COACHING RUNNERS 
Hometown: LA Grange, IL
Email: michelle@paceofme.com
Instagram: @mkzmartinruns
Certifications: RRCA, VDOT02
Coaching at Pace of Me since: 2023
Marathon PR: 3:40 marathon (down from 4:45)
Michelle got into running in 2002, after watching her then-boyfriend (now husband) train for the New York City Marathon. She was instantly enamored and started running herself — and 25+ years, 11 marathons, and countless other race distances later, she hasn’t stopped, and she’s loving every bit of it. Outside of running, Michelle is all about long walks and runs with friends, time with her dogs and family, and a good book. Her relationship with running has evolved a lot over the years, and today it’s centered on longevity, health, strength, and community. Her running looks different than it did in her 20s and 30s, and she’s still finding new ways to challenge herself within it.
Michelle ran her first marathon in Chicago in 2003, finishing in 4:45 and learning more than she ever expected along the way. From there, she chipped away at her time, and the New York City Marathon became her first major PR when she broke sub-4. That’s when she realized the right coach and community could keep her improving — and she went on to run a 3:40, qualifying for Boston for the first time. The marathon remains her favorite distance, and she’s currently training for CIM this December. Looking ahead, trail running and ultras have caught her attention, with an eye toward 2027 or 2028.
Michelle got into coaching at a point in her life when she was craving to learn more, both personally and professionally. Her own experience as a runner — and with her own coaches — showed her how much she wanted to help others the same way. She met Coach Jess in 2019, and what started as a friendship grew into a coaching relationship that changed her path. Jess’s belief in her, paired with the right timing, led Michelle to get certified through VDOT02 and RRCA, and she joined Pace of Me as a coach in 2023.
Michelle wants every runner she works with to feel supported and to have training that flexes with their life, while still being challenged to grow — whatever that growth looks like for them. With years of coaching expertise and a genuine passion for the sport, she loves creating personalized, supportive, results-driven workouts and training plans. Her philosophy is rooted in meeting runners where they are, focusing on progress over perfection, and making running enjoyable.
Favorite workout: A long run with a built-in progression
Favorite race distance: Right now, the marathon — though she also loves smaller races in cool cities she wants to visit
Favorite place to run: A tie between Eugene, OR, and Traverse City, MI
Bucket list races: Missoula Marathon and the London Marathon
Favorite shoe: Brooks Hyperion Max 4 (still deciding on her race-day shoe for CIM this December)
Can’t-live-without gear: Her Hokas or Brooks, her She’s Birdie personal alarm for solo runs, and a hat — her go-to being the WYN Republic flagship cap
