TESTIMONIALS

Kate Tidwell

"I started running in 2011 and jumped into the half marathon community in 2014, running annual races through 2018. Then, like it does, life happened (yay autoimmune illness!) and running took a backseat in 2020. Fast forward to 2024, I was ready to get back out there but had no idea where to start.

That’s when I joined a half marathon training group and met Gino, one of the race mentors. From day one, he made me feel like I belonged, even after years of being away. He struck the perfect balance of encouragement and patience, cheering me on while reminding me to listen to my body.

There were setbacks, like a strained knee and wonky ankle, but he kept me motivated and moving forward without pressure. Thanks to his coaching, I crossed the finish line of my first half marathon in six years, and set a new PR, shaving 15 minutes off my old time! You can’t ask for a better coach/mentor than Gino."

Taryn Habel

"Gino was assigned to be my mentor in the half-marathon training program I joined and I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor. Throughout the entirety of the program he was constantly checking in on each of us in his group, making sure we were feeling good physically and mentally, checking in on how we were fueling our bodies, before, during, and after runs. He was always there training with us, even though he was training for his own races at the same time. Personally, I had trouble keeping up with the training program because of my busy work schedule. But Gino was always making sure I knew it was okay to rest when I needed to rest, and was always happy to see me at training on Saturday mornings. By race day, each one of us in the group were beyond prepared to pace ourselves, fuel properly, listen to our bodies and even just be proud of ourselves for what we accomplished. I’m so grateful to have had Gino mentor me during this time. It was the first half-marathon I had run and it was a great experience from the beginning to race day and beyond! "

Mia Andrea

"With Gino, I always knew I was in good hands. He is extremely knowledgeable about everything running. Whenever I had a question he would provide in-depth, thorough answers and if he was unfamiliar about what I had a question about, he would research it and come back to me with an answer. He encouraged me to ask him any question, even if it seemed dumb, which was extremely comforting for a more novice runner like myself. On our runs, Gino kept us motivated and was always checking in with the group, willing to adjust our pace and encouraging us to push ourselves when we could. Gino was there for us not just on our runs, but during our recovery as well. He taught us about stretching and nutrition post-runs and encouraged us to reflect on the positives and negatives of each of our runs so we could start our next run with a purpose. On a personal level, I felt that he genuinely cared for us as he checked in on us not just physically, but also mentally. After I sustained an injury and couldn't run, Gino was great at checking in with me and guiding me through recovery. All in all, Gino is a great source of knowledge when it comes to anything running, and in addition, is a genuinely caring guy that you can feel comfortable asking questions to and sharing your fitness goals with. "

Jordyn Lemons

"Training with Gino as my mentor was the sole reason I was able to complete my first half marathon in 2024. From teaching me how to play the mental game, to bringing new fuel to our long runs, Gino led our team to the finish line. If you’re looking for a well-researched, dedicated and invested encourager to get you through your running journey, Barilla Training and Running Company should be the first place you call. "

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