Jim Vernon, Founder & Navigator

Jim is an avid trail runner  who received two silver buckles at the Western States and Leadville 100s and is also the course record holder for the Ultra Division 199 Mile Calistoga to Santa Cruz Relay with running partner Dean Karnazes.  On the ocean he’s competed in the 42 mile Molokai Hoe  which is considered the world championships of the sport. Additionally, he has been a guide in Canada’s Northwest Territories where he’s led groups down 40 plus day expeditions down the Back, Dubwant, & Thelon rivers. He is also a map “dork” and knows his way around the Marin backcountry.

Jim conceived and developed the Bay Areas first trail specific running program 3 years ago  for The North Face.  Upon the successful launch he went on to established The Endurables as a Bay Area trail focused running club that concentrates on having fun and training hard throughout the year.

With the guidance of Rachel Baker, this group offers one of the most comprehensive and balanced trail running programs for runners of all abilities.

Caitlin Smith, Coach

Caitlin has burst onto the running spotlight within the last two years with notable 2009 wins at the Nike Women’s Marathon, Gore-Tex Trans Rockies, Way too Cool 50K, and North Face Endurance Challenge Championship.

Intrigued by the human body at a very early age, Caitlin has spent her life cultivating creativity through movement. She began as a dancer and developed that interest through college, earning a bachelor’s degree in Justice and Social Change from the University of Michigan, where she facilitated art workshops in schools and other institutions.

Building on that experience, she earned a master’s degree in transformative art from John F. Kennedy University, where she explored performance art and its impact on self-esteem and the body.

For the past seven years, Caitlin has been teaching movement to kids and teens, as well as long-distance runners and yogis. She is herself a competitive trail runner, and she coaches high school cross-country runners. In addition to Pilates, she is a yoga instructor, working with children, teens, and adults. She has completed training in Pilates and yoga, and she continues to cultivate her love of movement through dance, yoga, Pilates, rock climbing, swimming, and trail running.

Rachel Baker: Coach, Uber Motivator

Rachel graduated from Indiana State University in 1998 with a degree in Athletic Training and Exercise Sciences. After graduation, Rachel worked with the Indianapolis Indians for an internship and really found her calling in injury rehabilitation via soft tissue work, bodywork, and exercise rehabilitation. She attended the international professional school of Bodywork with a focus on Sports modalities in 2001 and successfully completed the Sports Massage program at IPSB. After which, she took her NCTMB for national recognition. Rachel also started coaching runners, triathletes, ultramarathoners, and cyclists at this time. In 2005, she started the Active Release Technique training and since has completed upper extremity, lower extremity, and spine courses through Active Release Techniques. With this education combined with the CHEK institute HLC education, she works very close to her athletes and clients on the entire wellness package. Now, she analyzes your movement, intake, output, and can put together a complete system of wellness. You can choose to work with her one on one, internet coaching, or in combination with other coaches and professionals.