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Kristina Robb '24, '26G celebrates during the 2026 Boston Marathon after achieving a personal-best time. Robb completed her master's degree in Recreation Administration a few weeks later.

Kristina Robb ‘24 ‘26G spent the Spring 2026 semester running toward multiple goals and crossed the finish line on all of them.

She completed the Boston Marathon in under three hours with a personal-best time of 2:57:47, continued to grow her running business, and finished her academic journey at the Â鶹app, earning a master's degree in recreation administration through the accelerated program after completing her bachelor's degree in

Robb’s path wasn't a traditional one. After working in hospitality and taking a break from college, she returned to school looking to combine her love of working with people and running. At UNH, studying recreation administration helped her become a stronger student and runner and gave her the confidence to launch a business.

Robb also grew as a mentor by volunteering as a coach for Girls on the Run, a nonprofit program that helps build confidence and life skills through running.

When Did You Realize That Running Could Be More Than a Hobby?

My advisor, , assigned a personal change project in one of her classes, which encouraged me to think more intentionally about my goals. Around the same time, I took an entrepreneurship class and ended up centering my project on a run coaching business.

That project sparked a lot of conversations with Cindy about how I could build my education around my passion for running. I started taking kinesiology electives and exploring topics related to running, event programming, and coaching.

It was really during the last two years of my time at UNH that I was able to tailor my education toward where I wanted my career to go.

How Did Your Business Start?

The business started as a project in my entrepreneurial recreation class. When I shared the idea with Cindy, she basically said, "Why not just make it a real business?" That conversation changed everything.

From there, I was able to take what I was learning in class and apply it directly to building my coaching business. Every course seemed to add another piece, whether it was entrepreneurship, event management, or leadership.

Today, I coach runners training for half marathons and full marathons, creating individualized plans based on their goals. While completing my master's degree, I also earned my run coaching certification, which helped strengthen that foundation.

How Did Your Experiences as a Runner, Student, and Entrepreneur Influence One Another?

I don't think I would have done as well in my master's or bachelor's program if I wasn't training for marathons. And I don't think I would have believed I was capable of achieving the things I did in running if I hadn't experienced success in school.

Once you put belief and time into yourself, you get that back.

There were definitely moments when I felt burnt out or things seemed almost impossible. But every time you work through those challenges and achieve something you weren't sure you could do, it reinforces that belief in yourself and gives you confidence to keep going.

What Did It Mean to You to Finish the Boston Marathon with a Personal Best Time?

Full disclosure: I tried to break three hours the year before and wasn't successful.

The biggest lesson was patience. A lot of it comes down to trusting the process, putting in the work and being willing to learn from both failures and successes. Everything isn't going to go perfectly.

This training cycle was especially challenging because I fell during the first week of training, broke my wrist, and had to have surgery.

The morning of the race, my motto was "choose to believe." I had done everything I could to prepare, so I wanted to trust that work and enjoy the day. Once I leaned into that mindset, it became an incredibly enjoyable experience.

Was There a Moment During the Race When You Knew You Were Going to Achieve Your Goal?

I think around the halfway mark, I realized it was possible, but it was still going to be very close.

Once I crested Heartbreak Hill, with a little more than six miles remaining, I felt so good that I actually had to hold myself back for a couple of miles. By the time I had four miles left, I knew I had it.

I just leaned into the energy of the crowd and enjoyed every moment. It was the most fun I've ever had running a marathon.

Did Your Marathon Journey Influence Your Classroom Experience?

Absolutely. I put together my capstone project portfolio right after Boston and used several marathon photos throughout the project.

The process gave me a chance to reflect on everything I had done during my time at UNH. I was able to pull together work from different classes, including topics in kinesiology, biomechanics, and serious leisure, and see how those experiences connected to my interests in running, coaching, and event management.

My capstone focused on three competency areas: personal business growth, event management, and community involvement. Looking back, those themes really reflected the path I had been building for myself throughout the program.

When you're in the middle of a master's program, everything can feel disconnected. But when I put all the pieces together, I could finally see the bigger picture — where I'd been, where I wanted to go, and the person I had become along the way.

What’s Next?

I'd love to continue growing my coaching business and see where it can go. I don't know exactly what that looks like yet, but I'd like it to become a bigger part of my career.

I'd love to work for an organization like the Boston Athletic Association or another company that organizes running events and builds community through the sport.

One of the things I valued most about working with Girls on the Run was helping make running feel accessible. It can seem intimidating from the outside, especially for people who are just getting started.

I want people to feel like running is something they can do, regardless of their experience level. It should be accessible to everybody, and I love helping people discover what they're capable of.

What Advice Would You Give Students Who Have a Passion but Aren't Sure Where It Fits?

Once you find something you're passionate about, keep going after it, even when it's hard.

During my first couple of years in the program, I was hesitant to lean into what I loved. I enjoyed my classes, but I wasn't passionate about what I was doing.

Once I started building my coursework around running and exploring ways to connect it to my future career, everything changed.

The biggest thing was showing up over and over again and not taking no for an answer. Take advantage of opportunities to talk with faculty, advisors, and other students. Even a simple conversation can spark an idea or help you discover a path you hadn't considered before.