Sara Pressel, Purple Group coach, has completed 4 marathons and 10 half marathons. In 2008 and 2009, foot problems caused her to miss some training and some races (although she still loved hanging out with the group), but after surgery on both feet in 2009, she’s grateful to be back! There’s nothing that will get her out of bed at dark-thirty on Saturday morning except for the Purple Group! She honestly believes that anyone can complete a marathon or half marathon if they are faithful to the training. Her training motto is from 1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing”.

I have been running with Houston Fit for 13 years. This is my 12th year as a coach, first as an assistant coach in the Red Group, then as head coach for the Fall Group and for the past 5 years, head coach of the Red and 5/1 Group. I have now run 29 marathons or ultra marathons and have lost count of my half marathons. Some of my favorites are Big Sur, Chicago, Grandma’s, Steamtown, New York, Marine Corps and Paris. This season, I plan to run the inaugural Tyler Rose Marathon in October, Dallas White Rock in December, Houston Half in January and Austin in February 2011. I have also completed the MS 150 Houston to Austin bike ride twice, the Lance Armstrong Foundation Ride for the Roses and the Hotter Than Hell 100 Ride in Wichita Falls. I recently completed my third sprint distance triathlon and am training for an Olympic distance race in September.

I am a testament to the fact that a coach potato who could barely make it around the block when she first started can indeed run a marathon. More importantly, Houston Fit has brought me friendships that enrich my life, with a truly diverse and talented group of people. I would never have met these people if I had not put on my running shoes the first time.

Motto: Run your race with joy and you will always win it.

I have been with Houston Fit for 5 years. This is my 6th and will be my 3rd year as a coach. I have run 5 marathons including Boston. I have competed in 2 triathlons and more than 10 halves. This year I am looking forward to running the Disney World Marathon and my 4th Houston Marathon.

I am looking forward to working with Dennis and Mike as head coach of the Yellow Group. Each week after our Saturday long run I will lead the group in core training and hope to improve your running with a strong core!

Houston Fit Member for approx 10 years. Houston Fit Assist coach for approx 7 years 18 marathons Planning to run Tyler marathon in Oct and Houston in January

I have been with HoustonFIT for 10, 7 years as an Assistant Coach, 2 year as a Co-Head Coach and 1 year as a Head Coach. I have been running all my life. I ran 110M high hurdles in Jr. High. I continued running in 5K and 10K races and then decided to try my hand at a marathon. So far I have completed 26 consecutive Houston marathons, the Beaumont Gusher Marathon and 1 ultra marathon. My goal is to inform each and everyone of you and answer any questions you might have. I will not \"sugar coat\" your experience while running, but will let you know exactly what you will feel during your training and the marathon (aka, The Big Show). I wish I had had those answers for my first 15 marathons. I ran those solo without a training group of any kind and I can tell you from experience, it is much easier running with an organized running group. My tip for you is to take your running with a positive attitude and take it seriously, but not so seriously that you forget that this is supposed to be fun. We are not always going to have a good run, some will be bad. Let the bad ones go. You can\'t change that run, it\'s already happened. But if you dwell on those bad runs it will only hinder your performance in your next run or future workouts.

Jenn Sabin began running as a graduate student in New York. Her first marathon was the 2001 New York City Marathon. She has run 15 marathons and 30 half-marathons since then, including 4 Boston Marathons and 3 New York City marathons. She began training with Houston Fit ATP in 2008, and has set 3 marathon PRs since then!. Other adventures in running have included the Hood to Coast Relay, Texas Independence Relay, and the Boston 2 Big Sur Challenge, which consists of running 2 marathons in 6 days on 2 coasts. She has recently entered the world of triathlons, and looks forward to completing her first full Ironman in Tempe Arizona in November 2010! Her goals for ATP is to help members improve strength and running form, understand pacing and training methods, as well as improve their marathon times, and, of course, appreciate finishing a 20 mile run before 8:00 am!!

I have been with Houstonfit since 1995. I stared running with the Yellow group and have run 10 Houston marathons. I have also run marathons in Austin and New York. I was an assistant coach with the yellow group for 6 years and then moved over to run with the half marathon group as an assistant coach three years ago. This is the second year I will be serving as head coach of the January Half Marathon group. I have run over 45 races greater than 13.1 miles.

I have 3 simple goals for the season: stay safe, have fun, and finish strong.

I\'ve been a member of Houston Fit since 1996 and this is my 11th season to coach. I have 24 marathons under my belt in 12 states and am preparing for my second international marathon in Athens in October (2,500 anniversary of the original marathon there). My husband, Phil, and I run and bike and have encouraged our college daughters and their peers to do the same as cross country team parents. I love all forms of exercise and have participated for 10 years in a military-style Seal physical fitness program focusing on running and calisthenics. In May, 2011, I will trek to Base Camp of Mount Everest.

As a native Houstonian (and twin), I graduated with a business degree from University of Houston and went to law school there where I met Phil. I practiced law for 16 years and public accounting for 2 years before becoming a trust relationship manager 15 years ago. That would make me 56 and very grateful to have a healthy and happy life, enjoying wonderful fellowship with my Houston Fit friends. I enjoy volunteering as Vice President of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas Foundation, as Board Member of the Women\'s Fund Foundation, as Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council Finance Committee member, Cypress Cares Support our Troops member, and past President of the West Point Parents Club of Greater Houston and past Treasurer of Beyond the Finish Line.