Who we are

Gill at the Miwok 100K

GILL: OWNER
Gill competes in over ten ultramarathons each year, including 50K, 50M and 100 Mile races.  His resumee includes numerous wins at races ranging from 5K to 50 milers.  Gill runs for Team Montrail/Mountain Hardwear, is a full time coach and founder of Bad to the Bone Endurance Sports.  His educational background includes a Master’s Degree in Biology from Duke University.

Francesca running on the Marin Highlands
FRANCESCA CONTE, PhD: GENERAL MANAGER
Francesca was born in Padova, Italy. She competes for Team Montrail/Mountain Hardwear.  She has won numerous 50K, 50 mile and 100 mile races.  Her educations background includes a PhD in Biology from the University of Virginia.  She coaches all of CRC group and training runs and she volunteers at many other local running events and serves on the Board of the Rivanna Trails Foundation.

Marty hiking on the Appalachian Trail
MARTY RODDY: STORE MANAGER
Walking, strength and injury rehabilitation coach
Marty’s athletic career includes a football scholarship at Notre Dame Universtity, where he played for four years as an offensive lineman.  Since then, Marty has run several Marathons, including the Charlotte Marathon.  He now leads all of the CRC walking programs, including Marty’s March.  Because of his football career, Marty is also an expert in strength training and injury rehabilitation.

Dawn at the 2008 Olympic Trials
DAWN CROMER: DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
Dawn was a student athlete at the University of Virginia highlighting her career with All-American honors and the current UVA record holder in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.  She recently completed her elite racing career in the steeplechase with a great performance at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Track & Field. In addition to being the Director of Marketing for Charlottesville Running Company, she is a Real Estate Broker for Keller Williams Realty.  Dawn leads all of the training and group runs, including the Charlottesville Marathon and Half Marathon Training Program.

Jeff at the Hardrock 100 miler
JEFF WILBUR
Jeff was a NOLS instructor, leading mountaineering and technical rock climbing expeditions throughout the Rocky Mountains and Alaska, including a summit of Denali.  Jeff completed some of the hardest ultramarathons in the U.S., including the Hardrock 100 miler and the Massanutten 100 miler.  He is a long time member of the Rivanna Trails Foundation Board, and is an avid trail builder and conservationist.

Alyssa on her way to being one of the youngest finishers of the 2009 Western States 100 Miler

ALYSSA GODESKY
Alyssa began running ultramarathons four years ago. She has won races in a variety of distances from the 50K to 100K, and was one of the youngest finishers inf the 2009 Western States Endurance Run. In addition to ultramarathons, Alyssa is also a triathlete and finished her first Ironman in 2009. She graduated from UVA with a degree in Mathematics in 2008.

JEFF ROBERTSON
Jeff is a rising fourth year at the University of Virginia majoring in history and economics. He ran in high school, but really fell in love with the sport when he ran the Philadelphia Marathon in 2004. Since then, he has run several other marathons and half marathons, including the Boston Marathon in 2008. He spends his spare time exploring the Albemarle countryside while running and cycling.

AYLA SMITH
Ayla Smith is an uprising 4th year on the UVa Track Team.  Indoors, she runs to 60m hurdles, the pentathlon and the 4X400m relay. Outdoors, she runs the 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles and the 4X400m relay.  She holds the UVa school record in the 60m hurdles (8.39) and the 100m hurdles (13.52). She is an exercise physiology major working on her master's degree.  She is from Winchester, VA and has one older sister, Arin, who graduated this spring from UVa.

RYAN COLLINS
Ryan is from Mansfield, MA. In high school, he was a three time state champion, footlocker national finalist and indoor all-American in the 2 mile. He now runs for UVA where he has been 5 time all-ACC and indoor ACC champion in the 5k.  He qualified for the USA juniors 5k in Poland his freshmen year.  He is now a kinesiology major at UVA.  He loves the outdoors, music and all sports. He is THE best Tony Hawk 2 player and will beat anyone in trick attack or horse. Bring it.

OLIVIA GILLIES

SAM
Sam is the CRC mascot. Sam only runs in the winter, and he prefers short distances preferably close to cold water and followed by copius amounts of food.  Sam's upbringing was a bit shaky, but he now has a stable home with Gill and Francesca.  In the winter, he spends quite a bit of time at Charlottesville Running Company, where he enjoys being petted by as many people as possible.  His favorite outdoor activities, after sleeping, are sniffing and chasing deer.

Past Employees who have moved to other Cities and careers, whom we miss very much!

JAMES ERICKSON
Hometown: Belleville/Detroit, Michigan
Nickname: Jimmer
Snacks on the run: Cliff bars and GU. One time in Colorado I wanted to eat a fresh trout right from the river but my spearing skills failed.
Quote to live by:
"There's a place for everything and everything has its place." - my grandfather
Favorite Race:
10K at the ACC Track Championship.
Secondary Job: Artist (painting), Charlottesville Running Company
Upcoming race plans: Culpeper Triathlon, Philadelphia Marathon, more trail races.
Best Race in 2009: The Charlottesville Marathon. It was my first marathon on a challenging course. Having never entered this territory, I thought I would hit a wall after 18 miles. After 20 things just felt better and better.
Advice to first timers: Lose the head phones.  There is so much to listen to in the outdoors: the rhythm of your breath, the effects of the wind, wildlife, etc

ALEX BOWMAN
Alex is from Glen Allen, Virginia, and he is a fourth year at UVA.  His major is Political Philosophy, Policy, and Law, an interdisciplinary program.  He is embarking on his senior campaign for the Cavaliers track team.  His events are the Mile, 1500m, and 800m.  He spends his spare time reading about anything and studying for the LSATs.

LAURETTA DEZUBAY
Hometown: Bethlehem, PA
Running History: Lauretta started running in high school after giving up field hockey.  She was a 4-time state champion on the track in Pennsylvania in the mile and 2-mile.  At UVA, she has been to nationals in cross country 3 times.  This past year, Lauretta earned All-ACC and All-Region honors in cross country as well as individual champion of the Lou Onesty Invitation and George Mason Bull Run Invitational.  She is currently working on Bachelor's in Kinesiology and Master's in Health and Physical Education and she would like to pursue collegiate coaching or elementary school teaching.  Enjoys playing the piano (especially classical music!) in her spare time, and is the official CRC coach for Get Moving Kids!