From Olympic Athlete to Elite Coach
Kathy Butler is one of the most decorated distance runners in British and American collegiate history. Born in the UK and raising her profile at the University of Wisconsin where she earned 5 NCAA titles, Kathy went on to compete at 2 Olympic Games — Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004 — and competed in 21 World Championship events throughout her storied professional career.
With a UW degree in hand and 20-plus years of professional running experience, Kathy moved into coaching. She holds the highest available coaching certifications — USATF Level 3 and IAAF Level 5 — is an instructor for USATF, and was formerly chair of the USATF Coaching Education Program.
Kathy's coaching career began in 1998 as a volunteer at the University of Wisconsin while still competing professionally, later extending to Stanford University. She moved into high school coaching in 2008, developing 12 Colorado state champions and instilling the habits that build lifelong athletes. She launched her online coaching program in 2012, since when she has guided athletes to national team selections, marathon major finishes, and one remarkable athlete through a marathon in all 50 US states.
On the international stage, Kathy has served as a USA national team coach at multiple prestigious events: the 2024 World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago (where the team earned 2 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medals), the 2025 and 2022 NACAC Championships in Freeport, as well as the 2023 World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, where the U20 women's team claimed a bronze medal. She also led the 2019 Great Stirling Cross Country team.
Kathy formerly served as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin Madison and Stanford University. She is currently the head coach of Run Boulder Athletic Club in Boulder, Colorado, a competitive post-collegiate training group.
Now offering fully remote coaching worldwide from her base in Boulder, Colorado, Kathy works with athletes of all abilities — from beginners training for their first 5K to track athletes and elite competitors pursuing Olympic Trials qualifying standards. That personalized approach is why serious runners seek her out, from Boulder, Colorado to across the world. She also created Run Foundations, an iPhone app bringing her drill library — 25+ running drills with video and coaching cues — to runners everywhere.