Meet the Elites

Hidi Gaff
Favorite shoe: Saucony Endorphin Elite
High School: Holland High School (Holland, MI)
College: Hillsdale College and IPFW
Occupation: Marketing and education
How I started running: I started running my sophomore year of high school after being recruited by the XC coach during my gym class. What began as an outlet for typical teenage emotions grew into my first love. After running competitively in college, I took 12 years off to raise my six children. When my oldest son started running XC in 2012, I decided to lace back up so I could share my love for running with my children.
PRs:
5,000 - 18:16
10,000 - 37:17
Half Marathon - 1:21:50
Marathon - 2:59:52

Leah Hall
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Triumph
High School: Bishop Luers High School
College: University of Saint Francis (Ft. Wayne)
Occupation: Graphic Designer
PRs:
1500 - 4:43
5,000 - 17:30
10,0000 - 36:37

Stacy Morozov
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Tempus
High School: Carmel High School
College: Indiana University - Bloomington
Occupation: Physician Assistant, Student
How you started running: All my friends were running in middle school and I wanted to do it too!
PRs:
Mile - 5:00
5,000 - 17:43
Half Marathon - 1:23
Marathon - 2:52

Yvette Rojas
Favorite shoe: Saucony Endorphin Pro
High school: West Noble
College: Indiana Wesleyan University
Occupation: Kindergarten Teacher at West Noble Primary
How I started running: In elementary school, we had a mileage program students could participate in by running a mile during recess. We were rewarded prizes after 50,100, & 150 miles. We were also taken to a local cross country race every fall to compete against other elementary schools!
PR's:
1500 - 5:16
3,000 - 10:50
5,000 - 17:20
10,000 - 39:12
Half Marathon - 1:26:14

Taryn Thor Garlington
Favorite shoe: Saucony Triumph
High School: Northwestern
College: IU Kokomo (Undergrad), South College (PT school)
Occupation: Physical Therapist
How you started running: High School Cross-Country
PRs:
Mile - 4:56
5,000 - 16:57
8,000 - 29:02
Half Marathon - 1:17:25
Marathon - 2:44:39

Sandra Villajos Vidal
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Shift
High School: Ies Sefarad (Toledo, Spain)
College: Indiana Tech
Occupational: HR Admin Assistant
How you started running: it makes me feel free and forget about everything. I started running when I was 13 years old. I’m 27 now and haven’t stopped since then. I couldn’t live without running.
PRs:
800 - 2:21.12
1500 - 4:50.13
Mile - 5:17.12
3000 - 10:26.17

Laura Zenger
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Tempus
High School: Blackhawk Christian School
College: Purdue University
Occupation: Underwriter at Brotherhood Mutual
How you started running: My mom used to run, and I always wanted to go out running with her when I was a kid.
PRs:
5000 - 17:48
Half Marathon - 1:18
Marathon - 2:42

Jack Beakas
Favorite shoe: Saucony Guide
High School: DeKalb High school
College: Trine University and Notre Dame
Occupation: Water Engineer
How you started running: Everyone in my family is a runner so it was a natural choice!
PRs:
3,000 - 8:25
5,000 - 14:44
8,000 - 24:20
10,000 - 30:18
Half Marathon - 1:10:29
Marathon - 2:18:18

Aaron Combs
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Speed

Austen Davenport
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Ride
High School: Huntington North High School
College: Tri-State University (Trine)
Occupation: Development Engineering Manager at Zimmer Biomet in Warsaw, IN. (I help design and test new products for hip reconstruction surgery.)
How you started running: I started running on my 7th grade cross country team. Running was something I always excelled at but I never had the opportunity to run in elementary school prior to 7th grade. I love pushing myself to see how fast I can go and continue chasing personal best times.
PRs:
5000 - 15:59
10000 - 34:15
Half Marathon - 1:12:24
Marathon - 2:33:35

Sam Hardy
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Kinvara
High School: North Muskegon High School
College: Taylor University
Occupation: Worship Pastor at First Missionary Church in Fort Wayne
How you started running: I went to a cross country call-out meeting in 7th grade thinking it was for track and field because I wanted to be a jumper... I had very little interest in long-distance running but my family convinced me it'd be good for me to build endurance for other sports. Then I made a great group of friends on the cross-country team and slowly began to fall in love with running.
PRs:
3k Steeplechase - 9:26
5,000 - 15:41
Half Marathon - 1:12:40
Marathon - 2:30:26

Justin Kowalski
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Triumph
High School: Mishawaka High School
College: Tri-State University (Trine)
How you started running: I started running my paper route when I was 10. I joined the elementary track team at age 11 and had mild success and continued it through high school and college.
PRs:
5,000 - 15:28
10,000 - 32:17
Half Marathon - 1:09:17
Marathon - 2:24:51
50 Mile - 6:44:53

Derek Miller
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Elite
High School: Westview High School
College: Trine University
Occupation: Civil Engineer
How I started running: I had an uncle that ran, and I watched him race when I was growing up, so I wanted to do it too. I did my first 1 mile fun run as a first grader, and did the race every single year until I was old enough to join the cross country and track team at school. As a fifth grader I was running the mile in PE and the junior high cross country coach happened to be outside setting up for a meet that day and immediately started recruiting me to join the team. I have been running competitively ever since!
PRs:
5,000m - 14:52
10,000m - 30:35
Half Marathon - 1:08:19
Marathon - 2:21:43

Brendon Moody
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Elite

Robert Murphy
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Ride
High School: Warsaw Community High School
College: Vincennes University (2 years), IUPUI
PRs:
Mile - 4:08
3000m Steeplechase - 8:44
5k - 14:18
Half Marathon - 1:07
Marathon - 2:18:58

Derek Van Prooyen
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Speed

Andy Williams
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Triumph
High School: Northridge High School
College: Manchester College (now Manchester University)
Occupation: Physical Education Teacher and Coach
How you started running: We had a quarter mile track at our elementary school. If we chose to run it during recess, we could keep track of our mileage and move up to new "Mile Clubs". I ran 300 miles total during my 2nd grade year, and 525 miles during 5th grade. My teacher let me put my name and footprints in the new track cement that year. I was hooked. Those footprints are still there today!
PRs:
Mile - 4:22
5,000 - 15:09
10,000 - 31:50
Half Marathon - 1:08:39
Marathon - 2:17:49

Riley Worl
Favorite Shoe: Endorphin Shift
High School: Western High School
College: Manchester University
Occupation: Pharmacist
How you started running: I started running when I was a senior in high school when the cross country coach persuaded me to stop playing soccer and join the cross country team. I have continued to get more and more into running ever since.
PRs:
10,000 - 33:08
Half Marathon -1:11
Marathon: 2:28:16

Jeff Zenger
Favorite Shoe: Saucony Endorphin Pro
High School: Penn High School
College: Ball State University / Purdue Fort Wayne
Occupation: Commercial Real Estate Agent
How you started running: My section leader in HS marching band also ran XC, and inspired me when they said they had gone for a 70 minute run before practice one day. I couldn't believe someone I knew could run that long without stopping! I went for my first run the next day (in skater shoes), and shortly after ran my first 5k. I was hooked!
PRs:
5000 - 16:40
Half Marathon - 1:11:15
Marathon - 2:32:52
50k - 3:10:30
50 Mile - 5:37:05
100 Mile - 13:42:19