Meet The Team

After Jeff witnessed how much fun his disabled daughter, Chelsea, had being pushed and pulled through a triathlon in 2006, he decided to let go of some unhealthy habits and stopped smoking. Not long after, he and Chelsea began running. In 2007, Chelsea and Jeff ran their first race. The time they spent running together helped them to meet a great new community of runners and triathletes. After their first race together, they were hooked. 

 

Over the next few years, Chelsea and Jeff pushed their physical limits with marathons and triathlons in West Michigan. In 2013, Chelsea was forever healed of her Rett Syndrome, just days after her last Riverbank run with her father. Jeff will continue to run with Chelsea by his side in spirit, and he is now able to keep the memories of his daughter alive by giving back to the running community with his wife and their store.

I started running in 7th grade. I fell in love with the sport and became pretty dedicated to it through high school before running at Wittenberg University. Now I run for friendship, health, and to see what I can get out of myself as a competitor.

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I love the half marathon because I feel like I can get the most out of myself at the distance.

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My favorite part of working at Striders is providing products and knowledge and seeing that translate to customers achieving their goals, whether it be walking without pain or crushing a marathon PR and everything in between.

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My advice to young runners would be that consistency is key!

From Honolulu to Boston, I’ve been running all distances for the past 40 years. You’ll also see me on the roads in the Grandville area, so honk gently! :)  

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My favorite distance is the half marathon because it can push my limits, but training doesn't overtake my life.  

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The Striders staff from now and years past makes our store a fun place to be…that’s what keeps me smiling and working! 

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Advice: Running is supposed to be fun, so if it’s not, slow down and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. 

I started running in high school and instantly fell in love with it. After running with GVSU’s club team for 4 years I have made many close friends and amazing experiences. 

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Half marathon is my favorite distance!

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My favorite part about working at Striders is fitting customers for shoes and seeing them come back and explain how great the shoe has been working out for them.

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Advice: Be consistent with your training even if you’re not seeing the results you want right away. And always remember to have fun running and enjoy the experience!

I ran throughout high school and then for two years at GRCC. After that I have focused on running for fun.

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My favorite distance is a 10k.

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My favorite part about working at Striders is the joy people have when they leave the store with a pair of shoes that will help them achieve their goal.

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I would tell a new or young runner to get a good pair of shoes, find a supportive group of runners and take the pressure off of yourself. When you have fun it makes it more enjoyable.

I started running later in life when I began to feel out of shape and am now working on running a marathon or longer in every state.

 

My favorite distances are either the half marathon or ultramarathon.

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My favorite part of working at Striders is getting to work with our amazing customers and helping them solve foot issues and maintain an active lifestyle.

 

My advice for other runners is: "Don't get so stressed about the finish that you forget to enjoy the journey."

I ran through middle and high school for South Christian, and I currently run for Grand Rapids Community College. I really started to love running midway through high school.

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Currently my favorite distance is either the 8k or 5k.

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My favorite part of working at Striders is learning about new shoes and getting to help people find a good shoe for them. 

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My advice is to young runners is to do your best and work hard.

I started running because my dad ran a trail marathon and I though it looked fun, so I joined cross country in 8th grade.

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My favorite race distance is the 800m because it is the perfect mix of endurance and explosive strength.

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I like helping people find shoes that help them to be active pain-free.

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My advice to newer runners is: "Be patient with the process and don't try to build up too quickly."

I started running in 8th grade to train for soccer and discovered that I liked running better than soccer. 

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My favorite race distance is the 800m because it is a good combination of speed and durance, but eventually I would like to run marathons. 

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My favorite part of working at Striders is working with clients to discover the best shoes to help them to meet their goals.

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My advice to new runners is: "Just enjoy it! Don't push yourself too hard at first."