If you've ever wondered what it would be like to have a running coach, I can show you how working with a coach can help you achieve your running goals. Hiring a running coach is not just for elite athletes and track kids, recreational adult athletes can benefit from hiring a coach and it doesn't have to break the bank. 

RUN COACHING SHOULD INCLUDE LIFESTYLE COACHING

I call it lifestyle coaching because a good coach won't just give you a plan and send you on your way. A good coach can guide you on the lifestyle changes that will go a long way to help you achieve your health and fitness goals. 

Keep in mind that we don't train in a bubble. The training plan is just a small part of overall picture. Everything is connected. Your training plan, your sleep, your recovery, your nutrition, your stress levels and your lifestyle all affect each other. Anyone can follow a training plan downloaded from the internet, but a coach can help you pull it all together. A coach can help you achieve your goals, not just with a training plan, but also hold you accountable for the lifestyle that will support your success with that goal.

PERSONALIZED TRAINING PLANS

Training is dynamic. It changes over time. You can download a 14-week training plan from the internet but it won't be customized to you. When you work with a coach, training plans are built specifically for you based on your goals and current fitness levels. Not everyone starts and ends in the same place. A coach will meet you where you are (figuratively or physically) and will work with you to come up with a plan that fits your lifestyle, abilities, and needs in order to reach your goals. As you change, as your goals evolve, as you get stronger and faster, the plan will change as you do. If something comes up in your life that throws your training off-track, or if you need to back-off training for any reason, a coach will help you navigate the uncertainty. If you hit a plateau in any of your goals, a coach can help you come up with a plan to break through.

COMMUNICATION

A coach can provide feedback throughout the training cycle. Can I run and strength train on the same day? How many rest days do I need? Something feels weird, what should I do? I overslept and missed my long run, now what? Where's the Gluteus Medius again? Why is it important? A coach can walk you through all the questions that come up throughout the training cycle. Maybe most importantly, a coach can help you determine when it's time to back off or give you a pep talk (or tough love) if you've been slacking off. A coach helps you avoid the mistakes so many runners (inexperienced and experienced alike) make. Skip the learning curve and cut right to success. Trust me when I tell you I learned a lot of lessons the hard way. Train smarter and more efficiently by hiring a coach.

NUTRITION GUIDANCE

Most coaches can help you with nutrition. Runners usually need to fuel for performance which is not always the same as fueling for fat loss or weight maintenance. A good coach can help you come up a nutrition habits plan to reach all your goals. Small changes can result in big changes over time with healthy habits. A coach can hold you accountable to healthy nutrition habits and guide your performance fueling needs. 

GOAL SETTING

A running coach can help you set goals that are challenging but attainable. Having someone hold you accountable to your goals is often the a factor in goal achievement. A good coach can make sure your goals are realistic and attainable in a proper time period, but also help push you out of your comfort zone. With a coach you won't waste time and stall progress by not pushing yourself hard enough and avoid over-training and injury by pushing too much for your fitness abilities. Let a coach help you find the right balance. 

PROGRESS TRACKING

A coach can help you keep track of progress over time. With weekly, monthly or quarterly measurements, mile time, 5K time or progress photos (depending on your goals) a coach can help you stay motivated with measured and documented progress. 

We often feel more accountable to other people than we do ourselves, having a coach to check in on us, can be the catalyst to success. Make no mistake, a coach provides the programming, the guidance, and the accountability, but you still have to do the work. No training plan will work unless you're willing to put in the hard work for yourself.

With this new-fangled internet-thing (ha ha), online run coaching is more accessible and affordable than ever. For about the monthly cost of a gym membership, you can get personalized coaching online. 

If you want to train for a 5K, 10K, Half marathon, either a new runner to achieve the distance for the first time or an experienced runner who wants to improve their performance, I can help you reach your goals. 

My program includes online/distance coaching (no in-person meetings), running workouts, strength training for runners workouts, nutrition tracking, healthy-habit tracking, goal tracking on an online platform and one 30 minute call per week to discuss progress, goals, challenges, and solutions.

I will build a custom plan based on your goals and current fitness level, hold you accountable for the things you say you want to achieve. Personalized for you. This is not a cookie-cutter program.

No long-term commitments. no-hassle cancel (just tell me, we'll still be friends if you change your mind). Achieve your running goals with me! Learn more about run coaching here.

Would you rather see me in-person in Fort Worth for personal training for runners? At the time of this post, I have just two more openings per week. Contact me for details. 

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Coach Lea