About Palo Alto PacersYouth running programs focus on fall Cross Country and spring Track and Field with little regard for off-season conditioning.
Palo Alto Pacers is a youth running club for kids in 6th through 8th grades looking to maintain running fitness in a fun, non-competitive environment. Palo Alto Pacers provides runners the opportunity to practice and train together forging the life-long love of running for overall health, fitness and competition. |
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The Pacers PROGRAMRunners will work on running fitness through distance, speed, flexibility and mobility drills in a fun team dynamic within COVID safe guidelines.
Check back soon for updates: Fall 2021 Session |
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Kathryn Kirby
Kathryn began coaching adults 20 years ago in the marathon and half marathon distance. She has settled into a love for coaching middle school and connecting with this younger age group. Originally a teacher of this age, the connection came easily. With four young kids, she has found her love of running and sport helps her bring a fun yet competitive drive to the pavement! Having run over a hundred marathons and half marathons, she has found a deep love for running the trails and the ultramarathon distance. Having run various 50km races, she will run her first 50 miler this August. Kathryn is a RRCA (Road Runners Club of America) Level 1 certified coach. Jodi Buyyounouski Jodi loves running and racing anything from a mile to the marathon. What started out as a form of recreational fitness quickly grew into a deep passion for the sport. While the 12K is likely her favorite distance to race, Jodi mostly enjoys the process of training for the marathon. Since 2015, Jodi has been chosen as one of the ten “comped” USATF Pacific Association long distance runners in her age group. She has run the Boston Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon, Philadelphia Marathon, San Francisco Marathon, and California International Marathon (several times). In 2018 and 2019, Jodi was named the USATF National 15K Masters Champion in her age group and also scored for her team that won the USATF National Masters Grand Prix Title. Currently she races for the Impala Racing Team based out of San Francisco. Jodi also is an Accredited Interscholastic Coach, with a Level 1 National Certification, National Federation of State High School Associations. |
Palo Alto Pacers
Coaches Matthieu Bonnard Matthieu started working with the Pacers team this year, but is a frequent coach with the Greene middle school cross country and track and field teams. Matthieu, an avid tennis player, runs for fitness and believes his dedication to running helps to keep him healthy, but also more resilient on the tennis court. He has competed in road races including marathons and triathlons. Matthieu enjoys working with middle school age athletes and brings spirit and enthusiasm for running. He supports athletes at all levels of ability and competitiveness. Matthieu was born in France and has been living in Palo Alto for four years. He has two teenage boys and enjoys spending time with his wife Karin, who enjoys yoga. |
Casper Vroemen
Casper is an experienced running coach who loves inspiring school age kids with his passion for running. A Dutch native, he has coached competitive runners and race-rowers in the Netherlands, and currently coaches cross country and track and field at middle school in Palo Alto. Casper began running in elementary school and developed into an international distance runner, who was part of the Dutch National Track and Field Team for years. His favorite events were the mile (beating 4 minutes) and the steeple chase. Casper loves cross country, and is a two-time New York Marathon finisher. Today, he enjoys running the trails with his wife and sons, and coaches to develop kids into better runners (and better people!) at their own level while having fun! Stacy Abel Stacy enjoys coaching middle school cross country and track and field. Playing lacrosse and field hockey through her early years, she connected with a love of running in her 20s. Stacy began running marathons and half marathons including the Boston Marathon, training with running groups like CARA (Chicago Area Runners Association) where she was awarded the fastest female. She has also competed in longer races up to 40 miles. Today, Stacy runs for fun and fitness and lately has become an avid trail runner seeking to gain vertical distance! She loves running with her teenage twin boys and daughter, and hopes to inspire kids at an early age! Stacy is a RRCA (Road Runners Club of America) Level 1 certified coach. |