Christina Mather – Ft Worth Running Coach
$75.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
Novice to experienced, fitness to competitive running goals, 5K up to Marathon, and beginner 50K with an emphasis on women athletes
Description
Ft. Worth running coach Christina Mather takes a completely personalized approach for athletes ranging from 5k to 50k on both the roads and the trails, especially female athletes, and incorporates strength while at the same time knowing how to balance training with a busy schedule. Reach out to Christina below to get started!
LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate
TYPES: Road, Trail
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon, Ultra
TRAINING PLATFORM: VDOT
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited text
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Ft. Worth, TX
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: No, online coaching only
SPECIALTIES
I offer individualized coaching for general running fitness and 5K up to the Marathon. I also work with beginner athletes for distances up to 50K. My main focus is on women athletes ranging in experience from just beginning to intermediate/advanced. I appreciate the special requirements and considerations for masters athletes and busy athletes. Strength training and warm-up suggestions are available upon request. Coaching includes initial email and phone consultation. Evaluation of racing (if applicable), training history & current running level via an athlete questionnaire is used to aid in assessment & development of future racing &/or training goals. Individualized training plan is updated weekly & available in the VDOT app with adaption of training plan to changes in fitness, feedback provided from athlete, &/or life circumstances. A race day plan (if applicable) and race day nutrition/hydration suggestions are also provided.
PHILOSOPHY
I believe that each person’s running journey is their own and is unique to that person. I believe that running is athlete driven based on their lifestyle, motivation, and physical capabilities. While I follow the science and best practices for training cycles, I customize each training plan to the athlete and adjust as we go. Running is more than a physical process. Running can be emotional, mental, intrinsically motivated, and/or externally motivated. I tailor my coaching style to each athlete’s need for communication/feedback and value listening to athlete’s inputs on how they are feeling. Above all, running should be a supplement to life and not an additional stressor. Running is one part of a whole person. As a coach, I place value on helping athletes navigate career, family, and other obligations and priorities while still chasing running & fitness goals. It is my goal to support the athlete in such a way that they feel my complete support regardless of a time on a clock and to trust the training process that we are working through based on the goals that drive them.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Certified V.O2 Run Coach | October 2023 – present
Designed training plans for athletes to compete in the 5K, 10K, 10 Mile, Half Marathon, Marathon, & back-to-back races. Designed training plans for athletes during injury and return from injury
Kilometer Kids Head Coach | August 2024 – present
Led team of 40 elementary aged athletes and 3 assistant coaches in running program designed to inspire and introduce young runners to the sport. Season included two 1 Mile Time Trials
Kilometer Kids Assistant Coach | Aug 2023 – May 2024
Co-led team of 50 elementary aged athletes and 5 assistant coaches in running program designed to inspire and introduce young runners to the sport. Season included two 1 Mile Time Trials
ABOUT ME
I have been a distance runner since high school. My love of & dedication to running, the experience I have had as an athlete with my current coach, & experience as a coach for my children’s elementary school track club has inspired me to continue to immerse myself in the sport and to pursue my own coaching opportunities and relationships.
I started running cross country & track in high school during my sophomore year. I had double foot surgeries during my senior year in high school. Although I returned to running as soon as I was cleared to do so, I had to miss my senior cross-country & track seasons. I have been running consistently since that time with the exception of a couple of minor injuries and minimal downtime when I had my children.
Over the years, I have increased the distances that I train and race from the 5K to the marathon and 50K. For me, running is very internally focused. Coaching is an avenue that I love in that it is outwardly focused and allows me the opportunity to give back to a sport that has given me so much. Coaching is also a way of connecting with others and receiving inspiration from thinking through and watching their journey. It has been so rewarding to strategize, hand it over, and watch the process.
BIG INFLUENCES
When developing training plans, my biggest influence comes from the methodologies that Jack Daniels has created and taught throughout his career. Because running and training is not a one fits all approach for every runner, I place a huge value in continuing to learn and adapt. It is extremely important to me to find out what an athlete has used in the past and to apply my knowledge in a way that provides the athlete the opportunity to grow and learn while keeping running an enjoyable process. I also believe it is important to be flexible in approaches if the circumstance warrants. For example, an athlete may be following a Jack Daniels training philosophy. However, I may switch them to a Galloway Run/Walk approach following an injury. The major influences on my coaching philosophy has been the relationships I have had with my running coaches over the last several years. In particular, the guidance, unconditional support, and honesty of my current coach has pushed me beyond my comfort zone and to pursue the dreams and goals I know are possible but may not have previously had the belief to pursue with confidence.
RACING HISTORY
I enjoy the process of training more than the race itself. For me, the race is like the final chapter in a segment of a training block. The year I ran the Chicago Marathon, the theme was “Chicago is your start line.” I had run 2 marathons prior, but Chicago is where I really began to feel the potential of what could be possible and to start to move from the goals of just finishing into pushing to be the best version of myself during the training block and on the day. Grandma’s Marathon was a race I never expected to make it to the starting line. The experience of running with gratitude for just being able to show up healthy was so much more meaningful and allowed a different race day experience. The Eugene Marathon was a PR, but what stood out to me that day was accomplishing a goal after having lost my father-in-law 2 months prior to a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis and a lung transplant.
The most meaningful and memorable race experience to date has been the White River 50K. I didn’t set a PR and ended the race feeling like I left a lot physically on the table. I gave everything I had during the training block but did not want a race with such important personal meaning to me to be spent head down and focused on numbers or paces. Instead, I chose to work with others, soak in the scenery, and the experience. I have zero regrets about my pace on that day and look forward to chasing time goals at a 50K in the future.
PRs
- Marathon: 3:33:15, April 28, 2024, Eugene Marathon, Boston Qualifier
- Half Marathon: 1:42:26, November 5, 2023, Alpharetta Women’s Half Marathon
- 10K: 45:49, September 4, 2023, Big Peach Sizzler 10K, Overall Female Master
- 5.5 Mile Trail: 45:21, November 18, 2023, Chateau Elan Muscandine Vineyard Trail Run, 3rd Overall Female
CERTIFICATIONS
- V.O2
- USATF Level 1
- RRCA
CONTACT CHRISTINA
Finding a coach who is a great fit for you is really important. We encourage you to email your coach prior to signing up so you can connect, communicate, and ensure a good athlete/coach fit.
PUBLICATIONS
- Building an Effective Coaching Relationship
- The Joy & Heartbreak of First-Time Qualifying & Lottery Races
- Trail Sisters: AI Coaching & Training Plans: Are They Right for You?
SOCIAL
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