Fleet Feet Racing Team Coach Insider - Meet Your Coaches for the 2025 Season!

The Fleet Feet Racing Team, presented by New Balance, has officially kicked off the 2025 training season! Our team is back with a mix of fresh faces and returning teammates, and we’re thrilled to represent the Fleet Feet Racing Team in Chicago’s running community once again. We're lucky to have a fantastic group of coaches who bring their own unique racing and running expertise to the table. With their support and guidance, you'll get the tips, encouragement, and motivation you need to crush your goals. Meet your coaches below!

Cynthia Kmak (They/them): Lead Racing Team Coach
Chris Willis (He/him): Elite Team Coach
Jamie Hershfang (She/her): Racing Team Coach
Mike Moreau (He/him): Racing Team Coach
Bobbi Baur (She/her): Racing Team Coach
Liz Nieves (She/her): Racing Team Coach                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

What are your coaching certifications?

Cynthia: RRCA Level 1 and USATF

Chris: USA Track & Field Level 1 coach.

Jamie: UESCA (United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy) running coach

Mike: UESCA

Bobbi: RRCA Level 1 Certification

Liz: RRCA Certified Coach 

How were you introduced to the sport of running?

Cynthia: My older sisters were in Cross Country in Jr High and High School and I wanted to do the same. I tried to run in jr high and HS but DNFed (did not finish) a single race until my senior year of HS and then I was cast in a musical and had to make a choice. Clearly it was being in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I got back into running my sophomore year of college, one of my roommates got me out the door. I didn't run consistently until a couple years after college when that same roommate signed up for a marathon and invited me on a run and then I signed up too.

Chris: I started running competitively in middle school. I was always a relatively fast runner over short distances in neighborhood pickup games of baseball or touch football and I liked being active, so it seemed like a natural fit. Our middle school did not have cross country, and I didn’t think of myself as a distance runner, so I mostly did shorter events, especially the 800m, and was actually a rather decent high jumper (until everyone else kept getting taller and I did not!)

Jamie: I grew up swimming and for years I competed nearly all year round. I struggled through eating disorder recovery and took a break from swimming after a tough relapse. I spent years relearning how to find joy in moving my body and developing a healthy relationship with sport. When I started running, it was just a way for me to get outside and enjoy some fresh air and movement. I began running more the summer of my sophomore year of high school, and linked up with the cross country team for easy runs. I found that the social aspect of the sport was something I really needed. Once I discovered the joy of running with people and seeing progress every week, I decided to try out cross country that fall. From there, I never looked back. 

Mike: One of my closest friends asked to run a half for our 25th birthday. (Episode here- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keeping-pace/id1520921918?i=1000482833962)

Bobbi: I started running later in life.  My friend was going to do a half-marathon and I agreed to train and run it as well. I did well in the half so decided to see if I could do a full. I trained and completed my first full in 2006 and quailified for Boston so I was told I had to run it. I didn't really know the significance at the time. LOL. The races just snowballed after that.  

Liz: When I first moved to Chicago, I had the opportunity to witness for the first time the Chicago marathon. I was in awe of the runners behind the elite group, and it inspired me to one day do the same

What is your favorite workout to coach?

Cynthia: This answer changes from season to season. In previous years it's been 1 mile repeats. I feel like in this past season, it's been workouts like Peanut Butter Jelly Time and the Lumberjack. Both of those workouts have a mix of longer tempo portions and shorter intervals, which help folks change gears and focus. These workouts also allow for teammates to cheer each other on because of the standing recovery. Seeing the team support each other is my favorite part of the job.

Chris: My favorite workout to coach is also my personal favorite workout to run: “Five Dollars in Quarters,” which was my HS track coach’s slang term for 20 repetitions of 400 meters (400 meters being roughly a quarter mile, so if you have twenty quarters… get it?). It seems like an insane volume of work, but it’s actually pretty manageable for a lot of people because there’s a lot of rest built in to it. Plus, when it’s over, people feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment at tackling something so daunting.

Jamie: Long tempo runs. The physical prep, as well as the mental focus that goes into these runs, is what truly prepares runners for the marathon or any distance. It's easy to grind through fast intervals, take splits on the track, and not worry about too many external variables. I always reinforce effort over pace because, on race day, it's the only thing you can control. Long-tempo runs are the best way to practice visualization, fueling strategies, and finding the right effort you can sustain over longer distances. Intervals teach you how to run fast, recovery runs create adaptations, and the long run puts all the pieces together 

Mike: Halftime fartlek

Bobbi: I think I really like the longer workouts with 1 mile at pace and 1 mile at pace -:30.  I also really like 8X 1 min on/off

Liz: I like interval workouts, since the first time I ran Yasso's it became my favorite workout, I like the simplicity, and effectiveness, and love to see the progress during the training cycle.

What advice would you give to someone new to the Racing Team?

Cynthia: Keep showing up, and don't be afraid to ask a coach for advice. Each year our team gets bigger and bigger and people know each other from years past and have ongoing friendships. It may feel like it's hard to find your pace from workout to workout, but the coaches have a general idea of who runs what pace and can pair you with groups for these workouts and help you figure out how much of the workout you should do and how fast. Just come up to one of us please!

Chris: Don’t be afraid or intimidated! It’s a very welcoming group of people, and no matter what your training paces are, you *are* “fast enough” for Racing Team! Racing Team is not about how fast you are or can become, it’s all about the ethos of wanting to challenge yourself with a group of like minded folks.

Jamie: The Fleet Feet racing team is an incredibly supportive community of runners and amazing humans outside of running. We all come here with our own goals to pursue, and it's more rewarding when you are supported by the right people. Have fun pushing yourself during workouts and lining up for races with your teammates. Try to show up to as many workouts as you can. Be a good teammate and support others through the good days and the rough ones. Find time to meet new people and get to know them outside of your pace group. The racing team is a great place to run fast, but it's an even better community of people. "Bet on yourself and surround yourself with people who bet on you!"

Mike: Introduce yourself to someone you haven’t met before. We are a friendly group. 

Bobbi: Don't be intimidated by the workouts or the paces.  It is a great place to meet new people and get faster together.

Liz:   I would love everyone to know that we are welcoming and inclusive and that no matter where anyone is fitness-wise, the team will help them, all they need to do is show up. I would also remind everyone to have fun, running hard can be fun. 

What are your favorite New Balance shoes to race in?

Cynthia: New Balance Fuelcell Elite V4

Chris: This is a niche answer, but the New Balance LD-X. It’s a carbon-plated super-spike, and it’s an utterly magical bit of technology and engineering. I still love to race on the track (mile to 5000m) and putting on the LD-X makes me feel like a superhero pulling on their suit! 

Jamie: Supercomp Elite. They're fun and fast!

Mike: Supercomp Trainer or Pacer v2

Bobbi: Supercomp Elite

Liz: I have been a Rebel fan for the past three years, I like that it is a shoe that you can do your training runs and also race with

Where can we find you when you’re not running?

Cynthia: On stage! I usually perform comedy on Fridays and Saturdays in Chicago Style at The Revival Theater in the South Loop and 2 Saturdays a month in  Whirled News Tonight at the iO Theater. You can also catch me 1 day a week working at the Fleet Feet Lincoln Square location.

Chris: My other job, outside of coaching, is a trial lawyer who does complex civil litigation. I live in the Edison Park neighborhood with my wife, Clare, and with my children John (12) and Molly (7). I love to read, I love to watch movies, and just generally seeking out new experiences, whether through travel or around Chicago.

Jamie: Catching photos of the sunrise, planning my next adventure, eating something with peanut butter, and spending time with my family and friends. Life's too short to take the little moments for granted. I also manage the Fleet Feet Lakeview store over on Southport, come on by!

Mike: Probably at a concert or home watching a sporting event(s)

Bobbi: Usually hanging with my puppy Kai when I am not at work.  Maybe cross-training on the bike or at Barry's.  

Liz: You can find me hosting friends, I love to cook and share my favorite Vegan food and during the fall on Sundays at Soldier Field for home games. Go Bears!

Favorite race and why?

Cynthia: In Chicago? the BOA 13.1 - It's a great race to see the other parts of Chicago that many folks don't travel too. I've also paced this race every year and have seen it grow so much! Out of Chicago? The London Marathon - The crowds are amazing. They never stop. There isn't a moment on this course that you are alone. That energy is like nothing else.

Chris: The Boston Marathon, for so many reasons. The history and traditions, the incredible support from the people of the Boston area, and what it means as an achievement to the runners who qualified through other races. 

Jamie: Chicago Marathon! Growing up in Chicago, I was always inspired to watch the runners go past my house every year, wondering how they ever ran so far. Sure enough, Chicago was my first marathon, and it will always be memorable because of that. Looking back, it's wild to see how much my running journey has changed and how much the race means to me outside of just the time I ran. Working at Fleet Feet, the marathon is our Super Bowl and I look forward to helping others towards their marathon goal, whether it's chasing a time, or finding shoes to get them through their training. As I started coaching, I loved helping others through their journey to get to the start line. Crossing the finish line is the celebration of it all. I always look forward to seeing friends from all over that come visit on marathon weekend, whether they are racing or spectating. It's one of the most fun weekends of the year!

Mike: CIM OR Twin Cities. Both races are just the right amount of challenging.

Bobbi:  It is tough to pick a favorite.  The energy in Boston is amazing and I love the NYC course (and keep going back to both).  Several races have amazing views that would be unexpected (Twin Cities, Little Rock, Utah, etc.). 

Liz: I love long-distance running, I fell in love with the marathon after the first one I ran, I love the challenge it represents as much as the sense of accomplishment it gives me, as well the opportunity to run in different places and travel.

Best spot in Old Town post-Wednesday night workout?

Cynthia: Anywhere there's good conversation and hydration.

Chris: Corcoran’s! The food is great and it’s become a Wednesday night tradition.

Jamie: Corcoran's has become a tradition, and while I don't drink, I love the social time with my friends.

Mike: Zoo lot in the summer 

Bobbi: One of the ice cream choices. :)

Liz: Jeni's ice cream, I love their vegan options 

What does running mean to you?

Cynthia: Running means freedom. It can be used to retreat from daily stressors or stimulation, clear and slow down my mind so I can work through stress, and move my body to relieve the tension I hold in my muscles. Running can be done with many people or alone. It's a great activity to catch up with someone or get to know them for the first time. I am the best version of myself during and after I have been able to run. Helping others to get that feeling of being able to move quickly through space and enjoy all that is around them, that's freeing.

Chris: Running means so many things to me. It’s community, it’s a physical and emotional outlet, it’s a chance to challenge and reshape beliefs about myself and my limits. Running has given me so much, and I love paying those gifts forward through coaching! 

Jamie: This has changed a lot over the years. I always thought that I needed fast races/results to validate what I was doing. And I’ve realized it’s far from that. When I started coaching this season, it made me put a lot in perspective. I don’t have it all figured out. I’m working my way out of an injury cycle that has given me imposter syndrome. I’m building back my own confidence while trying to support others with their own. And somehow this running community has shown me that the love and support of simply showing up every day and being myself is enough. I’ve been reminded that your story matters. And what you do every day can make a difference. I hope that I can be someone people can learn from, whether good or bad. Someone people can turn to when things aren’t going well, struggling through injury, or wrapping up their identity around their performance. Someone who just gets it, and knows that it gets better. This community has helped me grow so much. Out goals can often feel silly, but the people who are close to you will always make those goals feel important. Over the years, I've learned it's not about achieving some big goal. The excitement and joy come from the pursuit. I hope you find a goal to go after that brings you that kind of joy. Whether we achieve it or not, the daily gratitude of being able to do something we love is hard to beat. Running is fun! This community is everything. So much love to everyone that has been a part of mine. Cheers to all the healthy years and the most joyful pursuit of our goals! 

Mike: Running means finding new ways to challenge and prove to myself hard things are achievable. 

Bobbi: Running has brought me my closest friendships and a sense of accomplishment.  It brings a lot of happiness to help coach people and see them continue to improve and meet their goals and just be there for the social factor.

Liz: Running is a very important part of my life, it has taught me patience, and resilience, it has given me a community like no other, it has brought me joy, the opportunity to travel near and far, and also most of my favorite people.

Registration is still open, join the team here