Back Row: Trent, Jeff, Colin, Chase

Front Row: Sarah, Valerie, Megan

Jeff Girbach - President

• Year: Senior
• # of years running: 9
• High School: Northville High School
• About Me:

  Hi, I’m Jeff!  I started running in eighth grade and got serious about it my junior year in high school.  I ran cross country and track all 4 years and was captain of both my senior year.  I’ve had a few running related nicknames over the years.  The ones that stick out are Bird and the Mileage Whore.  The latter is pretty self-explanatory.  And the former… well, just watch my form when I get really tired.  I’m a computer science major and a math minor.  I try to hide it as much as possible, but I’m pretty much a dork in every sense of the word.   I really don’t feel like one in any of my classes…but you know, it’s all relative.                                                                 

  "First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win" - Mohandas Karamchand Gahndi                        

  

Sarah Parks - Vice President

• Year: Senior
• # of years running: 8
• High School: Berkley High School
• About Me: Hey fellow runners! My name's Sarah, although some call me Sparks. I grew up in Madison Heights and Saint Clair Shores, MI, but spent the majority of my high school years in Berkley. I'm majoring in Kinesiology and plan to continue my schooling past undergrad to achieve my Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy. I recently had a conversation about how a lot of us crazy runners start out hating the sport, yet grow to love it and before you know it you've become one of those crazy obsessive runners. For me, this is not the case. I think I was born loving running. Way back in elementary school I remember recess was my favorite activity. Would you like to know my reasoning? I could run around and play tag the entire time! Life was good. Since then my love for running has evolved and I could not be more excited to serve as your Vice President this year. I'm looking forward to getting to know you all more and I think we're in for a great year!

"Running is t

he greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it." -  Oprah Winfrey

 

 

Colin Riley - Secretary

• Year: Junior
• # of years running: 9
• High School: Northville High School
• About Me:

  Greetings! I’m Colin, your secretary.  I’m the one who gathers all the useless information, stores it in my head, then stays up into the wee hours of the night recording it in my beloved spreadsheets and making it public for y’all.  I’ve known the prez a long time, and trust me, he’s Birdlike.  I love being an officer in Running Club because it brings back the glory days of captaining high school cross and track.  I’m double majoring in History and English so I can be a high school teacher and coach.  I also play guitar and sing – I perform solo and with my band if you’re in need.  I apologize for some stupid things I’m sure to say and if I haven’t already told you…I’m Irish.                                                                                                                              

  “Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the me for the we.”

 

Chase Taylor - Travel Coordinator

• Year: Senior
• # of years running: 
• High School: 
• About Me:

Trent Johnson - Treasurer

• Year: Sophomore
• # of years running: 8
• High School: Northville High School
• About Me: Hello, I'm Trent. I'm your trustworthy Treasurer.  I manage the money, write checks, and make sure the bank doesn't cheat us out of any money.  Actually, it turns out to be a lot more fun than it sounds.  Perhaps it is because I have always been a math person.  Currently, I am a sophomore majoring in mechanical Engineering and most probably minoring in mathematics.  I have been running on a team since I was in sixth grade, but even as a child I was forced by my mother to get out of the house and run.  Cross country grew to become my life in high school, I cherished every moment of it.  I was a captain my senior year.  I have known the President and the Secretary for quite some time and have competed with and against them.  I am looking forward to being your Treasurer and getting to know all of you better.  

 

Megan McNitt - Social Coordinator

• Year: Sophomore
• # of years running: 4
• High School: St. Joseph High School
• About Me:

  Hi, I'm Megan and I'm your social coordinator.  This means I plan all the non-running stuff: dinners, going to football games, and parties! I was born and raised in a green and white household: growing up going to football and basketball games and hating UM with all I have.  Because of this I am one of the biggest Spartan fans you'll meet; I mean I cried when Draymond Green played his last game in a Spartan uniform.  I'm a super passionate sports fan, so don't be surprised if you hear me cheering for you at every point of the race.  I'll probably end up being on of the loudest people you will ever meet.  My loud voice comes as a surprise to many people because I am so short (5'2" to be exact).  I am one of the original running club nuggets because of my height.  I am super excited for another great year of MSU Running Club cross-country and track, and can't wait to race with everyone.

 “No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch." - Anonymous

Valerie Morel - Apparel Coordinator

• Year: Sophomore
• # of years running: 8
• High School: St. Philip Catholic High School
• About Me:

  Hey everyone! I'm Valerie. I'm a sphomore majoring in Zoology and Earth Science.  I've been running since 6th grade, but didn't really get into it until my sophomore year in high school.  I love to run and miss it on days I don't get a chance to.  I loved track in high school, but loved cross-country even more, so I joined Running Club as a way to continue that in college.  Turns out to be one of the best things so far!

 “I tell our runners to divide the race into thirds.  Run the first part with your head, the second part with your personality, and the last part with your heart."  - Mike Fanelli, Running Club Coach