every athlete deserves the opportunity to realize their potential
our mission
Scissortail Running was founded in 2020 with the intention of becoming Oklahoma's premier club and coaching service for runners of all backgrounds and abilities. While other coaching services may offer top-notch programs, both online and in-person, few could provide the level of expertise that founder Kyle McKinley felt he could provide. He believes that every athlete deserves the opportunity to realize their potential, and the best way to do so is by providing information to promote awareness of not only shortcomings but of strengths, and offer guidance until those weaknesses become strengths. In addition to personalized training plans and in order to help achieve that goal, Scissortail Running also offers expert gait analyses to identify imbalances in running form, targeted strength and mobility exercises to maximize performance, and nutrition coaching to supplement training and ensure athletes have all the fuel they need to run and compete to their full potential and - most importantly - in full health.
The priority of Scissortail Running is not to make you a faster runner; it is to make you a better athlete. Often these come hand in hand, but it is our belief that performances are a side effect of becoming a healthier runner. Athletes with Scissortail Running can expect to achieve time-based goals by focusing on and assembling all the smaller pieces of training - not just running, but proper recovery, a healthy diet, strength work, form drills, core exercises, and more. When these pieces fall into place, sparks can and will fly on race day as you attack your goals with the arsenal of knowledge and good habits that Scissortail Running can help you build.
meet the coach
KYLE McKINLEY
Kyle has been running since 7th grade, when he signed up for cross country to avoid having to play football. The same features that made him wholly unfit for football - long, lanky limbs and weight that lagged far behind his height - made him a natural at distance running. By the time he was in high school, he was in love with the sport. Despite multiple All-State honors and seven podium finishes at the state level as an athlete for Heritage Hall High School, Kyle did not compete collegiately in his first two years of college. Instead, he spent his time at Oklahoma State University training for the marathon, and qualified for the 2017 Boston Marathon in his first successful attempt at the distance.
A new chapter of his running career began in 2017, when Kyle signed to compete at Oklahoma City University. Although recruited as a middle-distance runner for his 1:56 personal best in the 800m as a high schooler, his 2:46 performance at a hot Boston Marathon led to a shift towards longer distances. In his time at OCU, Kyle posted personal bests of 15:23 in the 5K and 1:10:19 in the half marathon. Some of his other accolades include:
-
Member of the 2019 NAIA Cross Country National Champion team
-
3x Sooner Athletic Conference Cross Country All-Conference
-
National Qualifier in the NAIA Marathon and Distance Medley Relay
-
SAC Outdoor Track All-Academic honoree
-
Champion of Character recipient for the 2018 Cross Country season
-
Winner of the 2022 Erie Marathon at Presque Isle (2:32:58)
Kyle graduated from OCU in May of 2020 with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science, and is currently working at OK Runner as a shoe fitting specialist. In November of 2020, he earned his Level 1 Gait Analyst Certification, making Scissortail Running an official testing site for RunDNA. He's continuing to coach himself with the goal of achieving a qualifying mark of 2:17:00 in the marathon in time for the 2024 Olympic Trials.
