Featured Alumni

Kyle Sable (2000-03, Club Founder)

Really? Seriously? 44,000 students and there isn’t a running club? How could that be? I spent my first semester at Michigan looking all over for the running club before concluding one simply did not exist. Fortunately, I wasn’t the only person that found a lack of a running club at Michigan to be almost unbelievable, and so a small group of students from South Quad set out to form MRun in January of 2000.

We reserved a small room in the Union for our first “mass meeting,” stuck flyers in every dorm and major lecture hall, and waited anxiously to see if anyone would show up. And show up MRunners certainly did. We gave our presentation halfway out the room’s door so the dozens of overflow attendees could hear our pitch for a new club to promote friendship, community service, and health through running. What we lacked in uniforms and formal support (MRun didn’t become part of Rec Sports until several years later), we made up for in enthusiasm, sporting homemade headbands at charity fundraisers and a hodgepodge of Michigan shirts at races.

I don’t know what to be more surprised about now – the things that have changed or the things that haven’t. The racing schedule and size of the club is massive compared to our humble start, and MRun has led to countless friendships and more – including marriages and children! At the same time, the club still meets at 4:15 at the CCRB, still has the cheapest dues of any club sport to enable broad participation, and still supports recreational running, competitions, social events, and charitable endeavors.

Looking back, MRun was the most important part of my college experience, and I take pride in having helped to create something so important to so many others. I still love donning the latest MRun singlet for races, and always find myself picking up the pace just a little bit when I hear a “Go Blue!”

- Kyle

Greg Sollish (2012-15, Club President)

Hello internet surfer! You must be bored if you (like me) have found your way to the alumni features page of a club running team's website. Anyway, I graduated way back in 2015 with my BA in Anthropology, and through a series of questionable life decisions, that my more STEM inclined former roommates constantly remind me of, I have found myself in a PhD program in anthropology at the University of Virginia (I still dabble in NIRCA, so look for the slow old guy at nationals). On a more serious note, however, MRun was my family as an undergraduate. I transferred to Michigan midway through my freshman year, and arrived unsure of my academic and social future. MRun was there to support me. MRunners not only became my awesome teammates, but they also became my roommates and some of the best friends I have ever made. There are currently three of us former MRunners living here in Charlottesville, and we still meet up to run and watch football games. The relationships you make on this club will last a life time. My one piece of advice for new runners is to travel. Even if you are not in to racing, just get out of the Ann Arbor bubble for the experience. You never know who is going to wake you up at 4:00am to introduce themselves as your weekend roommate only to later become a great friend (wink, wink, Jimmy Adams).

- Greg

Travis Latchaw II (2014-17)

I got this wristband right after my first Mrun fall mass meeting during my sophomore year when I joined the club, and I have not taken it off since. At first it was simply because I liked having it on, but after awhile I kept it on to show my pride for the club and team that I was a part of. My entire college experience became intertwined with Mrun practices, events, and most importantly, people.

With the exception of maybe 2 or 3 people, I made all of my friends in Mrun, and in a relatively short time as well. I met people who were welcoming, funny, and much like myself, enjoyed running for some reason. And that is what really kept me coming back. I did like getting faster and working to break my PRs. Seeing that progress over time was very motivating, but I came for the people. And as I moved from Mrun novice to veteran and unofficial sprint training chair I really tried to exhibit the same qualities of welcomeness and humor that drew me into the club.

If I were to give advice to new Mrunners, I would say to keep at it. There are gonna be those days where, much like the M on my wristband, your motivation will fade and you won't really want to go to practice for one of any number of reasons, and there are gonna be days where you don't run as well as you would like to, but persistence pays off. And if all else fails, and you just have an absolutely terrible practice, or performance at a meet, take solace in the fact that the entirety of Mrun is cheering for you still. No matter if you are a distance runner or sprinter (#SPRINTERS FOR LIFE), fast or slow, the team wants you to succeed, and eventually you will fall into that as well and you will find yourself cheering for your friends and even other Mrunners you haven't met with "an enthusiasm unknown to mankind".

Mrun is the one of the best clubs on campus, and I envy anyone who gets to spend all four years of their college experience with its members.

- Travis

Taylor Flynn (2012-16)

Hi again MRun friends! As a freshman I felt totally lost at a University with so many people, I had no idea where to start! When I found MRun as a sophomore, it completely changed my college experience. I found some of the greatest, loveliest, most eccentric people that I still get to call my best friends! I graduated back in 2016 from the School of Nursing, after 3 years of MRun love, 1 stint as a RAM coordinator, and I was even a social chair with your very own Ross Pendergast! My advice to new runners is to say yes to everything. When your loving social chairs plan events, say yes! Go get MoJo with everyone after practice, stay out late at the UGLi not even studying, go spend 24 hours on RAM. When you look back on your college years, that is definitely what you will remember! MRun was my family on campus, and all of my best college memories inevitably involve MRun. Nowadays, I am one of three former MRunners living in Charlottesville, VA. I am currently working as a labor and delivery nurse at UVA hospital, where I get to catch babies for a living! I am so incredibly grateful I found a home in MRun, and proudly wear my MRun spirit wear around Virginia to entice a "Go Blue!" every once in a while! :)

Much MRun Love,
Taylor

Jack Fitzhenry (2014-17)

If what follows sounds a lot like what others already have written about MRun, it's because the wonderful experiences on this page truly are representative of the experiences of the many who have chosen to call themselves MRunners. My MRun experience was unique in one respect: I was a first year law student when I showed up to my first practice. I was so old that my fellow MRunners began calling me "Grandpa" within a few months. I didn't get any younger over the next three years. I came to Michigan as a recovering Division III runner, and I doubted whether I still wanted to run with any consistency. But within weeks, MRun had me racing again, and I was as excited as I had been when I was a varsity athlete. The talent and dedication of the Club's top guys and girls always impressed me, as did the loyalty of those who came daily just to run a few miles. MRun offered the camaraderie and quirky intensity of a serious college team, something that I never thought I would experience again after graduating from undergrad. Every year, I dreaded losing the outgoing class of seniors. And yet, the fundamental character of the club remained the same year over year. These were still the people that I most wanted to tailgate with and stand next to in the Big House. I could rely on them to hammer a Tuesday night workout and then rush off to Ashley's with me for food and drink. New faces became familiar friends, and familiar faces stepped up to take on the roles of the seniors who had moved on. Whether in the Arb, Leslie trails, or on Barton Shore Extended, I had the best company for the miles that kept me grounded. Because it forced me beyond the Law Quad, MRun gave me a deeper connection to Michigan than I ever could have developed on my own. For all that MRun gave me, for those who ran with me, and for those who will keep the club running, I say HAIL.

- Jack

Taylor Pessetti (2017-22)

Hello to all future MRunners (and current MRunners - I miss you dearly)! When I say that previous sentence, I mean it with my whole heart. MRun was more than just a club to me during my five years at the University of Michigan. It not only gave me a reason to work out and stay healthy, but it gave me some of my fondest memories, and friendships that I know will last a lifetime. From late nights in the tap room to after practice MoJo dinners, to bus rides home from the track with the sprinters, every single memory was one I will cherish for the rest of my life. When passing up the opportunity to be on a D2 or D3 track team for the University of Michigan, I was never sure that I would step on a track again. However, MRun kept my competitive spirit and love for running around a large oval alive.

If I could give any advice to current or future MRunners, it would be to seize every opportunity that this club gives you. Go run the chocolate milk 4x4 (even though it will hurt for about 5 minutes)! Attend every community service event that you can! Get out there and race, even if you feel slightly out of shape, because some of the best people in the world will be there to cheer you on! Heck, I added on a year of grad school just so I could do this all for one more year. At the end of the day, I can name 100+ people who will say that MRun was pivotal to (if not the best part of) their college experience, and I really hope that some of you find just as much meaning in this club as I did. If you see me in my yellow boots at Little Tens, feel free to say hi :)

With much MRun love,
Taylor "MRun Grandma" Pessetti

Sophia Grant (2020-24)

Hello MRunners and fellow friends!

I can say with confidence that MRun was the best part of my undergraduate experience. As soon as I joined the MRun summer training spreadsheet in the summer before my freshman year, MRunners followed me on Strava, and some even left encouraging comments on my runs. Soon after I started freshman year, I met a few of those people in real life, and they became some of my usual running buddies. The first MRunner I ever went on a run with became one of my best friends from college.

I have so many fond memories from MRun. Almost all of my friends from college are people I met through MRun. MRun also helped me discover how good of a runner I could be – quickly after joining and settling into training, I started smashing all of my PRs, and I was doing so in a supportive environment where my training buddies were doing the same. I’ll never forget heinous and sleep-deprived 2am runs during RAM, helping the women win Cross Country Nationals for the fourth and fifth years in a row, and almost throwing up after eating seven slices of bread and immediately running a 400 for a loaf of bread 4x400m relay.

My advice to MRunners is to participate as much as you can. I cared deeply about becoming a better and faster runner, so I went all in on workouts, but because MRun is so welcoming to everyone, you don’t have to do a single workout if you don’t want to (although you will be missing out on the devious Michigan workout, which is so difficult but so gratifying). Go to all the social events, go to MRun camp, participate in RAM (literally one of the coolest things you can do at Michigan), go to the meets (even to do an easier run or just spectate), and hang out with your fellow teammates whenever you can. If your experience is anything like mine, you’ll look back on your time as an MRunner with positive memories and lifelong friendships.

All the MRun love in the world,
Sophia

Ian Penney (2021-25)

You know how it is guys. It’s Ian Penney. I’m the type of guy to add myself to the notable alumni page because I’m notable. In addition to being one of your webmasters, I worked hard to be the craziest guy on the team and make everyone laugh. And, worked hard I did. That’s what I call the “Ian Penney Effect”.

However, such a phenomenon pales in comparison to what I call the “MRun Effect”. That is because, while I’m sure I made an impact on this team (ask my fans), I would argue the team made a bigger impact on me. There’s just something about a group full of determined runners who care about each other, working hard to run fast, and having a blast--that made me who I am. 'Till death do us apart, MRun will always be a part of me.

My absolute favorite memories of all time came from this club. I loved pushing the dining hall after practice and hanging out with the absolute best people in the world. The conversations were fun and the jokes were hilarious (my fans loved Ian Penney humor). The meets were exciting too; I ran fast, and I even PR’d at all 5 cross country meets my Junior year. Go to social events (especially camp)! Do RAM/community service too!

You can run for the sport. Or, you can run for the vibes. But, you cannot run from the end, and although I still cannot comprehend such a hard-to-believe maxim as I write this, I must admit this “Unc” has finally reached that point. Maybe the fact that the fun couldn’t last forever is where MRun’s beauty actualized for me, and its meaning now shows. I only say this to remind you that you must spend as much time as possible with the club that is MRun! You won’t regret it.

Shoutout Lindsay, the beautiful bride whom I “married” in the Wilmont basement :) (I’ll love you forever, and you are truly an angel.)

- Ian Penney

You can keep up with me on my personal website ian.hellollama.com, for however long that stays up...