Originally from Montana, Mark was transplanted to Kansas is 2001. At 54 years old, Mark only started actively running at 48 after becoming involved with his son and daughter’s cross-country team. Motivated by both students and parents, he began training. This training eventually led him to complete Mulvane’s Old Settlers Road Race. A race that he finished in a pair of hiking boots as he did not have any running shoes at that point. 

Mark’s proudest moment came with the completion of his first Pikes Peaks Ascent; A race from Manitou Springs to Pikes Peak that sees nearly 8000ft of elevation gain through its 13-mile duration. Mark has since completed 2 more Pikes Peak Ascent and 1 Pikes Peak Marathon all with the support of a great group of fellow runners and friends.

Although an avid fan of running for its lack of time, equipment and setting restrictions, Mark finds treadmill work less than satisfying due to its inherently stagnant nature of “getting you all worked up with nowhere to go.” He’s blessed to be healthy and energized enough to exercise and advises others to stay active in any way possible, and if you can do it with friends or family that’s even better. And oh yeah…to eat your vegetables!

What’s next for Mark? Well on the “sane side,” as he says, he’d like to start getting into gravel biking and maybe run a marathon in his home state. On the “not so sane side?” Mark wants to complete a run rim-to-rim at the Grand Canyon, finish part of the Continental Divide or run the Appalachian Trail. Coming from a man that recently competed in the Boston Marathon, these goals don’t seem too far-fetched at all.