Big Timber Running Club

Lauren Calcagno

Head Coach

Lauren Calcagno has been running competitively since she was 12 years old. She ran varsity throughout high school, and also self-directed a 5K community race to benefit the local foundation that protects the nature area/bike trail she grew up running on. She then ran cross country and track at UC Berkeley where she majored in Nutritional Sciences. 

After graduating from UC Berkeley, Lauren decided to move to Eugene solely to work in the running community. She is currently involved with multiple running institutions around town, including serving as Big Timber’s assistant coach. Through all her endeavors, Lauren has learned the joy running can bring to one’s life and immensely values the many relationships running has given her. Her goal as a coach is to cultivate this joy into the lives of others, while also empowering athletes to achieve their running goals in a healthy, sustainable, and positive way. 

Nick Russell

Assistant Coach

Nick Russell grew up running in the foothills of Boise, Idaho. As early as grade school, his mom would wake him up before work to join her and the family dog on the trails above their home. 

Eventually, Nick pursued running at the high school, college, and semi-professional levels. During his college career, he worked toward a bachelor’s degree in psychology and competed in both cross country and track & field. Nick qualified for cross country nationals his final two years at Santa Clara University and was named the school’s Male Athlete of the Year in 2024.

Following his graduation, he competed for Pacific Athletics, a semi-professional running team based in Corvallis. Nick is passionate about sports psychology; an interest fueled by countless running injuries, a breathing disorder, and mentally grueling hours spent cross-training and rehabbing.

This past year, Nick trained with a sports performance psychologist and is looking forward to sharing the techniques they practiced. Specifically, he is excited to work with the team on goal setting, visualization, injury prevention, and racing strategies. Wherever you are on your running journey, and whatever your goals may be, he believes each of you will continue to grow and discover true joy from this sport!

Dustin Pearce

Club Founder

Run Hub Northwest co-owner Dustin Pearce has been coaching for more than 20 years. Most of those years were spent coaching high school cross country and track athletes while working as a high school science teacher. Dustin has been a coach for spring training and Beginner 5K teams through Run Hub. 

As an athlete, Dustin ran competitively in high school and then for Missouri State University where he earned All Conference honors.  Dustin is on the comeback trail after a couple of surgeries in 2018, but hoping to get healthy again and make an attempt to break 1:20 as a masters runner for a half marathon in the next year or two. As a coach, there is nothing Dustin loves more than to see his athletes grow and accomplish goals that they might not have thought possible.

Dustin currently serves as the club administrator working with the Big Timber Board of Directors, coordinating team logistics and subbing in as coach when needed.