About Us


Carmel - 620 Station Drive Carmel, IN 46032 317.844.1558		MAP
Downtown - 122 N. Delaware Indianapolis, IN 46204 317.955.7463		MAP

Our Employees are the Difference!

Every employee at the Runners Forum is a participant athlete. Their experience is your benefit and enables them to give you more than just product information provided by the manufacturer.

Their diverse background of professional expertise and accreditations are unmatched! Registered Dietician, Cardiology Nurse, M.S. Exercise Physiology, B.S. Kinesiology & Exercise Physiology, P.E. Teacher, Track & Cross Country Coaches, the list goes on and they all work in our stores where their experience can benefit you everyday!

Our specialized training programs coupled with the employees' hands on experience is why the Runners Forum staff have been considered experts for more than 30 years! Whether you are new to running, walking and endurance sports, or looking to take your performance to a new level, the experienced employees at the Runners Forum are excited and willing to answer any question you might have.

MARTY

Marty has been part of the Runners Forum since its inception in Greenwood in 1978, and a co-owner since 1990. A runner since age 10, 46 years now, he has run 59 marathons; his favorite is NYC, although Boston is a close 2nd. He has two grown children Aaron and Sarah, a grandson Kyle and granddaughter Emily. When not in the store, Marty enjoys a nice morning run, getting out on his mountain bike, and making the Northview XC course the best in the midwest.

SMITTY

Smitty, co-owner of The Runners Forum since 2004, continues to be one of the best Triathletes in the midwest. World 70.3 age group Champion 2008 , in Clearwater Florida (45-49, 2X-Mideast Triathlon Championship - Winner, 4x Hawaii Ironman Finisher and consistent top 20 finisher in Mini-Marathon. Smitty, along with the other owners, actually works in the store and you'll find him helping customers just like you. Come visit Smitty and get the "perfect" fit. Mike runs TriSmitty, a personalized training program for triathletes and duathletes. He graduated from Indiana University in 1984. Mike and his wife Jennifer have two daughters, Rachel and Taylor.

TOM

Tom joined the Runners Forum team in 2008 as co-owner. An IU graduate and former Little 500 rider, Tom enjoys racing bicycles as well as competing in triathlons and running races. Trail running is one of Tom's favorite ways to be outdoors. Whether running or cycling, Tom prefers the challenges and scenery of a hilly course. Away from exercise, one of Tom's favorite pastimes is boating. His favorite watersport is competitive tubing; whether on the tube or at the helm, it is sure to make him smile!

Julie

A 1995 Purdue graduate with an exercise science degree, Julie has run for 18 year and has competed in several marathons and triathlons. Julie’s favorite race was Boston in 2001. Julie is married and has an 11 year old son, Alex. Along with her duties at Runners Forum, she is affiliated with Acceleration Indiana, and new this month she has started a women's only personal training program for runners.

JEFF

Some guys just don't stray far from the nest, although Jeff has done his fair share of flying. Jeff is an alumnus of Carmel high school where he started his running career. Jeff continued with cross country at DePauw University and completed his first marathon a year later in 2004 (just shy of 3 hours but in Paris so pas mal). Since then, Jeff has worked his way up the social running ladder and finally achieved his goal of elite status at the 2010 Mini marathon, where he ran a 1:14. Jeff rejoined the Runners Forum team in 2009 after spending a few years in the event management industry. He is an employee constantly on the go, but you can find him weekly during the morning and early afternoon hours.

ADAM

Adam joined the Runners Forum team in July 2008. Adam is involved in Tri's, Du's, Marathons, and Adventure Racing. His biggest accomplishment to date is the Wild and Wonderful 24 hour adventure race in West Virginia. Adam finished the Techumseh trail marathon this past December.

ALI

Ali is the newest team member at the Runners Forum. She graduated from Purdue University in May 2009 with a degree in Movement and Sports Science. Ali has participated in a variety of sports throughout her life, including basketball, volleyball, and track. Her inspiration for running comes from her dad, who has been a runner for most of his life and has completed 12 Mini-Marathons; her goal is to join him next year, as well as compete in a sprint triathlon along with her older sister. When she isn’t working or out running, Ali enjoys reading books by authors such as Stephen Lawhead and Jacqueline Carey.

FRITZ

Fritz joins the Runners Forum after living in Burlington, Vermont where he ran on endless miles of pristine trails, caught fish with his bare hands in the crisp streams of the Adirondacks, and tapped Maple trees for syrup. The spirit of the Green Mountains of Vermont has allowed Fritz to develop a strong inner peace and is now prepared to begin his spiritual quest of running a 3:47 mile. In his spare time Fritz enjoys Wii Fit (the yoga especially) and being with his fiancée, Amanda.

DOUG

Doug started his 2nd career at Runners Forum in January ’09, retiring after 27 years in R&D with Eli Lilly. Doug's running career began in 1997 -- just for general fitness and pleasure. It wasn’t long before a hidden talent emerged and he started claiming age-group awards in local races. Recent highlights include winning the Southern Indiana Classic Marathon in Evansville (2010), winning the Seniors Division at the Marine Corp Marathon (‘08), and 2nd in the 55-59 age-groups at the 500 Mini and at Grandmas Marathon (‘08). Winning a marathon outright at age 57 is unusual to say the least. Only 3 times in the history of US running has someone else Doug’s age or older, won a marathon! Doug and his wife Deb enjoy traveling to different marathon destinations, running in the race (well, Doug anyway) and turning it into a long weekend getaway. Doug brings a wealth of experience and enjoys helping beginner to veteran runners of all ages meet their personal running objectives.

JB joins the Runners Forum team providing bicycle mechanic and bike fitting services. JB has been a USA Cycling Certified Mechanic since 1987. He has been chosen as a mechanic for many top caliber events including:

Good Will Games (1990)
Pan American Games (1991)
Pre-Olympic Events (Barcelona 1991)
Triathlon World Championships (1992-2005)

MEGAN

Megan is a first grade teacher in Zionsville and enjoys running and participating in local races. Megan has completed multiple marathons with the 2008 Boston Marathon being her biggest accomplishment.

ROBB

Robb is an Anatomy and Physiology teacher at Pike High School. He graduated from Indiana University with a bachelors in Kinesiology and a Masters of Science in Exercise Physiology. Having run competitively for the past 16 years, Robb has made the jump to triathlons over the past couple of years. Robb has completed two Ironman distance triathlons and is competing for his second time at the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, FL in November 2009. Robb and his wife Sarah have three dogs and spend a lot of their free time at Eagle Creek Park.

VINCE

Vince, is a senior at Carmel High School where he runs cross country and track. He is the first high school employee of The Runner's Forum, but his experience and maturity make him a customer favorite! Vince started to compete in XC and track at Carmel Middle School in the eighth grade where he developed a passion for running and has continued with the sport. He appreciates the help of his coaches and companions for keeping his love for the sport alive.

Jason

Jason joins the Runners Forum team after growing up running the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Southeast Ohio and West Virginia. Having run for over 18 years, he has run a wide variety of distance events from a 5k to the marathon and beyond. Jason has developed a passion for trail ultra marathons and recently completed the Land Between the Lakes 60k in Grand Rivers Kentucky. Jason and his wife Heather live in Carmel with their dog Ellie Mae and are expecting their first child.

WHITNEY

Whit has been at Runners Forum since 2002. He is a track coach and teacher at Carmel Middle School. Whit's PRs include a 1:12 at the Las Vegas 1/2 Marathon and a 2:34 at the Marine Corps Marathon. Whitney is married to his high school sweetheart Marcy, also a runner, and they have two sons, Warren and Teddy. In addition to Whit's duties here and at school, he is a Major in the Indiana National Guard.

WHITNEY B

A triathlete, adventure racer and personal trainer, Whitney works full time as a personal trainer and fitness programmer. She has completed 5 Ironmans and is training for Eco Primal Quest. Her running partner is Lola, her Jack Russle Terrior.

SHARON

Sharon joined Runners Forum in May 2008. She is a Registered Nurse with more than 20 years experience in cardiology and critical care nursing; she currently manages the Krannert Institute of Cardiology. Sharon ran track for Decatur Central as a high school athlete and attended IUPUI on a volleyball scholarship. Sharon started competing in Triathlon in 1991 and is a two time Ironman finisher. She has completed numerous half-marathons and several marathons. Sharon's athletic experience and educational background make her a valued member of the Runners Forum team.

GAIL

Gail was The Runners Forum's 1st female employee in 1983! She competed in track, cross country, and especially 10k road races. In her over 30 years of running she has also participated in Minis, marathons, triathlons and trail ultras. She has a MS in Exercise Physiology from IU, has coached youth track, and became a registered yoga teacher in 2003. Gail teaches Yoga for Runners. Gail met her husband, Craig, at a Bloomington Track Club run.

DOLPH

A runner, cyclist, and swimmer for more than 20 years, Dolph is also a Hawaii Ironman finisher. Dolph works in the bicycle industry and is F.I.S.T. certified bicycle fitter. Dolph enjoys mountain bike rides, camping and hiking in Indiana's state parks.

BILL

Bill, is an original employee of Runners Forum since 1978. Working on weekends along with his real job at Lilly's, Bill has helped as a trainer for Bricks to Bricks for 20 years, then Training for Life with his wife Judi. Bill has run all the mini's, most notably pushing his daughter Heather in her wheelchair. Bill loves the ultra distances for his running. Married to Judi for over 41 years, they have 5 children and 6 grand kids.