“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” — Nelson Mandela
Maybe you have been trying to motivate yourself to get out the door for a run.
Maybe you have been attending group runs.
Maybe you are not seeing any improvement.
Maybe you tag along with your friends and do whatever their training plan is.
Maybe you are trying to figure out how running will fit into your busy schedule.
That is where a running coach can come in to play! Sometimes it takes an outside person looking in on your training to be able to put together a plan that works for your goals and schedule.
I will be honest, I have been skeptical about hiring a running coach for years! I have self taught myself since I started running in 2009. Yes, thank you to Hal Higdon’s training plans and piecemealing multiple running books that I have read to put together my own training plans. I put in the time to do my own research and even got myself to multiple PRs especially in the year 2015 where I PR’ed in the half marathon at the Glass City half marathon in Toledo (1:30:32) and Indianapolis Marathon (3:12:32). I was constantly suffering injuries between 2013 and 2016. I was under fueling and not allowing myself to recovery enough as I tackled multiple marathons a year with no breaks and no easy running. Then 2016 led me to the point of exhaustion and burnout while did my first half ironman and 4 marathons all in the same year. My body needed a break yet I wasn’t slowing down for it. After my NYC marathon, I forced myself to stop in order to begin our family as my body was too stressed from everything I put it through.
Now two kids and getting through this COVID pandemic later, 2021 I finally got serious about training again with races back on the schedule. Despite my inclusion of speedwork, tempo runs, rest days, long runs…my 2 half marathon times did not show any improvement. Then tackled on marathon training for Mesa AZ marathon Feb 2022, my race did not reflect where I thought I was at. I have finally decided to let go of the reins and try something different.
They say doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is a definition of crazy.
If you refer to my previous post on my Mesa Marathon recap, I stayed with a fellow running coach, Sara from Elevate Your Running. I felt like we clicked and could understand my goals and busy lifestyle yet my determination to progress in my running. I hired her pretty quickly after I recovered from the marathon.
She was able to lay out my training for the week around my schedule and to visually see REST DAY on the schedule helps me to slow down. Yes I gave myself rest days, yet as a mom of two little kids along with a dog, I would still run around trying to get everything done around the house or work or try to sneak in an easy “workout”.
I get called out on my Easy Runs not being easy enough. We all read that our runs should be 80% easy running and 20% hard workouts. A lot of us fall into the Grey Zone of running that is in between the Fast speed work for our workout days and the White “Easy” Zone. We don’t want our friends on Strava to see us going too slow, heaven forbid! But we need those Easy Runs (runs well below 145 bpm and able to hold a conversation) in order to recover, have energy for the day, and be prepared for our workouts. I am given two workouts a week where I can show off my speed should I need to impress.
Having the scheduling and planning out of my hands is one less stress in my life. I can rely on my coach to switch up my workouts based on how I am feeling and times I am hitting. Stress (whether running or life) can make a big impact on our training and our interactions with people in our lives.
I can do this for you! I can take the stress of planning your training and let you get back to having fun and enjoying running again. I offer many services of either 1:1 coaching to give you weekly workouts, just a training plan customized for you and your upcoming race, or basic training plans available.
Feel free to reach out! See if we click and I would love to help you reach your goals and take one level of stress off of your plate!
Happy Running!
What is holding you back from your running?
Have you noticed improvement trying to train yourself?
