The North Texas Trail Runners are now accepting nominations for the NTTR board. Treasurer and Secretary roles are open and need to be filled. If you or someone you know is interested in these roles, please reach out to us!
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.
Josh Rigsby – Equipment (2018-Present)