Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson is widely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time. In the 1990s, the four-time Olympic gold medallist dominated the 200m and 400m, going an incredible seven years undefeated in the latter.

On 26 August 1999 in Seville (SPA), Johnson set a new 400m world record of 43.18 seconds which stood until Wayde van Niekerk’s amazing performance in Rio 17 years later. In the space of a decade at the top, which culminated in a final Olympic gold in the 400m at Sydney 2000, he amassed a total of eight world and four Olympic titles (never once experiencing the taste of silver or bronze). He retired from competition in 2001 to pursue a successful career as a media pundit, while also managing the career of one of his successors, Jeremy Wariner, who won Olympic gold in the 400m at Athens 2004.

Abby Jenkins

Abby Fleming is one of the most experienced running crew members in the ultra running scene today.

Over the last 13 years she has supported and crewed her husband Scott during some of the biggest races and challenges in the world.

From crewing at Badwater 135, Cocodona 250 and The Triple Crown of 200’s through to running challenges across Iceland and the John Muir Trail she has seen it all.

She has navigated the extreme heat in Death Valley and popped blisters on the side of canals in the UK.

Abby’s great depth of knowledge of what it takes to motivate a runner makes her insights all the more interesting to listen too.

Speaker TBC

Coree Woltering

Coree Woltering, who’s known by some as one of the #cornfieldcowboys, was born and raised in Ottawa, Illinois. He began his running career in the 400m and 800m distances and had his sights on becoming a professional triathlete, qualifying for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships twice. But before long, he discovered ultrarunning and became mesmerized by the idea of running 100 miles in the mountains.

Coree took his frontier to the next level in 2015, where he won every trail 50k he signed up for that year. In 2016, he averaged a 6:36 per mile to win the Tunnel Hill 50 Mile. At 30 years old, he set the fastest known time (FKT) in 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin. And then followed that up with the 349 Mile Pinhoti Trail FKT in 2021. He ended up loving the trail so much that he moved to the south, but eventually relocated to Maine! Coree has finished Western States 100 2 times, HURT 100 Mile, and many other ultra.

When Coree is not running, he is probably sitting on his balcony drinking a cup of coffee, or out on the mountain bike.

Accomplishments:

• Ice Age Trail FKT (~1,200 miles)
• Pinhoti Trail FKT 349 miles
• 2019 World’s Toughest Race Eco-Challenge Fiji
• 2X Ironman 70.3 World Championship Finisher
• 7x 100 mile finisher
• 2:26 Chicago Marathon 2016
• 5:30 Tunnel Hill 50 Mile 2016
• 25 + Ultramarathon podium finishes

Jody Raynsford

Jody Raynsford is co-host of the Bad Boy Running podcast. A former running journalist, his work has appeared in publications including Men’s Running, The Telegraph and The Independent. He has run over 50 marathons and 30 ultramarathons, including the Marathon des Sables and Transalpine Run. He has temporarily retired from ultrarunning to focus on 5k running.

Tonja Buford-Bailey

With a talent for track and hailing from the same town as the greatest ever one lap hurdler Buford-Bailey’s career got off to a flying start. “I’m from Dayton, Ohio and used to drive down Edwin C Moses Boulevard every single day,” she says. “That’s the reason I ran that event. He was my hero.” Hers was a competitive career that spanned more than a decade at the top of the sport and took in three Olympic Games appearances. In 1995, at the World Championships in Gothenburg, she broke the world record in the 400m hurdles final yet still found one competitor ahead of her. Just 0.01sec separated her and American teammate Kim Batten in the greatest ever women’s one lap hurdles race. Lessons learnt from her coach, Gary Winckler, have played a huge role in her own coaching philosophy. Indeed in 2003, it was Winckler who persuaded her to leave her teaching job and take a coaching post at the University of Illinois. After 17 years in the collegiate system, Buford-Bailey has moved on to Austin, Texas where she is working with professional athletes. “One of the things Gary ingrained in me was the fitness side,” she says. “We go hard in the Fall to make sure that by the time we get to the Spring and start the technical stuff the fitness is there.” “Patience” and “trust in the coach” are key watchwords. Sport permeates her family. Her husband Victor was an accomplished wide receiver with four years in the NFL, while her son is a collegiate basketball player, and her daughter, in a gap year between high school and college, plays volleyball.

Pete Kostelnick

Pete Kostelnick is a Financial Analyst by day and ultrarunner by morning and night.  Pete got into running in 2003 as a junior in high school after hiking with his family in Colorado, when his uncle said, “you should think about cross country”.

In college, Pete got away from his running routine, and fell out of shape.  During his senior year of college, he ran the Marine Corps Marathon while living in Washington, DC as just a way to get back in shape.

Fast forward to 2023, and Pete has finished the Badwater 135 five times (placing 1st twice), run 29 other 100+ mile races (placing 1st 12 times), represented the USA in international competition (USA 24 hour team), run across America in a record time of 42 days, 6 hours, 30 minutes, and been the only person to run from Alaska to Florida, doing it in under 100 days self-supported pushing his gear in a stroller.

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.

Go to website

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.

​

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.

​

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.

​

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.

​

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.

Becca Pizzi

Becca is 43 years old, and lives in Belmont MA with her husband Joe and 15 year old daughter Taylor.   She graduated from Belmont High School in 1998.

Having been the first American female to run the World Marathon Challenge in 2016- 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days, Becca went back, and made history by running it again and breaking the Guinness Book of World Record in a time of 6 Days, 7 Hours and 58 minutes. She has completed a marathon in all 50  states. She has finished the World Marathon Majors and has run 19 consecutive Boston Marathons! She raced Kona Ironman World Champsionships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in 2023.

She attributes her success to the her family and the Boston Community who have both inspired her and supported her dreams. She is most passionate about directing the Becca Pizzi 5k race in Belmont and the Becca Pizzi Foundation. She is also the author of a children’s book “Becca’s Feat on Feet.” All book proceeds benefit the Becca Pizzi Foundation.

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

“When I look back on life, I want to have lived a life through adventure and doing some good at the same time”. 

This is Scott’s life motto and the very one that saw him enter the world of ultra running in 2010 by running from Boston (starting at AT O’ Keeffe’s previously called McGreevy’s across the road from the convention centre) and finishing 2000 miles (75 days later) in Austin, Texas. Scott is a speaker, philanthropist (he is an ambassador for Operation Smile), corporate athlete (employee of J&J) and ultrarunner with his preferred distance 200+ miles non-stop. 

“If a positive outcome was guaranteed, it wouldn’t be a challenge in the first place”.

For Scott, this is what propels him to continuously look at new ways to challenge himself and in 2023, he became the 1st Brit to complete the audacious Triple Crown of 200 mile runs, whilst living in the UK, seeing him complete 220 and a 210 mile races within 2 weeks of one another, finishing 5th overall. For Scott, these experiences are adventures anyone can have and he believes ultrarunning is a microcosm for life. 

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.

Kelly McLay

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.