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.