USA Fit Tampa Bay Coaches
| Green Group | Yellow Group | Red Group | Fall Group |
| Click on a color group above to see the list of coaches for that group. | |||
| About the Organizer | ||
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Pat Brighton swimbikerun4fun@yahoo.comI have been with Tampa Bay Fit for 12 years starting at the age of 49. This is my 4th season as the Organizer with the help of Christy and our coaches. I could not do it without all their help and have loved every moment of my time with TBF. I have completed many races of varying distances since starting on this adventure from the Disney Marathon up to an Ironman Triathlon. My experience as an endurance athlete and coach helps me assist the new and returning members in preparing for and reaching their goals. I encourage everyone to be patient, prepared, safe and to have FUN! My goal for the 2010 season is to GET A NEW PICTURE | |
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Matt Conigliaro Head Coach Matt joined Tampa Bay Fit in 2004 having never done any distance running. Since then, he has run many marathons and half marathons. His personal record in the full marathon is 3:36, and he intends to crush that time during the 2010-11 season. Matt lives and works in downtown St. Petersburg and believes we are incredibly fortunate to train along St. Pete's gorgeous waterfront. He looks forward to a great season and to helping lots of runners meet their marathon goals. Matt is a shareholder with the law firm Carlton Fields and in his spare, spare time, maintains a legal blog. | |
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Christy Nelson Head Coach 4 years ago I was a brand new runner with dreams of training for a marathon. Little did I know how Tampa Bay Fit would change my life. I've run 4 full and 5 half marathons including the Disney Goofy Challenge, have twice done a relay across Florida, and also compete in triathlons. This is my 3rd year as Yellow Group Head Coach and 2nd year as TBF co-director. I hope to qualify for the Boston Marathon some day. I enjoy sharing my love of running and encouraging others to meet their goals. | |
 | Christy Ford Assistant Coach I joined Tampa Bay Fit last year to train for my first marathon, the Disney marathon. I ran short distances off and on for a few years; and did not start running consistently until two years ago when I started getting into distance running. I love running! I have met so many great people through the running community. It is a wonderful experience to train for a big event with a fun and support group of people. I look forward to running with you this season and helping you to achieve your running goals. | |
 | Jill HIll Assistant Coach I love distance running! While the running is great, I believe the people I meet at races, training runs, or along the path of my solo runs are the real bonus. My running interest began in middle school where I was a sprinter. As I've gotten older, it seems my runs have gotten longer, too. By age 42, I finally ran my first marathon and then - I was hooked. Since then, I have set as a goal to run a marathon in every state. As of July 2010, I've raced in 21 different states and am a member of the 50 States Marathon Club and Marathon Maniacs Club. During the school year, I am a social science teacher at Canterbury in St. Petersburg, Florida. I believe running helps me strike that perfect balance between work, family, and staying healthy. It is my hope that those that join us at Tampa Bay Fit, will learn to love running, too, and see the positive impact that it can have on your life. And by the way, my favorite quote is: “Some people dream of doing great things while others, stay awake and do them”. So let's dream big, and let the running begin. Happy Trails, everyone! | |
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Anna Rice Head Coach I put on running shoes for the first time when I was 19; some guys in the office needed a female for the corporate relay team. Prior to that, I was pretty much a bookworm and couch potato! I took some time off from running when my kids were little, but I realized that if I were to ever loose that baby fat, keep up with my kids, and develop a healthy heart for a lifetime, then I better start running again. The furthest I had ever run was a 10K and I always wanted to be able to run at least one marathon in my life, but I felt that a marathon was totally beyond me, since running always seemed such a struggle. It wasn’t until after I talked with a couple of friends who ran marathons that I found out that it is okay to actually walk part of it! When I discovered Tampa Bay Fit in 2008, I knew that my dream could become a reality. The seminars and experiences of the coaches gave me confidence, and having a running group kept me committed. Since then I have run in 3 marathon races, one of which was the Goofy Marathon and a Half, and all of them injury free! My day job is a high school math, science, and health teacher, which I totally love! I also enjoy hiking, backpacking, and being involved in my church. | |
 | Danielle DiRosa Assistant Coach This is the start of Danielle's third season with Tampa Bay Fit. Over the past two seasons she's completed 2 marathons, 5 half marathons, and 2 10Ks. This year she will take on Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge. Danielle is a middle school science teacher at Academy Prep in St. Petersburg. A New England native, she is an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan. Danielle looks forward her Saturday mornings with TBF. | |
 | Jennifer Bumbalough Assistant Coach I am so happy that I found Tampa Bay Fit! Training for long races isn’t easy, but having this group to meet with every week offers great friendship, support and motivation. An added bonus is being part of a team during the race. With a training group, you have friends to chat with, smile at, high-five, or just acknowledge with an exhausted nod on mile 20. A few years ago, I began running as a way to take better care of myself. In March 2008, a friend dragged me kicking and screaming to a 5K. I never thought I would actually enjoy a race, but loved the feeling of crossing the finish line. Since that first race and with the support of Tampa Bay Fit, I have completed 17 other races, including four half marathons in 2009 and the Gasparilla Full in 2010. I am looking forward to our new season and new challenges. During leisure time I enjoy cooking, reading, and learning as much as I can about running and food. | |
 | Ray Bailey Assistant Coach Before 2001, Ray would not run to answer a phone... then at the age of 40 he started walking, then running to lose weight. He then set a goal to run his first race - a 10K "Turkey Trot" in Clearwater. After completing the Turkey Trot, Ray was hooked on running and joined USA Fit Tampa Bay in 2002 to train for his first marathon - Disney 2003 - which he completed in 4:29. To date, Ray has completed five marathons, and nine half marathons. His best marathon time is 4:15 and his goal remains a sub-4 marathon. Since Ray started running, he has been able to run in in some pretty exotic places including Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, Budapest, Warsaw, Krakow and Berlin, and Prague. Ray comes back to USA Fit Tampa Bay every year because of the friendships he has made with other members, meeting new friends, and helping "newbies" meet their personal goals as well, and of course the group runs with those convenient water stops on those longer runs! | |
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Sheila Kane Head Coach Sheila moved from Ohio to Florida in 1999 and immediately decided that going inside to a gym to work out was simply not enjoying the beautiful area in which she now lived. Never having run before, she found Tampa Bay Fit that first summer and ran her first (and only) full marathon at the age of 40 in December of 2000. Sheila has been a Tampa Bay Fit member for 8 of the last 11 years and has since run 7 half marathons. She is married, lives in St Pete Beach and has 3 children- 20, 16 and 13. She enjoys reading, scrapbooking, gardening and margaritas! | |
| Jenn Olvedy Assistant Coach | ||
 | Robert Stines Assistant Coach Robert hated to run until he stumbled on to Tampa Bay Fit in 2008. Because of TBF, he completed his first marathon and triathlon. His goals for this season are: (1) Finish, (2) Finish with a Smile, (3) Finish with a Smile and Injury Free. Robert passed the Bar Exam and is a Lawyer and a Proud Dad. | |
| VJ Dixon Assistant Coach This is my fifth season with Tampa Bay Fit. I started running at the tender age of fifty-seven, after accepting my daughter’s challenge to complete a half marathon. My daughter and I researched several different running teams and programs in the area and were delighted when we found Tampa Bay Fit. From the first day we were welcomed! The continued positive support, encouragement and friendly atmosphere broke my stigma that running was for younger, taller and thinner individuals and not for me. I feel that my ongoing level of fitness has enabled me to continue to lead an active life, going to the gym, running, attending art shows, having Girls Night out and most importantly spending time with my family and my new granddaughter who has brought me countless hours of joy into the wee hours of the night. At this time, I have finished two half marathons, numerous shorter races…..and am looking forward to another wonderful running season. | ||
