As well as our online running courses, Runningversity also provides personal running coaching to runners all over the world that need more guidance and bespoke planning. So, how you do you know if personal running coaching is the right thing for you, and how can it help you with your racing?
- Is a personal running coaching right for me?
- How will my racing improve with a personal running coach?
- How do I choose a personal running coach?
Is a personal running coaching right for me?
There is a vast amount of information on the Internet about how to train for running and some runners can happily download a free training plan, read a few articles and succeed in their racing. However, many runners find that following such rigid plans becomes a struggle and arrive at the start-line of their chosen race with tired legs and tired minds. Or worse, they don’t arrive at the start-line at all, due to injury. Does any of this sound like you?
Some runners are sensible. They listen to their bodies. They adjust their plan as they go. They train for their long term fitness objectives, not just specifically for their race. They don’t get injured. They enjoy their training and racing! However, in my experience, many runners are obsessed… Which is great while training is going well! But, many runners lack any form of self-control and are so addicted to running that they only adjust their training when their body physically stops them! Does this sound like you?
Experienced runners tend to seek help and guidance from coaches, mentors and other runners. However, a lot of runners, be they beginners or experienced ultra-runners, just don’t have access to anyone local, that they can rely on for support. This might be because they are remote or perhaps because they are introverted and find it hard to get out and meet the right people, so they are missing out. Does this sound like you?
How will my racing improve with a personal running coach?
There are so many reasons a running coach can help you improve.
A coach can help you with setting a variety of running goals. Whilst a race is a cool mid-term goal and a great indicator of progress, they are really just a stepping stone along your running journey. Before that race arrives, you should already know what the goals are further in the future.
Then a coach can help you understand WHY you are racing. Why are you prepared to put all this time into your training? Understanding this will keep you going with disciplined mind and consistent training, so that you even if you aren’t feeling in the right mindset, you still get out there and get the work done.
A coach can also help you understand what it will FEEL like when you achieve those goals! Many runners doubt themselves and their ability to progress, so being able to feel it in advance can make all the difference.
A good coach will keep you accountable – after every running session, you will think about how the training went, even if it was just an easy run, and report the information back to your coach. If the feedback sounds lacklustre, the coach can work with you to understand if it was just an off-day or if the plan needs adjusting. One of my mottos is “Don’t be a slave to the plan“.
Having a coach can really help with that self-evaluation, and include other areas of your life, not just running. Perhaps work is particularly stressful. Or family. Or a relationship. Factoring in these extra stress levels is essential to a successful running plan.
A coach can help you with more than just how long to run and how hard. There are other areas that can be tweaked, such as nutrition, sleep, cross-training, strength training. For example, if you want to run a 90K ultra run that’s predominantly downhill, you’ll need select strength training to keep your legs stronger for longer.
How do I choose a personal running coach?
Finding a coach you can get on with is really important. You are going to be spending time with them. This might be on the phone, on video calls, on messaging apps (or even in person), having regular two-way conversations about running and life. If you don’t get a good feeling early on, it’s unlikely the partnership will work long-term, no matter how experienced the coach is.
Being an elite runner doesn’t make someone a good coach. A coach has to be good at teasing out information from the athlete, communication, follow-up, giving praise when due and knowing when it’s time to tell a runner to get their act together!
A good personal running coach should be capable of helping a runner progress their running from where it is now towards where that runner would like it to be. It shouldn’t matter whether that runner is a slow plodder or a good-for-age contender! A coach should be able to adapt their coaching plans to the individual in a highly bespoke way, whilst still staying in-line with their overall coaching philosophy.
If you are considering a running coach, contact us to set up a chat so you can decide for yourself if we might be a good match. We can do remote coaching to anywhere with good Internet access (for example WhatsApp phone calls).
