Rogue Team
Founder & Head Coach: Jess
I started running in 2011 as a single mom looking for purpose—and discovered a path that changed everything. From gasping through my first 5K to running marathons and ultras, I’ve lived the transformation this sport can offer.
Now I help other runners do the same.
I’m not your average coach. My style is rogue: intuitive, outside the box, personalized, and rooted in real life. I coach beyond the numbers, blending strategic training with deep listening—to your body, your feedback, your life.
You can read testimonials here. :) I like to see the proof myself!
9+ years of experience personal training and coaching runners of all levels
Certified by UESCA, VDOT O2, McMillan Running, NASM, and ISSA
Strength-focused with a whole-athlete approach. Known for being eerily intuitive.
Known for fusing smart structure with soulful support
No fluff, no templates—just custom, effective coaching that fits your life.
Location
Based in Western NC
Meet Coach Kay
Contact Kay Directly: kay@rogueruncoaching.com IG: @kayyvp
Meet Coach Kay — RRCA Certified Run Coach & ACE Group Fitness Instructor
📍 Based in Waxhaw, NC (Coaching remotely and locally)
Coach Kay brings warmth, wisdom, and lived experience to the Rogue table. Whether you're just starting out, rebuilding after injury, or rediscovering yourself through movement, Kay meets you where you are and walks beside you in the messy middle.
She played soccer through college and ran her first marathon in 2011 as a senior. Since then, she’s completed over 30 half marathons and 3 full marathons — all while navigating surgeries, returning from injury and childbirth, and balancing full-time (and overtime!) work as a CPA. She’s always striving to get stronger and faster — and show her daughters what true strength and goal-chasing look like. This momma is leaving a legacy!
She’s your coach if you’re ready to:
Begin your running journey with confidence and support
Return post-injury or postpartum with care and structure
Break through mental barriers that have held you back
Get fit for life — not just for a finish line
Be reminded that this gets to feel good, even when it’s hard
Coaching Style:
* Understanding
* Supportive
* Motivational
Fun Fact: She’s running a half marathon in every U.S. state before turning 50, and chasing all six World Marathon Majors!
Post-race tradition: Uber Eats + a cold beer 🍻
Her mantra: “Take your goals seriously, but never yourself.”
“Take your goals seriously, but never yourself.”
Meet Coach Nicole
Nicole Clark, PT, MSPT, PhD
Coaching Credentials: RRCA Certified Running Coach; Physical Therapist (MSPT, PhD)
Location: Kansas City, MO & Remote Coaching
Runners I Love Working With Most:
Total beginners, PR-driven athletes, those chasing mental breakthroughs, or simply running for fitness and joy.
Coaching Style:
Engaged, evidence-based, inclusive
Why I Started Coaching:
I love helping people meet their goals. Seeing their joy brings me so much joy.
My Running Journey:
I began as a competitive swimmer and discovered running through cross-training. After hanging up the swim cap, running became my true passion. Post-PT school in 2003, I added cycling and triathlon to my life, completing countless marathons and half marathons, four Ironman 70.3s, and one full Ironman 140.6. I’ve been running for 30+ years and love giving back as part of the Garmin SmartPacing Team, helping athletes cross the line with confidence.
Favorite Post-Run Celebration:
Sushi + a cozy binge of my favorite shows.
One Piece of Advice I’d Give Any Runner:
Consistency is key. Just keep showing up every day in the best way you can and results will follow.
Fun Facts & Passions:
Dog mom to Boomer and Penny (both rescues!) and foster mom for pups in need
Amateur sourdough baker
Travel lover — even lived in a van in New Zealand for nearly all of 2016
Favorite quote: “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” — Booker T. Washington
Reach out to Nicole directly:
“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”
Family matters:
“My favorite run is anytime my three siblings and i get to run together. The fact that we can all bond through running together is so special.”
Meet Coach Julie
Coaching Credentials
UESCA Certified Running Coach
Based In
Northern Michigan (coaching remotely)
Athletes I Love Working With
Beginner runners, postpartum athletes, runners returning to fitness, and those chasing PRs or personal breakthroughs.
Coaching Style
personalized • encouraging • strong • sustainable • uplifting
Why I Coach
I was drawn to coaching after stepping away from my work as a physical therapy assistant and realizing how much I missed helping people understand their bodies and feel strong in them. Running has been part of my life for years, and coaching allows me to combine movement, education, and relationship-building. I love helping runners discover what works best for their body and watching confidence grow as they reach goals they once thought were out of reach.
My Running Journey
For years, I ran without any real understanding of training, pushing every run too hard and dealing with frequent injuries. When I learned how to train intentionally and sustainably, everything changed. I fell in love with the process of training, building fitness, and feeling good in my body. Today, I train for longevity, strength, and the joy of movement, and I bring that same mindset to the athletes I coach.
A Lesson on Google’s coaching advice…
I’ve been a runner for most of my life, but I didn’t become serious about it until I ran my first half marathon in 2018. I didn’t even know run coaching was a thing back then. I remember Google telling me to take half a gel during a training run, so that’s exactly what I did during my half marathon. Needless to say, I felt terrible afterward.
I ran another half marathon four years later with nearly the same finish time. My training consisted mostly of going out and running as fast as I could every day, which once again left me feeling awful. After that race, I discovered zone 2 running and was immediately hooked. I listened to as many podcasts as I could, read everything I could find, and followed people on social media who shared evidence-based training insights. I never looked back.
That obsession with learning how training actually works led me to discover run coaching, and eventually I knew I wanted to help others learn what I had learned. I ran my first marathon this past October and completely fell in love with the entire process and with who I became along the way. I can’t wait to help others fall in love with both the training process and the person they’re becoming through it.
Favorite Post-Run Celebration
Fresh coffee and a well-earned nap.
One Piece of Advice for Runners
Fuel matters. Carbs before, during, and after runs are essential. Food is your friend.
A Little More About Me
I live in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with my husband, our three kids, two dogs, a cat, and eleven chickens. My favorite running partner is my hound mix, Red, and we run together year-round through all seasons. As a busy mom, I understand the challenge of fitting training into real life. I believe it’s possible to pursue your goals while raising a family and I love helping athletes do both with confidence.
This year, I’m training for another half marathon (this time with focused speedwork!) and my first 50K ultra trail marathon in Marquette, Michigan.
Reach out to Julie directly:
Mental Performance Coaching Marisa Romeo
Running and racing aren’t just physical—they’re deeply mental. That’s why we’re thrilled to add Mental Performance Coaching to The Rogue Coach. Whether you’re chasing a PR, coming back from injury, or simply wanting to enjoy your miles more, strengthening your mindset is just as important as strengthening your legs. Partnering with a certified mental performance coach will help our athletes manage nerves, build confidence, stay focused under pressure, and tap into the joy of running no matter the distance.
From Marisa:
Hi, I’m Marisa, I’m a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (aka Sport Psychologist). I grew up competing in sports, and eventually shifted my focus to ultramarathons, where I now compete at an elite level in races up to 100 miles. Throughout my athletic career, I often struggled with the mental side of sport—nerves, pressure, and self-doubt. That struggle is what drew me to study sport psychology more deeply, ultimately earning a doctorate in Sport & Performance Psychology and a master’s in Applied Sport Science.
My passion is helping athletes and performers build the mental skills that support both performance and personal growth. We’ll work together to recognize the patterns in your thinking, identify what holds you back, and build strategies to approach challenges with more clarity and adaptability. My approach is centered on the whole person—not just the athlete—drawing on the connections between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The focus is on cultivating awareness and flexibility so you can handle setbacks and pressure in ways that feel genuine to you, instead of being driven by results or outside expectations.
You can learn more about my background, approach, and services here: marisaromeo.com
Meet the Dietitian
Kendra Miller, MPH, RDN, CSSD
Kendra Miller is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD)with a passion for helping athletes and active individuals fuel their bodies for performance and balance. With a background that began in competitive dance, Kendra has firsthand experience in how proper nutrition can transform both health and performance.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from the University of Texas and completed the Coordinated Program in Dietetics before pursuing a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion Science at the University of Oklahoma. Her professional experience spans sports nutrition, weight management, pediatric and prenatal nutrition, as well as food service and menu planning.
Before moving to North Carolina, Kendra owned a private nutrition practice in Alaska, where she worked one-on-one with athletes and partnered with regional hospitals to deliver telehealth nutrition education for mothers and children. Today, as a mother of two and an athlete herself, she brings both expertise and lived experience to her work, helping others discover the power of nutrition in supporting an active lifestyle.
Connect with Kendra
Dr. Annie Barnes is a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS)with expertise in both sports medicine and pelvic health. Originally from coastal Georgia, Annie earned her degree in Exercise Science from the University of Georgia and completed her Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Armstrong State University in Savannah.
Her career began in a manual-therapy focused clinic in rural Alabama, where she treated a wide range of orthopedic and sports medicine conditions while completing her orthopedic board certification. After her partner’s service in the U.S. Army ended, Annie and her family relocated to Asheville, where she expanded her practice to include Women’s and Pelvic Health, drawing on both her clinical expertise and her experience as a mother.
Annie specializes in treating pelvic health pain and dysfunction across all ages, as well as providing education on pre- and postnatal care, sexual health, and the importance of pelvic floor function for active, healthy adults. Her personalized approach integrates hands-on therapy, targeted exercise, and lifestyle coaching, helping clients move with confidence while supporting long-term health and vitality.
Outside the clinic, Annie is a lifelong runner currently training for a marathon, raising two young children, and enjoying life in the mountains of Western North Carolina with her husband, family, and dogs.
Connect with Annie
Meet the Physical Therapist
Annie Barnes, PT, DPT, OCS, PCES
Rogue Perks
Private Strava Club and Facebook Group – A community space to connect, celebrate wins, and stay inspired
Weekly Email Check-ins – Motivation, reminders, and support directly from your coach
TrainingPeaks Premium – Included with all pre-paid 1:1 coaching tiers for powerful training insights
Strength Training Built In – Custom strength workouts delivered in the same app as your running plan *Add on.
Optional Mindset Tools – Journal prompts, visualization, and recovery guidance if you want to go deeper
No Templates, Ever – Every calendar is built from scratch based on your body, life, and goals
Real Coach Access – You’re not handed off to an assistant; you get me, in your corner directly
Note:
I do use proven templates for my pre-made TrainingPeaks plans—because smart structure works. But when you sign up for 1:1 coaching, your plan is customized specifically for your fitness, goals, and lifestyle. No copy-paste calendars. Just smart, efficient coaching with a personal touch.