meeT the coach

former collegiate volleyball has-been, turned distance runner.

Growing to 6’2 by sophomore year of high school made me an easy pick for the volleyball coaches! as an arkansas 7A All-State volleyball player, arkansas all-star team selection, and two time mvp, running was never on my radar. I continued my volleyball career at graceland university where I started ALL four years, was an all-conference AND ALL-REGION recipient, multiple time conference player of the week, and served as team captain. This is ALSO where my love for coaching began, as a COLLEGIATE junior varsity mens volleyball coach.

After graduation, i quickly began my high school teaching and volleyball coaching career at my alma mater and travel ball program. during this time, I needed new athletic goals for myself. cue my running obsession!

i trained for anD ran my first half marathon during my student teaching and my first marathon just a year and a half later. Important to note I also married my husband, justin AFTER THIS BEGAN, so he was at least somewhat aware of this crazy before he said “i do.”

i quickly found a great admiration and respect for the sport of running and it’s people. AFTER A FEW YEARS OF RUNNING SOLO, i FINALLY mADE RUNNING FRIENDS WHILE training with the bentonville half marathon training group. TOGETHER we created a group called the wolfpack. at some point, they deemed we worthy of leading them. What started as a group of 6-8 people that wanted accountability for getting our weekday runs completed, turned into a group of over 175 members that to this day hosts four weekly group runs open to our community and has grown into a family of runners of all shapes, sizes, goals, and paces.

i am a firm believer that running is for anyone. if you decided to run, you are a runner. it’s as simple as that. there are no pace or distance requirements to deem yourself a runner. this is what I love about coaching runners. that, and i love the science AND MATH behind running / creating training plans… that’s my nerd side showing!

My favorite running memory happened in October 2021 when I Boston Qualified at the des moines marathon. Running down the finish shoot with the crowd screaming at me to sprint to BQ was a moment I will never forget. the crowd, the announcer, my friends and family that jumped up and down CHEERING ME TO THE FINISH. core memory for sure! I THEN WAS FORTUNATE to run Boston the following spring while Pregnant with my daughter, ember.

running highlights:

• certified rrca distance running coach

• marathon x12 , half marathon x25

• countless 5ks, 10ks, and everything in between

• boston marathon qualified

• chicago marathon qualified

• 4 world marathon majors complete

• top 2% female finish at BIX 7 mile championship

• rush running race team since 2019

• team michelob ultra nyc marathon 2023

• wolfpack running group leader since 2017