Austin FIT Summer Coaches
Austin FIT coaches are ready and here for you to start your training!
For any program or season, these coaches will help prepare you for your race!
Coach Linda
Organizer/Jump Start-10K Head Coach
Fun Facts:
- Years Running: 20+
- Years with Austin Fit: 13
- Ultra Marathons: 1
- Number of Marathons: 25
- Half Marathons: 10 plus
- Favorite Race: USA Fit Rockin’ Resolution Race
- Goal – Help anyone willing to meet their training goals! She’d also like to run a full or half marathon in all 50 states
Linda is a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through NASM who enjoys the art of fitness. Linda coordinates a local boot camp in her community and is always amazed at how people become receptive to exercise by simply being exposed to it.
Linda is a Personal Trainer at UT – Division of Recreational Sports and a Professor at Huston Tillotson University where she enjoys working with students and assisting them in reaching their academic pursuits.
Linda ran track in high school and continued to run in her adult years, but never really considered herself a runner until joining Austin Fit. Prior to joining Austin Fit, she ran her first 13.1 miles in 1997; thereafter, Linda ran mainly 5Ks and 10Ks. She started running marathons in 2005 and has now run about 15 marathons and11 half marathons.
Linda takes much pleasure in coaching runners and helping our members get to the finish line of whatever race they desire. The distance she enjoys running most is a 10K. Her most exciting run is the 3M half marathon. Linda’s most challenging runs are any runs (short or long) in hot weather.
Coach Satwinder
Head Coach Yellow/Red Groups (10:00 to 10:29 Pace)
Fun Facts:
- Years Running: 17+
- Years with Austin Fit: 14
- Ultra Marathons: 1
- Number of Marathons: 27
- Half Marathons: 2
- Favorite Race: Los Angeles Stadium to Sea
- Goal – Continue running as much in future as I can.
Satwinder has been running marathons since 2005. Before getting into long distances, he has always enjoyed running, earlier short distances. He has been with Austin Fit since 2008. He has run 27 marathons, mostly Austin, and in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Nashville, Sacramento, Dallas, San Antonio and Virtual London. Favorite race was Los Angeles, running with my sister, and seeing so many well known places along the course. He enjoys running with the group, and coaching along the way. Besides passing on the running enthusiasm to others, his goal is to see everyone in his group finish the race strong. He believes almost anyone who has some interest, can get trained and finish a marathon.
Coach Tanner
Yellow Full Marathon Group (9:00 to 9:59 Pace)
FAST FACTS:
- Years Running: 15+
- Ultra Marathons: 1
- Number of Marathons: 0
- Half Marathons: 0
I am an avid triathloner, but love running. I enjoy setting seemingly unattainable goals for myself, and celebrating those micro-victories throughout the journey. I enjoy biking and running with others, discovering their goals, and helping them raise themselves up to reach those goals. I am looking forward to celebrating your victories along your journey, whether it be reaching a new pace or a distance you never thought possible. Cheers.
Coach Sandy
Yellow Half Marathon Group (9 plus to 10:15 pace)
FAST FACTS:
- Years Running: 20+
- Years with Austin Fit: 10+
- Number of Half Marathons: 13+
- Favorite Race: Diva Race Half Marathon in VAIL
- Goal: Complete Texas Tri Series and 6 half marathons in one season
Sandy has been running off and on for over 15 years. One of the reasons she loves to coach for Austin Fit is the amazing people she gets to meet year after year. Sandy thrives on the contagious enthusiasm of someone training for their very first 1/2 Marathon and watching them attain that goal. It is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have.
Coach Jordan
Red Full Marathon Group (10:30 to 10:59 Pace)
FAST FACTS:
Coach Betsy
Red Half Marathon Group (10:30 to 10:59 Pace)
FAST FACTS:
- Years with Austin fit: Since 2007
- # of full marathons: 1
- # of half marathons: 24 or so, she’s lost count
- 3 half-Ironman triathlons
Coach Betsy has been running with Austin since 2007, and has been coaching in the summer for the last 6 years or so. She has run a ton of halves, one full, a ton of triathlons, and loads of 10ks. Coach Betsy loves the great running friends she has made on countless Saturday mornings, their willingness to complain about hills and humidity together, and eating tacos after a long run. Looking forward to another summer running season! ☀️🏃🏼♀️🌮
Coach Jeff B.
Head Coach Orange Group (11:30 to 11:59 half pace)
Orange Half Marathon Coach (11:00 to 11:29 pace)
FAST FACTS:
- Years running – 37 (first marathon in 2000)
- Number of Marathons – 39 (9 in Austin, and 30 others between 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), Houston (Chevron), Las Vegas, New Orleans (Rock N Roll), Little Rock, Tulsa (Williams Route 66), Anchorage Alaska (Mayor’s Midnight Sun), New York (TCS), Washington DC (Marine Corps), Joplin MO (Joplin Memorial Marathon), Mobile Alabama (First Light), and Marathon, TX (Marathon2Marathon), and Biloxi, MS (Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon).
- Number of Ultra Marathons – 2 (Sunmart 50K Ultra Marathon, Big Bend Ultra 50K)
- Number of Half Marathons – 17
- Favorite Races – (1) Disney Marathon, (2) Sunmart 50K Ultra Marathon, (3) TCS New York City Marathon, and (4)Mayor’s Midnight Sun Marathon (Anchorage, AK)
- Favorite Distance – half marathon
- Goals – (1) to run a marathon or half marathon in each of the 50 states and all 7 continents, and (2) to break under the4½ hour mark
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 2-mile pace run. But 26 weeks later, he completed his first marathon. Because of how this experience changed his life, he decided to become a marathon coach and he since has dedicated himself to helping others attain the same goal. He has been a coach, head coach, and organizer/director for Austin Fit, and he has been an assistant coach and head coach for Team In Training. Jeff has since run 39 total marathons plus two ultra marathons, along with many half marathons and 10K’s and 5K’s.
Running is a big stress reliever for Jeff and provides a diversion from the hectic pace of life as an attorney in Austin.
Coach Laura
Orange Full Marathon Coach (11:00 to 11:29 pace)
FAST FACTS:
- Years Running: 20+
- Number of Marathons – 3 Austin Full Marathons
- Number of Half Marathons: 10+
- Favorite Races: Decker Half Marathon, 3M Half Marathon, Rockin’ Resolution, and Austin Marathon
- Favorite Distance: Marathon
My Goal: To get to meet other people who also enjoy the benefits from endurance. I began running very young, but after school I realised that running doesn’t have to be about speed – they can be about feeling better. The experience of others helps when preparing for races and goals. Now, I get to enjoy getting to know the people running next to me, running in different parts of Austin, and hearing their stories.
Coach Desirae
Orange Full Marathon (11:30 to 11:59 pace)
FAST FACTS:
- Years Running: 25+
- Years with Austin Fit: 3
- Number of half-marathons: 15
- Number of full-marathons: 3
- Favorite Race: San Antonio R&R Half
- Goals: Improve full-marathon finish time and finish races feeling stronger
Desirae started running in 1993 and, after finding running buddies about ten years ago, began doing full- and half-marathons. She’s completed all of her races alongside her running tribe. It is this encouragement and support she wishes to share with her fellow Austin Fitters.
Coach Christine
Orange Half Marathon Group (11:30 to 11:59 pace)
FAST FACTS:
- Years with Austin Fit: over 10 years
- # of Full Marathons: Numerous
- # of Half Marathons: Numerous
Christine has been running since her athletic days in high school and her 20 years in the US Army. When she decided she needed to run to lose weight she got into distance running. She has been with Austin Fit for over 10 years and a coach for at least 8 of those. She has started running ultra trail races recently and changed from Marathon road races to Half marathons. Christine enjoys sharing her love of running with new and experienced runners alike.
Coach Roni
Orange Full Marathon Group (12:00 to 13:00 pace)
FAST FACTS:
- Years running – 11
- Number of Marathons – 5
- Number of Ultra Marathons – 10+
- Favorite Races – Berlin Marathon (Germany), J&J Reunion 25k (Camp Eagle, TX)
- Goals: Make the orange group a fun and welcoming group!
Roni grew up in Germany and hated running in school. Afterwards she made several attempts to start to run for fitness reasons, but always struggled to reach the ‘3 mile’ goal. In 2011, she moved to Texas and within a month gained about 15 pounds (drive everywhere, humongous portions of unhealthy food, you know it.) Something needed to change quickly, and she remembered her old running shoes and discovered Austin Fit’s Sister Group Fort Bend Fit in the Houston area.
The sign-up confirmation mail promised a change of life and boy was it right. She discovered that the key to running is running at your own pace – whatever that is and how many walk-breaks it takes, while having the encouragement and camaraderie of a weekly running group. A half year later she ran her first half marathon and a year later her first trail 25k.
From there it’s history. Several marathons and Ultramarathons followed with her biggest love being the ‘trails’. In spring 2019, she joined Austin Fit and is looking forward to coach the orange group.
Coach Cheryl
Orange Half Marathon Group (12:00 to 13:00 pace)
FAST FACTS:
- Years Running – 15
- Years with Austin Fit – 14
- Number of Marathons – 1
- Number of Half Marathons – 46 (the past 39 races powered by just one kidney)
- Favorite Races – 3M, Rockin’ Resolution, Bluebell Half Marathon Fun Run
Goals – Run with friends old and new (and eat tacos after!); add a few more notches to my half marathon belt – and someday squeeze out one more marathon. I didn’t start running until I turned fifty. I’ve been making up for lost time!
Coach Brenda
Walk FIT Head Coach (18 plus pace)
FAST FACTS:
- Years running – 30+
- Number of Marathons – 1 Ultra Marathon and 8 Marathons
- Number of Half Marathons – 40+
- Favorite Races – Cap 10K, Alamo 13.1
Running has always been a part of Brenda’s life. She has been running since she was 12 and participated in cross country and long distance track in middle and high school. Having run too many 5Ks and 10Ks to count over the years, Brenda joined the USA FIT program in 2015 to help meet her goal of “someday running a marathon without dying.” She has been hooked on long distance races ever since.
TBA
Walk Fit Coach (16 plus pace)
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