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The Coach Choo Track Club
Founded in 2000, the Coach Choo Track Club is an informal organization with a mission to promote high school running in Eastern North Carolina. The club consists of a close-knit group of Coach Choo’s family members and longtime running friends. Together, they provide free meet organization and timing services to local high school programs, while also donating time and resources to camps and clinics that support the area’s running community. Coach Choo is Charlie Justice. Nicknamed “Choo-Choo” at a young age—after the legendary football player Charlie “Choo-Choo” Justice—he has spent a lifetime immersed in athletics. A dedicated runner, teacher, and coach, he is now retired from coaching but continues to give back to the sport. During his coaching career, he led DH Conley High School’s cross country and track & field programs to numerous championships and previously coached East Carolina University’s cross country and women’s track teams. Outside of coaching, he also served as an administrator in ECU’s Athletics and IT departments and taught in the College of Business. |
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The Runner
Choo began running in 1975. Always the smallest in his class, he quickly discovered a natural talent for the sport. At Southwest Onslow High School in Jacksonville, NC, he set multiple school records in distance events.
He went on to attend East Carolina University on a football scholarship—not for playing ability, but for his work as an athletic trainer and equipment manager. At the time, ECU didn’t have a cross country program, and its track team focused exclusively on sprinting. His undergraduate years were largely spent supporting the football program, which limited his ability to train seriously. Nonetheless, he found time to compete occasionally on the local road racing scene.
After graduating, Choo resumed competitive running in earnest. He raced for Team Athletic World, the North Carolina Road Runners, and eventually Team Asics-Tiger. Self-coached and training alongside some of North Carolina’s top distance runners, he developed many of the training principles he still uses today.
His personal bests include 15:08 for the 5K, 25:26 for the 8K, and 32:04 for the 10K. In 1988, he helped lead Team Asics-Tiger to a 3rd-place finish at the RRCA National 10K Championships and a 1st-place finish at the RRCA 10 Mile Championships.
The Coach
In 1986, while working in the ECU Athletic Department, Choo joined the coaching staff of the ECU track program under legendary coach Bill Carson. At the time, ECU was nationally known for its powerhouse sprint program, and Choo assisted in developing numerous All-Americans, including Olympic sprinter Lee McNeil. When ECU reinstated its cross country program, Choo took over the distance squad, helping transition it from a walk-on program to a competitive, scholarship-supported team.
In 1991, he was named Head Women’s Track Coach and tasked with building a championship-caliber program. He successfully recruited multiple state champions and expanded the roster across all event groups. He also launched ECU’s first women’s indoor track program. A key milestone came when Dava Rhodes became ECU’s first female NCAA All-American after running 35:04 in the 10,000m at the 1994 NCAA Track & Field Championships.
Over the next six seasons, ECU athletes under Choo's leadership won individual conference titles in sprints, jumps, throws, distance, and relays—with several qualifying for NCAA Championships. His teams competed nationally at top-tier meets such as the Penn Relays, Texas Relays, Jesse Owens Classic, and USATFCA series. ECU became a consistent contender at the ECAC Championships. In recognition of his success, Choo was named CAA Track & Field Coach of the Year in both 1996 and 1997.
Choo stepped away from college coaching after the 1999 season to spend more time with his family. His legacy continued, however, as his former assistants led ECU women to a CAA Track & Field Championship in 2000. At the time of his departure, his athletes held nearly every women’s program record.
In 2007, he returned to high school coaching by launching the cross country program at Greenville Christian Academy, where his daughter Andi was a student. After her graduation, he joined the staff at DH Conley High School and became head coach in 2014 while his son Dylan competed for the program. Under his leadership, Conley returned to prominence. Choo was named ECC Coach of the Year four times in a six-year span. His boys’ and girls’ teams swept the ECC conference titles 5 years in a row, 2017-2021. The boys won NCHSAA East Regional Championships 3 years in a row (2018-2020) and finished in the top 10 at the state championships each year. The girls also reached the regional podium and placed in the top 20 at the state meet in recent seasons.
In 2021, Choo was honored as one of Brooks Running’s National Inspiring Coach of the Year award winners.
He remains a trusted advisor to many high school cross country and track coaches throughout Eastern North Carolina. Over the years, he has coached and mentored dozens of high school athletes who have continued their running careers at colleges including Duke, South Carolina, Charlotte, UNC Wilmington, East Carolina, Meredith, and UNC Greensboro.
The Race Director
Even after stepping away from college coaching, Choo continued to support ECU by directing major cross country events. While still on staff, he collaborated with local businessman Parker Overton to develop a championship-caliber course at Lake Kristi. After hosting several successful invitationals, ECU secured the CAA Cross Country Championships in 1996 and the North Carolina Collegiate Championships in 1998. Following his coaching tenure, Choo remained involved, directing the 2000 CAA and 2001 C-USA Championships. His leadership and event success helped bring the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships to Greenville for a four-year run from 2003–2006, followed by a return of the C-USA Championships in 2007.
In 2000, Choo also launched one of the first websites dedicated to college track and field--NCTrack.com—which became a widely visited hub for results, rankings, and news until its closure in 2006.
High school cross country has always been a passion for Coach Choo. In 1997, he founded the Pirate High School XC Invitational to spark interest in local programs. The meet grew to attract over 800 runners annually and hosted many of the top teams in the state through 2017. In 2010, he took over directing the Bo Run, expanding it into an event that drew more than 1,000 high school and middle school runners each year. He has also directed several NCHSAA Regional Cross Country Championships.
Beyond cross country, Choo has been deeply involved in road racing across Eastern North Carolina. In 1986, he co-founded the Fiesta Biathlon, a popular event that lasted more than 30 years. His most successful road race, the Pirate Chase 5K in the 1990s, consistently drew elite fields, including several years when the top ten finishers all ran under 15 minutes. He also helped organize and time major races such as the Capital City Classic 10K in Raleigh, which served for years as the NC-USATF 10K Championship.
The Masters Runner & Mentor
In 2000, Coach Choo returned to competitive running after a seven-year break while coaching at the college level. What began as casual running and occasional races evolved into a deeper reentry into the sport. By age 40, he had taken up marathon racing, joined local running groups, and began mentoring post-collegiate athletes
He has since completed numerous marathons—including three Boston Marathons and the New York City Marathon—and has been a consistent competitor on the NC-USATF masters circuit. Choo finished as the 2nd overall Masters runner in the NC-USATF Marathon Championship (2008), Half Marathon and 10 Mile Championships (2010), and the 10K Championship (2013). At age 50, he posted personal bests of 17:48 (5K), 37:28 (10K), and 2:58:32 (marathon), while winning several local road races.
In 2012, at age 49, he placed 146th out of over 36,000 runners at the Cooper River Bridge Run 10K in Charleston, SC. The following year, he ran 2:58:32 at the Boston Marathon and finished 300th overall (3rd in the 50–54 age group) at the USATF 10K Road Championship (Atlanta Peachtree Road Race) with a time of 37:50.
A cancer diagnosis in late 2013 forced Choo to pause his running for three months. Following surgery and chemotherapy, he made a strong return, winning six races in 2014. In 2018, he placed 3rd at the RRCA National 1 Mile Championship.
At age 60, Choo won the North Carolina RRCA 8K Grand Masters title and placed in his age group at several major events, including 1st at the Flying Pig Half Marathon (Cincinnati), 3rd at the Cooper River Bridge Run, and 5th in the 10k at the USATF Masters Championships.
Product Ambassador
Coach Choo uses his experience, credibility, and visibility in the running community to serve as a product ambassador for several brands in the endurance sports industry. In 2013, Brooks Running selected him as an ID (Inspire Daily) Coach, later naming him to their national Run Happy Team. He also serves as a product tester, offering performance feedback on prototype running shoes and gear.
GU Energy Labs has supported Choo for over a decade, utilizing his insights as both a runner and ambassador to help refine and promote their product line. He has also collaborated with other leading endurance brands, including Medi-Dyne, 2Toms, and Orange Mud.
Choo began running in 1975. Always the smallest in his class, he quickly discovered a natural talent for the sport. At Southwest Onslow High School in Jacksonville, NC, he set multiple school records in distance events.
He went on to attend East Carolina University on a football scholarship—not for playing ability, but for his work as an athletic trainer and equipment manager. At the time, ECU didn’t have a cross country program, and its track team focused exclusively on sprinting. His undergraduate years were largely spent supporting the football program, which limited his ability to train seriously. Nonetheless, he found time to compete occasionally on the local road racing scene.
After graduating, Choo resumed competitive running in earnest. He raced for Team Athletic World, the North Carolina Road Runners, and eventually Team Asics-Tiger. Self-coached and training alongside some of North Carolina’s top distance runners, he developed many of the training principles he still uses today.
His personal bests include 15:08 for the 5K, 25:26 for the 8K, and 32:04 for the 10K. In 1988, he helped lead Team Asics-Tiger to a 3rd-place finish at the RRCA National 10K Championships and a 1st-place finish at the RRCA 10 Mile Championships.
The Coach
In 1986, while working in the ECU Athletic Department, Choo joined the coaching staff of the ECU track program under legendary coach Bill Carson. At the time, ECU was nationally known for its powerhouse sprint program, and Choo assisted in developing numerous All-Americans, including Olympic sprinter Lee McNeil. When ECU reinstated its cross country program, Choo took over the distance squad, helping transition it from a walk-on program to a competitive, scholarship-supported team.
In 1991, he was named Head Women’s Track Coach and tasked with building a championship-caliber program. He successfully recruited multiple state champions and expanded the roster across all event groups. He also launched ECU’s first women’s indoor track program. A key milestone came when Dava Rhodes became ECU’s first female NCAA All-American after running 35:04 in the 10,000m at the 1994 NCAA Track & Field Championships.
Over the next six seasons, ECU athletes under Choo's leadership won individual conference titles in sprints, jumps, throws, distance, and relays—with several qualifying for NCAA Championships. His teams competed nationally at top-tier meets such as the Penn Relays, Texas Relays, Jesse Owens Classic, and USATFCA series. ECU became a consistent contender at the ECAC Championships. In recognition of his success, Choo was named CAA Track & Field Coach of the Year in both 1996 and 1997.
Choo stepped away from college coaching after the 1999 season to spend more time with his family. His legacy continued, however, as his former assistants led ECU women to a CAA Track & Field Championship in 2000. At the time of his departure, his athletes held nearly every women’s program record.
In 2007, he returned to high school coaching by launching the cross country program at Greenville Christian Academy, where his daughter Andi was a student. After her graduation, he joined the staff at DH Conley High School and became head coach in 2014 while his son Dylan competed for the program. Under his leadership, Conley returned to prominence. Choo was named ECC Coach of the Year four times in a six-year span. His boys’ and girls’ teams swept the ECC conference titles 5 years in a row, 2017-2021. The boys won NCHSAA East Regional Championships 3 years in a row (2018-2020) and finished in the top 10 at the state championships each year. The girls also reached the regional podium and placed in the top 20 at the state meet in recent seasons.
In 2021, Choo was honored as one of Brooks Running’s National Inspiring Coach of the Year award winners.
He remains a trusted advisor to many high school cross country and track coaches throughout Eastern North Carolina. Over the years, he has coached and mentored dozens of high school athletes who have continued their running careers at colleges including Duke, South Carolina, Charlotte, UNC Wilmington, East Carolina, Meredith, and UNC Greensboro.
The Race Director
Even after stepping away from college coaching, Choo continued to support ECU by directing major cross country events. While still on staff, he collaborated with local businessman Parker Overton to develop a championship-caliber course at Lake Kristi. After hosting several successful invitationals, ECU secured the CAA Cross Country Championships in 1996 and the North Carolina Collegiate Championships in 1998. Following his coaching tenure, Choo remained involved, directing the 2000 CAA and 2001 C-USA Championships. His leadership and event success helped bring the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships to Greenville for a four-year run from 2003–2006, followed by a return of the C-USA Championships in 2007.
In 2000, Choo also launched one of the first websites dedicated to college track and field--NCTrack.com—which became a widely visited hub for results, rankings, and news until its closure in 2006.
High school cross country has always been a passion for Coach Choo. In 1997, he founded the Pirate High School XC Invitational to spark interest in local programs. The meet grew to attract over 800 runners annually and hosted many of the top teams in the state through 2017. In 2010, he took over directing the Bo Run, expanding it into an event that drew more than 1,000 high school and middle school runners each year. He has also directed several NCHSAA Regional Cross Country Championships.
Beyond cross country, Choo has been deeply involved in road racing across Eastern North Carolina. In 1986, he co-founded the Fiesta Biathlon, a popular event that lasted more than 30 years. His most successful road race, the Pirate Chase 5K in the 1990s, consistently drew elite fields, including several years when the top ten finishers all ran under 15 minutes. He also helped organize and time major races such as the Capital City Classic 10K in Raleigh, which served for years as the NC-USATF 10K Championship.
The Masters Runner & Mentor
In 2000, Coach Choo returned to competitive running after a seven-year break while coaching at the college level. What began as casual running and occasional races evolved into a deeper reentry into the sport. By age 40, he had taken up marathon racing, joined local running groups, and began mentoring post-collegiate athletes
He has since completed numerous marathons—including three Boston Marathons and the New York City Marathon—and has been a consistent competitor on the NC-USATF masters circuit. Choo finished as the 2nd overall Masters runner in the NC-USATF Marathon Championship (2008), Half Marathon and 10 Mile Championships (2010), and the 10K Championship (2013). At age 50, he posted personal bests of 17:48 (5K), 37:28 (10K), and 2:58:32 (marathon), while winning several local road races.
In 2012, at age 49, he placed 146th out of over 36,000 runners at the Cooper River Bridge Run 10K in Charleston, SC. The following year, he ran 2:58:32 at the Boston Marathon and finished 300th overall (3rd in the 50–54 age group) at the USATF 10K Road Championship (Atlanta Peachtree Road Race) with a time of 37:50.
A cancer diagnosis in late 2013 forced Choo to pause his running for three months. Following surgery and chemotherapy, he made a strong return, winning six races in 2014. In 2018, he placed 3rd at the RRCA National 1 Mile Championship.
At age 60, Choo won the North Carolina RRCA 8K Grand Masters title and placed in his age group at several major events, including 1st at the Flying Pig Half Marathon (Cincinnati), 3rd at the Cooper River Bridge Run, and 5th in the 10k at the USATF Masters Championships.
Product Ambassador
Coach Choo uses his experience, credibility, and visibility in the running community to serve as a product ambassador for several brands in the endurance sports industry. In 2013, Brooks Running selected him as an ID (Inspire Daily) Coach, later naming him to their national Run Happy Team. He also serves as a product tester, offering performance feedback on prototype running shoes and gear.
GU Energy Labs has supported Choo for over a decade, utilizing his insights as both a runner and ambassador to help refine and promote their product line. He has also collaborated with other leading endurance brands, including Medi-Dyne, 2Toms, and Orange Mud.