ELITE TEAM
Each athlete’s journey is different, but the mission is the same:
Rebuild your foundation. Elevate your performance. Compete with purpose.
The Elite team
At The Rebuild Method, our elite athletes represent the highest standard of what it means to train with purpose, resilience, and alignment. They are runners who pursue excellence not only in performance, but in the mechanics, mindset, and discipline required to sustain it. These athletes trust in the process, embrace the details, and show up fully — both for themselves and for the team.
Our elite team includes national-level competitors, marathon specialists, track athletes, and emerging talent who are committed to pushing the boundaries of what they’re capable of. Under the guidance of Dr. Silvana Gordon, PT, DPT, our athletes integrate world-class gait retraining, strength programming, and personalized coaching to perform at the highest level while staying healthy and aligned.
Below, meet the athletes who embody the Rebuild Method philosophy — and who continue to raise the bar for what’s possible in our community.
Meet our Elite TEam
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MAX SAUERS @run.with.max
Rebuild Elite Captain & Athlete Development Coordinator
Max Sauers is the captain of the Rebuild Athletic Club and a Chicago-based distance runner. He competed in cross country during high school before taking an extended break from the sport. In 2023, Max returned to running and quickly rediscovered his competitive drive.Since then, he has completed eleven marathons — progressing from a 3:30 debut to a personal best of 2:37. His rapid development reflects a commitment to disciplined training, consistency, and long-term growth.
Max co-founded and is the founding athlete of Rebuild Athletic Club alongside Silvana after beginning his coaching journey through The Rebuild Method. Through her guidance, he not only grew significantly as a runner but also helped shape the vision and culture of Rebuild — building a community centered on shared knowledge, high standards, and collective improvement. As captain, Max is passionate about fostering an environment where driven athletes push each other to become faster, stronger, and more aligned.
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Rita Maurais @ritamaurais
Rebuild Elite Athlete
Rita Maurais is an Elite Team Member and former Division I track and cross country athlete at Loyola University of Chicago. She began running at the age of 13 at Hopedale High School (MA), where she qualified for the New Balance National High School Championships in the 800m and set multiple school records across sprint, middle-distance, and distance events.During her collegiate career, Rita emerged as one of the Missouri Valley Conference’s top steeplechasers, finishing second all-time at Loyola during her time there. She earned MVC Scholar-Athlete Team honors and received the Missouri Valley Conference State Farm Good Neighbor Award for excellence in both athletics and academics. She is now an avid marathon runner and enjoys training alongside fellow Elite Team Members on the Chicago Lakefront Trail.
Outside of running, Rita is a Registered Nurse at Rush University Medical Center and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Nursing at Rush University, bringing the same discipline and commitment from sport into her professional career.
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Emily Akin @emily.akin
Rebuild Elite Athlete
Emily Akin is an elite endurance athlete and member of The Rebuild Method, based in Chicago, IL, where she also works in medical supply distribution operations. A lifelong competitor, Emily ran both cross country and track at the University of Kentucky and Miami University during her undergraduate career, then continued competing at Wake Forest University while earning her master’s degree.Emily has demonstrated exceptional versatility across endurance sport, excelling in events ranging from the mile on the track to the marathon, triathlon, and ultra-marathon distances. Now, she is excited to shift her full focus to the roads and commit to long-term marathon development. With a strong aerobic foundation, competitive mindset, and passion for growth, Emily is poised to make a powerful mark in the marathon over the coming years.
meet the founder & head performance coach
Dr. Silvana Gordon
Dr. Silvana Gordon, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist, former Division I athlete, gait specialist, and performance running coach who blends biomechanics, strength training, and personalized programming to help runners train smarter and stay injury-free. Based in Chicago, Silvana works with recreational runners, Boston qualifiers, and elite athletes competing on national stages.
She founded The Rebuild Method to create a coaching environment rooted in alignment—mechanically, mentally, and emotionally—where athletes can rebuild their foundation, unlock new performance levels, and sustain healthy training year after year. As both a clinician and former D1 athlete, Silvana understands the demands of high-performance sport and brings a unique perspective to injury prevention, gait retraining, and marathon preparation.
With advanced training in biomechanics and a passion for helping runners feel strong, confident, and supported, Silvana combines evidence-based PT with high-level coaching to guide athletes through every phase of their journey — from rebuilding to performing at their peak.
