The North Texas Trail Runners are now accepting nominations for the NTTR board. Secretary and Event Coordinator roles are open and need to be filled. If you or someone you know is interested in these roles, please reach out to us!
North Texas Trail Runners will serve as leaders in the trail running community in north Texas and beyond by creating, supporting, and enhancing the sport of trail running through organizational programs and activities and will strive to positively impact the communities in which we live, work, and run.
Chad Wegner – President (2016-Present)
Chad was originally a swimmer but found out he had to be a runner when he joined the military. Despite a spotty relationship with running Chad adopted a couple simple rules 7 years ago when he started running with a club at work: run once a week until not possible and every year try to run a race further and/or faster than the year before.
Chad moved to Frisco in 2016 with his wife and two sons and are enjoying all Texas has to offer including the great opportunities in athletics and now the family race calendar includes dozens of events per year. Last fall Chad completed his first ultra (2015 Rockledge 50K) and completed his second ultra this spring (2016 Grasslands 50). Future goals include multiple Ironman events and a first 100.
Chad and his family believe that a healthy mind, body, and soul are critical components to life and that there are few events as naturally therapeutic for all of the above as long distance trail running. Chad is genuinely excited at the opportunity to help carry forward the newly restructured NTTR organization and helping to growing its benefits to the members and the surrounding community.
Ray Liberatore – Vice President (2016-Present)
The earliest time in his life that Ray can remember finding simply enjoyment in running is during grade school when he wanted to see how many loops he could run around the gymnasium in a given time. In Illinois, he ran cross country & track through high school and finished his first marathon during his sophomore year of college.
Ray moved to Texas in 2010 and joined the Frisco Running Club led by Hamlin Jones who inspired him to seriously get back into running. It was a five year gap before his second marathon (Cowtown 2012), but he also completed his first ultra and trail race a few weeks later (Grasslands 50). At the time he didn’t know more than a couple ultra-runners and was still searching for a trail running community.
Since then, he’s learned the gift of introducing family, friends and coworkers to trail running in North Texas. Through doing 20 other ultras over the past few years he’s developed lifelong friendships and shared moments that only those who have shared hours on dirt, sand, rocks and roots together would understand. He is truly honored to accept this position in helping guide the future of the North Texas Trail Runners and looks forward to spending some time on the trails with you soon!
Liz Tanner – Communications (2017-Present)
Liz grew up as a strength and power athlete, eventually qualifying as a thrower (discus & hammer) for a Division II Track and Field team at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania. After getting her B.S., she moved to Nevada and took up running (sometimes), but it wasn’t until she was in her Master’s degree program in Las Vegas that she discovered trail running. Since then she’s never looked back!
Liz moved to Texas to pursue her Ph.D in Biology at UNT and joined NTTR shortly after. Since then she’s completed several half marathons and 20k trail races in North Texas. She recently finished her first marathon in Utah and will be attempting the Cowtown Marathon this spring. Ultimately, her sights are set on the Antelope Canyon 55k in Arizona which will be her first ultramarathon.
Although Liz’s running career is relatively short (3 years) she’s not one to back down from a challenge. Her running mantra is to always keep moving forward and that’s a mindset that’s carried over to her studies and work as an exercise science researcher. Although she’s been in her position with NTTR for a short time, the work that the organization has done for the North Texas community in that time is inspiring. She can’t wait to see what the future holds for the members and trail running community.
Ed Mazur – Treasurer (2019-Present)
Ed’s “midlife crisis” began in the Fall of 2009 when he decided to pick up mountain biking. He joined The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training and attempted his first endurance race the following Spring (2010 Ouachita Challenge). While failing to complete after missing the last checkpoint, he did go back in 2011 and successfully conquered the 60+ mile mountain bike race.
Ed quickly turned to running (first on the road with Hamlin Jones and the Frisco Running Club, and then eventually to trail with NTTR) as a means to cross train for the bike. He has completed numerous half marathons (including 2017 Knob Hills, 2017 Cross Timbers, 2017 & 2018 Grasslands), several off-road sprint triathlons and adventure races, two marathons (2017 Chicago and 2018 Fort Worth), and one ultra (2017 Rockledge Rumble 50K) to date. While Ed is still racing and has some future goals in mind, he has most recently spent time giving back as a wingman for the Powered To Move organization and as a marathon pacer for the Frisco Running Club/Company’s Training Program.
Ed has also volunteered at both Frisco Trail Races and is now looking forward to further assisting NTTR.
Josh Rigsby – Equipment (2018-Present)
Bio coming soon!
