Kelly Schultz

My running journey started in high school when I joined the cross-country team my senior year to stay in shape in the basketball off-season. Running on trails brought a joy to running that I didn’t know was possible. In 2008, I decided to run my first marathon, even though I had never run more than a 5k. I had volunteered at mile 18 of the Frederick Marathon that year and was inspired by the resilience of the runners from the front to the back of the pack. A few years later, I was invited to a weekly trail run in the Frederick Watershed. There I met a welcoming, encouraging group of people including some elders that would share their trail wisdom with the newbies. This is where my love for ultra running grew and shaped the trajectory of my journey.
To date, I’ve run 14 marathons, 8 50ks, 3 50 milers, and loads of races at sub marathon distances. I’m currently training to complete my first 100K in February 2025! Every single race and training cycle has been learning experience. I’ve become a student of the sport. I truly enjoy learning about the physical and mental aspects of endurance running and how to apply it to my own training.

I started training with Charm City Run in 2019. Building consistency and achieving goals in running while being flexible in balancing all the other demands of life is a common challenge we all face. Being part of the group provided the accountability and structure I needed to break out of a terrible rut. I began coaching with CCR a couple years later so I could help others achieve their goals the way that my coach helped me. I love sharing knowledge and experience with other runners – in the same way I was brought into the community.

This year, I’m back to coach the trail ultra program targeting the Catoctin 50k & 25k in June 2025. This race is a challenge I know very well. I’ve completed the 50k three times and DNF’ed once – much is learned from finishing but even more so from DNF’ing. I’m excited to share my experience and guidance to all the amazing runners that want to challenge themselves and go after big goals on the trails this year!