Amanda, Steady Toward a Strong Athlete
Amanda runs with a mix of determination and curiosity, carrying the lessons of starting a running journey. She came to running from a background in weight- and powerlifting, where strength was measured in bars and plates rather than km’s and climbs. Last year, she pushed herself quickly toward a 10K goal (resulting in an all-familiar) knee pain that sidelined her and left a shadow of doubt.
For now, that history shapes how she trains now: with an attentiveness to how each run feels, how her body responds to being a runner, and how small decisions add up. She’s learning to listen as much as she challenges it, finding the balance between growth and protection. Her runs often weave into a full life in southern Alberta, family commitments, work, studying, and the unpredictability of each day, yet she finds ways to adapt.
Amanda responds to coaching that meets her where she is: clear structure, options that allow for life’s curveballs, routines that build both confidence and capacity. She thrives when the work is purposeful but not punishing; where warm-ups protect her knees, strides spark her power, and strength sessions remind her that she’s, at her core, a talented athlete. Each week adds to a foundation that isn’t rushed, the kind you can stand on for years.
This season isn’t about proving something but about building something sustainable. Step by steady step, Amanda is rewriting her relationship with running into one marked by resilience, trust, and joy in the process.
Follow @witchcraft_ for glimpses of Alberta trails, post-run smiles, and the quiet victories of showing up.
Stef, Spirited Stepping up to Strength
Stef runs on resilience, curiosity, and a deep wish to feel at home in their own fitness again. They’ve been through a string of illnesses in the past six months, the kind that derail plans and make every return feel like starting over, but each time, they’ve found their way back, with resolve. Their history is rich: marathons, ultras up to 70km, long days on the trails with their dog or partner or both.
Work takes Stef across Canada, and their life is already full before running enters the picture. They’re rebuilding a rhythm not out of compulsion, but out of care: choosing training that fits alongside life/work demands, and the desire to live fully outside of running, too. They’re self-aware, a little hard on themselves, and value the reassurance that they’re on the right path.
Right now, the goal isn’t a PR (not yet). It’s something both humbler and more profound: to run a half marathon and finish feeling comfortable, content, and proud. That comfort isn’t just physical. It’s about reclaiming running as a dependable, joyful part of everyday life, without the pressure of chasing every metric or matching a past version of themselves. They know what it’s like to run compulsively, and they’ve stepped away from that pattern. This time, the return is intentional; less about proving something, more about building something that lasts.
Life outside of running is already full. Stef works full-time and carries a calendar dotted with work trips and personal commitments. Training has to flow around these realities, not fight them. Even so, they still find ways to get out, often with their dog trotting alongside, turning a simple run into a small shared adventure.
Stef is thoughtful and deeply values knowing they’re “doing the right things.” They respond to guidance that’s clear, grounded, and reassuring—feedback that sharpens focus without overloading them. Coaching Stef means leaning into structure, but always with room to adapt; building trust as much as fitness; and reminding them that consistency doesn’t need to be perfect to be powerful. In the end, it’s about steady steps, growing confidence, and the quiet, cumulative satisfaction of coming home to the runner they’ve always been.
Follow @doing.just.pine for glimpses of Stevie, and the strong, steady art of coming back.
Nabeel, Playing the Long Game
Nabeel runs on focus, discipline, intelligence, and a willingness to start from where he is, without shortcuts. His goals are as clear as they are ambitious: a fast 5K, a fast half marathon, and, eventually, perhaps a fast marathon. He’s equally committed to building a sustainable year-round rhythm that blends running 3–4 times a week with tennis and strength work, staying injury-free, and actually enjoying the process.
Outside of training, life is anything but quiet. Nabeel’s work demands constant engagement and problem-solving, the kind of pace that could easily swallow all personal time. Yet he still finds windows, like a quick treadmill run during a lunch break, to move and keep the habit alive. Add to that two very young kids (one born early this year) and a calendar full of meetups with friends and family, and his ability to carve out consistent training time becomes even more impressive.
This year, that dedication paid off in a milestone: his first half marathon. Not just any half. This one was on trails, with steep climbs and descents, and blistering heat. It was the kind of race that demands patience, smart pacing, and a lot of grit. Exactly the skills he’s been honing in. The finish line was a statement: even in the middle of a busy, full life, the running work still gets done.
Coaching Nabeel means leaning into structure without making it rigid. He thrives when there’s a plan, direct feedback, and monthly check-ins to sharpen the edges. He’s the kind of athlete who wants to be challenged but not overloaded, who values showing up prepared, and who listens when the body speaks (even if that means adjusting mid-run).
Right now, he’s in the early stages of building a foundation that can support faster times and bigger goals down the road. That means improving mechanics, stacking aerobic consistency, and working on strength and mobility, so race-day legs feel like race-day legs. The drive is there, the goals are realistic, and the mindset is patient. This is about the craft of a runner who’s strong in every season, adaptable on every surface, and ready to peak when it counts.
Follow @instansahmed to see how he’s building speed, strength, and stamina—one well-earned mile at a time.
Eva, On Her Way to OCC (by UTMB)
Anna Grace runs on joy, fluidity, and the curiosity that keeps finding new edges. They’ve raced from marathons to 100 miles, stacked long back-to-backs, and tackled the heat and spectacle of Javelina Jundred in 2023. But the biggest goal, a little dot on the horizon, is the Oregon 200 in 2026. Along the way, she’s also chasing a sub-24-hour 100-mile finish and a fresh marathon PR.
Right now, she’s in one of life’s most transformative seasons: pregnancy, due early September. That means training is about staying healthy, keeping moving whenever body and mind allows it, and listening harder than ever. Long and intense runs have given way to walks, trail jogs, and long outings with friends and family. A strong foundation for a powerful comeback. They know the engine they built over years isn’t going anywhere, it’s just idling for now.
Coaching Anna Grace means balancing their deep well of talent with the untapped potential they feel is still waiting. With a well-rounded, moderately well-executed build, they could hit high-performance territory quickly. Post partum we will build consistency, mechanical strength, and metabolic resilience so when the green light comes, they are ready to go.
The drive is there, the timeline is generous, and the hunger for “more” hasn’t faded. This is about running their best races yet, on their own terms, and finding out what’s really possible when the training, mindset, and moment all align.
This phase has taught both of us a lot: about pregnancy, patience, and how to stay fit when the rules change. We’re learning together how to adapt training, and quietly prepare the mind and body for the work still to come.
Follow @anna.gracez along. The first chapter of this comeback is about to be amazing. We can hardly wait.
Nik, the Fun Meets the Fierce
Nik runs on curiosity, community, and a open, shared drive that doesn’t need fanfare to be fierce (but he knows how to make a splash). His weeks are a mix of group runs, long efforts that build stamina and story, and bike rides that double as extra aerobic work. His love of running is contagious.
Offline, Nik organizes creative group runs and mountain tours (Ultra Run Club Montreal), #recklessroutes, international XTrails races, events that turn ordinary training into something people talk about for weeks. Online, he’s part storyteller, part hype-man, with an internet presence that’s thoughtful, funny, and energetic. His feed is a blend of recaps, urban exercises, and spontaneous adventures that make you want to lace up. His resume is equally impressive: with The Speed Project 500 km, a marathon on slides, a 1000km relay from Montreal to Halifax, and much more.
Workouts are designed for engine + mechanics: sustained climbs, poppy descents, targeted speed sessions that sharpen turnover without draining the tank. And a tank he is! There’s no gym on the road, but that doesn’t mean the strength work stops, Nik finds a way. Coaching Nik means blending structure with adaptability. He communicates clearly, checks in honestly, keeps track of everything, and isn’t afraid to say when something feels off, or when the legs are ready to go. That awareness makes every training decision sharper. This build isn’t just about adventures; it’s about running them with confidence, efficiency, speed, and control.
It is hard to keep track of all the races and adventures Nik is up to. The foreseeable future Nik will be on the read, meeting people across the globe. But first, he’ll be hitting La Chute du Diable soon, before other audacious dreams on the horizon. His goal is simple though: run in a way that reflects the craft, strong from start to finish, with the energy that lets you attack the final descent instead of just hanging on.
Follow @runnik100km along, this build is about more than just crossing a line. It’s about leaving nothing on the trail and bringing along a large following.
Sunny, Chasing the Golden Dream
Some people dream about Western States. Sunny lives it. From their home in Auburn, the legendary finish line, they know every turn of the canyon trails, patch of shade, stretch where heat clings. It’s a dream they carry with rare devotion, but they are in no rush to shortcut the journey. First comes a qualifier, a debut 100 miler, ideally early next year.
Sunny’s path is marked by both grit and grace. Last year they finished Canyons 100k; this year they got the better of Miwok 100k, to find themself grappling with an injury in its wake. That’s where we start: easing pain before ramping volume, building speed + base for the years ahead. The immediate goal on the calendar: CIM Marathon, with probably a 50-mile prep race before that big first 100.
Sunny doesn’t sit still for long: traveling across the globe for their job or stepping out the door at home, they find a way, adapting to heat, jet lags, or whatever the day throws. They are diligent about strength work, long adventure runs, and treat their body with the care that makes longevity possible.
Summer training in Auburn isn’t for the faint of heart. Sunny meets those challenges with the same steady resolve they brought when pacing me for over 30 miles at Cocodona in 2024, focused, tough, and unshakably present. Originally from the UK, Sunny moved to California a few years ago and has since built a deep connection with the trails, the seasons, and the running community there. That is part of the story too: whether it’s running with their partner Ruthie or sharing miles with friends.
Coaching Sunny means balancing ambition with patience, weaving training around international travel, and knowing when to push and when to hold back. It’s about respecting the dream while keeping the joy in the daily miles. The first hundred will be a milestone, but it’s also one step toward that golden goal of toeing the line in Olympic Valley and running home to Auburn under their own Western States sunrise.
We’ll be following Sunny’s road from CIM to that first 100, and beyond. Stay close for updates.
/Meet Gian, On His Way to SDM 140 (by UTMB)
Gian not only shows up: he commits. Whether it’s to a 100K grind, early morning group runs, or worksite hours. He fell in love with the sport after a techy sky race in the Dolomites, Italy a year ago. He now has shifted his focus to the longer distances. And when Gian’s in, he’s all in. That tenacity is now pointed squarely at I Sassi di Matera in Puglia, a 141 km adventure along rugged trails of San Domenico, Italy. A course made for grit and high effort. Gian isn’t intimidated. He has no reason to.
Fresh off a breakthrough finish at Sulphur Springs 100K and a gritty battle at QMT, Gian is shifting gears. The goal? A smarter, stronger, more efficient version of himself. That means strategic volume, heat management, pacing on long climbs, and finding the edge where toughness meets sustainability. Gian is treating this build like a pro: focused and open to evolution. He’s not just stacking km’s. He’s sharpening: efficiency on ups, fluidity on downs. Repetition with intent. There’s speed work and group running grinds every week, long trail adventures on the weekends, all with purpose.
Gian’s not interested in suffering for its own sake. He wants to suffer well, with joy and fire, and a plan. Behind it, also a rhythm: boxing for coordination, lifting for strength, and fueling for performance. Coaching Gian is a joyful collaboration. He brings data, intuition, clear communication, a willingness to tweak the plan when life (or construction deadlines) demand it. He wants structure, yes, but always open to dialogue and accountability.
Gian’s still early in his ultra chapter, and that’s makes his journey even more exciting. This isn’t about proving he can do it. He already has. SDM is about refining the “how.” Running smoother. Fueling smarter. Racing like someone who belongs.
There’s no single outcome that defines success at SDM. For Gian, it’s about executing a smart race, feeling strong late, and knowing he left nothing on the trail. A finish that reflects the training, the choices, and the relentless commitment behind it. Follow @gianandjuice to see the build unfold, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.
Eva, On Her Way to OCC (by UTMB)
There’s a kind of quiet determination in how Eva moves through the world and through mountains. She’s not one to shout her goals from rooftops. Make no mistake: she is building something fierce. This summer, that something takes the shape of OCC, a 57k alpine race, 3500m+, finishing in Chamonix.
Eva’s road started, as many good things do, in a place of curiosity. Earlier this year, Eva tackled a tough, hot 50k in Lausanne, testing her patience, pacing, and confirmed that she belongs out there and she can handle tough conditions. Now, with OCC weeks away, Eva’s training is about more than fitness. It’s about specificity, strategy, and self-trust. Weeks are thoughtfully composed, never crammed. A mix of precision mountain and speed efforts, and strength work focused on resilience and stability.
Eva is not chasing volume for volume sake. She’s building durability, learning to run efficiently, descend confidently, and keep moving through fatigue. She’s testing too: increasing fueling to +70 gr/hr and layering heat training into routine.
Meanwhile, Eva is managing a busy job, active family live, and the desire to not let running become a to-do. She wants it to remain what it has been at its best: a space of freedom and a source of joy. Coaching with Eva doesn’t mean laying down strict workouts; it means sparring ideas, listening to her instincts, shaping each day to fit the whole human. It means tracking fatigue, tuning into niggles, adjusting without apology. A camper van holiday in Europe? An opportunity: mountain volume, techy play, reenergizing and life in motion.
Eva’s goal for OCC isn’t a place on the leaderboard. It’s to arrive at the start line feeling fit and ready to meet the day with curiosity and courage. To climb steady, descend freely, and let the smiles and miles unfold; with the capacity to inhabit the experience fully, even when it gets hard, and find lightness in the middle of the Alps. When Eva’s fitness meets the mindset and mountains, the magic will follow. We’ll be following Eva’s journey on August, 28, all the way to the finish line.
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