USA Fit :: Austin :: Marathon and Half Marathon Training Programs

Capitol 10K Coaches

Click on a color group above to see the list of coaches for that group.

About the Organizer
	Debra Saleny info@austinfit.com Debra is the organizer of the Austin Fit program. Fast Facts: Years running - 27 Years with Austin Fit - 13 Number of Marathons - 35 (including 5 ultramarathons, one 50 miler) Favorite Race - Pike's Peak Marathon Favorite Distance - 50K Goals - Continue to train for and complete various marathons around the U.S., especially endurance trail runs, and have fun along the way. Debra started the Austin Fit program in 1995 and has been "running" the program ever since. She enjoys running for many reasons, including meeting wonderful people, making lifelong friendships, attaining achievable goals, helping others reach their goals, and spending time outdoors. Along those lines, her goals for running are to continue to train for and complete various marathons around the U.S., especially endurance trail runs, and have fun along the way. Debra's advice to others: " Running becomes a lifestyle. You try to fight it at first, and then, you are hooked. Your eating habits change. You will get up earlier on a Saturday morning, than you do for work. Your friendships increase. You feel differently about yourself. You really cannot fight it. Running will become a part of your life that stays with you as long as you allow it, through tough times, easy times, and maybe even a lifetime. You meet the greatest folks on earth, and they get to meet you. Change your life? Absolutely. Enjoy the ride." "One of the first Austin Fit pre-marathon parties was actually in my home, with a tent attached to the back of the garage. What a crowd. People were everywhere, the toilets backed up, but the party continued. One of my favorite runners, helping with dirty dishes, said she really liked me because my dishwasher was full of only wine glasses and coffee cups. For some reason, that statement has stuck with me. I also have a fond memory of a pair of my running shoes, stolen from my garage, that very same evening. Having about 50 pair of old running shoes, I never missed them. About a month later, at the Beach to Bay relay marathon, a group of about 20 Austin Fit members presented me with those same stolen-from-my-garage running shoes, bronzed, with a plate that read, "We had a good time!" It was what I always told runners to say when asked what their time was at the finish of a marathon: A GOOD time! What an honor to receive that pair of shoes. It sits proudly in my home. However, the best part of Austin Fit is finding the best friends a person could ever ask for!" Debra was featured as a Wear Tester in the September 2002 issue of Runner's World. View the article here.
	Jeff Barnett red@austinfit.com Fast Facts: Years running - 25 Years with Austin Fit - 10 Number of Marathons - 23 (including 9 in Austin, and others in San Diego (Rock N Roll), Nashville (Country Music), Phoenix (Ariz. Rock N Roll), Dallas (White Rock), San Antonio (Rock N Roll), Duluth MN (Grandma's), Orlando FL (Disney), Houston (USA Fit)) Number of Ultra-Marathons - 1 (Sunmart 50K) Favorite Races - (1) Disney Marathon, (2) Sunmart 50K Ultra Marathon, and (3) San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon Favorite Distance - 50K (31 miles) Goal - to run a marathon in each of the 50 states, plus DC 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 23 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. She is also a coach for the walking group for Austin Fit's Cap10K Training. 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 now run a total of 6 half marathons, almost eclipsing Dad's PR. 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 also taken up running and walking and has run in two 10K (Capitol 10,000) races.