Join me for "How to Feel Great Now and Protect Yourself from Future Disease," where I’ll share how a functional medicine, root-cause approach can transform your energy, resilience, and long-term health. We’ll explore the four foundational drivers of disease—imbalances in the adrenals, gut, mitochondria, and hormones—and how to begin restoring them today. I’ll also open up about my personal experience with burnout from overexercising, and how true healing required more than just symptom management. This presentation is all about taking care of your whole body, now and for the future.

While watching family at the Columbus Marathon, Ken Brunson declared that he would “never” run that distance and wondered why people would even consider running so much. Since then, he has completed dozens of half marathons, 7 marathons including Boston and Chicago, and regularly runs more than 3000 miles a year. His family has not stopped reminding him of this comment.  The life lessons from running — including putting yourself on the line for big goals and resiliency in the face of missing them — have carried over into other parts of his life, including his career as a veterinarian and adjunct professor. However, the best gift that running has given him has been the community as a member of the Dayton Track Club Elite team and the Dayton Distance Project. 

A member of the Dayton Track Club Elite team, Melissa Anderson is a passionate runner and Road Runners Club of America Certified Distance Running Coach who races everything from 5Ks to marathons—and is currently training for her first 50K. She tailors training plans to her clients' specific needs to help them reach their running and racing goals. She serves as a K–3 Physical Education and Health teacher, inspiring young students to live active, healthy lives. Melissa enjoys volunteering in the running community as a half marathon pacer at races throughout Ohio, Indiana and beyond. She is a proud mom of four girls, and lives in Troy, Ohio, where she balances family life with her love for endurance running.

I’m Coach Gerald Collins aka RunRev Collins. I’ve lived my life in the Southwest Ohio area. I grew up in Preble County Ohio in a small town called Gratis, OH. It sets wonderfully halfway between Dayton, Oh & Cincinnati, OH.

I started running in May 2012 as a way to deal with the grief of losing my dear mother. I was in a deep depression and grief. I needed something to bring me out of my funk. In running, I found relief, a purpose, and a new community. I planned to do one 5K and be done. That turned into something far greater.

I’ve run all distances from the mile to the 50K. My first marathon was the Air Force Marathon. My favorite race is by far the Flying Pig races. You can usually find me hanging around all the many races in the Miami Valey.

Before becoming a coach I also served as the Race Director for the Ohio River Road Runners Club Tadmor 10K Race Director. I also volunteered (still do) for many of the ORRRC club races.