SPEAKER SERIES presented by Essentia Health

Josh Cox, the American record holder in the 50k (31 miles), is a four-time U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier and three-time U.S. National Team member. Highlights include being the top American marathon finisher at the World Track & Field Championships. Cox was named the USA Track & Field Athlete of the week in January 2009 for breaking the 50k record by four minutes at Arizona’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, and again in January 2011 for winning the P.F.Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon, en route to breaking his own 50k American Record by three and a half minutes, running the second fastest time in history, and missing the World Record by a mere 7 seconds. In 2009 & 2011, Cox’s 50k was the fastest in the world.

Cox, 35, set a course record at the 1997 Mountain Masochist 50-mile trail run in Virginia at the age of 22; at 23, he ran his first marathon (2:19), making him the youngest qualifier for the 2000 Olympic Marathon Trials.

His other running accomplishments include: a course record at the 2007 Air Force Marathon, winning the 2008 Rocket City Marathon and a runner up finish at the 2009 California International Marathon. In April 2010 Cox won the Boston Athletic Association 5k. A week later he won the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in Nashville, Tennessee. In December 2010 Cox won the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon.

Outside of his 140-mile week training regimen, Cox has starred on ABC's Bachelorette show. He currently offers his professional perspective for NBC and NBC Universal’s marathon broadcasts. Cox serves as a sports and social media consultant. For the past six years he has helped recruit and build PowerBar’s Team Elite. Cox is active as a speaker and writer. He is a contributing author to the popular Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

Born August 9, 1975, Cox grew up in San Diego, graduated from Christian High School in 1993 and Virginia’s Liberty University in 1998. He currently lives in Mammoth Lakes, California.

Josh Cox will be the featured speaker at First and Third Seating of the Carino's and Freddy's Lefse Pasta Feed on Friday, May 18, 2012.

Matt McCue tells a tale about himself, two coaches and a wise mother. And you can feel the sweat dripping off the words as the story takes its course. Like those great songs that travel from generation to generation, his words are simple and memorable. “An Honorable Run” is not about stats, times and medals, but rather soul, determination and passion. McCue’s journey runs tomorrow’s dreams to the present.

McCue, an un-recruited University of Colorado runner, was a walk-on athlete who willed himself to become part of a championship team led by the legendary Coach Mark Wetmore. McCue ran in the middle of a herd that was led by future Olympians and American Record holders, Jorge Torres and Dathan Ritzenhein. Only one person believed he’d succeed, the underdog himself.

The story takes a lonely trail and makes it full with insight and humility. McCue speaks for boys and girls chasing their dreams on the prairies, in small towns and on our forgotten urban streets. He gives voice to the contender who wakes at 5 a.m. when the wind is knocking on a sub-freezing door. He spatters the listener with the wet earth that covers head to toe mud-caked bodies of people who are willing to collapse as they cross the finish line. He speaks for the believers and those yet to become believers. Though he competes in a singlet, it’s that American blue collar grit that he wears so honorably.

Above all, McCue reminds us that we can’t achieve our dreams alone. His high school coach, Iowa City Regina’s Bob Brown, had a collection of motivational sayings that could fill more than a few T-shirts. “Today I gave everything I had. What I’ve kept, I’ve lost forever,” and “Do things the right way, even when no one is looking”. Brown nurtured an entire town because his lessons about sports were really lessons about life. Yet McCue never listened. Only by leaving his mentor for college was McCue truly able to come of age and fully understand his coach’s wisdom: Success is not defined by a gold medal around your neck, but by giving “Nothing but your best”. McCue shares a powerful message hat will leave every listener on the edge of their seat.

Matt McCue will be the featured speaker at Second Seating of the Carino's and Freddy's Lefse Pasta Feed on Friday, May 18, 2012.