My name is Zach Start, and I am a runner from the Jenison, Michigan area.

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I picked up running more competitively in 2020, and I am looking forward to running the Marquette Marathon. I am pumped to compete in this race! This will be my fifth marathon, and my best times include 2:38 in Boston, 2:29 in Chicago, and 2:30 in Indianapolis. 

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I am happily married to my wife, Kelsi. We have four children who are all in school. I currently own and operate a local Locksmith business here in the Grand Rapids area. Finding time to train for a marathon can be difficult, but I always embrace that challenge. 

My name is Jordan De Groot, and I am a physical therapist from North Liberty, IA.

I ran track and cross country for Dordt University and now run for Fitness Sports Distance Project, a competitive running team based in Iowa.

After many years of injuries through college, I now enjoy chasing PRs from 5k's to marathons. Running has been a wonderful gift to enjoy creation and a way to build a supportive community.

Aside from running, my husband and I enjoy camping, gardening, and playing board games.

I am a former professional cross-country skier and NCAA champion for the NMU Nordic Ski team (Go Cats!).

I am currently in my 3rd year of medical school and starting clinical rotations. We’ll see if 12-hour days in the hospital translate to running fast! I have roughly 8 years left in my medical education journey before hopefully becoming a full-fledged orthopedic surgeon. My wife, Kameron, and I are counting down the days until we get to move back to our favorite place in the world, Marquette.

We fell in love with each other and the town during our days as Wildcats, and continue to look forward to coming back and serving the amazing U.P community in the future. 

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The 2025 Marquette Half was one of those rare days when everything came together perfectly, and I ran my race to my highest potential. I am hoping to replicate the same for this year and recapture that feeling of flying down the Iron Ore Heritage Trail. Breaking the course record would be a cherry on top, but I am most looking forward to pushing my limits in my favorite place in the world! 

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I love running, skiing, landscaping, and spending time with my wife, Kameron, pup Kip, and two cats, Mijo and Tiny.

My name is Kameron Torchia. I was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula and feel so lucky to call such a beautiful place home. I have been  running since I was 15 and had the opportunity to run cross country and track and field in college at Northern Michigan University from 2014-2018. 

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After graduating from NMU after a successful collegiate running career I decided to start running marathons as a way to transition from collegiate running to hobby running. I qualified to run at the Olympic Trials in the marathon in 2019 and ran in the 2020 Olympic Trials in Atlanta, GA. 

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I took a step back from competitive running from 2020-2024 as I completed my doctorate nursing program at the University of Michigan. I’m grateful for this time as it changed my relationship with running and allowed me to run just for the joy this sport brings me.

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I started my career as a Nurse Midwife in 2024 and absolutely love what I do. I spend many hours supporting women and their families as they bring new little people into the world. It’s such an honor to be a part of such vulnerable and magical moments in people’s lives! I work alongside amazing people who truly are some of my closest friends and enjoy going to work every day because of them! 

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I’ve enjoyed my time training and racing bigger races the past couple of years since graduating from graduate school. Most recently I’ve run the Dexter Ann Arbor Half and Charlevoix Marathon in June 2025, Marquette Half in September 2025, and the Boston Marathon in April 2026. 

Michigan native Katie Swor has steadily risen as one of Michigan's top-finishing marathoners in recent years, but Marquette has been part of her running story for over a decade.

After completing the Marquette Marathon in 2015 and 2016, she returned to win the 2021 Marquette Half Marathon alongside her brother Richard, making them sibling champions that year. Katie owns personal bests of 2:48:26 in the marathon (Bayshore ‘25) and 1:18:35 in the half marathon (Marquette ‘23), and is also a two-time Rock CF Rivers Half Marathon champion.

Before distance running, Katie played club rugby at Western Michigan University. Off the course, Katie trades her race bib for a radio as Operations Director for the Detroit Free Press Marathon.

When she is not on a race course, she is trying to keep up with her son, Owen, and husky, Thunder, who keep her on her toes long after the running shoes come off.

My name is Sophia, and I am a recent NMU graduate.

During my time at NMU, I competed on the Cross County/Track team. Here, I qualified with the team for Cross Country Division II Nationals. 

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Now, I am a paralegal at a law firm in Marquette. I am shifting my focus to the half-marathon and marathon. In my free time, I also love to rock climb, hike, and read. 

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I love the community and structure that running provides, and I am super grateful that I have been able to pursue running after graduation!

Some day, I hope to qualify for the Olympic Trials in the marathon.