Staff

The Eugene Running Company is dedicated to total customer service. We provide individualized and personal service for everyone from beginners to competitive athletes. Our employees are all experienced runners who have undergone rigorous training requirements. You will appreciate our friendly expertise.

Bob Coll (Owner)

Bob has been a competitive long distance runner for more than thirty years and has completed more than 90 marathons and ultra-marathons. Although having only mediocre athletic talent, his enthusiasm for the sport is unyielding. While he doesn't recommend the practice, he once maintained a streak of nearly 16 years without missing a day of running. His marathon PR is 2:36 and his only claim to fame is his wife, Laura.

Laura Coll (Owner)

Laura is a retired international class long distance runner. She represented the USA seventeen times as a member of the National Team, including the World Cross Country Championships, World Cup of Track & Field, IAAF World Championship Road Race and Pan American Games. She has traveled the world extensively on the Professional Road Racing Circuit and competed in the 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000 US Olympic Team Trials. Laura has the distinction of winning the first-ever 10,000-meter Pac-10 Track Championship for women and competed in the first-ever US Olympic Team Trials for women at that distance. Runner's World Magazine rated her among America's Top Ten Road Racers in the early 1990's. In 2001, Laura was awarded the (University of Oregon) Lundquist School of Business-Warsaw Sports Marketing Center's Sportswoman of the Year Award. Her 10K PR is 32:30.

Hailey Coll (Bob and Laura's daughter)

Hailey Coll is a student athlete at Bertha Holt Elementary School where her favorite subject is physical education. Acamedically, she prefers math. She plays soccer on the Eugene Metros Futbol Club, enjoys mountain biking, nordic skate skiing and of course, running.

Shivaun Black

Shivaun and her husband Michael were previously partners in the Eugene Running Company with Bob and Laura. Michael had a vision of improving the running community in Eugene and as his vision was realized with overwhelming success, he turned his attention to other endeavors. Shivaun continues to spend her days in the store and is an avid walker, having completed the 2008 Eugene Marathon. She continues to lead our Wednesday night walks and serves on the board of the Oregon Track Club Masters.

Brad Hudson

Brad Hudson has coached some of our countries finest long distance runners including two time Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein. As a star runner for South Eugene High School he set a National Scholastic Indoor 5,000m record and ran an eye popping 2:17 marathon. He was a Pac 10 Champion for the Ducks and enjoyed a stellar professional running career where he represented the United States on two World Championships teams and was a two time winner of the Columbus Marathon.

Link to Brad's coaching website:
Boulder Performance Training Group:

Runner's World Interview

"Everything Matters" Running Times Article on Brad

Runner''s World Blog

Flocast Video

Liisa Heinonen, Group Run Coordinator

Liisa is one of Eugene Running Company's original employees and has recently taken the position of group run coordinator. She continues to inspire beginning runners as the head coach of the beginner's running group.

Liisa was born in Eugene and grew up in a running-based family. She began running at age 14, helping her South Eugene High School cross country team win the State Championship. She currently attends the University of Oregon where she is studying art.

Liisa is a long distance runner and has experience on the University of Oregon cross-country team. On the track, her favorite event is the 5K. She also enjoys outdoor activities such as surfing, snowboarding and hiking.

Kathy Anderson

In addition to Kathy's running experience and past employment at a running specialty store, Kathy brings an intimate knowledge of our community.

Kathy is a long time Eugene resident who is very involved in the track & field community. She is an Oregon Track Club Masters board member and also volunteers for the Daisy Ducks( University of Oregon booster club).

Jeff Drouet

Aside from Jeff's experience and knowledge as a competitive distance running, Jeff has extensive experience working in customer service related jobs.

Jeff ran for Louisiana State University where he majored in mechanical engineering. Jeff had the honor of making Dean's List, Scholar Athlete Award and Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society.

Jeff is now a member of Team XO, a high level Eugene based track and cross country developmental team. He continues to train as a high level competitive runner.

Anna Heintz

Anna is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2008, she came to the Eugene Running Company with over three years experience in the running specialty business. She is a marathon specialist and her favorite marathon is the Prince of Wales Marathon in Alaska. Anna is passionate about coaching runners. She currently coaches our Beginners' Running Group, Thursday Performance Group, and Portland Marathon Team. Her other interests include writing for Marathon and Beyond Magazine and teaching PE running classes at the University of Oregon.

Danny Bellissimo

Danny is a student athlete at South Eugene High School. He participates on both the Axemen Cross Country and Track teams. He brings to the store a vast knowledge on spikes and day-to-day training for long distance events. He also enjoys playing basketball.

Stephan Willow

Stephan Willow is an ultra marathoner and trail runner who works part time at the store when he's not teaching youth at Serbu Correctional Facility. He brings to the Eugene Running Company vast knowledge on barefoot running, eating on the run, and running long long miles both day and night. He also enjoys spending time with his wife and twin daughters.