Meet the Coaches

Coach Kurt Kelly

Coach Kelly is a two year letter winner in Cross Country from his high school in Iowa. During his senior year, his high school coach encouraged several runners to train for the St. Louis Marathon to keep up their interest in running. He has completed at least one marathon every year since, having run over 100 marathons in total with a personal best time of 2:56. He has also run several ultra-distance events, including thirteen 100-mile runs, many 50-mile and 50-km runs and 24 hour events. He doesn't think he will ever get tired of running.

Coach Kelly believes that running, distance events in particular, are an exercise in patience and mental training. There is a time to race fast, but also a time to run long and slow. It takes time to build up the aerobic base required to be successful, but the rewards of a healthy running season carry over many years. Running can, and should be, a lifetime activity.

In addition to running, Coach Kelly enjoys spending time with family, his career as an engineer, bicycling, beekeeping and exploring places off the beaten path.