Jim began running after discovering it was his greatest skill as a soccer player. His passion for running earned him an athletic scholarship to the University of Michigan, where he trained under celebrated coach Ron Warhurst. After University he moved to Victoria, BC, where he pursued his running dreams with tutelage under Brent Fougner (University of Victoria) and Wynn Gmitrowski. His strength as a runner and his coaching style became energized after further apprenticeships under Jon Brown (two-time Olympic marathon fourth place finisher), and Trent Stellingwerff (top Canadian physiologist). In 1998 he qualified for his first Canadian National senior team, representing Canada at the World Cross-Country Championships in Morocco. He represented Canada on three other occasions, and is a two-time Canadian marathon champion. He continues to compete as a masters runner, breaking Canadian masters age group records in the and half marathon and marathon. In 2004 he began coaching, sharing with his athletes his passion for this beautiful form of movement.