ABOUT PROJECT GOLD
OUR STORY
In 2016, a family friend called us to ask if their daughter could train with our family in Park City, Utah for part of the summer. That simple phone call sparked the idea to create a summer running camp for high school athletes- what would eventually become Project Gold.
Ryan brainstormed a name, Megan recruited someone to create a logo, and Grace began reaching out to top high school distance runners through Instagram DMs. Professional running coach, Tom Schwartz soon got involved and provided advice to the campers over FaceTime. What started with just four campers (including Grace) spending the week at our home in Park City has since grown into a destination running camp in Flagstaff, Arizona, welcoming hundreds of high school athletes from across the country and even world.
Along the way, Project Gold has also called St. Mary’s University and Cotter High School in Winona, Minnesota home. But our vision has always remained the same: to create a community of like-minded high school athletes and support them in the pursuit of their personal "gold," while providing a fun and memorable week.
We are incredibly proud of the community we’ve built and grateful for every athlete, family, and coach who has been part of the journey. Now, we look forward to the best week of the summer each year.
​
MEET OUR STAFF
CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
CO-FOUNDER
HEAD COACH
MEGAN
PING
RYAN
PING
TOM
SCHWARTZ
GRACE
PING
Grace Ping has been the visionary behind Project Gold since 2016. What started with a few Instagram DMs to the top high school runners at the time, has grown into directing and planning memorable, life-changing camp experiences for athletes across the country. Along the way, she's built the Project Gold community through merchandise, social media mentorship programs, and year-round engagement.
​
A lifelong competitive runner, Grace first gained national attention by winning Roy Griak as a seventh grader. She has continued her running career at both Oklahoma State and Duke University, where she currently competes and pursues a graduate degree.
Megan Ping is a camp director, lifelong runner, and Chiropractor with a string emphasis on sports performance and nutrition. She competed collegiately at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and has a deep passion for helping athletes reach their full potential.
​
At Project Gold, Megan helps organize events and speakers and leads educational sessions on nutrition and supplementation. Acting as the camp mom, her approach blends science, experience, and genuine care for each athlete's long-term health and success.
Ryan Ping has supported and helped shape the vision of Project Gold from the very beginning. A camp director, speaker, and runner, Ryan brings both energy and perspective to the Project Gold experience.
​
He grew up downhill ski racing and playing club soccer before discovering his love for running after marrying Megan in 2002. Outside of camp, Ryan is a partner at Edward Jones, where he specializes in goal-setting, visualization, and long-term planning. At Project Gold, he brings those same skills by motivating athletes through goal-setting sessions and inspiring them to keep their dreams alive, even through challenges.
​
​
​
​
​
Since 1989, Tom "Tinman" Schwartz has been coaching elite open and high school runners across the USA. He started at the collegiate level as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, while serving as a graduate assistant for the dept. of Exercise Science. In the early 90’s he coached at Concordia University—Chicago, by the mid- 90’s he started coaching independently, and at present he coaches 25 elite runners.
​
​