DAN WALTERS
Dan grew up watching his father, Dave Walters, compete at a high level (capped with an Olympic Trials performance and multiple World Marathon Major age group wins). His father's influence helped Dan discover the beauty of the sport and Dan proceeded to run competitively in high school and at the University of Illinois before succumbing to a stubborn achilles injury.
Despite being sidelined, Dan's fiery passion for the sport lead to him to self-education and seeking out the next best thing - helping others achieve their goals. In 2013, DWRunning was born and in 2015, Dan took DWRunning full-time! As much as Dan loves running, he finds even more joy in helping others chase their dreams. While Dan specializes in marathon coaching, he coaches athletes of all ages and abilities for mid-distance track races through ultramarathons. Dan is 100% committed to spreading the fitness gospel and is ALL IN to help athletes reach heights they never thought possible!
Julie Wiemerslage
Julie grew up playing soccer competitively, until she joined the track team her sophomore year of high school. When she split 2:20 for 800m in her first track race, she got hooked on testing her limits in the sport. Most of all, she found a community of kind, like-minded people that she wanted to be a part of. Julie walked on to the track and cross country teams at Iowa State University and later finished out her eligibility at Virginia Tech. Not ready to walk away from the sport, she continued to volunteer coach at VT under Ben Thomas, and learned from one of the top coaches in the NCAA. She eventually joined the Gamecock staff in South Carolina, where she was a graduate assistant coach for the men’s and women’s track and cross country program. There, she attended multiple coaching conventions and completed USATF Level 1 coaching certification. Her eventual career in the running footwear industry brought her home to Chicago in 2020 where she sought out a coach and team to join. Since joining DWRunning in May 2021, Julie has loved getting to know everyone on the team and running fast times! Her personal running goals include qualifying for the Olympic trials in the marathon.
There are many different training philosophies, but Julie believes that every athlete is unique and responds differently to training stimuli. The magic happens when an athlete and a coach are in tune enough to learn their recipe for success!
DAVE WALTERS
Dave Walters has been coaching runners for over 30 years and running competitively for over 50 years. From mentoring HS runners to developing 2:20 marathoners, Dave has coached a broad spectrum of running talent. His own running background includes PRs of a 29:18 10k, 1:03 Half Marathon, and a 2:19 Marathon. He qualified for and ran in the 1988 US Olympic Marathon Trials (2:24 and a 36th place finish). In 2021 he broke the American Record for the Half Marathon in his Age Group in 1:22:31 and inn 2022 he won his age group at the World Marathon Championships in London. He has won his Age Group in Major Marathons 18 times.
Dave recently retired as a 777 Captain for United Airlines and now coaches a number of DWR marathoners. He truly enjoys his life's passion: marathon coaching! "Choose your Goal, then BECOME your Goal!"
DECLAN MCDONNELL
Declan grew up playing all kinds of sports before getting hooked on running in high school. He attended college at the University of Illinois where he joined the club running team. This community of dedicated mentors and athletes (including fellow DWR assistant coach Dan Kittaka!) taught him the value a great team and great coaching can provide.
Since that experience, running and coaching cemented itself as a lifelong pursuit, driven by an insatiable curiosity and a desire to achieve more. A USATF Level I certification and two years coaching at the high school level in St. Louis lead to a position coaching at the collegiate level for the University of Minnesota. Declan spent two years working as an assistant coach under Olympian Steve Plasencia, coaching athletes at the Big Ten and NCAA Division I level.
For Declan, the enjoyment of coaching and running comes from creating a community of support while challenging each other to be at our best, and he can’t wait to help other DWRunner’s continue this mission.