Athletes of the Month
Stephanie Spiak
We are pleased to introduce you to August’s athlete of the month, Stephanie Spiak! Stephanie is an avid triathlete and cyclocross racer with a recent health scare and an inspiring story to share. In March of this year (2022), she was diagnosed with rectal cancer. This...
Matt Pozsgai
July’s Athlete of the Month is 27-year-old Matt Pozsgai from Vancouver, Washington. He’s been running for about a year and will be tackling his first of many triathlons this summer. But there is a lot more to his story. Be prepared to be inspired! He shares the...
Ron Hill
Our June athlete of the month is 38-year-old Ron Hill from LaCenter, Washington! Ron joined us for our second annual Pacific Coast Running Festival and participated in the Tour de Pacific bike ride and ran the half marathon. An active Army man and avid runner, Ron has...
Stephanie Wasden
We caught up with our athlete of the month, the newly minted duathlete Stephanie Wasden at Spring Classic. Stephanie was the last finisher that day – she knew she would be last, but it didn’t bother her. She was there to finish and finish she did. Stephanie’s...
Ron Draper
April’s athlete of the month is the incredible and fun-loving, 89-year-old Ron Draper! We caught up with Ron at the Couve Clover Run and he shared his inspirational story with us, fresh off the 3-mile course. Ron, a Korean War veteran (thank you for your service!),...
Cheryl Raeburn
Our March Athlete of the Month is the one and only Cheryl Raeburn! At 65 years young, Cheryl is a regular at Why Racing events and a friend to many in our running community. She’s been running regularly for about 15 years and has competed in countless races. She...
Mike Floyd
February 2022 athlete of the month is the fun-loving running enthusiast, Mike Floyd! Mike is a long-time runner and has many half marathons under his belt. PeaceHealth Appletree last year was his 91st Half Marathon– the registration team gave him bib # 291 to...
Karen Johnson
Meet our athlete of the month for January 2022, Karen Johnson! Karen’s story is one of survival, resilience and support from girlfriends!
Brandon & Robert Hozak
December's athlete of the month is a dynamic father and son duo who have both overcome incredible challenges in their lives and continue on their journey of inspiring athleticism. Make yourself comfortable as we proudly introduce you to: Brandon Hozack, age 38, and...
Steve Walters
November’s athlete of the month is the Marathon Freak himself, Steve Walters! We caught up with Steve at Appletree Marathon in September. It was a very momentous occasion for Mr. Walters – his 450th marathon! You read that right – 450 marathons! That is quite the...