Our Stories
Fiona
My upbringing was not the most conventional - I became more serious about running while living in El Salvador, then Saudi Arabia where I raced through coffee farms, over volcanoes, and in the unrelenting heat under the desert sun. I learned to adapt to unfamiliar racing conditions, learn how to read the course beneath my feet, and manage the drastically different environments. Coming back to Minnesota for college gave me new seasons and new terrain, along with the chance to turn all those lessons into something lasting. Those experiences didn’t just make me adaptable, they taught me to love the sport for what it is, no matter where I was. Running became my constant through change, and that love for the sport has only grown stronger with every step. Now, I aspire to use my diverse background to help others navigate their own running journeys, no matter where they’re starting from or where they hope to go.
Current Personal Records:
1500m: 4:25
3,000m: 9:23
5,000m: 15:50
10,000m: 32:57
6,000m (XC): 19:51
I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin where you had to make your own momentum. Running started quietly—flat, rural roads, the edges of farm fields, and the kind of solitude you only find in wide-open spaces. Over time, it became the place I tested myself, where discipline and patience turned small, steady efforts into something lasting. College showed me how far those lessons could carry me, and I found success not just in times or finishes, but in the process of becoming better than I was yesterday. That process—starting from where you are, working with what you have, and seeing how far you can go—is what drives me now. I want to help others find that same spark, that same quiet belief, and watch it carry them further than they ever thought possible.
Gunner
Current Personal Records:
1500m: 3:50
3,000m: 8:06
5,000m: 13:59
10,000m: 29:05
8,000m (XC): 23:47
Below you’ll find a couple videos and podcasts featuring Fiona and Gunner during their time as NCAA Division 3 athletes.