Staff Overview

  • Over 175 years of running experience
  • Over 100 Marathons & Half Marathons
  • Of the twelve coaches, 11 have past MIT coaching experience; 5 have run at the college level
  • All coaches are heavily invested in giving back to the Columbus running community

Dr. Steven T. Devor Ph.D., FACSM

  • Associate Professor
  • Sport and Exercise Science Program, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Department of Human Nutrition
  • devor.3@osu.edu

Dr. Steven T. Devor received his Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from the University of California, Berkeley. Following his doctoral studies, Dr. Devor was a National Institute on Aging Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Michigan Medical School in the Institute of Gerontology and Department of Physiology. Dr. Devor teaches Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology undergraduate courses, and at the graduate level he teaches a doctoral seminar focused on skeletal muscle structure, function, and plasticity. In 2004, Dr. Devor was awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award from the College of Education, and in 2006 Devor was a recipient of the university wide Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching.

The focus of the research program directed by Dr. Devor is on skeletal muscle physiology, and the basic biology of aging skeletal muscle. His laboratory designs experiments with the primary aim focused on gaining enhanced insight into how skeletal muscle adapts during the aging process, and how carbohydrate is utilized during exercise. Dr. Devor and his graduate students are actively investigating how physical performance is altered as humans age. Particular emphases include the: a.) relationship between physical activity and skeletal muscle function and plasticity; b.) influence of therapeutic modalities on skeletal muscle regeneration following injury; and c.) adaptation of maximal lactate steady state in aging athletes.

Outside the university Dr. Devor works with two local continuing care retirement communities in Columbus, where he serves as the Director of their Health, Physical Activity, and Exercise Centers.  Dr. Devor also serves as the Exercise Physiologist for the central Ohio Commit To Be Fit program, and provides all the physiological performance testing for the Columbus Blue Jackets.  Devor is also an advisor to Men's Health magazine. Based upon his research and commitment to the field of Exercise Physiology, in 2001, Dr. Devor was elected Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Dr. Darrin Bright, MD - 8:00 Pace Group

  • Undergraduate Education: BS in Natural Sciences, University of Akron, Akron, OH (1993)
  • Medical School: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (1997)
  • Residency: Family Medicine, Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, OH (2000)
  • Fellowship: Sports Medicine, Ohio State University (2001)

Dr. Bright is the Director of the Running & Endurance Athlete Center for Excellence at MAX Sports Center. He practices Sports Medicine and Family Medicine at the MAX Sports Medicine Institute at 3705 Olentangy River Road.

Prior to joining MAX, Dr. Bright served as a full time faculty member at Ohio State University practicing and teaching both family and sports medicine (2001-2004). He also served as a Team Physician for the Ohio State University Department of Athletics (2001-2004).

Dr. Bright is currently the Head Team Physician for Worthington Kilbourne High School and Otterbein College.

Jeff Glaze - Owner of Premier Sports

  • Age: 37
  • Occupation: Event Manager & Owner of Premier Races
  • Years Running: Since 1983
  • Number of marathons and half marathons:
    • 26 Marathons
    • A handful of Half Marathons
  • Personal Records:
    • Marathon - 3:01
    • ½ Marathon - 1:19
  • Favorite Running Memory: Getting stuck in a portable restroom at the 2001 Flying Pig Marathon, while leading a pace group!

Tim Flahaven - Owner of Fleet Feet Sports

  • Age: 49
  • Occupation: Owner of Fleet Feet Columbus and active in area running community
  • Years Running: 48
  • Number of marathons and half marathons:
    • 3 Marathons
    • Several Half Marathons
  • Personal Records:
    • 5k - 14:48
    • 10K - 30:31
    • ˝ Marathon - 1:10
    • Marathon -- 2:47
  • Favorite Running Memory: There are so many, but they almost all deal with the social aspect and the camaraderie - the laughs and the good times.  Almost none deal with the actual competition or how I finished.

Jeanne Bauer - 10:30 Pace Group

  • Occupation: Nurse-midwife, St. Ann's Hospital
  • Kids? 2 teenage daughters. I can sometimes convince them to run w/ me or volunteer at races. But my rat terrier is always up for a run.
  • Years Running: 6 yrs.  Started running w/ a girlfriend to help us deal w/ major life changes. We trained 5 months for our first 5k; then we were hooked.
  • Personal Records: I'm a happy middle-of-the-packer who occasionally wins AG awards in smaller races. I might be able to "age into" qualifiying for the Boston Marathon when I'm 60!
    • 5k - 25:27
    • 10k - 56:55
    • 1/2 marathon - 2:06
    • Marathon - 4:36
  • Number of marathons and half marathons
    • 3 Marathons
    • 10 Half Marathons
    • 2 Marathon Relays (next will be Last Chance for Boston w/ MIT's Team Goofy Boomers II)
  • Favorite Running memory you want to share: Those interesting discussions you have w/ your running buddies to pass the time during 3-4 hour long-runs.

Jenny Bloomquist - Manager of Fleet Feet Sports

  • Age: 23
  • Family: Born & raised a Cheesehead, My sister is in MIT.
  • Occupation: I do whatever Tim tells me to at Fleet Feet but he likes to call me the “Manager”!
  • Years Running: Since the 7th grade (10 years)
  • Number of Marathons and Half Marathons:
    • 1 Marathon - At 19!
    • 4 Half Marathons
  • Personal Records: All I want for Christmas is a new PR
  • Favorite Running Memory: Running in Kenosha, WI at the National Foot Locker Race with all my old High School friends in 10 Degree weather, in the last race aka a mud pit, there were no showers just a creek, and then a 10 hour trip back to Ohio directly after the race in one van with seven muddy runners.

Julie Bowen Miller - 11:00+ Pace Group

  • Age: 43
  • Family: Married with 2 boys, ages 16 & 12
  • Personal Records:
    • Half Marathon – I just recently ran my best ˝ in the hills of North Carolina, in 2:16!
    • It’s possible that I will never be a speed demon, but I continue to amaze myself with what I can do.
  • Favorite Running Memory: I usually find something to laugh abut on every run!

Tim Dasgupta - 9:00 Pace Group

  • Kids: Does dog count??
  • Years Running: 7
  • PR's:  Lets say a little slower than Robb Kestner ...!
  • Number of marathons and half marathons:
    • 10+ marathons and similar number of half-marathons

Brenda Heimberger - 10:00 Pace Group

  • Age: 55
  • Family: Married with two supportive children
  • Occupation: Wife, Mother, & works at Kroger Market Place
  • Years Running: 13 Years
  • Number of marathons and half marathons:
    • 6 Marathons
  • Personal Records:
    • Boston Qualifier!
  • Favorite Running Memory: I've learned so much and have met many outstanding people- some of my closest friends are the ones I've met through these running groups!
  • Something to Know: I'm living proof that running can be something enjoyed with family and friends and can bring great sense of accomplishment to your life.

Robb Kestner

  • Age: 32
  • Family: Married with 4 dogs
  • Years Running: 18 Years
  • Personal Records:
    • 5K – 15:38
    • 10K –32:51
    • ˝ Marathon - 1:13
    • Marathon - 2:31
  • Favorite Running Memory: Being finished… Every day.
  • Something to Know: Robb was the 2007 Columbus Marathon winner!

Joan Landry - 11:00+ Pace Group

  • Age: 41
  • Family: Married & has 3 children (ages 11, 8 and 4)
  • Occupation: Project Manager for Abbott Laboratories
  • Years Running: 5
  • Number of marathons and half marathons:
    • 3 Marathons
    • 4 Half marathons
  • Personal Records:
    • 5K – 26:42
    • 10K – 58:37
    • ˝ Marathon – 2:00.40
    • Marathon – 4:23.13
  • Favorite Running Memory: An early evening run …. It just started snowing …..feeling strong ….. Like I can do anything!

Matt Meyers - 9:30 Pace Group

  • Occupation:  Senior Software Something-or-other
  • Kids:  If you're talking about baby goats, then none.
  • Years Running: 15
  • Number of marathons and half marathons:
    • 2 Marathons
    • 2 Half Marathons
  • Personal Records:
    • Marathon - 3:41
    • ½ Marathon:  1:46
  • Favorite Running Memory: Some of us went up to cheer at Towpath this year and didn't tell everyone we'd be there.  MITer Joan Perez literally jumped out of her shoes when she saw the four of us standing at Mile 15 cheering!

Rich Pontius - 10:00 Pace Group

  • Age: 46
  • Occupation: Architect / President of RP Hughes Architects, Inc. Rich specializes in the design of public safety facilities
  • Years Running: 11 years casually; 2 years for marathons, Ran first marathon at age 45
  • Number of Marathons and Half Marathons:
    • 4 Marathons
    • 2 Half Marathons
    • Countless 5Ks and 5-milers
  • Personal Records:
    • 2:02 at 2007 Columbus Half Marathon
    • 4:37 at 2008 Columbus Marathon
    • Fastest pace: 8:52 minutes/mile at Bay to Bay 12k in St. Petersburg, Florida
  • Favorite Running Memory: Besides crossing the finish line at my first marathon in Columbus 2006, running through the various parks at the Walt Disney World Marathon on January 7, 2007. Running the Dec. 07 Jingle Bell 5K Run with my 10 year old daughter – she smiled the entire distance, raised her arms at the finish and obtained her first PR!
  • Running Plans for 2008:
    • Member of Goofy Boomers II Relay Team for Last Chance for Boston Marathon in February
    • Break 2 hours for the Columbus Half Marathon
    • Cincinnati Pig Marathon in May
    • New York Marathon in November

Michelle Schlotter - Walkers

  • Age: 45
  • Family: Single, 2 kids (13 & 16)
  • Occupation: Software Developer
  • Years Walking: 5
  • Number of marathons and half marathons:
    • 5 Half Marathons
    • 9 Marathons
  • Personal Records:
    • Marathon - 6:30
  • Favorite Running Memory: Goofy race at Disney

John Valasco - 8:30 Pace Group

  • Age: I qualified for Boston in the 50+ category
  • Family: Married,  Dawn is my wife and is a walker.  Two daughters, Emily is a sophomore at a college where it is warm most of the year and Elizabeth, is a senior in Worthington schools, who wants to go to a college that is warm most of the year.
  • Occupation: Global Account Manager for PPG Industries (The "Paint Guy")
  • Years Running: Over 30 
  • Number of marathons and half marathons:
    • 7 Marathons
    • Many 5K's, 5 milers & 10K's
    • No official 1/2 marathons
  • Personal Records:
    • Marathon -- 3:18:47 (25 yrs ago!!!)
    • 10K - sub 39:00
  • Favorite Running Memory: Finishing my first marathon (Detroit) by sprinting in the final 1/4 mile and listening to the crowd
  • Something to Know: It was wonderful to see all the runners starting out our summer running group by running "quietly" down the hill from the high school, and then running with many of them, back up the hill some miles later.    Looking forward to working with the runners to meet and exceed their running goals this spring.

Nicole Verbus - 8:30 Pace Group

  • Age: 28
  • Years running: almost 15 years
  • Family: husband and a mini-schnauzer
  • Number of marathons: 5
  • Personal record: 3:28 at Flying Pig 2007
  • Favorite running memory: I have so many memories with running of the years from highschool and college being able to call up my sister and go out on a run to all of the people I have met and become friends with through MIT. Also, everytime I cross a starting line of a marathon and finally get to the finish line where my supportive husband is waiting for me. I feel like I can do anything!

Erin Walshkirkman - 9:00 Pace Group

  • Occupation: Just mom for now
  • Kids: Two - Ages 6 1/2 and 4.
  • Years Running:  Almost 20!
  • Personal Records:
    • I think my marathon PR was at Columbus 2007, 3:48:12.
  • Number of marathons and half marathons:
    • I have run 8 marathons and about the same number of half marathons.
  • Favorite Running Memory: I have many favorite running memories, but will never forget the thrill of hearing spectators cheer for me in other languages at the Prague International Marathon... I had fallen and was bleeding from one knee and it was so dramatic! Lesson learned: Avoid cobble stones!

Jennifer Wilkinson - 10:30 Pace Group

  • Age: 37
  • Family: Married, 3 cats
  • Occupation: Project Manager at JP Morgan Chase
  • Years Running: 6-ish
  • Number of marathons and half marathons:
    • 7 1/2 Marathons
    • 5 Marathons
  • Personal Records:
    • Half Marathon - 1:57
    • Marathon -- 4:15
  • Favorite Running Memory: Telling my friends in 2001 that only "crazy people" run marathons (turns out that's true!)
  • Racing plans for 2008:
    • Last Chance for Boston marathon (Feb)
    • Cap City half marathon (April)
    • Cleveland marathon (May)
    • Columbus marathon (October)
    • Marathon goal - break 4 hours!

 

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