Cathy and Mike Merra founded North Star Timing after having been involved in the New Hampshire running community for many years. They are also the founders of the Granite State Flash Junior Olympic Cross Country program. Cathy is presently the head cross country coach at Merrimack High School and an assistant track coach (sprints) at Souhegan High School.  She also founded the cross country program at the Amherst Middle School. At the age of 51 she ran a 3:10 at the Boston Marathon finishing 4th overall in her age group out of 785 qualified runners. Cathy is the mother of two grown sons and works as a site coordinator for St. Joseph Community Services Meals on Wheels program.  

Mike recently retired from coaching after six seasons as Varsity Boys Cross Country Coach at Nashua High South where he helped guide  his team to four consecutive Meet of Champion appearances.  While coaching with the Granite State Flash three of his teams captured National Junior Olympic Titles. He has run 10 marathons including a personal best of 3:05 at Boston after turning 50. He has been a practicing attorney with Merra & Kanakis, P.C. in Nashua for more than 30 years specializing in civil litigation. 

Pictured Above: Mike and Cathy Merra  just after the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio.