My journey as a competitive runner began in middle school, when a friend suggested I join cross country practice. After running a few miles in Vans skate shoes, my mother bought me a pair of trainers—and I’ve been running ever since!

In high school, I competed in cross country, track and even a few road races. In college, I competed as a middle distance runner at Southeast Missouri State before pursuing an MBA at Oklahoma State, where I developed an even deeper understanding and love of distance running.

As a runner, I’ve had success in events ranging from 400 meters to beyond the marathon. But none of my personal successes measure up to the joy of coaching.

In my 10+ years of coaching, I’ve worked with athletes across a wide range of abilities, and in various event disciplines. I coached privately for a few years—which included training a young Mark Spewak!—before returning to the collegiate system. I spent much of the last decade working in the NCAA, coaching at Bradley University and Illinois State University.