Jim Pearson
HTC Associate Head Coach
Masters in English

Jim Pearson enters his fifth year as an Associate Head Coach at HTC. (Formerly Pearson's Distance Project and Freedom Flower Road Runners) Jim has coached distance runners for 46 years, including 34 years serving as head coach at Ferndale High School, and 8 years as an assistant, including 2 years at Whatcom C.C. where Whatcom had 4 all-Americans in XC and one conference Champion and 1 at Mead High School when they won their 15th state championship.

Pearson's athletes have set American records, Won USA Championships, qualified for the Olympic Trials (3k Steeple Chase, 10k, Marathon, 20k Race Walk), qualified for the World Cross Country Championships, twice, won 3 US Championships (including U.S. Junior Hour Run Championship while still a junior in high school), won league, district and state titles and had 55 national qualifiers and 22 all-American honors.

As a runner, Pearson, a two time national champion, qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 1972 and 1976, set an American record for the 50 mile run (still 5th all time), competed in 4 world championships, and placed in the top 5 in U.S. championship races in 7 of his 25 qualified competitions, his best being the U.S. national championships in the 50 mile in 1975. Having run every day for over 42 years, Pearson sees no excuse for runners skipping a practice session.

The Pearson File:
 Positions Held
Associate Head Coach - Harrier Track Club
Associate Head Coach - Whatcom Community College
Head Coach - Ferndale High School
Head Coach - Ferndale Track Club, Freedom Flower Road Runners

The Pearson File: As an athlete
USA 50 Mile Champion
American 50 mile Record holder
Winner of Seattle and Portland Marathons
Twice ran the second fastest 100k in US History

The Pearson File: As a Coach
55 x National USA Qualifiers
30 x USA all-Americans (15k, Half-Marathon, Marathon, 50k, 50 Mile, 100k)

7 x Olympic Trails Qualifiers (3k Steeple, 10k, Marathon, 20k Race Walk)
7 x World Qualifiers (Cross Country, Half Marathon, 25k, Marathon, Junior-Mountain)
USA 50 Mile Champion
USA 50 Mile Masters Champion
American 50 Mile Record Holder
National Junior Hour-Run Champ - (11 miles, 490 yards)

American Junior 50k Record Holder - (3:10:07) 

El Salvador National Junior 800m Record
 - (1:53.02)
3 x USA Junior National Qualifiers (5k, 10k, 3k Steeple)