About Us

Erin Pinder
Co-Owner

A long time runner and triathlete, Erin’s journey with Runner’s Soul began when she joined the Runners Soul Marathon Club in 1998 and was recruited by founder Ron Bain to join the Soul staff. It was a “perfect fit” and led her to pursue a career in physiotherapy. Little did she know she would return to her roots at the store where she feels lucky to do what she loves every day!

Erin has participated in various running and multisport events, including marathons, ironman triathlons, and multi day adventure races.

Ron Bain
Founder

Ron was a couple year’s away from turning 40 when a a mid-life crisis took hold. What started out as a run around the block turned into a desire to run the annual Moonlight Run. From nervously standing at the start line for the 6K in the Moonlight, Ron progressed to the marathon distance and then the Ironman in Penticton. His early adventures in racing became the foundation for him to open Runner’s Soul a little over two years after his first run around the block! Since that time Ron has competed in a number of marathons (including the 100th anniversary of the Boston Marathon), Ironman races, Ultramarathons and even dabbled in Adventure racing.

Brandon Regier

Brandon’s running career began back in junior high. He started with 5k’s and before he knew it, found a passion for digging deep and entering the pain cave, tackling bigger and tougher races year after year. Now having found the bug for the 200 mile distance, he still finds himself seeking his true limits. Brandon is grateful for each run he is able to lace his shoes up for, but his true passion is trail and ultra running! After years studying and working within the environmental industry, he found himself following his true passion: running! It is the community that fuels him, finding so much joy watching individuals grow within the sport, going from 5k’s to running their first half and then ultra. For Brandon, finding a career within the Run Speciality industry has been a dream come true, allowing him to share his passion on a daily basis!

Patricia Keith

Pat started running in 1978 and has competed in events from 5K up to 50K, typically finishing in the top three of her age category. In addition to running Pat is a great hockey player, triathlete, downhill skier and x-country skier. If you can name a sport, Pat probably does it.

Ralph Arnold

Ralph started running in 1975 during the first running boom.  He took a long period off until he started dating his wife Fran in the early 90s and started running 10Ks and then marathons.  Ralph has run numerous marathons, including Boston twice, several ultras including the Lost Soul and the Knee Knacker in Vancouver.  He has competed in triathlons including the Pentiction Ironman twice.  Lately trail running in Waterton has become a regular pastime with Fran and Kevin McFadzen.

Shilo Aspinall

Shilo’s love for running did not come until her first year of university. After playing basketball and volleyball for most of her life, she wanted a new challenge. Her first race was the Raymond Triathlon and since then she’s completed 2 marathons, a dozen half marathons, several 10-5ks, and a handful of triathlons. Eventually, Shilo hopes to tackle either an ultramarathon or an Ironman.

Mary Lee Voort

Mary Lee Voort ran her first race, the LCC/U of L 10-miler, in 1977 on a whim, with no training and in her friend’s little brother’s sneakers. She couldn’t walk down stairs forwards for 3 days after that but she was hooked! Mary Lee went on to complete 24 more Lethbridge 10-milers, all 29 Moonlight Runs (looking forward to 30 this year!), 5 marathons, and 14 3/4 ultramarathons, as well as countless 5 K’s, 10 K’s, and half marathons. Although now officially retired from running after 35 years, she can still walk at a pretty good clip, and has enjoyed encouraging runners at Runner’s Soul to try new distances for the past ten years. In her other life, Mary Lee is a classical pianist, and spends her time teaching, accompanying, playing with the Lethbridge Symphony, and is organist at St. Augustine’s Anglican Church.

Megan Mertz

Megan started swimming in 2008 and is currently competing at the varsity level in Lethbridge. Her best races are the shorter distances such as 50 meter backstroke and 50 meter butterfly and she hopes to compete for many years to come. Megan also competed in cross country from 2015 until 2021 and has hopes to resume running, specifically trail running, in the future. She is currently at the University of Lethbridge completing a degree in environmental sciences.

Hannah Smith

Hannah has loved to run for as long as she can remember. Inspired by her parents, who are both runners, she developed a passion for running and racing at a young age and has continued to pursue that. Hannah spent 3 years running on the Lethbridge Polytechnic Cross Country and Track teams while completing her diploma in Exercise Science. She is now finishing her degree in Public Health at the Univeristy of Lethbridge where she continues to learn about all things health and fitness. Hannah enjoys all types of running and racing, from the track to the road to the trails. She’s even venturing into triathlons! She enjoys sharing her love of running by working at Runner’s Soul and coaching the Racing Team. Hannah is excited for more training and racing, and plans to be running until the day she dies!

Jens Watt

Since concluding his university volleyball career, where he spent 5 years playing for Brandon University and 1 for the U of A, Jens has turned to endurance sports as an outlet for his competitiveness and testing his limits. Specifically, he has begun training for various Ironman 70.3 and 140.6, and other endurance events hoping to complete Ironman Canada in the coming years. His passion for Triathlons began in 2007 when he started competitive swimming for the Lethbridge Orcas Summer Swim Club where he now coaches. Jens is excited to help grow the endurance community in Lethbridge and share his passion for training. Jens is currently attending the U of L as he completes a second degree in psychology with the longer term goal of achieving a Master’s in clinical psychology.

Zach Hillier

Running has been a major part of Zach’s life from a young age, beginning with local road races before joining the Lethbridge Track and Field Club in Grade 5. He quickly developed a passion for middle-distance events, particularly the 1500m and 3000m, and competed regularly at meets throughout the region. As his athletic career progressed, Zach qualified for multiple national-level competitions and gradually transitioned to the 400m and 800m, drawn to the excitement and speed of those events.

Zach recently completed his first year at Lethbridge Polytechnic, studying Engineering Design Technology. He represented Lethbridge Polytechnic as a member of the Cross Country and Track and Field teams.

Gavin McIntyre

Gavin’s first dive into the running world was the police run with their parents at age 10. However, the sport would not consume their life until the pandemic where, with nothing else to do, they started running. Since then, they’ve gone on to compete for their high schools XC and Track teams, Lethbridge Track and Field, Zephyrs Track, and for the south zone team at the 2023 Alberta Summer Games in Okotoks. Currently, they are working their way up to completing a marathon and potentially dipping their toes into longer trail races