Race Committee

I was born into a running family—though if you’d told 10-year-old me that I’d someday be an ultra-runner, I’d have laughed and gone back to eating Doritos. My grandfather, Ken Burns, was a fixture in the Grand Rapids running community long before I came along. My mom, Sharon Dryfhout, has been running since the day I was born and still knocks out ultra-marathons like it’s no big deal.

Naturally, I wanted no part of it. I’d run the occasional 5K or maybe a 10K if someone bribed me with food, but that was it. Then, around age 30, I was brushing my teeth shirtless one night when I noticed parts of my body jiggling that had never jiggled before. The next morning I signed up for my first 25K. (Because that’s the logical reaction, right?)

After some decent success at that distance, I found myself running more, enjoying it more, and—this is the dangerous part—looking for bigger challenges. Around this time, I’d have regular breakfast dates with my Grandpa, who was well into his 80s and still as stubborn as ever. One morning, he told me he’d signed up for an age-handicapped race in Manchester, Tennessee, called A Race for the Ages. The format was simple: a one-mile loop, and you get one hour for every year old you are. If you’re 52, you get 52 hours. You run as many loops as you can in your allotted time, and whoever racks up the most miles wins.

The problem? His crew leader—basically the person who makes sure you don’t collapse from hunger, thirst, or bad decisions—had bailed on him. Without thinking, I offered to crew. It turned out to be a life-changing weekend. He was 82 that year, and the race started rough—two falls, scrapes, and blood. I asked the race director if I could run alongside him to keep him upright. Rules said no… unless I signed up. My age group hadn’t started yet, so I did. And just like that, I accidentally entered my first ultra-marathon.

I was hooked. Three years later, my grandfather, my mom, my sister, and my 9-year-old daughter all ran in the same race—quite possibly making us the only four-generation family to ever compete in the same ultra-marathon.

These days, I still prefer the longer stuff. My most memorable race was the Tunnel Hill 100, which I finished in 20:41:57, beating my Grandpa’s lifetime best for 100 miles. He was there crewing for me, and when I crossed the line, he gave me a hug I’ll never forget.

I started running in college. My Aquinas friends were running, so I joined the track team and then cross country. Some of my teammates were training for the marathon at Nationals, so I decided to train and run at Nationals with them. This led me to volunteer for the Grand Rapids Marathon. I have been on the staff for 13 years. You may see me around on race weekend, helping wherever I can. I am in charge of cleanup for the Grand Rapids Marathon and also help wherever else I’m needed. After the runners start the race, I drive the first few miles of the course to collect all the dropped clothes and bring them back to the start/finish line. Sometimes I help with the relay. I work on the other races: Millennium Meadows, BQ.2, Groundhog, and also The Fred and White Pine Thaw. 

I met my wife Katie (who also volunteers at all the events) through the Grand Rapids Running Club. We got engaged at the finish line of the 2009 Riverbank Run. At the 2011 Grand Rapids Marathon, a very pregnant Katie and I volunteered all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. She held off till the race was over to go to the hospital and have our son, Marathon Baby, on Monday. 

My family loves to travel, and we have a goal of visiting 50 states before Marathon Baby graduates high school.

As the daughter of Don Kern and the reason he started running, I am kind of obligated to work at the marathon for him. You may have heard the story about Don running alongside me when I was on the high school track team. He kept running, and I took another direction.

My adventures include riding my Harley all over Michigan and beyond with my partner Mark. We are both board members for the Allegan Eagles and try to live by the motto “people helping people. Plus I am a home health nurse. I manage the bag-drop on marathon day. When you drop off your bag for us to hold while you run, say hello to me, my partner Mark, my three daughters (Ashley, Amber, and Lexi), and their friends. 

Through her work with Stellafly, Laura manages photography and social media for the Grand Rapids Marathon, Groundhog Day Marathon, Millennium Meadows, and Last Chance BQ. She loves telling the story of these races and the people who run them, bringing the energy of race day to life year-round. A one-and-done marathoner, cyclist, and avid walker, she stays connected to the endurance community from both sides of the lens and the keyboard.

I first got into running in 2007 when I met a cute guy who happened to be on the Grand Rapids Marathon staff. He convinced me to run. Wanting to impress him, I claimed I ran all the time—though in reality I’d never gone more than two miles in my life. A few months later, I completed my first half marathon and was hooked.

My first full marathon came in 2011, just a few weeks after marrying that same guy, and now we have two smart, curious, active, delightful kids, and I have completed 10 marathons. I joined the Grand Rapids Marathon staff in 2008 and have been one of the food coordinators ever since.

One of my favorite things about being part of this team is the crazy adventures we get into together. Thanks to my fellow staff members, I’ve gone backpacking, taken on triathlons, and even traveled to Patagonia, Argentina, for a week-long adventure to celebrate my 40th birthday. Being on the Grand Rapids Marathon staff means making lifelong friends and adventure buddies.

If I could offer advice to someone running their first marathon, it would be this: enjoy the journey. Take out your headphones, connect with the runners around you, and listen to their stories. You never know—you might meet your next best friend who joins you on an epic adventure.

When I’m not running, I work as an occupational therapist helping people with traumatic brain injuries get back to living their lives. I also love snowboarding and volunteer as a National Ski Patroller at Cannonsburg with my therapy dog, Lola. One of my big running goals is to compete in Washington’s Ski to Sea—a relay race that takes you from Mt. Baker to the Pacific Ocean through cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, running, road biking, canoeing, cyclocross, and sea kayaking.

I have been serving on the Grand Rapids Marathon staff at the information booth for at least ten years. I first got seriously into running for the camaraderie and community after moving to Grand Rapids with my husband Nathan and our son Ian in late 2004. We have since added two more kiddos to our family, and in 2025 I am now the mom of three college students. The Grand Rapids running community has been a consistent throughline in the growth of our family.

Whether I am running or not, I am most alive in warm weather, with my feet near the beach and my face in the sun. I work as an RN in a family practice. I began teaching yoga in 2013 and am trained and certified in Prenatal Yoga, and teach monthly Saturday morning classes at David D. Hunting YMCA, where I get to see a lot of familiar running faces throughout the year.

I love seeing new faces every year, out there challenging each other to do something new or running simply to stay young!

I ran my first marathon in 1994 and made many of the normal rookie mistakes. I went out too fast, didn’t eat or drink enough, and struggled my way through the final eight miles. I have now run 182 marathons and broken three hours nine times. I ran the last 24 Boston Marathons, and I was the first American finisher at the 56-mile 2009 Comrades Marathon in South Africa and the second American finisher (out of 216 Americans) at the 2013 Comrades. Over the years I have figured out that with proper training, pacing, and smart race day decisions, Mile 26 can actually be a very pleasant experience.

When we started the Grand Rapids Marathon in 2004, I volunteered to be the pace team director, and I have organized and grown our pace teams ever since. I came up with the idea of using celebrity finish times for the pace team target times. People would always ask if they beat Oprah, so we decided to just make that the pace. I think we are the only marathon in the world with celebrity pace teams. Now my wife Marissa and I pace on teams around the world, and you’ll see international pacers join our pace teams.

What I like best is supporting and encouraging people to attempt a marathon and then running with them. I am like a running chameleon, because I am comfortable pacing at almost any pace. 

I am proud that I am responsible for the pickle juice you will find along the marathon course. I had been drinking the salty brine to ward off muscle cramps, and so I arranged for Heinz to become our official pickle juice provider. Grand Rapids was the first marathon to serve pickle juice to its runners on the course.

During the 2024 Grand Rapids Marathon, I was part of the team that successfully resuscitated a runner who had a cardiac arrest on the course. We are now partnering with the American Heart Association to obtain CPR training for much of the staff and pacers on our race and others.

I graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School and completed a four year residency in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. I am currently on the medical staff at Trinity Health, Corewell Health, and Holland Hospital.

Hi, I’m Kathy Haase, co-chair of Packet Pick-Up for the Grand Rapids Marathon. I have worked Packet Pick-Up since the first year of the marathon in 2004. I enjoy meeting and talking to all the runners when they pick up their bibs and T-shirts. 

I have been running for 50 years now, starting with 5K and 10K races. When I first moved to Grand Rapids, I watched the River Bank 25K and decided I wanted to be able to run it the next year. Since then I have completed over 48 marathons and ultras in 24 states. I finally got a chance to run the Grand Rapids Marathon in 2011. 

In addition to running, I love to go hiking. I have completed all 600+ miles of the North Country Trail in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. I am currently working on hiking the NCT in the UP. I have 140 miles down. Look me up when you pick up your packet. I look forward to seeing you all in October.

I believe I am the only one on staff who has never been a runner and will never run. I got hooked on the running community through my husband, David. I went along to runs with him and enjoyed being part of the community. At one of the races, someone suggested that maybe I would enjoy the event more if I volunteered. So I did, and as they say, the rest is history. 

I help in many ways and have had many roles on the Grand Rapids Marathon staff. I managed the bag drop-off and merchandise table. I take good notes at meetings and can look back to what we did previous years as questions come up. I work at packet pickup, pick up volunteer lunches, organize volunteer shirts, and am ready to help wherever there is a need. I stayed on the staff long after my husband quit running marathons.

I learned that the running community was a great group of people, and I decided to become one of them by volunteering. I met a fantastic group of people, and I am happy to say they all feel like family now. If you have a problem or need an answer to something, you just have to ask anyone and they will be there for you with an answer and are willing to help you.

I ran cross country in high school, but wasn’t interested in running again until my wife started running. This training led me to run multiple half-marathons and the Riverbank Run several times. About six years ago, Aaron and Erin Medema (also on the Marathon staff) challenged my wife and I to run every day between Memorial Day and Fourth of July. Doing this simple daily run motivated me, and I kept up running at least two miles every day since then.

I have been married for 25 years, and I am the father of 3 boys (Senior in high school, 5th grader, kindergartener). I work for a cybersecurity company doing technical presales.

My advice for new endurance runners is to find a great pair of shoes, one that is fitted for you by a sport-shoe expert. Don’t go for the great deal or a shoe from the department store. I always ask newer runners what type of shoes they wear and where they got them. I’m surprised how many runners don’t know about getting the right shoe for the way they run. (Fun fact: for a portion of a job interview I had to present on something non-work related, so I did a whole presentation on this).

I don’t have any real running goals. I just plan to keep on with my running streak.

Don is a runner and adventure junkie. You hear from him each week in the Grand Rapids Marathon newsletter.

Check out his website for the full story, if there is one.

DO, Medical Director UMHWest Sports Medicine and the UMHWest Grand Rapids Marathon

I met Marathon Don at the River Bank Run Expo prior to the first Grand Rapids Marathon and have been involved ever since. Prior to my involvement with the marathon, I spent a lot of free time playing soccer, but young kids and a busy job made it harder to get to games…so I decided to try running. Fast forward a few years and I have now run 20 marathons, including the original six world majors.  

Why run? Why not?! Putting races on the schedule gives me a target and helps me get out to train. I love that it allows me to listen to music or a podcast or just do some thinking. My family—Amy (my wife), Charlie and Sadie (my kids), and Haley (daughter-in-law) run and do triathlons, which is a lot of fun for all of us. We also like to hike and bike—whatever gets us outside.

As a medical professional, I appreciate the running community for several reasons—it promotes healthy activity and mental strength and helps create stronger social bonds—all important in personal and community health. And you don’t need to be a runner to be part of the community—family and friends, aid station folks, and volunteers all play a role—so thanks for being part of this great event!

I have been playing sports and running off and on throughout my life. I got more involved with the running community as my kids started to get older and showed an interest in running and participating in triathlons. I love staying active while having fun and you can usually find me outside hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, walking/running with my dogs, swimming, and just having fun exploring the great outdoors. My husband and I have three kids and together we love to travel and spend time on the water. I help with the retail and merchandise side of the Grand Rapids Marathon, and I love hearing what our runners are looking for and making that happen. We are always looking for fun, new things to offer and welcome your ideas!

Hi Everyone! I am in charge of the Marathon Expo held at the David D Hunting YMCA on Saturday before the race. I work at the Mary Free Bed YMCA as the Senior Program Development Director. The first few years of the Grand Rapids Marathon, I was a volunteer helping out on race day. This will be my 17th year on the race committee, organizing/managing the expo at the DDH YMCA.

Running wasn’t in my vocabulary until after I graduated from college and moved to Florida. I was a serious beach volleyball player and played on a Beach volleyball tour. I started off running my first race in the Edison Festival 5K in Ft. Myers, FL. It was an awesome experience running with 800+ people, and in front of thousands of people lining the parade route, which was also the race route. The parade started the second the last finisher crossed the line, so you can just imagine 15,000+ people who are cheering you on to finish, because they want to encourage you or because they want the parade to start quicker. Either way, it was a win-win for everyone, and I was hooked. Ever since then I started running in more 5Ks, then 10Ks, and then I made the leap of faith and did my first half marathon in Naples, FL. Didn’t prepare properly and made the rookie mistakes, went out like I was running a 5K, ran into cramping issues by Mile 10, but managed to finish the race. I have been running ever since then, with a few triathlons sprinkled in while living in Florida, then I moved back to Michigan and tried the River Bank Run 25K. Loved it and have raced in it 20x since moving to Grand Rapids.

Since joining the marathon committee, I have enjoyed the new challenge of running a marathon, and have finished 5 marathons, including an awesome experience at my first Boston Marathon in 2016. I have met some amazing people along the way who share the same passion of running and community. I am supported by my wife, Heidi, and two kids, Ryan and Mackenzie, who are always cheering me on.

I wish all of you the best of luck in training and enjoy the experience. The marathon is just the last day of your exciting journey to stand at the start line with thousands of your closest friends you may have not met yet.

See you at the finish line!

I began running in 2012 when a friend asked me if I would join her to run a marathon. Being the good friend I am, I said I would support her by running the half marathon and my training went a little better than expected. I decided I could try for the full marathon and successfully finished! While training for that marathon, we joined a running group in the area and I met my future husband. The rest is history! Since then, I have run 80 marathons/ultramarathons!

My husband, Rick, and I manage the pace teams at the Grand Rapids Marathon. We have had the opportunity to travel across the world to be a part of pace teams in Chicago, Rome, London, Tokyo, Sydney, etc. It is the perfect combination of travel, adventure, running, and supporting other runners! We are excited to implement what we have learned from these other amazing races to our incredible hometown race!

I was always the kid that NEVER wanted to run. I loathed the mile test in grade school. In 2016 I was on a family vacation to Disney World when they were holding the marathon there. It must have been the combination of the inspirational atmosphere and my competitive nature but I thought to myself while watching people run through the parks, “I could do that”. So I spent the next year preparing to do the marathon there the following year. At the 2025 Millennium Meadows Marathon I ran my 10th marathon and I have ran many half marathons and other races.

I have loved my time on the Grand Rapids Marathon staff. Everyone knows their role and is ELITE at what they do. This is a well oiled machine because of the skill-sets of the staff.

I am an athletic trainer at UMHW and I coordinate all the medical coverage for the marathon. My wife, and rock, Kristina have two little boys. I grew up in Grand Rapids but my wife and I have also lived in Florida. I worked for Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports for several years. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, watching sports, and playing boardgames.  

My biggest piece of advice for new marathoners is to find the right shoes for you. Comfort is key. If you invest the time and money in finding the right shoes it will pay dividends.

My biggest running goal was to complete 10 marathons before turning 30 and I recently completed that! In the future I’d like to run in a world major or two and continue to beat PRs.

I got into running when I joined the Mars Hill running group in 2003 and met many friends who I am still close with today. As part of that group, I ran Chicago in 2008 and 2009 and volunteered at aid stations for the Grand Rapids Marathon several years.  These days I don’t do much running other than fun run/walks like the GRPS Turkey Trot and Whoville with my husband and kids.

I manage the info booth at the expo and on race day and enjoy being able to help runners and spectators with their questions and directions. I am a household CEO and spend my days caring for our two kids and am actively involved in the PTA at my daughter’s school. I enjoy good food, live music, and travelling.

I ran my first marathon in 2004 without any training (not recommended). Some friends were doing Chicago so I bought a registration on eBay the week before and decided to tag along even though I had never even run a 5k before. After that I didn’t run much until 2010 when I met my wife who was a part of the Mars Hill running group and a lot of our community revolved around running friends. Over the next 10 years I ran 2 more marathons that I actually trained for along with a lot of halves and shorter races. After my daughter was born in 2019 I stopped regularly running but got back into it this past year and will be running the Marine Corps Marathon in DC in October.

I joined the marathon staff in 2012 and have been managing the aid stations ever since.  I really enjoy partnering with the volunteer groups to make sure each aid station is well-stocked and energetically staffed. Aid stations are always an emotional boost for me when running races so it’s a privilege to provide that for runners on the Grand Rapids Marathon course.

I love spending time with my wife and 2 kids, enjoying good food, live music, and travelling. My day job is Director of IT for a global distribution company, and I’m a data junkie so I spend way too much time analyzing whatever data I get my hands on, from our family budget to my running stats.

I joined Don and the Grand Rapids Marathon staff in 2010. The prior December I met my now wife and soon came to know many of the people on staff that were part of the Mars Hill Runners Group. It wasn’t long before I was invited to join the team, sharing the responsibility of the aid stations. Don often refers to the marathon staff as best in the business, and I was amazed at how true that was. My normal day job is working as a Planner for a local furniture manufacturer, so I often say “I’m wired this way.”

The first race I ran was the 2010 Riverbank Run 10k, and I noticed the planning and coordination that go into a well organized event. But it wasn’t just that. It was the energy of the participants. What has kept me so passionate through the last 15 years is the race weekend energy and watching participants have a chance to bring it all together and run the race they’ve worked so hard for!

Since 2010, a lot has changed. Not only did Sara and I get married and have two amazing and active kids, but I’ve currently run around three dozen half marathons and three marathons. After co-managing aid stations for several years, I really got a thirst for race management. Now I either direct or help manage the Grand Rapids Marathon family of races. I also started my own race management business, Rapid Running Races, and have two relay events of my own. Having a family, a full-time day job as a Planner, and managing races is busy, but being a part of West Michigan’s AMAZING running community is a privilege.

I’ve been a runner for more than 20 years. What began as a way to stay active on my “off” days from spin class quickly grew into a lifelong passion—one that’s taken me through countless 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, 25Ks, and nine full marathons. Along the way, I’ve discovered one of my favorite parts of the sport: the incredible community. Running has introduced me to lifelong friends and continues to challenge and inspire me every step of the way.

My journey with the UM Health West Grand Rapids Marathon started years ago, helping with marketing and the VIP tent. After taking some time off while my kids were little, I’m thrilled to be back—now serving as race director for the Kids Marathon, coordinating expo speakers, and leading media efforts on race day.

Running is truly a family affair in our house. My husband and I were married in 2011, and our kids, Cole and Esther, love to be part of the action. Putting on a race is a whole family experience for us. The kids love to help and to see people working towards and meeting their goals. You’ll often see us handing out medals at Millenium Meadows Marathon as a family.

As you train for the UM Health West Grand Rapids Marathon, know that a dedicated team is behind the scenes making sure your race day is unforgettable. Run the mile you’re in—before you know it, you’ll be crossing that finish line, with high-fives waiting for you. See you in October!

My involvement in the racing community began 15 years ago. I was inspired by a mom with 18-month-old twins, who had trained for and ran the San Francisco women’s marathon. A marathon seemed like a very daunting task (especially with two babies at home), but several of us other moms decided we’d like to try to train to run a 5K. And that was the start of what’s been a very involved racing career. 

After training for that 5K, I knew I’d never be fast (like my husband). So I decided he could have the speed and I’d go for distance. Within a year, I was training for my first 25K. After watching me cross the finish line, my husband decided that maybe, just maybe, running for more than an hour at a time wasn’t absolutely insane. 

I enjoyed running, but then I volunteered at a triathlon and I thought that event looked like so much fun. I mean, why be mediocre at one discipline when you can really be absolutely average in three of them. That led me to doing my first triathlon in 2013.

That fall, all three of my sons were in school full time and my need to be a full time stay-at-home-mom was coming to an end. The opportunity to work as the assistant to the race directors of that triathlon just fell into my lap about 4 weeks after the start of school. That was the beginning of a 10-year career helping put on two of the biggest triathlons in Michigan. While I have enjoyed being a runner and a triathlete, my real passion was in helping other people cross the finish line. Connecting with other athletes and making their race day journey easier brought me joy. 

In 2022, my need to be there for my family in our time of need pulled me away from being involved in dozens of races every year. I needed more time, less stress, and weekends available. I moved on from the race community into a job that is more focused on assisting individuals and families with their day to day needs, giving me more time to focus on what really matters in my life. 

But it wasn’t long before Don Kern reached out to me hoping that I would give a little bit of what I’ve been giving the West Michigan racing community for over a decade to the Grand Rapids Marathon. I didn’t miss the work as an assistant to the race directors, but I did miss the athletes. So in 2023 I came on staff of the Marathon as one of the persons in charge of merchandise. 

My husband of 30 years has long since passed me in the distance game of running. He’s completed more than a dozen marathons and several ultras (because running 11 hours isn’t more insane than running 3!). I’ll stick to half marathons and shorter (but I still prefer triathlons). Our youngest son is a senior in high school this year, and since he grew up watching his parents run, he too became a runner. He’s been on the varsity Cross Country team since his freshman year. And our oldest was a star baseball player. The longest he liked to run was 90 feet between bases and if he could hit it out of the park even better. 

I appreciate being back in action on race weekend and watching hard working athletes accomplish amazing things!

I was not a runner until I met Don in 2016, but that quickly changed when he signed me up to run Whoville and bought me my first pair of running shoes. Since then, I have run many miles, including two half-marathons and one full marathon, which he again signed me up for. It was in Honolulu, so what could I do but get started training? 

On the race staff, I am responsible, along with Lori Burgess, for organizing an evening event for the VIPs who help make the marathon possible. We also manage the race-day tent for sponsors and My Team Triumph. On race weekend, I may run a full marathon distance just moving around behind the scenes helping wherever I can. 

I am grateful for the many lovely people I have met through running and being on the GRM staff. For my personal running, I prefer to run alone outside, listening to music, podcasts, or the sounds of nature. I love to be outside, including hiking in the woods, gardening, bicycling, kayaking, star-gazing, reading in a lawn chair, and going on adventures around the world. 

My advice for new runners is to get the right shoes for your feet and running style. Some shoes feel good at first but become an unwelcome distraction after several miles, so get help from an expert. My best shoes are New Balance 880 and Brooks Glycerin. 

I coordinate the start/finish area of the marathon along with Mark Sisson. I have been working with the awesome Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon staff since 2006, and we are all dedicated to making your experience here better each and every year. Before you arrive, we are coordinating fencing, electrical power, tents, banners, flags, heat for the med tent, tables and chairs, trash cans, toilets, and road closures around the starting area. Our goal is to be standing around calmly well before the singing of the national anthem.

I conquered my first marathon at Grandma’s in Duluth, and then ran Grand Rapids, Glass City in Toledo, Bayshore in Traverse City, Marquette in da U.P, and Marine Corps Marathon in DC. I also ran a triathlon.

My wife Gail is the real marathon runner in the family, and also is on the marathon staff. She’s the curly blond you will see around the event. 

In real life, I own Biere de Mac Brew Works in Mackinac City.

I work with Erika Chapman to plan and supervise the Marathon Event Food. This includes not only the finish line food for more than 4000 runners on race day, but also the treats at the kids marathon on Saturday, food at the 12 aid stations, and lunches for the approximately 1000 Volunteers,

I am a Registered Dietitian, Runner, Wife, Mom, and Grandma. My husband George heads up the start finish line with Mark Sisson, and we have been involved with the Grand Rapids Marathon every year except the first year. We continue to be a part of the staff even though we now call Mackinaw City our home – where we own Biere De Mac Brew Works, a brewery where we brew beer and serve great food!

I have run 43 marathons. I ran my first as a 34-year-old and then said never again – that is until I met Marathon Don 16 years later. Everyone on the Marathon staff was running marathons and so I joined in. This led me to run multiple marathons (including 3 in Boston). I am now a member of the Real Women Tri team and do triathlons (including 2 Ironman distances) and swim. I have swum the Mackinac Bridge swim from Mackinaw City to St Ignace 3 times. (Don has done it 5 times! Hard to keep up with that guy!)

We love being a part of the Grand Rapids Marathon Team and love all the great staff members!

I am a Physical Therapist who trained in South Africa and graduated as a PT in 1992. I have worked in the sports rehabilitation & wellness industry for over 30 years. I use my specialty training in Orthopedics, Manual Therapy, Sports Rehabilitation, Foot Biomechanics & Personal Training to manage athletes and their injuries in the Grand Rapids area. During my time in West MI, I helped develop 2 key sports medicine programs in the West Michigan area.

In 2000, I founded PTSportsPRO, Inc., a one-on-one personal training service. I served as CEO & Trainer until I closed operations in 2015. In 2008, I also helped co-found myTEAM TRIUMPH, Inc.; a local Grand Rapids non-profit organization. This organization promotes racing opportunities with individuals with disabilities by using teams of Angels (able-bodied athletes) to help Captains (individuals with disabilities) compete in and complete local road races & triathlons. This is now a national organization with 14 chapters around the country. I currently serve as a member of the National Board of Directors of myTEAM TRIUMPH, Inc. and as President of the West Michigan Chapter.

In February 2023, I went into private practice and launched PTSportsPRO, PLLC; a sports & wellness center focused on helping athletes of all abilities in our community. Our practice thrives in the areas of physical therapy, performance testing & personal training.

I bring my passion and experience as a triathlete (Sprint Triathlons to Ironman 140.6 distances) and runner (completed 39 marathons since 2005 including the 56-mile Comrades Ultra-Marathon in 2010) to my patients & my community.

I help organize the start/finish area and have been on staff since 2011. 

I am a long time runner (35 years or so), and while I’m no longer out there everyday in search of a PR, I haven’t given it up. In 2011, I completed my first marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. I followed that in 2012 with the Bayshore Marathon. I then realized that although I’m not a marathon runner, running is still a great way to keep me fit enough to do all of the other things that I enjoy. That includes all things outdoors, from cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, hiking, backpacking, kayaking, Jeeping, biking, camping, and traveling, to just sipping wine or whiskey at the cottage. If it is outdoors and can be turned into fun or adventure, I’ll do it. My wife Lisa and I both love to travel, and while now retired, neither of us plan to settle into a sedentary lifestyle anytime soon.

We are always looking at ways to improve the start/finish area, so if you have any good ideas about the flow of runners leading up to the start and after the finish, or the locations of tents, porta-johns and spectator areas, George and I would love to hear from you.

I started running years ago as a way to stay in shape and keep the weight off. Back then, I’d just run 5Ks, like Pierto’s Run Fasta Eat Pasta or the Irish Jig. As the number of short races became more frequent, I started wondering, “What’s next?” What’s next came from the inspiration of people close to me.  

Twenty-two years ago, my brother and sister-in-law said, “Let’s go for an 11-mile run.” Then, they inspired me to commit to running the Riverbank 25K. On that snowy yet sunny day, my running journey really took off. When people talk about a runner’s high, it’s totally real! The Riverbank is now part of my regular spring schedule, and it keeps me motivated through the dreary winter to train for this great hometown race.  

What does it take to train for a marathon? I found out in 2011 when my friend Dan convinced my best friend Steve and I to do just that – train for the Grand Rapids Marathon. We trained as part of a bigger group all summer and then stuck together for most of the race that fall. We continued this tradition year after year, switching back and forth from the full to the half. I’ve now run sixteen marathons and twenty-one 25k riverbank runs. It’s so great sharing stories in the beer garden year after year with these same friends and many new ones.

Some of my favorite moments of running come from watching others succeed. I like to stand for a while on Winter Street after completing my Grand Rapids race to cheer on participants doing something they didn’t think was possible. Watching runners complete the last couple hundred feet … in pain … with joy … or by proudly holding hands with their kids has brought tears to my eyes many times.

So the journey has now come full circle. I have tried through the years to give back for the experiences running has given me. I give a donation here and there to support a running fundraiser. I help friends by running alongside them during that Saturday long run. So when Don and Ben approached me a few years back about helping with the Grand Rapids Marathon committee, I knew I had to say yes. It has been fulfilling working with these great people who have a passion for running and want to put on the best event possible. I still get a teary eye crossing the finish line myself, but now being up close and seeing others succeed is just as special.

Hi I’m Chris. I coordinate the Course Marshals for the Grand Rapids Marathon. My job is to coordinate course marshal volunteers across the route so, hopefully, people do not run off course. 

If my memory serves me correctly, I have run 3 marathons, a couple halfs, and two 25k. My first full was non-supported, staged by myself and my wife on the White Pine Trail here in West Michigan because we had trained for Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN, but we couldn’t make it. I am an Ironman Finisher and have completed two Half-Irons in addition to some shorter-course triathlons. My team won the Reeds Lake Tri (relay) one year. Scotty, also from our marathon staff, was our strongest runner and helped us clinch the win. My lovely wife, Ann, and I have been involved with the Grand Rapids Marathon since 2010. Currently I enjoy guitar, skiing, mountain biking, hunting, competitive shooting, and sailing. My wife and I love hanging with our pup, Gunnar, but you won’t see him on race day because he’s a “Quarantine Puppy” and a handful in public.

Hi there! I’m Ann (or Annie). I joined the marathon staff in 2010 as the expo coordinator. A few things about me: I live in Rockford (MI, not the IL one) with my husband, Chris, and our 5-year-old black lab, Gunnar. I grew up in the Chicagoland area, and I love the Cubs. I play guitar in a Pearl Jam/90’s cover band. I like expensive beer and cheap wine. I swear like a sailor and I love a good “That’s what she said” joke. I graduated from GVSU in ’00 with a major in Broadcasting/Journalism, so naturally I work for a homebuilder, though I was a volunteer programmer on 88.1 WYCE here in Grand Rapids for a few years. My hobbies include sailing, snowboarding, and watching all things Bravo (Tuesday night is always reserved for Below Deck and Taco Bell!). You might have figured out that I’m a bit of a smartass. I also love an Oxford Comma.   

You’ll notice I didn’t say running was one of my hobbies. My running “career” spanned from 2007 to 2013. Nothing “took me out” per se (though I did suffer a head injury/concussion in 2008); I’m just lazy, to be quite honest! All in all, I ran one Bix-7 in Davenport (my first race!), a number of 5Ks and 10Ks, a couple of Riverbank 25Ks, three half-marathons, and four full 26.2s. Fun fact: my first full was staged by myself and my husband on the White Pine Trail here in West Michigan because we had trained for Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth but we couldn’t make it. So although that list doesn’t scream “lazy,” trust me, I didn’t follow one training plan even close to a “T.” Every run was a struggle to muster up the motivation to get out the door. The last race I was signed up for was the 2014 Gazelle Girl half marathon (now called “She Runs”), which I definitely didn’t train for, and I decided to just sleep in instead. 

That said, I stick around here because we’ve got a kickass staff and I love seeing it all come together year after year. I love being at the expo on packet pickup day. I love feeling the excitement of the runners, whether they’re sporting their Boston jackets, or admitting they’re nervous because it’s their “first one.” But it’s the latter to whom I relate the most. I remember how intimidating it was when I reached the 3rd floor of the Y to pick up my packet in 2008 for my first half. I walked around the expo wondering if I even belonged there. I felt like someone would look at me and just KNOW that I was a newbie. I didn’t “look” like a runner (whatever that means), I probably didn’t have the right gear (again, whatever that means), and I’d never (still haven’t) run under a 10-minute mile in my life. I was definitely in my head big time, but I had put in just enough training and, armed with a carefully curated playlist, I had a great race! I still hear songs from my playlist and remember where I was on the course. (As an aside, “Danger Zone” was always the first song on all my running playlists. Top Gun is my favorite movie and that song always gets my adrenaline going). 

Well, now I know better, and that’s why I’m glad Don and company keep me around, even if the last time I laced up my running shoes was maybe once in the last decade. We love all our participants, from newbies to lifers. Every year we strive to make it the best one yet. Everyone behind the scenes has you, the participant, in mind–first and foremost, front and center. When we unload the truck at the Y on the Thursday night before race weekend and then head down the street for a beer, the excitement is palpable. When we gather for the post-race recap (and a beer) and read your reviews, the sense of pride and accomplishment never gets old.  

I don’t know that I’ll ever get bitten by the running bug again, but I’ll hang out here as long as they let me and continue to do the thing. Being on the staff side, as Don would say, is pretty (expletive deleted) cool.

I have been a member of the Grand Rapids Marathon staff since 2012. While I currently help coordinate packet pickup, I previously served as relay coordinator and social media manager.

I also ran the inaugural Grand Rapids Marathon back in 2004 as a lark. Worried about my lack of training, I emailed Don Kern, who basically said, “Just run it. You’ll be sore, but you’ll have an experience you will never forget.” Don was right, of course.

Since then, I have run four marathons, eight half marathons, 22 River Bank Run 25Ks, and hundreds of other assorted distances. I view running as a deeply personal and individual pursuit, so no, I am not interested in joining your running groups, talking about your training routines, or comparing toenails. Thanks for the offer, though.

Instead, I love to help other runners fulfill their own personal running journeys, and I remain inspired by the volume and variety of runners crossing the finish line every year. I remind everyone to poop early and often before the race, protect those nipples during the race, and remember that there’s no shame in walking backwards down the stairs after the race.