Staff
Drake Sterling (dsterling4@gmail.com)
Web Content Contributor, Message Board Administrator, Distance Showcase Director, Social Media Liazon
Drake took over as the main man in charge of Indiana Runner in May of 2011 before entering into a partnership with the other three owners in July of 2015. Prior to the new position, Drake specialized in the Carmel Semi-State Rankings from the mid-2000’s through 2011. In his spare time, he is an assistant cross country coach and the sprint/jumps/hurdles coach at Zionsville High School. He is also USATF Level 1 Certified.
Drake attended LaPorte High School from 2002-2005. While there, he was a state qualifier in the 300 hurdles and Long Jump. He competed collegiately at Indiana State University and Vincennes University for where he was a 2 time All-American in the decathlon and 4×4.
In 2007, he suffered a shoulder injury that would ultimately end his career as a decathlete. Refusing to give up the sport, he transferred to Indiana State University to focus on middle distance. He has spent the majority of his post-collegiate training time focusing on the 800, and set a personal best of 1:48.70 during the 2012 outdoor season. He is also a two-time USA National Championship Qualifier for 800m. Drake currently lives in Brownsburg with his wife, Sarah.
Derek Leininger (leiningerderek@gmail.com)
Web Content Contributor, Accountant, Advertising Director
Derek is the original creator of IndianaRunner.com, starting the web site in June 2000. He served as webmaster for several years before stepping away to focus more attention on coaching XC and track. In July 2015 Derek returned to the Indiana Runner staff as part a 4-man partnership.
Derek is a 2002 graduate of Columbia City High School, where he was an IHSAA State Medalist and school record holder in the 800 meter run. Derek coached high school cross country and track & field for 12 years (9 of those years were at Snider High School in Fort Wayne). He left coaching after the 2014-15 school year when he accepted an administrative position within Fort Wayne Community Schools.
Derek’s return to Indiana Runner will allow him to stay closely involved in the sport, since he will no longer be coaching. Derek lives in Fort Wayne with his wife and two daughters.
Scott Lidskin (lidskins@yahoo.com)
Web Content Contributor, Web Master, Special Event Director
I am Scott Lidskin, and I proudly write about cross country. My own career began in 1988 as a high school runner at Glenbrook South High School (suburban Chicago) where I earned All-State honors twice, including a state runner-up finish as a senior. I went on to run at Butler University where I was a four-time team MVP. After graduation I signed on to run for ASICS and qualified for three USATF Championship meets (including PR���s of 13:59 for 5k and 8:04 for 3k). In 1996 I was hired to coach cross country at Westfield High School. While at Westfield, our teams won four state championships (1998, 2005, 2006, 2007) and we had six other top 10 finishes at the state finals. I am now the coordinator for cross country in the Westfield school system.
Colin Altevogt (colin.altevogt@gmail.com)
Web Content Contributor, Meet Director – XC Summer Showcase
Colin has been a regular contributor to Indiana Runner since high school. He is a 2006 graduate from Fort Wayne Snider and competed in the 2004 and 2006 state track and field finals in the 4×800 relay. He completed his undergraduate degree at Franklin College in 2010 and his master’s degree from Ball State University in 2017. During college, Colin served as an assistant cross country coach at Columbus North. The boys and girls teams both won the state championships in 2009.
Since graduating college, Colin served as an assistant coach at Avon and Carmel. Currently, he teaches Spanish and serves as the head boys cross country coach and assistant boys track & field coach at Carmel High School. His father Brad and sister Lynn are head boys and girls cross country coaches at Fort Wayne Snider. He is a lifelong Pacers and Colts fan. Colin lives in Carmel with his wife Cathleen and dog Charlotte.
