Alicia Jenkins Browder – Bellingham Running Coach

4.92 out of 5
(25 customer reviews)

From: $170.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee

50% off your first month! Using my background in kinesiology and physical therapy to create individualized training plans for runners of all levels!

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Description

Alicia Jenkins Browder is a Bellingham, WA-based running coach with a physical therapy background. Whether you are recovering from an injury or gearing up for an ultra, Alicia can help. No distance is too far, Alicia’s trained and raced for a 240 miler, so if distance is your thing, Alicia is your coach.

*** 50% off First Month for month-to-month Coaching – Coupon Code: 50%alicia ***

Contact Alicia

LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Road, Trail
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon, Ultra
TRAINING PLATFORM: Training Peaks Premium
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited text, unlimited phone
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Bellingham, WA
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: No, online coaching only

SPECIALTIES

I love working with the athlete who is just starting out to the advanced athlete looking to hit a new PR. As a Physical Therapist Assistant at a sports based orthopedic clinic in Bellingham, WA, I see many runners in the clinic. I can help runners rehab through injuries as well as help prevent running injuries from occurring. If you are interested, I can also incorporate strength training into your training plan.

As someone in long term recovery, I am able to help runners who are going through recovery or in the process of getting sober.

My specialties in coaching are in the Half Marathon, Marathon, and Ultra Running (50-200 mile distance).

PHILOSOPHY

A co-worker told me once that “YOU control the training log, the training log doesn’t control you.” This quote has stuck with me, and I follow this in my training as well as my athletes’ training. I believe consistency and routine are important to reach our goals. Most of us incorporate training into our already busy lives, and sometimes we have to adapt our training to fit into our lives. My goal is to help you blend your training into your everyday life in a way that each one enhances the other.

I believe that training needs to be fun. While there will be days when it isn’t so fun, you should always feel GOOD after doing a run, even if it’s on one of those not so fun days. Training should be individualized to each athlete’s goals and lifestyle. I will be your biggest cheerleader and help push you to be the best you can be each day.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

I started coaching with Team RunRun in 2020 and before that I had been coaching friends and family since 2015. I’ve coached beginning athletes to finishing their first 5k and advanced athletes to setting new 1/2 marathon and marathon PR’s. I have experience coaching athletes to completing their first 50k, 100k, 100 miler, and 200+ mile distances as well as athletes looking to improve their ultra marathon times.

On top of that, I coached myself for many years to reach my own PR’s. That includes bringing down my marathon PR by 40 minutes to qualify for Boston and bringing down my half marathon PR time by over 15 minutes.

Since 2018, I have worked with my own coach and learned a lot about what makes a good coach! By having my own coach I was able to experience first hand the added value a coach has in helping with more than just the training plan itself. I LOVE learning and do my best to stay on top of all the newest evidence based research on running topics, races, gear, etc. I will CONTINUE to learn with you as we go through your training together to help you achieve your goals!

ABOUT ME

I was born and raised in Bellingham, Washington and still live here. At Western Washington University, I earned my Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a pre-physical therapy focus in 2010. I then attended Whatcom Community College where I earned my Physical Therapist Assistant degree in 2013, and I have been working as a PTA ever since at Performance Physical Therapy in Bellingham, WA.

Around the age of 19, my dad ran a half-marathon, and I figured if he could do it then I could too! I remember how exciting it felt the first time I ran 2 miles without stopping and trained to run my first half marathon that same year in 2007. From 2007-2014 I kept running off and on doing various half marathons, 10k’s, 5k’s and ran my first marathon in 2010.

On December 27, 2015 I made the decision to get sober, and I used running to help. I wasn’t running much prior to that, and I missed it. I had gained some weight and wasn’t happy with who I had become physically as well as mentally. Running was and still is an integral part of my recovery.

When I first got sober, I set a goal for myself that seemed impossible but I was ready to challenge myself. I decided to try to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Although my previous marathon time was 40 minutes slower then the qualifying time, I was determined to at least try. Even if I never hit that qualifying time, I was ready to give it my all. I believe in not being afraid to set big goals! I trained myself and within 8 months of training I not only qualified for Boston but I beat my qualifying time by 10 minutes.

I’ve since shifted my running over to mainly trail and ultra marathon distances running trail 50ks, 100ks, 125ks, 100 mile, and 200 mile races. While I’ve shifted my focus over to the trail world I still love road running as well and try to do a few road races throughout the year too.

BIG INFLUENCES

I consider my coaching philosophy to be a blend between David Goggins and David Roche. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader but also give you that kick in the butt if you need as well. (If you are not familiar with either of these people, I highly recommend both of their books, Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins, and The Happy Runner by David and Megan Roche).

Jason Koop and Corrine Malcom have been big influences on my coaching as well. Corrine has been my coach since 2019 and as an athlete of hers I feel like I have been absorbing all of her knowledge as well! My training plans come from evidence based research that these two have been a big part of.

RACING HISTORY

I’ve run races from road 5k’s – marathons and trail races from half marathon’s up to the 200 mile distance.

Some of my favorite races I’ve run are the Boston Marathon, Bellingham Bay Marathon, Seawheeze 1/2 Marathon, Bigfoot 200 (I ran this unofficially as the race was cancelled in 2020 but I still did the entire course), Canadian Death Race 125k, Black Canyon 100k, Orcas Island 50 mile, and Chuckanut 50k.

  • 5k – 19:51
  • Half Marathon – 1:28:36
  • Marathon – 3:20:32
  • 50k – 5:28:41 (Chuckanut 50k)
  • 50 mile – 8:55:05 (Wy’east Wonder 50 Miler)
  • 100k – 13:12:53 (Black Canyon 100k)
  • 100 mile – 22:35:22 (Badger Mountain 100 Miler)
  • 240 mile – 79 hours (Moab 240 2021)

CERTIFICATIONS

  • Certified United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy (UESCA) Ultrarunning Coach. Certification #12535
  • Certified United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy (UESCA) Running Coach. Certification #12647
  • Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) in Washington State. License #P160424460

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

  • 3rd place at Moab 240 2021

CONTACT ALICIA

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.

Give us a brief history of your running, and this can include what distances and/or races you’ve run, how long you’ve been running, any past or present injuries, if you’ve worked with a coach or a specific training program before, etc.
Any short term or long term goals?
Describe your ideal coach/athlete relationship.
Any questions/comments for Team RunRun or the Coach in general?

PUBLICATIONS

SOCIAL

25 reviews for Alicia Jenkins Browder – Bellingham Running Coach

  1. 5 out of 5

    Jake Griffith

    Alicia is a great coach and pleasure to work with. I enjoyed significant improvements in my performance under her guidance- highly recommend! 19:18 to 17:03 in 19 short months.

  2. 5 out of 5

    Anthony Biasi

    I have had Alicia as a coach for about 2.5 months. She has been great to work with and was very helpful when I had a past injury show back up recently. Alicia sent me some rehab exercises to do for my knee and in about a month the knee pain is gone!! Its great to have a coach who is also a PTA!! Thank you Alicia!

  3. 5 out of 5

    Johnny

    If you want a fantastic coach that communicates effectively and that will keep you on track, look no further than Coach Alicia. Her methods work. She keeps me on point and ready for races. She listens to my needs and adapts the training to fit my goals (ultramarathons). She never ceases to surprise me with her breadth of knowledge, upbeatness and willingness to help me achieve. I could not ask for a better coach.

  4. 5 out of 5

    Talia Jewell

    This is my first experience with a coach and all I can ask myself is why did it take this long to get one. Alicia takes out all of the guesswork and provides structured running and strength plans based around my ability and goals. I’ve PRed in two races since signing up with her and am looking forward to training for my first 50k.

  5. 5 out of 5

    Ryan

    I have only been working with Alicia for a short time now, but I am very happy and impressed. She is very responsive and provides individualized workouts and adjusts to what is happening with me. Very excited to continue working with her and achieving my goals

  6. 5 out of 5

    Chelsea Greenwood

    Alicia is a thoughtful, kind, no-nonsense coach! I appreciated our first conversations where I word-vomited all my nebulous running goals and she helped me to parse everything and come up with plans that made sense. Her additional expertise in PT has provided lots of peace of mind when I had questions about niggles or injuries. I’m in between training seasons now and already itching to be working again with her!

  7. 5 out of 5

    Joanne Petersen

    Alicia has been a HUGE blessing. I was looking for a coach to help me navigate a busy work/personal life who is accommodating to last minute schedule changes, and she has been AMAZING! She’s both supportive but also realistic, which I appreciate. I recently came down with Covid, and had to take an entire week off of training, and she has given me the confidence to both trust the process and that I can still be in shape/ready for my 50k in 9 weeks despite this setback. Would HIGHLY recommend her a coach!

  8. 5 out of 5

    Tim Jahraus

    I’ve been working with Alicia for about six months now and highly recommend her as a coach for other athletes. She has a wide ranging, impressive ultrarunning resume as an athlete that helps compliment her coaching skillset. Her background as a physical therapist assistant adds another component to her skillset, making her a fantastic option if you’re looking for a professional who can guide you through a range of training distances and environments, navigating physical workload and injury prevention, and managing the work/life/training balance we all struggle with. She brings a very professional demeanor that you’ll notice right away. She’s very positive, practical, and laid back, but still direct. You can tell she’s done this before. I find she’s always looking to improve on her side too and is open to feedback. In the six months I’ve worked with her, she’s made tangible efforts to cut back on her PTA work to provide more room for communication with her athletes, and in my experience she’s always been prompt about responding to anything urgent. She’s thoughtful about not forcing ideas on an athlete, but her wide range of experience lends itself to a deep pool of opinions based on her experiences as an athlete, coach, and PTA. She’s quick to give her opinion if you ask for it, won’t beat a dead horse if you decide not to take her advice, and has no problem saying “I don’t know” if she doesn’t have direct experience related to your question. To me, those sort of no-nonsense responses mean it’s coming from very specific experience without any speculating or guesswork, and that is invaluable. When that comes from a coach who’s all about positivity, having fun and loving the training process, deliberate in applying the “why” to what she assigns, and makes athlete-coach communication fun and easy, you have a fantastic coaching candidate.

  9. 5 out of 5

    Jake Griffith

    Alicia is easy to work with and is a dedicated and knowledgeable coach. I’ve seen improvements in my times and she even helped me rehab through a nagging injury. Highly recommend.

  10. 5 out of 5

    Elizabeth Guy

    I’ve been working with Alicia for 2 months and enjoyed how she makes sure the training progression load is manageable, checks in on how you are feeling, and offers PT exercises to support your training. I feel so much better having someone “take the burden” off trying to plan for my first 100 mile race and have someone create a plan that is manageable when trying to balance life and a busy work schedule.

  11. 5 out of 5

    Lena Grobe

    Alicia has been an amazing coach for the last 10 months and continues to help me reach PRs in multiple races. I have a love for both trail and road races, long and short, and I completely trust her coaching to prepare me for whatever it is. Her addition of specific strength training workouts for me to do at home with minimal equipment have helped me tremendously with injury prevention and made me a better runner- I’ve never felt stronger! She’s very responsive and flexible, and I enjoy working with her very much. Highly recommend.

  12. 5 out of 5

    Stephanie Brereton

    I have been working with Alicia for 4.5 months now, and really enjoy having her as my coach. She is supportive, understanding, encouraging, and flexible. On workouts where I don’t feel satisfied with my performance, she always manages to find something positive. I also appreciate her “effort level” based training. It helps me focus on the amount of effort I am putting into a workout, instead of obsessing over a specific pace. She can tailor the strength training to the specific person, their weaknesses, and what equipment they have available, which is super helpful for me. Not to mention, as an injury-prone runner, her understanding of how the body works with her background as a PTA is amazingly helpful. I have no doubt that if anyone can help me finish my 100 miler, she can.

  13. 5 out of 5

    Artemio Mendoza

    I have really enjoyed working with Alicia since November. She is easy to talk to and quick to respond with any questions. No doubt that she’s going to get me ready for my goal! I’m looking forward to being coached by her the rest of the year!

  14. 5 out of 5

    Dani Sole

    Alicia is so kind and encouraging as a running coach. I felt like I was able to tell her what was on my mind when it came to my running plan and how I was feeling mentally. She felt like a close friend when it came to the relationship. She is also a GREAT communicator. I definitely recommend having her as a running coach, whether you are just starting out or an experienced runner!

  15. 5 out of 5

    Allyson Watkins

    Alicia’s training program has been very effective in helping me prepare for my upcoming race and managing pre-existing injuries. I am thankful I have her to “think” for me – I open the app and just do what she tells me to do! It has worked, I am stronger and my endurance has increased. She is very easy to reach and eager to answer any questions.

  16. 5 out of 5

    Damien Scott

    Alicia is an amazing coach and her coaching is worth every penny. She has helped me with injury prevention, becoming a more durable runner as well as running faster than I ever have before. I’m 44 years old and in the best shape of my life. Her coaching plan is flexible to my time restraints and easy to follow.

  17. 5 out of 5

    Todd

    Alicia has been a great coach for me, is always very quick to answer any questions I have and builds a plan around my schedule so that it works for me. When I decided to hire a coach I knew that I wanted someone who would encourage me to do better and that is exactly what Alicia does…. nobody needs a drill sergeant.

    Since she is a PT assistant she knows what is going on with any injuries and can make adjustments as needed to the training.

  18. 4 out of 5

    John Farley

    I have been working with Alicia for about 3 months. Although I have had the first few races cancelled and a few injuries, she has been with me the whole time adjusting the plan as needed. She has been very easy to contact and quick with feedback. Alicia is encouraging when I hit the set training plan as well as flexible and understanding when life throws curveballs and I need to adjust.

  19. 5 out of 5

    Kathryn Boehmer

    I have been working with Alicia since January in preparation for my first ultra and it has been incredible. I have been working through some of the longer lasting effects from COVID 19 and Alicia has been amazing with my programming. She is an awesome support and was able to adjust my training based off of how my body was feeling. I am set to run my first ultra in 1 week and feel very prepared. All thanks to my AMAZING coach ????

  20. 5 out of 5

    snapssmith

    I can’t say enough positive things about Alicia! I am a longtime runner, but this is my first time being coached and it has been a wonderful experience so far. She has given me workouts tailored to my goals and explains the science behind why we’re doing what we’re doing. I love that she has a PT background — as soon as I feel something crop up, she prescribes prehab exercises to combat any injury. I am also loving the strength workouts and can see that it’s leading to real improvement. She is extremely communicative and motivating, while being very understanding and compassionate in her approach. I’ve already seen a huge improvement with my running efficiency and speed in the short time I’ve been with her and I am feeling very confident about achieving my goals with her this year and beyond!

  21. 5 out of 5

    PaulGuillien

    I am very pleased with my coaching program with Alicia Jenkins. She is the perfect blend of scientific approach, highly knowledgeable, outstanding communications, and is also downright inspiring. Her consistent communications and thoughtful reports and analysis are very much appreciated. She is welcoming anytime I have a question and likes to have a call periodically to chat about how things are going.

    She goes above and beyond, making her own how-to videos to demonstrate different stretches and exercises that she prescribes. Her background in physical therapy has been enormously helpful in fortifying the weak links in my 49-year-old body making me a more resilient athlete.

    She is genuinely interested in the journey her athletes are on and is very enthusiastic about all things running. I appreciate that she is focused on ultra distance trail running in her own life the same way I am. Alicia is a very committed and talented coach who is worth every penny of the monthly fee. I am grateful to have found her and enjoy working with her to accomplish my trail running goals.

  22. 5 out of 5

    Miguel Reyes

    Alicia has made herself available whenever needed even with a 3-hour time difference. We communicate regularly and she is always rooting for me and her training plan definitely suits my exact needs and schedule. Would recommend Alicia for anyone!

  23. 5 out of 5

    Kara Hourdas

    I have really enjoyed working with Alicia over the past months. She’s a very knowledgeable runner and her positivity and encouraging words get you through tough workouts. I admire her tenacity as evidenced by her own accomplishments both as a runner and a person. I look forward to continuing to train with Alicia and I know she’ll be the coach to help me obtain my goals. Highly recommend her to anyone looking to meet their goals with a positive, responsive coach.

  24. 5 out of 5

    Kristen Hannon

    Alicia has been off and on coaching me for the past few years. She got me through my first 100k last February! She is sympathetic and easy to talk to as well as being tough and giving great motivation when needed. Overall, I only have great things to say and will continue with her for my 100 miler next year!

  25. 4 out of 5

    Goht VanDenBrink

    I have been training with Alicia for 2 months now and I’ve noted significant improvements in my pace and endurance. Our interactions via telephone and zoom calls have been very positive and helpful. She is fantastic at communicating with quick answers and insightful guidance that keeps me motivated and positive.

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