Austin Marathon and Half Marathon Coaches
| Austin Blue | Austin Green | Austin Yellow | Austin Red | Austin Orange | Austin Purple | Austin Half | Austin Get Fit |
| Click on a color group above to see the list of coaches for that group. | |||||||
| About the Organizer | ||
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Jennifer Harney jenniferharney@lukeslocker.com
Jennifer Harney is the Director of the Austin Fit Fall Training Program which begins in August and trains through February.
Jennifer began running at the age of 8 and fell in love immediately. She was a varsity Cross Country and Track runner in High School all 4 years and received an Athletic Scholarship to Stephen F. Austin State University 1997-2000 and Sam Houston State University 2000-2002. She had earned All-Conference Honors three times and graduated on the Dean's List with a Degree in Marketing. She took time off from running so she could concentrate on coaching. She coached for 5 years cross country and track at 2 different high schools. While at South Hills High School in Fort Worth, she coached both the boys and girls cross country teams and led them to Regionals (a first in school history) and as the Head Track coach guided the girls' team to a District Championship. At Stony Point High School, she increased participation, district standings, and encouraged 3 of the cross country athletes to run in College. She left coaching to focus more on her own training and her two young boys. After a year away, she realized she missed coaching way too much and decided to start a training company. The company, SISU, was formed in 2009. She marketed the company and wrote the training plans for different runners. With her partners, Sunshine O'Neal and Lara Ruthven, she coached a kid’s summer running program that was aimed to increase participation and knowledge of running among young kids and a marathon/half marathon training program for adults. In 2011, she went to work for Luke's Locker as the Training Program Director and continues to train and coach. Currently, she is pursuing a 5k PR in the spring of 2012. Jennifer enjoys being a part of the Austin Fit community and working with all levels of endurance athletes (runners and walkers). She brings passion, hard work, and a positive attitude every Saturday morning!! |
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Jeff Barnett red@austinfit.com Jeff Barnett is the Organizer/Director of Austin Fit's Rock N Roll San Antonio Marathon & Half Marathon Training Programs, AND he is the Head Coach of the Red Group (10:00 - 10:50 minutes per mile pace), AND he leads the 10:45 pace group.
Jeff started running in high school and continued during his college years at UT Austin. While at UT, he got to where he ran the Longhorn Dam loop (MoPac to Longhorn Dam and back) three times a week. It was during that time that he set the goal to "someday" run a marathon. When Jeff went off to law school in Des Moines, Iowa for three years, he stopped running for a while. "With all the ice and snow, I found it very hard to run outside for several months of the year and I despise running long distances indoors or on a track." Upon his return to Austin, he slowly got back into running and ultimately stumbled upon an advertisement for Austin Fit. Remembering his goal to run a marathon, he signed up. At registration, he could not even complete the pace run. But 26 weeks later, he completed his first marathon. Because of how Austin Fit changed his life, through coaching he has dedicated himself to helping others attain the same goal. Jeff has since run 19 total marathons and one ultra marathon, along with many half marathons and 10K's and 5K's. Running is a big stress reliever for Jeff and provides some diversion from the hectic pace of life as a lawyer, husband and father. But running and fitness also is something he shares with his family as well. His wife, Helene, has run/walked 3 half-marathons and completed one triathalon. His son, Shawn, who began coming to Austin Fit as a rider in a baby jogger at just a year old, and later rode his bike along-side "daddy" to distances as far as 15.5 miles, is now following in Jeff's footsteps -- literally and figuratively. When he was 7, he ran his first 10K (Capitol 10,000). When he was 8, he ran his first half marathon, and he did two more when he was 9. He has run in numerous 5K's and 10K's and has placed first in the 14 and under age group at the Blue Bell 10K in Brenham, TX. Jeff's daughter, Alesha, has just recently taken up running and walking and ran/walked her first 10K (Capitol 10,000) in April 2009 at age 11. |
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| Blue Group Coaches | ||
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TBD
Head Coach | ||
| Green Group Coaches | ||
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TBD
Head Coach | ||
| Yellow Group Coaches | ||
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Pat Burch yellow@austinfit.com Head Coach Fast Facts:
Pat's running resume includes an impressive 25+ marathons, including a 50 miler and a 180 mile bike ride (MS-150-twice). His goal for each race is simply to finish well, and have a good time too. As he states, "In running, saying you had a good time doesn't always have to include your clock time. Since attitude is 90% of running I always know that any day you're able to run is a good day." He says his favorite racing distance is the half marathon, but having completed more than 25 marathons, one has to wonder! When asked what he enjoys about running, he says "I enjoy running because of the health benefits I receive, the people I meet and the simple joy that putting one foot in front of the other gives." When asked about the most inspirational event about running, "There are so many stories of inspiration I see and hear about that reciting just one doesn't do the others justice. For most, getting to the starting and finishing line of a marathon means that you've overcome a marathon of obstacles, either of health, work or personal. That's why saying you're a marathon runner will always put a smile on your face. On the lighter side, the funniest question I've ever been asked was if spitting too much meant that more hydration was needed. " In addition to being the head coach for the yellow group, Pat also leads a weekday run as well as organizing weekly long runs during the Austin Fit off season. He also coordinates an out of state fall marathon most years and is a residential Realtor in the Austin area. | |
| Red Group Coaches | ||
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Janice Chapman jchapman1322@gmail.com Head Coach After being a soccer referee for 10 years I wanted to do more than run up and down a 100 yard soccer field. I started with the 1996 Schlotzky's Bun Run, followed by the Danskin triathlon in 1997. Until 2004, those were the only 2 races I had time to train for and still referee. Then on New Year's Day 2003 I decided to train for the Motorola Half Marathon (hey 6 weeks was enough, right?). I ran that in 2 hours 34 minutes and limped away determined to train right the next year. I retired from soccer refereeing and joined Austin Fit the Fall of 2003 to train for my first full marathon in 2004. I learned a lot from the trials and errors of those first couple of years. I must have ran in every Red Group pace group trying to figure out, "Where do I belong?"I completed the training and my first full Marathon in 5:54. I have learned a lot over the last several years and have completed (as of Aug 2010) the following since my first 5K:
Best way to train for and run any race is with a group of friends. Someone in the group will always be there to get you through the bad times and celebrate crossing the finish. DNF (did not finish) 1 full marathon and 1 half ironman -- gotta know when to stop. Trips to the ER in an ambulance -- 1 (hyponutremia after the Austin 2008 full marathon) Trips to the med tent after finishing -- 1 (Lonestar Half Iron 2008 dehydration) Fastest Marathon -- 4:34 Eugene, OR Slowest Marathon -- 7:05 Rome, Italy (ran with a stress fracture, OK walked most of it) Best finishing place -- 1st in my age group Andy Payne Marathon, Oklahoma Worst finishing place -- 11023 (only 10 people finished behind me in Rome) -- It is my profile picture. Gotta laugh at the best and the worst as you learn from every single event. Member of Marathon Maniacs -- check out their website for membership status (I am a lowly 1 star by running 3 marathons within 90 days) Upcoming key races: Marine Corp Marathon Oct 31, 2010; Disney Princess Half Marathon Feb 27, 2011 (my daughter's first half marathon); Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, May 1, 2011; and Ironman Texas May 21, 2011 | |
| Orange Group Coaches | ||
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Linda Brown orange@austinfit.com Head Coach Though Linda ran track in high school and continued to run
in her adult years, she never considered herself a runner. She ran her first 13.1 miles in 1997;
thereafter, she ran mainly 5Ks and 10Ks. Linda started running long distances
again in 2005 and has now run about 10 marathons and 6 half marathons. She should probably consider herself a
runner now. Thanks Austin Fit. Linda enjoys coaching runners and helping members achieve
their marathon goal. The distance she enjoys running most is a 10K.
Her most exciting run is the 3M half
marathon. Linda's most challenging runs are any runs (short or long) in warm
weather. Her goal is to run a marathon
or half marathon in every state. She
adds, "Again, thanks Austin Fit." | |
 | 11:00 Lindsay Cordell Estrada Assistant Coach After hitting the highest weight she ever wanted to see on a
scale, Lindsay reluctantly agreed to start running with her then boyfriend
Luis. First they would run a mile, then a mile in a half; little by little the
distance grew. In 2006, they ran their first 5k, then Lindsay began to enjoy
running and started doing lots of 5Ks and 10K's! In 2007, she completed the
Danskin Triathlon, then set her sights on the 2008 Austin half marathon. By
2009 she had finished her first Austin marathon and has become an endurance
junkie running. Last December, Lindsay and Luis even "tied the knot"
while running the Las Vegas half marathon. On October 2nd, Lindsay plans on participating
in her first Half Ironman in Kerrville, TX. In addition to being an endurance addict, Lindsay is also a
certified National Academy of Sports Medicine Personal Trainer, as well as a
full time Sports Massage therapist. She works with several athletic individuals
around town including the men and women of the University of Texas Athletic
program. If you ever have any questions about your training or injury
prevention, please send her an e-mail Lindsay@kneadz.com. Happy Running! | |
 | 11:15 Cassandra Medrano Assistant Coach Cassandra Medrano is a lifetime Austin Fit coach and member. Cassandra reports that she never imagined running more than a block in her life, but in 2001 a friend of hers had a crazy idea for them to run a marathon (which she realized during the 2nd week of training that meant 26.2 miles) but she still agreed. Cassandra's friend told her about this running group that was growing in popularity called Austin Fit. Cassandra paid her fee and dug out her old tennis shoes from High School (she adds "mistake #1 ") and was dressed in 100% cotton (she adds "mistake #2 ") running gear and was ready to train. Cassandra really liked the experience during the six month training program and running with Mandy Olivares and Cindy Borden. Cassandra maintained her running schedule and weekend runs and managed to condition her body and mind to run her first marathon. Cassandra has been addicted ever since. She trained with Austin Fit for three years and became a running coach. Cassandra was the official pacer for the 2005, 2006, 2007 Austin Marathon and the official pacer for the 2005 Rock 'N Roll San Diego Marathon. Cassandra has four wonderful supportive children, Julian & Christian Medrano and Andrew & John Hortman, that will follow in her footsteps by making running a part of their everyday lives. Cassandra adds, "If you've never run a marathon before, please make this your year to do so. It is a challenge that you will never forget." | |
 | 11:15 Luis Estrada Assistant Coach In 2007 Luis decided to take his 5K running to the next level by signing up for a half marathon. After the completion of two half-marathons in 2008, Luis thought, "sure, why not, I'll give this full marathon a shot".
In the fall of 2008, Luis began his marathon training with Austin Fit. Once February 2009 rolled around, he was ready to go and completed his first marathon! Luis enjoyed the training and support provided by his Austin Fit Family so much that he came back for more and once again ran the Austin Marathon in 2010.
For the 2011 Austin marathon, Luis was honored to coach with Austin Fit and help the Orange group reach their running goals. Now as the 2012 Austin marathon approaches, Luis is thrilled to once again coach in the Orange group with Austin Fit!
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 | 11:30 Beki Mueller Assistant Coach Beki's fascination with fitness started in the 8th grade
when a gym teacher with a passion for running decided to "teach" her class how
to run. After 6 weeks of progressively longer running intervals, they were
miraculously able to run for 20 minutes in vicious Texas heat. Beki learned it
was actually possible to train your body to do things you would have never
thought you could do! She ran solo for years, enjoying several half marathons
and 10K's before joining Austin Fit in 2010, and celebrating her first marathon
in 2011. Austin Fit is about camaraderie and commiseration - motivation to
start your Saturday without a hangover and socialize without make-up. This is
her first year to coach, and she looks forward to getting to know you while we
laugh, cry, sweat and sometimes bleed together. | |
 | 11:30 David Ramos Assistant Coach David started running in 2003 with one goal in mind: to lose weight. After reaching his goal and losing the weight he kept running to keep the weight down. Before he knew it, David was running six to eight miles on his own. He ran his first half marathon in 2006. It was such a great feeling of accomplishment that the following year he decided to run a full marathon. His first year with Austin Fit was in 2007. The support and camaraderie made the training and running the marathon very easy. The coaches were always there to offer tips and support during the Saturday runs. It was because of the coaches in 2007 that David decided to coach in 2008 and again in 2009. David would like to give back what Austin Fit did for him on his first attempt at a marathon, which is support and motivation. | |
 | 11:45 Jenny Wood Assistant Coach Before joining Austin Fit, Jenny would only run about 3
miles at a time. After completing those
3 miles she would say, "I can't imagine doing more than that, let alone
26.2 miles! That's just plain
crazy!" But one day she went to see
a friend finish one of the Austin marathons.
She was inspired and put it on her bucket list. She ran her first marathon in 2007. Once she finished she said she was never
going to do that again. It had been checked
off her list of things to do. But each
year she would try again and say once more that was the last time. However, over the years she's come to really
enjoy the training and has made great friendships with other Austin Fit
members. This will be her fifth
marathon. She no longer says "never
again!" Instead, she says, "next time!" | |
 | 11:45 John Rios Assistant Coach John played football throughout most of his adolescents,
when at the suggestion of one of his high school coaches John took up cross
country. John enjoyed the calm solice of
running and having the only competition be himself. A few years after graduating John ran his
first marathon in San Antonio, marathon of the Americas. After completing his first marathon John
continued to enjoy long distance jogs. -Years walking/jogging: 14 | |
 | 12:00 Michelle Lee Assistant Coach Michelle never in a million years thought she'd become a runner, let alone run marathons! She I started running in 2006 to simply get healthy and lose weight. Running quickly turned into a serious passion that led to several 5K races for Michelle. A good friend convinced Michelle to join Austin Fit in 2007 and train for my first marathon. Michelle has completed 3 marathons since. Michelle started coaching for the Cap 10 training program with Austin Fit in 2010. Michelle's ultimate goal is to complete an Ironman. Michelle is really looking forward to the opportunity to coach for Austin Fit this year and for years to come. | |
 | 12:15 + Dana Williams Assistant Coach Dana has been running with Austin Fit for 10 years. She has completed the Austin Marathon 7 times. Dana reports, when she first joined Austin
Fit, she was very overweight and unhealthy.
Dana contends that she could barely run a 1/4 mile. Dana maintains that joining Austin Fit gave her
the confidence she needed to take her life back. Dana looks forward to taking that journey
with each of you this year! | |
| Purple Group Coaches | ||
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Elayne Barber purple@austinfit.com Head Coach Elayne Barber is the head coach of the walking group. Fast Facts:
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 | 12:00- 13:59 Ingrid Berry Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
Ingrid has always enjoyed walking, and has participated in the Cap 10K for many years. As she retired from her teaching job she decided to do something new and different and joined Austin Fit. Her first marathon was slow (7 hours), but thanks to training with all the good friends in the Purple Walking Group her speed has improved considerably. Although she has placed in the top 3 of her age group in the Austin marathons, she finds the competition much stiffer in Sweden where so many women over 65 seem to be really fast runners, or walk/runners. Her favorite race to date was crossing the bridge between Denmark and Sweden in a half marathon race on a clear and sunny day in June 2010. | |
 | 14:00 - 14:59 Bill Herring Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
Bill has been running since college in the late 70's and has enjoyed lacing up in locations all over the country and overseas. While his first love may be auto racing, Bill found running and bike racing to be a bit more affordable. His love of fitness and work came together in a great way when Bill worked as a sponsorship manager for AT&T and managed sponsorships of the Honolulu Marathon, the Los Angeles Marathon, the old Bud Light triathlon series and several other sport programs. A pregnant pause from fitness was ended last year by joining Austin Fit and loving the camaraderie of the training group. Here's to a great new training season! | |
 | 14:00 - 14:59 Paula Bostick Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
2011 Paula joined Austin Fit after being encouraged by friends who had participated in the fall 2009 program. She wanted to get off the couch and get more active. She enjoyed walking with the group and has met some very nice people. This year she hopes to encourage more friends to join the walking program. | |
 | 15:00 - 15:59 Brenda Gustafson Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
In 2004 and at the age of 45, Brenda wanted to prove to herself that she was not an old lady that sat around and grumbled about her age and weight. Along with a very good girlfriend, she found herself signing up with Austin Fit with the goal of running a marathon. This was quite a lofty goal for Brenda considering she had never ran a step in her life and soon found out that running was not for her. She discovered that walking suit her goal more readily and as they say, the rest is history. Austin Fit helped Brenda to realize how important exercise was and that she enjoyed exercising as well as challenging herself. As a result, she has not only trained with Austin Fit, but with other organizations and found that she can actually run a race. She currently works out frequently with a Jazzercise group and has taken on the additional challenge of getting her husband out of his hotrod shop and out on the trail. She wants to spread the enthusiasm of walking as well as showing others that they can do anything they want to do once they make up their minds. As Brenda knows, once you decide to do a marathon, you can complete that goal too. | |
 | 15:00 - 15:59 Jane Cotter Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
Austin Fit is the program that helped Jane say the words "Only 10 miles!" with a smile on her face. She began walking with Austin Fit in the fall of 2005 with a few friends and a goal in mind. It was below freezing in Austin the morning she began her first marathon, a far cry from the super-heated summer, but the training paid off! After the "goal" was achieved Jane thought she'd find a new challenge, but found that training for the marathon was too much fun to give up. A devoted night-owl, the 7 am Saturday mornings never come easy, but by the end of the training each Saturday, life's good. | |
 | 16:00 > Noella Silverberg Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
Noella began running at the age of 55 when she quit smoking to avoid gaining weight. She fell in love with the smell of the morning air and began running every morning. She moved to Austin in 1992 and noticed a flyer on a bulletin board about running a marathon and changing your life and thought heck….. I could do that if I tried, so she signed up. She completed her 1st full marathon in 2000 and it did change her life. The rest is history as they say. She is now a walker and enjoying every minute of it. We’ll almost. Y’all know how that goes.
As a member of Austin Fit she has accomplished goals she never thought possible and for that reason she enjoy helping others attain that same level of self satisfaction and sheer self awe. New members are always amazed at what their bodies are capable of with the proper training and information. Noella understand that..she has lived it. Noella wants to share it with others.
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 | Walk\Run 13+ John Berry Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
John's favorite sport is cycling, but he has always enjoyed walking and running, although he has not always been religious about actually doing it. He helps to coach the walk-run group at Austin Fit. His favorite races were his first marathon, the 2006 Austin Marathon, which took place in sub-freezing weather, and the Broloppet half-marathon across the bridge between Denmark and Sweden on a clear and sunny day in June 2010. John first sport is cycling, if he could stop for beer he would but then the real walkers would overtake him. Austin Fit is great -great people, great routes! Just the place to work up an appetite for doughnuts and apple fritters at Whole Foods. | |
| Half Marathon Coaches | ||
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Lisa Geiger half@austinfit.com Head Coach Lisa heads up the half marathon running group which covers all running paces. She also leads the 12:00 half marathon group. Fast Facts:
When Lisa joined AF in 2000, she had no plans to run a marathon - she just wanted to know what real runners meant when they said Scenic Drive or The Dam. She did complete that marathon (with a bit of grumbling) and then returned the following fall to coach a marathon group for the next six years. Lisa joined the half marathon group in 2007 and continues to enjoy running (with a bit of grumbling), swimming, weight training, cycling and jaw exercises. She is known for her gift of gab, which has carried many a runner through the training season. | |
 | 08:45 Courtney Esparza Assistant Coach Courtney has been an avid runner for over eighteen years. She has completed 6 marathons and over twenty half marathons. Her favorite distance is the half marathon and 10 miler. She first joined AF during the 1996-1997 season and ran with the group for five seasons before leaving to pursue other running goals that focused on improving form, speed and quality. She rejoined AF last year to start coaching. In addition to AF, she has also trained with Gilbert's Gazelles, Ship of Fools, and with Coach Owen Anderson. Courtney is a proponent of quality workouts both through running and strength training. She does lots of reading to keep up with the current research in the world of running, fitness, and nutrition. When she is not out running the trails of Town Lake with friends, you will find her running behind her two rescued labs, Caleb and Libby somewhere in south Austin. Runners who have inspired her are Scott Jurek, Tony Krupicka (who she literally ran into on a trail in Boulder, CO- her only claim to fame!), and the great Steve Prefontaine, in his own words "Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started." | |
 | 08:45 Sharon Fisher Assistant Coach Sharon has been a passionate runner for over 30 years. She has competed in races in Austin for more than 10 years and has completed both the Austin and Boston marathons. Now she focuses more on distances ranging from 5k's to half-marathons and occasionally competes in duathlons/ triathlons.In addition to Austin Fit, Sharon enjoys running in other local run groups in North Austin and Brushy Creek Park. | |
 | 09:00 Nathan Choe and Kathleen Choe Assistant Coach Nathan and Kathleen love training with friends and being active throughout the year. Whether training for the Austin Triathlon or the Moonlight Margarita Run, breakfast taco and coffee with friends afterwards is a must!
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 | 09:15 Todd Werner Assistant Coach Fast Facts
After many years of adventure races, duathlons, running and biking events, Todd and a few friends turned to Austin Fit to ramp up to a marathon. While it was a challenging distance he grew to enjoy the longer endurance events which led to other adventures including triathlons, climbing Mt. Rainier, following Lance through the Alps and Pyrenees at the Tour de France, many motorcycle adventures and more. He loves spending time with his girls, wife Teresa and daughter Ava, and is very active in supporting the Austin JDRF community. | |
 | 09:15 Velma Ellis Assistant Coach Fast Facts
Velma ran cross country and track in middle and high school and continued recreational running throughout college. She loves to do CrossFit and enjoys running the most. She loves living in Austin and everything the city has to offer, especially Lady Bird Lake. She's grateful for her family, her friends, and all her running buddies.
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 | 09:45 Jason Reynolds Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
Jason believes that a goal should be a little bit scary and with that in mind, he hopes to one day be fast enough (or old enough) to return to his one time home of Boston to experience marathon Monday from the other side of the barrier. In the meantime, he wants to run Big Sur, Marine Corps, and London or another international event. Remember: It takes months to get to the starting line and just a couple of hours to get to the finish line so enjoy the training - Go AustinFit! | |
 | 09:45 Sue McArdle Assistant Coach After growing up as a "chubby" child, Sue knew she had to find a way to control her weight as an adult! Fortunately, she developed a passion for running and other sports early on (as well as eating!) and has continued to pursue these interests for many years. Since she chose food sales as her career, this love of an active life style worked out especially well! Sue has enjoyed training with various running groups over the years, including Austin Fit. This will be her first coaching experience, and she looks forward to helping others reach their goals! Sue's other interests include travel and cooking, so you never know when she might be bringing some home cooked goodies for her group to sample after a workout! | |
 | 10:00 Elizabeth Boysen Assistant Coach Elizabeth has been running since 2006, when she ran her first half marathon. She has since then completed over a dozen half marathons and five full marathons. She's very excited to spend this season stepping up her half marathon game and coaching the 10 minute team. When she's not running, Elizabeth spends her time cooking, blogging, and working in the marketing department at Big Red. | |
 | 10:00 Frank Pool Assistant Coach Frank Pool ran his first marathon in 1999. He has since run 8 marathons and about 18 half marathons, and coached with Austin Fit in 2004. A retired high school teacher, he lists running among many other interests. | |
 | 10:30 Cheryl McEleney Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
Cheryl ran track and cross-country in High School but was never a competitor. Over the years she has enjoyed numerous 5K and 10K runs in various locations, including Guam. A few years ago a friend recommended Austin Fit and Cheryl went for it, committing to just one season and her first marathon. Now she is hooked and look forward to rejoining friends every August, the sense of accomplishment is second to none! | |
 | 10:45 Jayna Rasmussen Assistant Coach Jayna has always been a runner, but it has been during the last few years that she has started to enjoy running longer distances. She was a sprinter through college and after taking a break during grad school, she decided to give distance running a chance. As a Type 1 diabetic she understands the importance of exercise on a person's overall health. Jayna completed two triathlons this summer and has a goal of completing a Half Ironman. She enjoys the friendships she has made through Austin Fit and is looking forward to the new season. | |
 | 11:00 Mark Johnstone Assistant Coach Mark has been running with Austin fit since 2005 when he completed his first marathon. Since then, he has been running the half-marathon, a distance he finds much easier on his feet. Prior to joining Austin Fit, the furthest he had ever run was 2 miles in junior high PE. Mark an avid photographer and scuba diver. He averages two diving trips per year, usually to Asia or the South Pacific. His motto is "much like life, the goal is the run, not the finish line." | |
 | 11:00 Robin Coronel Assistant Coach Fast Facts
Robin is an illustrator/artist, volunteers at the Humane Society, enjoys gardening, cooking and most of all enjoys spending time with his family, close friends, and two Italian greyhounds Frankie and Max. | |
 | 11:30 Richard Boysen Assistant Coach Richard began running after retiring in 2002. Since then he has entered and completed 13 full marathons, including Dallas White Rock, Voyager Trail Marathon, Boston (twice), Chicago, Marine Corps, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. Richard has done more than 50 half marathons, including Denver, Virginia Beach, and Georgetown to Idaho Springs, CO. After completing Boston in 2010, he retired from full marathons and now focuses on Half Marathons; he often does 5k charity runs. Richard is a digital photographer and avid cyclist. He serves on the Board of Directors of a major agribusiness headquartered in Boise, ID and a not-for-profit (Capital City Village) located in Austin. Richard enjoy running with his adult children - Peter Boysen of Frisco, TX and Elizabeth Boysen of Austin, TX. | |
 | 11:45 Greg Jones Assistant Coach Greg started running in 2003 when he joined Austin fit, and ran the marathon his first year. He has run with Austin fit most every year since then, running four marathons and several half marathons. The last couple of years Greg has been running according to the Galloway method, with intervals of running 2 minutes and walking 1, at about a 12 minute per mile total pace. This has greatly improved his endurance, and also his enjoyment of running, with very little change in how long it takes to finish. Last year was Greg's second year to coach a half marathon pace group and he is looking forward to it again this year! In addition to running, Greg is also married to Denise, works as an engineer at TxDOT, is active in his church, and plays guitar at various places around Austin. | |
 | 11:45 John Taunton Assistant Coach John Taunton has run 8 marathon and 1 ultra marathon and innumerable half-marathons. He is currently coaching the 11:45 pace group and plans to run the Healdsburg Half in late October. | |
 | 12:00 Ginger Gautum Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
2011 was a special year for Ginger because he was able to run both 3M and Austin Half marathons. This was only possible because of training with Austin Fit. In addition to running or just walking on the Lady Bird Hike and Bike trail, almost every weekend, Ginger also enjoys cooking for family and friends. His family includes his wife, two sons and Birdie who thinks Ginger is her boy friend and gets very mad at him when he ignores her. Obviously Birdie is the head of the household. | |
 | 12:00 Lisa Geiger Assistant Coach Lisa joined the half marathon group in 2007 and continues to enjoy running (with a bit of grumbling), swimming, weight training, cycling and jaw exercises. She is known for her gift of gab, which has carried many a runner through the training season. | |
 | 12:15 Joann Taunton Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
Joann joined Houston Fit in 2000 with the goal of running one Houston marathon. She did not know the many friends she would meet and the fun she would experience and that in a few years she would run so many more marathons and halfs. Joann enjoys traveling to out-of-town marathons with her husband and running friends. She has lots of running stories to share on your training runs. Joann also does ongoing strength training and chases after her two adorable and active grandsons -- Ethan and Gavin. She enjoys the annual Turkey Trot and Jr Dillo Dash with Ethan and will get Gavin out there as soon as he can fit into a pair of running shoes. | |
 | 12:15 Meg McGee Assistant Coach After moving to Austin a few years ago, Meg started running with Austin Fit to meet new people and get fit. She has now run over 5 half marathons and numerous 5K's and met a lot of great friends through Austin Fit. Meg has recently added triathlons to her list of activities. She also considers herself a trailblazer in the women's running fashion department. Meg was one of the first girls to adopt the running skirt into her wardrobe and hasn't looked back! Her motto is: "I may not be the fastest, but I can still be a fashionista!" Good luck to everyone this 2011 season!!! | |
 | 12:15 Ralph Henderson Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
Ralph started running during college and has been running off and on since then. He has been a member of Austin Fit since 2002. Ralph ran his first Marathon in 1992, the second Motorola Marathon. He ran his next one 10 years later. He says that training for the second one with Austin Fit was a lot easier and more fun that the first one. Ralph is in his 4th stint as an assistant coach for Austin Fit . | |
 | 13:15 Erica DeLeon Assistant Coach Fast Facts:
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 | 13:15 Sam Kumar Assistant Coach Sam believed that he would never be able to run. He goaded himself into starting with Austin Fit and was able to complete two half marathons a few years ago. (Two half marathons count as a full marathon in his books). His passion for running has brought him back to the Austin Fit coaches circle. Sam's goal is to train folks that think they are misfits, just to prove them wrong. Fast Facts:
Sam ran with Lisa Geiger's group and is thankful to Lisa for training him. It is great coaches like Lisa with Austin Fit that keep him motivated and helped him stay with the group. Sam hopes to be helpful for all beginning runners who will have doubts about their ability to run a half marathon or any other distance. | |
| Get Fit Coaches | ||
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Elayne Barber elayne_barber@yahoo.com Head Coach Fast Facts:
Elayne began the Get Fit program for folks that were
ready to start an exercise program but not ready for the half marathon.
She knows how hard it is to begin an exercise program and does not want to limit
folks from participating because they cannot do the long mileages when they
first began. Come on out and start with a few miles and move up to the
half marathon next year! | |