COACHES
TJ David
TJ David is the founder and head coach at Microcosm Coaching. He holds certifications in Sports Psychology and Trail Run Coaching from UESCA as well as a certification in Holistic Health and Integrative Nutrition from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. He was the recipient of the 2019 IIN Leadership in Health Coaching Award and is a former Professional Big Mountain Skier, Ski Mountaineer and Endurance Athlete, performing at the highest level internationally for over a decade.
TJ partners with athletes of all levels, from elite athletes looking to take their careers to the next level to folks eager to run their first ever 5k. His coaching is deeply rooted in his background in Holistic Health Coaching. He incorporates focuses in restorative sleep, stress management, meditation, developing mental toughness, cultivating intrinsic motivation, harnessing harmonious passion and overcoming performance anxiety into his coaching to help athletes not only reach their goals, but develop better habits and find more joy along the way.
TJ tailors his program to fit your individual needs while working with you to create ambitious but achievable goals that keep you on your growth edge. TJ has successfully coaches athletes to multiple national level podium performances, top-ten international events, and has taken athletes from the mid-pack to the top 3% of the sport.
TJ is the 2018 US SkyUltra Running Champion and course record holder at the Indian Creeks 50 miler and Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon. He is the previous record holder at the Telluride Mountain Run 40 miler and previously held the Willow Lake 3 Pass Loop FKT and Back 40 Trails FKT. He has podiumed at numerous events, including winning the Indian Creek 55k SkyUltra Race and Silverton Alpine Marathon in historic times. TJ set an elite USA qualifying time in the 50-mile trail distance in 2019, and has since been on international podiums, most recently at the UTMB Valhöll race in Cordoba, Argentina. TJ regularly competes at international events and has completed and coached athletes at UTMB CCC, Leadville 100 and Western States 100, as well as dozens of other top tier events around the globe.
In his ski career, TJ has put up first descents in Norway and Colorado, he has appeared over fifty million times in advertising and marketing content for Aspen/Snowmass, filmed for Warren Miller Entertainment, been published in every major ski magazine world wide including Powder and Freeskier and had multiple top-10 finishes on the Freeskiing World Tour. As a ski-mountaineer, TJ has skied several internationally rated 5.4 lines in France, Argentina and Ecuador, as well skied over a dozen of the 50 classic Ski Mountaineering Descents of North America.
Zoë Rom
Zoë is a UESCA Certified Running Coach as well as holds certifications in Sports Psychology and Sports Nutrition from UESCA. Zoë is a full-time professional coach and the Communications Manager for Microcosm Coaching. Zoë is a published author, and alongside Tina Muir published “Becoming a Sustainable Runner” in August of 2023.
Her running and coaching are powered by the belief that with smart, efficient training and enough self-belief, Earth is 97% runnable. She started co-coaching with TJ and Microcosm Coaching in 2019. Her bipedal accomplishments include a top 10 and sub 24 hour finish at the Run Rabbit Run 100 in 2023, as well as top finishes at UTMB Puerto Vallarta (5th) and UTMB Valhöll (3rd). She also holds the overall unsupported FKT on the Buffalo River Trail, FKT of renowned Colorado 14er Capitol Peak, has placed 1st at the Crested Butte 100k, and is the two time winner of the Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon and War Eagle 50k.
Kylee Van Horn
Kylee Van Horn is a USATF Certified Running Coach, Carbondale, CO based sports dietitian and believes that nutrition is a key player in sports performance that many overlook.
She seeks to provide individualized, but sustainable plans that work for athletes to help them achieve their goals. Kylee is a freelance columnist for Trail Runner Magazine and has contributed to Outside Magazine Online as well as Women’s Health Magazine.
Kylee works with athletes of all stripes as both a coach and sports-specific nutritionist. She is a certified USATF coach and registered nutritionist dietitian, 2:47 marathoner and finished top five at the USATF Trail Marathon Championships in 2019. Whether you are looking to complete your first race, dial in your fueling plan, or achieve big performance goals, Kylee has got you covered!
You can find Kylee and her pups, Ellie May and Lhotse running in the mountains around Carbondale, Colorado.
Drew Conner
Drew Conner is a husband, father, and full-time, professional, UESCA Certified Trail Running coach. After graduating from the University of Central Arkansas with his BS in dietetics & clinical nutrition and letterman in Cross Country and Track, he was the General Manager of one of the U.S.’s top specialty running stores, Rush Running Company, for over 14 years.
His running philosophy is “mind over matter” and that with the right mindset and training plan, anything is possible. Drew has been running for over 20 years and a coach for over 10, he is an expert in working with both seasoned elites and total beginners. He’s a believer in work/life balance and a proponent of training with a ‘family first’ mentality. His passion is taking beginner runners nervous to take the first step and helping them grow both as a runner and a human being.
His recent accomplishments include a 1st place overall finish at the Joplin Marathon and a 1st place finish at the Dogwood Canyon Trail Run 50k.
Zack Russell
Zack is a UESCA certified trail running coach, NASM certified sports nutritionist, and certified athletic trainer. He is also a NSCA certified strength and conditioning specialist working as a specialty running store manager at Independence Run and Hike in Carbondale, CO. He has a background in orthopedics, and has worked as an athletic trainer with USA Track and Field at world championship level events. Zack currently lives in Carbondale, Colorado and often finds himself creating adventures that include both the bike and running.
Zack enjoys coaching multisport and adventure athletes that enjoy big days outdoors. He enjoys inspiring others, and believes a strong coach-athlete relationship can lead to big breakthroughs in results. He understands the needs of time-crunched athletes and likes to incorporate fun training days for his athletes to keep the training process enjoyable.
Zack’s has competed in numerous events including Ironman, 100 milers, Unbound Gravel XL350, a 24 hr mountain bike race, road marathons, Nordic ski races, the Power of Four Skimo Race, and many more trail and ultra running races. He is never satisfied and is always looking for the next adventure to hop into. He holds a marathon PB of 2:41, but is still looking to dial his nutrition for those elusive 100 milers. Right now he is enjoying building a local running community through hosting group runs, weekly track workouts, and also in charge of directing three local races in the Carbondale, CO community.
Kristin Layne
Kristin is an Aspen, Colorado based UESCA Certified Trail Running Coach, specializing in working with ski-mo athletes. As a ski-mo National Champion, she brings a breadth of expertise to the Microcosm Coaching Team. You can find her baking sweets in the kitchen or chasing her young girls around the Roaring Fork Valley on foot, bikes, and skis.
Kristin discovered skimo racing after spending many years on heavy touring gear in the Colorado backcountry. She loves the efficiency and details of the sport. Running and exploring the mountains in the spring, summer, and fall provides a good break from ski boots.
Kristin’s coaching philosophy is rooted in her experiences as a mid-pack racer and the leading, evidence based training approaches for athletes. She seeks to support athletes by giving them the structure, tools, community, and skills to be successful in a variety of races. She is very attentive to detail and understands the busy demands of work, family, and other commitments.
Her achievements include the 2022 National Champion in the Vertical for Ski Mountaineering and 3rd Place for the Individual. She also has had multiple podiums at the Power of Four Skimo races, 1st place Female Team at the Grand Traverse Ski, and Female Course Record for America’s Uphill on Skis. Kristin has also won the Power of Four 50k trail run and the Aspen Backcountry Marathon.
Matthew Rodjom
Matthew Rodjom is a husband, father of three school-aged children, competitive road runner, and USA Track and Field (USATF) Certified Running Coach. He has coached at the collegiate level and trained athletes at all road racing distances and abilities.
Based in Virginia, Matt found his love of running in high school with cross country and track and has been running ever since. Matthew has competed at the Paralympic and collegiate level and has had top divisional finishes at the Boston and London Marathons.
Matthew believes anyone can be an excellent runner—regardless of age, physical or mental limits, or disability. His running philosophy is incorporated into everyday life. Being a father to three great (and super active) kids, he has first-hand experience on how to integrate training into a busy life and still meet your personal running goals, whether you are a first time or novice road runner or seasoned road runner looking to achieve a personal goal.
His accomplishments include: a 1st place finish at US Association of Blind Athletes Marathon Championships, Top finishes at U.S. Paralympic Track and Field Trials, 2nd place Visually Impaired at the Boston Marathon and overall winner of the Run with WIFLE Trail half marathon. Notably, Matthew represented the United States in the World Para Athletics Marathon World Cup (London Marathon, 2018), which remains one of his most rewarding and biggest personal accomplishments.
Skylar Sorokoty
Skylar Sorokoty is a post-collegiate track and cross country runner, has more than a decade of coaching experience and is a RRCA certified coach.
Skylar Sorokoty ran track and cross country collegiately and has spent more than a decade channeling his love of running into coaching, while continue to pursue his own running goals. He is an RRCA certified coach, who has also served as a race director and was previously president of a non-profit running club that donated $40,000 per year to local charities. Skylar has worked with athletes of all levels of experience and goals. He focuses his coaching on a holistic approach, considering the entire ecosystem of his athletes work, family and personal lives. He caters his approach and training to meet the athletes where they are to assist them in achieving their goals – whether it’s a first race, a fastest race, or any goal in between.
Skylar currently resides in Fayetteville, Arkansas with his wife, their daughter, and their three-legged dog, Roo.
Lauren Klein
Lauren Klein is a Reno, Nevada based UESCA Certified Ultra Running Coach as well as a Certified and Licensed Athletic Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist. She has a Master’s degree in Exercise Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine. She holds a black belt in karate and enjoys extreme sports, including ice climbing and backcountry skiing. Her love of the outdoors led to her passion for ultra running.
When Lauren was in her early 20s, she was diagnosed with early onset arthritis in her knee. She underwent four knee surgeries in a span of nine months, and has since run two half marathons, Mammoth TrailFest 26k, DC Peaks 55k, R2R2R, and was a Top-10 finisher at the World’s End 50k. She also paced the course record holder and winner of the Cocodona 250 and Tahoe 200.
Lauren believes in coaching the whole human. As an athletic trainer in Major League Baseball, she treated athletes from a holistic perspective, identifying and addressing deficits that helped her athletes become healthier and move more efficiently, thus increasing their overall performance. She uses her background in sports medicine and experience as an athlete to build programs for runners of all levels, whether they are working up to their first trail race or chasing their next buckle.
Kyle Jones
Kyle is an Austin, Texas based UESCA certified trail running coach with a BS in Kinesiology. Kyle has recently moved back to his hometown of Austin after a 3-year stint chasing his dreams of big adventure days in the high country of Colorado while managing a specialty run shop and achieving top age group finishes at some of the toughest trail races around!
Kyle is all in! He brings a high level of stoke and energy to his run community and fellow athletes. He loves the trail least traveled in order to get the best view and works with his athletes to find what drives and motivates them.
With decades of experience as an athlete pursuing his passion for endurance sports, Kyle has experienced the ups and downs of training and racing. He has found the balance between pushing his physical, mental and emotional capacity with compassion, recovery, and a growth mindset. He also deeply understands the power in each person’s journey in pursuing balance while embracing the process as the core component for growth. Through this lens, Kyle will tailor his coaching to help you focus on the big picture while building a sustainable practice that leads to success both on and off the trails.
As a master’s athlete, he firmly believes it’s never too late to achieve your dreams. Kyle embodies this philosophy and inspires others to pursue their goals with committed dedication to become the person they always wanted to be.
Kyle’s recent masters results: The Bear 100 (2022), Run Rabbit Run 100 (2023), San Juan Solstice 50-miler (2023), Sheep Mountain 50k (2022 – 4th OA), Bear Ears 50k (2022), and a top 10 OA finish in the 2021 Leadville Silver King (50-mile run / 50-mile MTB).
James Nance
James Nance is a UESCA certified running coach, runner, cyclist, violinist, data scientist, and cereal enthusiast who lives in Fort Collins, CO.
James fell in love with distance running after completing his first half marathon in 2012 and has run several half and full marathons since then, including the 2018 Boston Marathon. After an injury forced extended time away from running, James discovered a passion for road cycling as well, and recently completed Colorado’s challenging Triple Bypass Ride. As a running and cycling coach he enjoys developing relationships with his athletes and helping them define and realize their own personal goals.
Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, James graduated with his BA in Music Performance and BS in Applied Mathematics from Emory University in Atlanta, GA (heat, hills, and humidity!) and went on to earn his PhD in Applied Mathematics from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC (more heat, hills, and humidity!). He has been coaching athletes since 2021 and loves giving back to the sports that have given so much to him. With an analytical mind and values of compassion, excellence, discipline, and community, he firmly believes in Microcosm’s science-based and holistic approach to coaching. James specializes in coaching road runners in distances from the 5k to the full marathon, and coaching road cyclists for up to 100 mile endurance rides.
