Highlighting the successes of our awesome Runcoach athletes
At Runcoach, success comes in many forms. PRs, podium finishes, comeback races, first marathons, and simply showing up after setbacks. This month, our community showed incredible grit, consistency, and joy across races big and small around the world. From Boston to Big Sur, London to Melbourne, here are some standout moments we’re celebrating from the past month.
Community Highlights
Skip Mathews claimed 1st in his age group at the Rumpshaker Half Marathon, an inspiring comeback just two years after open heart surgery. He also followed it up with another strong showing at the Red Shoe Run 5K, improving by 7 seconds and placing 2nd in his age group. 
Heli Sorra ran a beautifully executed race at the Philly Love Run Half Marathon, using it as a key stepping stone toward the New York City Marathon later this year.
Diana Bernier and daughter Kelsey completed an excellently paced half marathon in Philadelphia, giving us one of our favorite moments of the month: a mother-daughter racing duo.
Jeremy Paull took a full minute off his previous Run for the Kids 14K time as he builds toward the Great Ocean Road Marathon.
Jeff Brune had a huge month, first crushing his old age group course record at the Early Bird 10 Miler, then running a Boston PR of 3:00:18 at the Boston Marathon. So close to sub-3, Jeff, we know it’s coming.
Brandon Schott finished 18th overall and 1st in his age group at the Donut 10K.
Bill Reamer made a dominant return to the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, winning his new age group in an impressive comeback to fitness.
Attilio Arcari crushed the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler with a 2-minute PR.
Yon Chang broke the tape at the Mary Ruchalski Foundation 5K, earning another PR by 13 seconds.
Robert Grabel completed his 24th marathon at the Delaware Coastal Running Festival in 5:49. Marathon #25 is officially on deck.
Tara Barrett returned to racing in style, finishing 2nd at the Golden Driller Half Marathon in her first half marathon in two years.
Tim Vipond found his rhythm again with a negative split and 5th place age group finish at the Drake Relays Half Marathon.
Kate Gates completed her 22nd consecutive Boston Marathon, an absolutely remarkable streak from Hopkinton to 
Boylston.
Cody Eaves completed a fantastic 50-mile race after a strong winter endurance build.
Ido Simyoni masterfully paced Boston with a 2-minute negative split, finishing in 2:57:04.
Fabiana Manzo earned her hard-fought Boston Marathon finisher medal against an iconic city backdrop.
Greg Williams made his marathon debut at Boston and managed the rare feat of a negative split.
Caroline Seiter crushed a 13-minute PR at the Jersey City Marathon, running 3:27 after a focused training block.
Kim Munksgaard ran a new PR while earning her 4th Abbott World Marathon Major star at Boston.
Chris Miramontes battled through an ankle injury to finish Boston strong in 3:23:39. 
Coddy Johnson ran the UVA School of Medicine 5K with his kids cheering him on.
Kemi Shamonda placed 1st in her age group at the The Parkway Half Marathon!
Jorge Cortes conquered the London Marathon and is already eyeing Tokyo for his next major.
Kurt Steinhaus braved chilly conditions to complete the Wisconsin Half Marathon along Lake Michigan.
R.J. Shanafelt tackled the challenging Big Sur Marathon and enjoyed one of the most scenic courses in the world.
Joseph Lennon shaved 12 seconds off last year’s 5-mile time and finished 3rd in his age group at the Narberth Take a 
Breather 5M.
Abigail Athanasopoulos ran an outstanding 3:34 at Big Sur, finishing 5th in her age group while handling the hills exceptionally well.
Krista Davalos overcame taper challenges and leaned on a strong mindset to complete an excellent Big Sur Marathon.
Alma B broke 4 hours at the Big Sur 21 Miler, finishing in 3:56 and smiling all the way over Hurricane Point.
Kristi Chiles and her son completed their marathon together, complete with race-day cheers from the chariot.
Amiel Snyder earned a half marathon PR at the OKC Half by staying true to his goal: race hard and have fun. 
Coach Alex Monroe’s boys won at the Penn Relays with a state-record DMR time of 9:54.01.
Jennifer Scotto ran her fastest-ever Maui Half Marathon, finishing in 1:48:18 and placing 2nd in her age group.
Steve Stanfield beat his sub-2 goal at the Indy Mini, finishing in 1:57:16.
Ian Fitzpatrick negative split the PNC Alexandria Half Marathon and made it a family affair.
Nancy Kelley placed 2nd in her age group at the Flying Pig 10K and earned gold through the Ohio Senior Olympics qualifying series.
Stefanie Davidson beat her goal of sub-82 at the Broad Street Run, finishing in 81:41.
What is the secret to your success?
Having a great team! I was lucky enough to have not only my family and friends and athletic instructors and doctors behind me, but also my great coach. Thank you to Coach Cally for all of your help for me! You always made sure that I knew I could do it :)
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it?
Probably me! Although my chronic knee issues that required a lot of visits and scans too. My coach helped a lot by listening to me and helping to modify my training program whenever I needed it.
What is the most rewarding part of training?
Proving to myself that I am more than I thought that I could be.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community?
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." - Marcel Proust
What feedback would you offer on the Runcoach experience?
I loved it! I used it to train for the NYC Half and the 2024 NYC Marathon, and Coach Cally stayed with me the whole time. How lucky am I?
What is the secret to your success?
Staying consistent and preparing early. Knowing I had plenty of time in training leading up to the race gave me confidence in having wiggle room for weeks off for vacation. And having a coach to help me along the way.
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it?
Managing including workouts into my life with work and travel. I simply told myself it had to be done, made accommodations where I needed to and made sure it was a priority. Those sacrifices were the key to staying consistent.
What is the most rewarding part of training?
Confidentiality finishing the races and collecting my beautiful medals! But also just knowing the fact that my body was able to carry me through those miles.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community?
You can do hard things - it seems silly but with hard work and determination you can do anything. I would have never thought I would complete a Dopey Challenge and it was extremely satisfying knowing I did.
Anything else you would like to share?
Coach Alice was amazing to work with. She was so knowledgeable, supportive and helpful whenever I had questions. When life got busy it was great having someone else to figure out my mileage for me. Especially when navigating fueling and recovery for races she was critical to not only helping me make it through the races but also helping me bounce back quickly.
What feedback would you offer on the Runcoach experience?
I thoroughly enjoyed using Runcoach. The app is nice and working with a coach was super helpful!
Last year was full of early alarms, hard workouts, missed comfort zones, and moments of doubt, but also personal bests, comeback stories, first-time finishes, and goals that once felt out of reach. This blog is about the athletes who showed up for themselves again and again, even when life made it hard. From breakthrough races to quiet consistency, these stories celebrate what’s possible when commitment meets patience. Here’s to the runners who made last year count, and to the inspiration they give us heading into what’s next.
Mario Villanueva: Mario had an incredible 2025, placing 3rd in the Gold Wave of the Marathon Project in Chandler, AZ with a 
2:22:36 finish. He also ran under 2:20:21 at Houston earlier in the year, improving on his previous 2:27 PR. Robert Sawchuck: A Runcoach client for over a decade, aimed to improve his times at the 4th of July 5-mile and the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. With a tailored training plan, he shaved 1:20 off his July race and ran Thanksgiving nearly 30 seconds per mile faster than his goal. Kelli Konop: Kelli ran a 5:04:16 marathon, shaving over 30 minutes off her previous personal best. Coelle Merdler: Coelle ran a fantastic impromptu race at the Space Force T-Minus 10-Miler, fresh off her 5:00 PR at the Marine Corps Marathon - an incredible performance! Christan Thomas: Christan crushed the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in 3:42:47, a 12-minute PR and 30 minutes faster than when she started with Runcoach. These are the runs we live for. Hannah Fryer: Despite setbacks early in the year, Hannah rebuilt strength, trusted training, and delivered an incredible performance - running a 3:28:34 marathon, a 20-minute personal record and breaking the sub-3:30 barrier. Judi Hayashi: Judi dominated the Masters Competition at the Say Grace 5K on Thanksgiving! Her focus and determination were unstoppable on race day - what a performance! Chloe & E. Julainne Mills: This mother-daughter duo ran together at the Texas 5K Series until Chloe pulled away to win the race. Mom finished strong as well, taking 3rd overall - a truly inspiring performance! Guuleed Nuur Hassen: Guuleed ran a blazing 17:35 5K at the Pyramids 5K in Egypt, finishing 4th overall and taking first in his age group! Bella Racette: Bella ran a blazing 19:32 to take 2nd place at the Hot Chocolate 5K in Phoenix - such a sweet performance! Kate Evanko: Kate turned in a speedy 5K at the NYRR Frosty Bite race, winning her age group and getting back under 20 minutes where she belongs! Robert Grabel: Hats off to Robert for an incredible Dallas Marathon! He ran 5:50 on a cold, windy Texas course, and powered through a nosebleed after the first mile. True grit and determination! Rebecca Hamid: Rebecca ran a 4:08:53 at CIM, smashing her marathon PB by 13 minutes! Incredible progress and a huge achievement. Yon Chang: Yon broke the tape at the Glen Cove 
Turkey Trot with a speedy 22:59 5K on a tough course! First place and a fantastic finish to a tremendous year of training. Ted Blankenship: Ted conquered the Coldwater Trail 50K, winning his age group. From high school XC coach to successful ultra marathoner, an impressive achievement! Antony Boyd: Antony ran 3:24:05 at the Dublin Marathon, shaving 30 minutes off his time in just two years! Kristi Chiles: Kristi ran a 5K and half marathon in one weekend while pushing her son. “When I'm out there I'm not running with any goals in mind. I'm running for him, and that's all that matters.” Incredible! Melinda Ichite: Melinda set a PR at the Disney Wine & Dine 10K, finishing in 1:10:13! Chelsea Ankeny: Chelsea ran a 10K PR and followed it immediately with the 5K at the Stingray Double Play, an impressive back-to-back performance. Amy Hood: Amy ran her first marathon in under 6:00 - conquering her goal and marking an incredible milestone! Tanya Ardoin: Tanya set PRs across the board at the Cajun Cup 10K - fastest mile, 5K, and 10K - finishing in 38:41, 4th female overall, and first Master Female. Rebecca Paquette: Rebecca ran a 10-minute PR at the Marine Corps Marathon, finishing in 3:50!! Edith Harter: Edith ran a 30+ minute PR at the Columbus Marathon, finishing in 5:53:52 - down from 6:30:58 at the WDW Marathon earlier in 2025! Beric Farmer: Beric ran a PR of 1:36:09 and earned an age group bronze medal at the Muskoka Half Marathon! Floyd Whitehurst: Back from a knee injury, Floyd ran 37:11 in the 10K at the Neptune Festival Run - great to see him rolling again! Nancy Kelley: Nancy completed her first half marathon and finished 2nd in her age group - what an impressive debut! Jeff Brune: Jeff set the standard for the 60+ age group, finishing the Omaha Half Marathon in 1:25:03 and earning AG Gold plus the RRCA Grand Masters (50+) Championship! He also set the National Sr. Games 10K Record! Fantastic year. Renga Sreenivasan: Renga ran his first 5K just 10 months after a heart attack - proving, as LL says, “don’t call it a comeback!”
Nearly 100 athletes were featured across our social channels in 2025! Check out the reels to celebrate our members’ achievements, and maybe even spot yourself!
What is the secret to your success?
Consistency and trust. I commit each day to every workout regardless of what it is and to trust that the hard work is going to pay off and trust that my coach and other trainers around me are providing me with the tools to hit my goals. 
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it?
I had an appendectomy in late January and coming out of that surgery was more difficult than I thought it was going to be. I am constantly working out/moving my body. Whether it’s pickleball, soccer, golf, power lifting, CrossFit, or running I am always doing something. I felt like that was such a major set back to the start of my year and was going to continue to impact me as I had to drop everything in order to let myself heal, but communicating this with my coach, she was able to set me up with a plan that eased me back into the motions. I gained the confidence to run comfortably and competitively again.
What is the most rewarding part of training?
Feeling good while running my race. I had a lot of ups and downs during my training and didn't know how race day would pan out. My A goal going into race day was not to worry about time and to let my body do the talking and in race day I had never felt better. It wasn’t until mile 21 where I entered a pain cave and I decided to do that by choice because I felt like I had gas in the tank so I sped up on the most elevated part of the course. At mile 24 I was able to recover when it flattened out and continue at a faster pace. This was what I was most proud of, I listened to my body and everything worked out.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community?
Trust your coach. I don’t know anything about running. I started long distance running 2-3 years ago, and there is still so much to learn. But, if you trust your coach and communicate your desires, goals, and problems, you will be able to get there with their knowledge and your hard work.
What is the secret to your success?
Working on my pacing for the earlier miles. I tend to go out too fast and die. I also kept a sting mental state. Reminding myself that I could actually keep pushing, I was uncomfortable but that doesn’t mean to slow down.
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it?
The biggest obstacle for sure is the mind. I think most runners are capable of a little more. You have to be willing to be uncomfortable and push through.
What is the most rewarding part of training?
Knowing that I accomplished something I’d been working on. I’m over 40 and the messaging tends to be you start slowing at 40… maybe there is still speed to be had.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community?
Show up for yourself. Whether that’s a workout, easy run, or race day. Remember the hard work that has gone before.
Major milestone:
Completed the Boston to Big Sur Challenge put on by the Big Sur International Marathon.
What is the secret to your success? 
-Consistent running. Taking rest days when I needed to or when life happens changes your plans.
-Not worry about skipping a training day and knowing that not any one day matters as much as the whole plan. Being flexible.
-Training the mind with the body. Using affirmations and being grateful in the moments (especially the hard times during training or racing) to be healthy and able to run.
-Smiling
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it?
The first 48 hours between Boston and Big Sur where I doubted I could physically run another 26.2 miles in 6 days. The mental struggle was just as great as the physical part of getting my body ready to run another marathon.
What is the most rewarding part of training?
Crossing both finish lines. At Boston and then 6 days later at Big Sur. Big Sur was a tough course and the most beautiful ones I’ve ever run. That finish line feeling x2.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community?
Enjoy the run. There will be good and bad days whether running or on race day. Learn from the bad and soak in the good. Run in the moment
Anything else you would like to share?
I am very grateful to Tom and the entire Runcoach team for their diligence in helping me achieve my early goals in a healthy, fun and supportive environment.
Major milestone:
<26 minute 5K race; started Runcoach in February and posted this time June.
What is the secret to your success? 
Combination of Runcoach training schedule and working directly with Tom
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it?
Not knowing how to prepare myself physically or mentally for races and for races of different distances. Not knowing how to achieve my physical potential. Getting beyond past beliefs about my potential.
What is the most rewarding part of training?
The encouragement, the consistency, the steady increasing fitness, the low pressure environment , the variety of workouts and results that came much more quickly than expected.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community?
Focus on your own goals, listen to your body and your heart. It is what you think about you that matters. Embracing these concepts has helped this be a fun, rewarding and enlightening experience for me. I hope this is a lifelong journey for me of one foot after the other on the trail, track and road.
Anything else you would like to share?
I am very grateful to Tom and the entire Runcoach team for their diligence in helping me achieve my early goals in a healthy, fun and supportive environment.
What feedback would you offer on the Runcoach experience?
The gradual increase of fitness was key, especially as an older novice runner. The surprising part was how quickly my fitness increased to new levels on a fairly regular basis without feeling like a grinding experience. The variety of workouts is so fun. I was a little hesitant at first given my lack of experience, but I learned that I really enjoyed the variety. This also improved my resilience, fitness and confidence. I feel that I could successfully prepare with Runcoach for any racing distance.
Major milestone:
Breaking the 3:30 barrier at Copenhagen Marathon May 2025. At almost 57 years old, this is my best marathon time in over 39 years, from when I was just a teenager.
What is the secret to your success? 
A combination of sensible training avoiding placing too much stress on my body. I factored in rest days and off-road and hill variations for strength, together with sound nutrition (my wife bakes excellent Danish rye bread, which is packed full of fibre and seeds).
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it?
Time. Constraints of a full time job and the need to allow adequate time for the family and home.
The trick is to strike a good balance and by avoiding putting too much pressure on yourself through overtraining.
What is the most rewarding part of training?
To know that you are following a plan and that every run is a step closer to achieving the goal. And then when you get to the taper period, you know that the job is basically done and you just have the victory lap to look forward to!
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community?
Be disciplined and patient. With time the results will come, you’ll see. And when it comes to Marathon Day, just go out there and enjoy yourself. You have put a lot of time and energy Into this, as well as the cost, so revel on the glory of hard-earned “me time”.
Anything else you would like to share?
At Copenhagen, I knocked off 35 minutes in just 18 months since taking up running again in my mid 50’s and entering city marathons starting with Dublin in 2023. I felt free like nothing would stop me - the first time I felt like this since I was just 17 doing my first marathon. You are never too old to start running again, so long as you believe that you can do it and are prepared to work hard to achieve results.
What feedback would you offer on the Runcoach experience?
The coaching from Coach Cally was first class. Always supportive and full of wise advice from her depth of experience as an athlete and coach.
Tom’s drill routines also work a treat and even before a marathon just to loosen things up before the big start.
Major milestone:
Ran first Marathon at age 66!! Finished 4th in my age group and ran much faster than I expected.
What is the secret to your success?
Set a goal, secured a good coach (Runcoach Cally Macumber), followed a solid training program, stayed persistent.... AND FAMILY SUPPORT was critical! It was also helpful to have a purpose bigger than myself--running as part of the American Cancer Society "DETERMINATION" Team.
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it?
Lack of confidence. How to overcome: Begin early, take each day as it comes, be aware of your body, be disciplined in training and celebrate your strength and endurance improving every day.
What is the most rewarding part of training?
Enjoying each run, being outside, celebrating as my strength and endurance improved.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community?
Begin early, take each day as it comes, set realistic goals, be aware of your body, be disciplined in training and celebrate your strength and endurance improving every day. Also, RunCoach was very helpful.
Anything else you would like to share?
If you're at all interested, JUST DO IT!! When working full time and raising a family, I never felt I could dedicate the time needed to train for a full marathon. So its a miracle at my age that I was able to finish, with no injuries!
