then able to pick up two of the athletes, Kellyn (Johnson) Taylor and Amy Van Alstine, that were still with the group when it disbanded at the end of the year.

SB: You mentioned that the team is going to have a heavy social component, really showcasing the personalities of these athletes online and offline. Could you explain why and share your approach a bit?

BR: Money. That's why. This is a business and running fast is not enough. That's been proven time and time again, especially recently. For myself and the athletes to make a living, which is what professional should mean, then we have to prove to companies that partnering with us can drive sales. To do that we have to give fans what fans of other sports get which is constant interaction. We're off to a good start. At the end of our first day we had more than 500 Twitter followers and the website had more than 4,200 page views from more than 1,100 unique visitors. I think that shows people like what we we say we're all about. Now it's a matter of coming through on our promises...and we will. Fans of our team will see exactly what we're doing all year long. For those that follow us because they themselves are runners, or coaches, they'll get plenty of training ideas and tips from watching our workout videos and reading the athlete training logs. 

All those things we're doing are just based on the simple principle that I'm a fan too and that's what I would want to see. And briefly, as far as showcasing personalities go, I think that piece is important for the group as a whole but also for each individual within the group. As I told them they need to create their own brand within the brand that is Northern Arizona Elite. That will help them when it comes time for appearance fees, etc. down the road. 

SB: There's news of another group, led by Ryan Hall and Janet Cherobon-Bawcom, called Team Run Flagstaff Pro. How do you view the group? A friendly rivalry, perhaps?

BR: Well friendly for sure. I know many of the athletes on their roster including Ryan and Janet. Nick Arciniaga and Emily Harrison, two TRF Pro members, have jumped in workouts with our group and I would imagine things like that would continue. I wouldn't really say rivalry though just because I view the two models as being very different. Team RunFlagstaff is a non-profit community-based organization that does an absolutely awesome job. They have a kids program, they have a superbly-run weekly community speed workout (that I plan on getting my old, slow self out to this year) and they put on almost every race in town.

The TRF Pro branch of their organization is another way they can give back to a segment of the community; the segment that is really fast! All that said; they don't meet up everyday, they don't have one coach, they don't all run under the same banner. They raise funds through donations in order to provide the athletes with things like massage, blood work, track access, etc. Essentially they are taking over what Team USA Arizona, another non-profit, was doing so well for the last several years before dissolving at the end of 2013. In fact, I believe the initial funding for TRF Pro is coming from what Team USA AZ transferred over to them.

I support what they're doing 100%. Anybody that is trying to help the sport is alright in my book. However, some athletes really thrive in a group environment. I saw that first-hand when I ran for the Hansons Brooks Distance Project team. Kevin Hanson always called it, "the power of the group." I did things when I was there that I never thought were possible, and probably wouldn't have been on my own. Ask Brian Sell if he would have made it to the Olympics without the group. He'll tell you no way. I also feel there is much more value in a group for potential corporate sponsors, also as evidenced by what the Hansons and Brooks have been able to accomplish together. 

Ultimately, it's an awesome deal for elite/pro runners in Flagstaff because first of all there are so many of them that I don't think one group could handle them all anyway. Plus, some athletes want the structure that our group provides and others want the freedom that TRF Pro provides. It's a win for everyone. 

SB: Flagstaff, despite being a world-class training base for many top pro distance runners, is still relatively unknown. What makes Flagstaff such an amazing location for distance runners?

BR: Oh my gosh there are too many reasons to list. Obviously it sits at 7,000 feet which is a great elevation for distance runners. There are 250 miles of trails within the city proper so you are never at a loss for an awesome spot to run. If you want to get down a little lower you can drive to Sedona in 45 minutes and be on a track at 4,500 feet. Shoot, if you really wanted to you could get down to Phoenix in a couple hours, which is just over 1,000 feet.

Plus, I just love the overall vibe of the town. It's a mountain town. It's very laid back. It's easy to get around. There's plenty to do since it's a tourist town, even though it's small. It's hard to explain but the vibe in Flagstaff is just really positive and I think that goes a long way.

SB: If an athlete was interested in joining, what type of athlete should they know you are looking for?

BR: Take a look at our current roster. It's full of people who are fast, sure, but they're also tough as nails. For example I love cross country because I think it separates the men from the boys and the women from the girls. Four of our five men were NCAA cross country All Americans (two were in the top ten) and the other has made the U.S. World Team in cross country (Ben Bruce).

Amy and Kellyn just finished second and fifth at the U.S. Club Cross Country Champs and will be running for Team USA in Scotland this weekend at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country Meet. Our other two women, Stephanie Bruce and Maegan Krifchin, are incredibly tough racers. You don't run a 2:29 marathon, like Steph has, without being able to handle a tremendous amount of pain. And Maegan is just fearless. The year she went toe-to-toe with Kara Goucher at the U.S. Half Marathon Championships, when hardly anyone knew who she was, tells you everything you need to know. You just can't teach that kind of confidence and willpower. Lots of runners have fast times to their credit, but I want to coach athletes who have what it takes to dig down deeper than their competitors. Those are the people with the real potential to make it to the highest level.