About Me

About

Husband, dad, runner — still going.

I’m Jacob Thiel. I run on the hills of Butler County, raise three kids with my wife Crysta, and manage geospatial technology by day. Running is the thread that ties the discipline together.

Jacob Thiel

Rock bottom to the start line

Life hasn’t always been paced and planned. I hit rock bottom, and the climb back out came one hard mile at a time. Running became my therapy — a place to put the doubt, the stress, and the discipline to work. Faith and consistency did the rest.

The athlete

I played collegiate soccer at Slippery Rock University, where I learned what it means to train with a team and compete under pressure. That competitive engine never switched off — it just found a new distance. These days it’s marathons, ultras, and the occasional fast 5K, logging up to 70-mile weeks in a marathon build around Butler, PA.

The professional

Off the road, I work in geospatial technology — GIS, mapping, and elevation science as a Geospatial Technology Manager. From agriculture and environmental science to engineering, I’ve spent my career turning terrain and data into decisions. Turns out reading elevation profiles is useful whether you’re mapping a watershed or planning a hill workout.

The family

None of it works without my wife Crysta and our three kids. They’re at the finish lines, they hold down the early mornings, and they’re the reason “never stop” is more than a slogan.

The mission

Now I want to give the sport back what it gave me. I coach runners for free, review the gear I actually use, and share the resources I wish I’d found sooner. If any of it helps you go one more, this whole thing is worth it.

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