Hilary JM Topper

Hilary JM Topper is an acclaimed 3X author, entrepreneur, and triathlete with a deep passion for running and triathlon. As the CEO of HJMT Public Relations Inc., host of the popular podcast “Hilary Topper on Air – The Endurance Sports Edition,” curates of the popular blog, http://www.ATriathletesDiary.com, and author of the book “From Couch Potato to Endurance Athlete – A Portrait of a Non-Athletic Triathlete,” she brings a unique blend of professional acumen and personal running experience. A dedicated runner and triathlete, Hilary’s insights into the world of endurance sports are both informative and inspiring. In addition to being an Adjunct Professor at Hofstra University, she is a certified USA Triathlon Coach, RRCA Run Coach, and USMS Swim Coach. Her commitment to fitness and her ability to articulate its benefits and challenges promise an engaging and enlightening session for all attendees.

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Michael Silva

Michael Silva is an orthopedic/sports medicine physical therapist, an exercise physiologist, and a certified strength and conditioning specialist with over 25 years of experience training and rehabilitating individuals of all levels.

His expertise in treating and preventing injuries in the world of distance running has made him a sought-after clinician, speaker, and consultant throughout the USA. He has spent his career working with competitive runners of all levels and elite runners associated with four national Olympic teams. His clients have been world and USA record holders like Emily Sisson and Molly Huddle. Michael is the creator of RUNstrong® (www.myrunstrong.com), a platform to help runners and those who work with runners through online courses and live virtual programs.

As a speaker and writer in the running world, he shares his knowledge and insights on distance running and injury prevention in all forms of media.

Laura Green

Laura Green is a comedic content creator who loves to stand in front of people and tell jokes. Her brain is a hamster wheel of self deprecating humor focused on the run and fitness industry which she attempts to communicate via short videos and storytelling. She runs a lot. And she also naps a lot.

David Hellard

David Hellard is an adventurer, obstacle race enthusiast, ultra marathon runner, running journalist, founder of Caffeine Bullet and presenter of The Bad Boy Running Podcast.

In 2016 he finished as the first Brit in the Marathon Des Sables, one of the hardest ultra marathons in the world.

Dr Jason Karp

A competitive runner since sixth grade, Dr. Jason Karp quickly learned how running molds us into better, more deeply conscious people, just as the miles and interval workouts mold us into faster, more enduring runners. This passion Jason found as a kid placed him on a path that he still follows as a coach, exercise physiologist, and author of 15 books and 400 articles. In 2022, he gave a TED talk, How Running Like an Animal Makes Us Human. He is the 2011 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year and two-time recipient of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Community Leadership award. His run coaching certification, which has been obtained by fitness professionals and coaches in 26 countries, was acquired by International Sports Sciences Association. In 2021, he became the first American distance running coach to live and coach in Kenya. His latest book, Coaching the Kenyans, as well as his others, are available on Amazon.

ML (Matt) Cavanaugh

In 2021, Matt Cavanaugh donated a kidney to a stranger, starting a chain that catalyzed 7 more transplants. In 2022, just months post-donation, he ran the 4 Deserts ultramarathon Grand Slam—1,000 kilometers self-supported across the world’s worst deserts, winning “The Last Desert” in Antarctica and finished as the series’ fastest American ever, beating Dean Karnazes’s record time by over 8 hours. In 2023, he’s running 12 major US road marathons, each under 3 hours, to raise awareness for living kidney donation. His running has inspired others to step forward as kidney donors.

Matt Cavanaugh, PhD, is president and chief executive officer of the National Kidney Donation Organization. A retired US Army Strategist who twice earned the Bronze Star Medal, as well as the Combat Action Badge, for his service in Iraq, he also serves as a Professor of Practice with the Arizona State University School of Politics & Global Studies. Matt was the US Army’s Athlete of the Year in 2009 and served on the Wounded Warrior Project’s Advisory Council from 2014 to 2016. His writing’s been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Sydney Morning Herald, and USA Today, among others.

Molly Sheridan

Molly Sheridan is an ultramarathon runner and adventurer. At 48 years old Molly entered her first marathon. Four weeks into training she injured her foot and was told that she was too old to be running. Taking her own advice, Molly corrected her training, mailed her finish-line picture to the doctor who told her she was old, and decided to challenge herself. As a novice runner, she entered the Rio Del Lago 100-mile Endurance Race. Traversing 100 miles non-stop through northern California, she discovered her love of endurance running, her youthful mind and her adventurous spirit.

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In the past 7 years, Molly has run over 45 ultramarathons. In 2009, she completed the extreme running event Marathon Des Sables (MDS), a seven-day, 150-mile stage race across the Sahara Desert. Eight weeks later, Molly completed the 135-mile, non-stop, Badwater Ultramarathon. An invitation-only event, Badwater is considered the toughest footrace on the planet. It begins at Badwater, Death Valley, the lowest point in the continental U.S., and ends at Mt. Whitney portal, a 13,000-foot vertical ascent. The documentary “Molly’s Run,” chronicles her Badwater run in which she received the coveted buckle for finishing under the 48-hour time limit.

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Molly is the first American woman to attempt and complete La Ultra-The High ultra-marathon, a 138-mile non-stop footrace in the Himalayas. La Ultra begins at 14,000 feet, with climbs to near 18,000 feet over two passes. The race culminates in the Morey Plains on the border between China and Pakistan. Even though the India Government said it was physically impossible to complete the distance, Molly completed the race August 13, 2011.

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Molly has been featured among the “Women Who Move” in Women’s Running magazine; on Adventure Woman Radio, Nevada Public Radio KNPR, The Christian Science Monitor; and in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

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As founder and owner of Desert Sky Adventures, Molly encourages others to walk and run for their health. She also speaks to audiences across the country on her exploits and the benefits of running for health and continues to run adventure races and ultra-marathons around the globe. It is the adventure that keeps her coming back for more.

John Kelly

Growing up adventuring through the dense mountains and forests around his family’s rural home in Tennessee, John constantly tried to keep up with his older brother and cousins. That grew into a love of exploration and a drive to continually challenge himself with goals that push his boundaries and that have failure as a probable outcome. Mountain running allows John to do both of those things at once; the longer and the tougher the terrain and conditions, the better. The closer John gets to his limit, the more he becomes aware of his own strengths and weaknesses and how to best use or overcome them. This knowledge helps him improve not only as a runner, but in other areas of life.

John is a husband and father of four, and is currently working as a data scientist trying to find valuable information out of noisy, complex datasets (a skill that serves him well in ultrarunning). John hopes to be able to pass along his love of exploring and appreciation for wild places to his kids and to others, but more importantly, hopes to pass along the confidence and passion to pursue big goals.

Photo @ Pete Jobes

David Whelan

David Whelan is an adaptive Paratriathlete that aims to motivate and inspire, not just adaptive athletes, but everyone he meets. David sustained a crushing injury to his left foot which resulted in being diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), the worst chronic pain condition known to medical science. After many failed surgeries to save his foot, and with the CRPS continuing to spread, David elected to amputate his affected foot. However, the surgery did not alleviate the excruciating pain. He realized that if he were to have a higher quality of life, he would need to focus on his overall health and fitness level. He would also need to reshape his inner dialog, shifting away from a victim mentality to one of empowerment. After having an extensive revision surgery on his amputated limb, which occurred during the height of COVID lockdowns, David not only taught himself to walk again but also to run. Now pain-free, David races competitively in USA Triathlons, marathons, and other events. He has even participated in a High-Performance Talent ID Camp at the US Olympic Training Center. David is motivated and determined to push himself physically to reach his performance goals, while also serving as a source of motivation and inspiration for others on their fitness journeys.

David Whelan is an adaptive paratriathlete, whose goal is to motivate and inspire not only adaptive athletes but also everyone he meets. After battling a crushing injury to his left foot and being diagnosed with the worst chronic pain condition known to medical science (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome), David learned to turn tragedy into an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on his own quality of life, and on the lives of others, through competitive athletics. Join him as he shares how reshaping his inner dialogue allowed him to become the best version of himself.

Hellah Sidibe

Hellah is the embodiment of positivity, athleticism, and community leadership. He grew up playing soccer barefoot on dirt fields in West Africa, Mali, where the focus of sport was camaraderie. His method of using action, content, and events to build friendships and drive change defines Hellah’s career as a runner and wildly popular running community leader.

A run streaker, Hellah has run every single day since May 15, 2017. He simply can’t get enough! His initial goal was to run just 10 minutes daily for two weeks—no excuses—to overcome his dislike of the sport, which had been made un-fun by years of rigorous, high-level soccer training. “I was afraid of it, and I wanted to hold myself accountable,” he said. As his streak extended from weeks to years, Hellah has built a large social following. Folks clearly find meaning in his daily effort and gear knowledge and have joined him in his pursuits.

Hellah turned his everyday commitment into a historical record in 2021 when he became the first black man to solo run across America: 3,061 miles, 14 states, 84 days. He pledged his run to the nonprofit Soles4Souls and raised over $50,000 to provide shoes for those in need. Today, he lives in New Jersey and uses his public platform to advocate for societal progress through running.

Once asked why he trains the way he does, Hellah answered, “To be the best, man.” He just wants to be the very best he can personally be—and he wants to help others do the same. And though his personal path is unique, his sentiment and warmth resonate with all who cross his path. In short, Hellah’s approach to life is infectious—and his journey is just beginning.

Scott Jurek

Named one of the greatest runners of all time, Scott Jurek has become a living legend.  He has claimed victories in nearly all of ultrarunning’s elite trail and road events including the historic 153-mile Spartathlon, the Hardrock 100, the Badwater 135-Mile Ultramarathon, and—his signature race—the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, which he won a record seven straight times. Scott has also taken the running world by storm with his 2015 Appalachian Trail speed record, averaging nearly 50 miles a day over 46 days—and the United States all-surface record in the 24-Hour Run with 165.7 miles: 6.5 marathons in one day.

Off the trail, Scott is a New York Times-bestselling author for his memoir, Eat & Run, has been prominently featured in countless publications, and is a star of the international bestseller, Born To Run.

More than just a champion, Scott is a true student and ambassador of the sport, known to stay at finish lines cheering until the last runner crosses. When not racing, he donates his time to many non profit organizations and is an avid volunteer in the areas of environmental conservation, fitness and health.

A passionate advocate for vegetarianism, he follows a 100% plant-based diet, which he credits for his endurance, recovery and consistent twenty year racing career. He believes that everyone can run an ultra and everyone can access their body’s innate capacity to heal. Through writing, public speaking, and consulting, Scott takes joy in encouraging people of all fitness levels to take the next step toward vibrant health.

Scott currently resides in Boulder, CO with his wife, Jenny, daughter, Raven, and son, Evergreen.

Scott Jenkins

Scott Jenkins lives and works in London, UK for Johnson & Johnson. Scott is the current British record holder for the Moab 240 race in Utah and is the 1st Welshman to complete this race, the Bigfoot 200, and Cocodona 250 (the USA’s longest trail race) as well as being the 2nd ever Welshman to complete Badwater 135. He has also completed the canal slam, a series of 3 races (130, 145 and 145-mile races) along the UK canal systems finishing 6th overall. Scott started his ultra career running from Boston to Austin (2000 miles) running 75 marathons in 75 days. Scott’s preferred distance is anything over 100 miles, especially 200 milers and is fast becoming the UKs 200 Mile Ultramarathon Man. He also ensures he crews and paces other runners as well so has a unique insight into creating his own challenges, running races and crewing.

Scott has raised over £85,000 for a variety of different charities, all of which have a special connection to through his running. In recognition of this, Scott is 1 of 3 UK Ambassadors for the charity Operation Smile. Scott is a firm believer in growth mindset, work/life balance and making memories to look back on through helping and inspiring others.

Erin Short

Erin Short earned a doctorate of physical therapy from Washington University School of Medicine and a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has achieved success working with various orthopaedic conditions including running injuries, spinal conditions, Temporomandibular Dysfunction, ACL reconstruction and shoulder impingement. Erin competes on a semi-elite Chicago women’s running team and has a growing background in cross fit. Erin has a specialty for treating endurance athletes as well as weight lifters. She is trained in the McKenize technique, dry needling, Graston, manual therapy and TMD disorders.

Melanie Mitchell

Danny Dreyer

Danny Dreyer is the founder of ChiRunning and ChiWalking which are based on the inner principles of T’ai Chi. Danny and his wife Katherine have been pioneers in teaching runners and walkers how to turn their fitness regimen into a mindful practice. Together they have co-authored three seminal books on mindful movement: ChiRunning, ChiWalking and ChiMarathon, all published by Simon & Schuster.

Danny is also a lecturer and a leader in promoting injury prevention and higher performance through improving one’s running or walking technique. His work is based on his 20-year study of T’ai Chi and his 45 years of running and racing every distance from a 5K to 100 miles, including 43 ultra marathons (with podium finishes in his age group in all but three). He has helped countless runners from beginners to elites set new PR’s in both time and distance… without getting injured in the process. He has also been a featured speaker at most of the major U.S. marathons.

ChiRunning is now published in 12 languages and taught in 23 countries by over 200 certified instructors.

Dr Emily Splichal

Dr Emily Splichal, Functional Podiatrist and Human Movement Specialist, is the Founder of EBFA Global, Creator of the Barefoot Training Specialist® Certification, Author of Barefoot Strong and CEO/Founder of Naboso Technology. With over 20 years in the fitness industry, Dr Splichal has dedicated her medical career towards studying postural alignment and human movement as it relates to barefoot science, foot to core integration and sensory integration.

Denise Sauriol

Coach Denise, AKA The Marathon Whisperer, has been coaching runners of all abilities and ages since 2010. She started coaching part-time after surviving a near fatal car accident. It’s been her way to give back to running for what running has given to her since she first laced up her running shoes in the 4th grade. Fast forward to 2016 and Denise left her 26-year career to coach full-time because she is that passionate about sharing running and finish lines with anyone that comes her way. She has guided runners to their first mile all the way to 100-mile ultra-marathons.   She recently published a book to help runners complete their first marathon, “Me, You & 26.2 -Coach Denise’s Guide to Get YOU to YOUR First Marathon” She has been featured on NBC, BBC, ABC, Runner’s World, Women’s Running, etc.

Denise is also a Co-founder of Girls on the Run-Chicago. Her own running career spans 27 years of Marathoning. She has personally run over 300 races across 7 Continents. This includes 123 marathons, 2 Ironman triathlons and 2 100-mile ultramarathons. Her goal in working with her clients is to help them run their first, fastest and or funnest race.

Dave McGillivray

Founder & President of DMSE Sports, Race Director, Philanthropist, Motivational Speaker and Accomplished Athlete.

From his extraordinary 1978 run across the U.S. to benefit the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to serving as technical director then race director of the BAA Boston Marathon since the 1980s, McGillivray has helped organize more than 1,400 mass participatory events since founding DMSE Sports in 1981, while raising millions for worthy causes close to his heart.

Kelly Roberts

Kelly Roberts is the unlikely force behind the popular blog and women’s running community,  the Badass Lady Gang (now in nearly 20 cities around the world). The self-proclaimed former President of the “I f*cking hate running club” has helped hundreds of thousands of people run everything from 5Ks to marathons and is a coach to thousands of runners every year. 

A force in the body-positive movement, Kelly’s body-positive movement #SportsBraSquad is redefining what strength looks like by helping thousands of women around the world ditch their shirts along with their insecurities.  

Kelly has graced the cover of Women’s Running Magazine’s body issue, was named by Women’s Running Magazine as one of 20 Women Who Are Changing the Sport of Running (And the World), was named by Competitor Magazine as one of 12 Influential and inspiring runners under 30 is the host and creator of the Run, Selfie, Repeat podcast which has been downloaded over 2.5-million times worldwide.