Professional Title: Occupational Therapist, Business Owner, Former Coach
Achievements:
Division II College Cross Country Athlete Gannon University, NCAA All American 2008
Boston Marathon Qualifier
Former Cross Country Coach at Estrella Mountain Community College (2012-2021)- Coached the first athlete at the program to qualify for Nationals.
Master’s USATF 35-40 Champion Outdoor 5,000, 10,000 and 4 X 800 ( 2024)
PRs: 5,000= 18:55, 10,000: 38:56, ½ marathon 1:27, 6k 23:20 , marathon 3:21:28
Runner up in 2024 Rock and Roll AZ 10K , 3rd place Rock and Roll AZ 10K 2023
Professional Title: Head Boys Cross Country Coach; Girls Assistant Cross Country Coach; Boys and Girls Track Distance Coach; Summer Camp Coach; Private Running Coach
Background and Experience: I have been involved with running since I was in 3rd grade. I ran in junior high, high school, and college. I ran for Gateway Community College one cross country season and Mesa Community College one track season. I’ve also had 20 years of running experience. Seven years of experience as a coach, 1 year of private coaching, and 6 years coaching track and cross country over at Westwood High School. I’ve also completed a 100-mile race among many other ultramarathons, qualified with a 2:52 to run in the Boston Marathon, and still run currently. I've spent over 1500 hours in the last 3 years from reading to listening to podcasts, running talks or speeches, and attending running clinics. I read a minimum of 12-16 books a year.
Achievements: Athletes that I’ve coached and their times:
Kai Espinoza-Goliski(junior year times)- 800 - 1:53; 1600 - 4:10; 3200 - 9:17; 2024, 3200 Division 1 state Champ; 4th place 1600 open state; 6th place open state 3200. 5k PR- 15:40
Daniel Reese: 5k improvements: 33minutes (freshman year) - 16:24 (junior year)
The girl's team qualified for state the first year I started coaching them(9 girls on the team). The boys team qualified for state 2 years in a row (12 boys on the team both years)
Hosted a free summer XC running camp for the past 5 years; Free Website offering advice for high school athletes. Managed and hosted ‘The State of Running’ podcast for the last 3 years.
Specializations: I pride myself in finding solutions for every problem that my athletes or myself face. Developed exercise programs for hips, strength, and core workouts. All bodyweight exercises. I come from the ultramarathon side background having done it for a decade now. Over the last year and a half though I have decoupled myself from any training system and started to individualize all training to the specific athlete needs. The main goal that I focus on is to make sure everything that the athletes do for strength and maintenance work is proactive and preventative work instead of reactive work to injuries. I’ve also learned to use material from other successful coaches and exercise nutritionists to supplement the knowledge I lack and provide this for my athletes. Every season the athletes are required to purchase new shoes and get a blood test to check their iron levels.
Personal Anecdotes: Senior year I went from 19 minutes in the 5k to 16:30ish after collapsing on a long run, being taken to the hospital, and then having a blood test done to find out that I was anemic.
Discussion about various topics associated with training.