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Coach Jen Kirkpatrick

By Greg Sisengrath

January 12^th, 2023

About Coach Jen

"I started running in 2011 when I was 38 because I wanted to enter my 40s in a healthy body. I started with a Couch to 5k plan. After I developed a little fitness, I realized that I actually enjoyed running!

I worked my way up to the marathon distance, dabbled in triathlon and finally found trails. I ran my first ultras and 100 miler in 2017 and I never looked back. Trails truly hold my heart!

I started coaching in 2021 with Team Ninja with Greg, because I truly love this sport and want to share that love with everyone that I can!

I believe that you can be successful in trail and ultra without sacrificing work and family balance. Moderate mileage goes a long way when you add strength and mobility!Several of Jen's highlights are below.

Several of Jen's highlights are below.

Brazos Bend 100M
Possum's Revenge 52M - 3rd Female
Cactus Rose - 100M - 2nd Female
Pinhoti 100M - 6th Female
Bandera 100K
Grindstone 100 - 7th Female

Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Strava and her blog. You can also contact Jen via email at jenkirk72@gmail.com.

Laurie Rosser

I reached out to Jen after my first 50K at Brazos Bend. I was happy to finish (and I loved the race) but did not feel mentally prepared. I needed a coach that understood the challenges of being a mom, working full time and finding a balance between living and running. I know I'm not easy to coach since I'm prone to injury and burnout, but Jen has been a Godsend. She's patient, understanding, supportive and flexible. With her guidance and balanced approach to training, I finished another 50K in cold, pouring rain (Wild Hare 2022) but I felt strong and never doubted I would finish (Jen has a way of building your confidence even when you're struggling).

When I approached Jen about running a 50 mile race (Rocky Raccoon 2023), she was all-in. She worked around my chronic hamstring injuries by providing cross-training workouts so I could continue training without jeopardizing my long-term plan. She never pushed a workout that might acerbate an injury and encouraged continuous feedback on how I was feeling, what worked/didn't work and provided needed advice and support when I was struggling.

I credit my Rocky 50 finish to Jen. I never thought I could run that far (given how my body fights me every step of the way) but that's where an amazing coach can make all the difference. I can't wait to continue my running journey with Jen and I have no doubt that she will get me through whatever race/distance I want to do next. I am eternally grateful to Jen for believing in me when I didn't believe in myself!