Brendan Gilpatrick – Maine Running Coach
$125.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
Former college coach with 10 years of experience with an MS in Kinesiology, coaching beginner to podium finishers from 3k to 100 miles.
Description
Maine running coach Brendan Gilpatrick has helped athletes of all abilities prepare for and compete in races from 3km to 100 miles on the track, roads and trails. With an MS in Kinesiology, Brendan focuses on communication, consistency, and specificity, and he has competed in races such as the Barkley Fall Classic, among other tough trail ultras. Reach out to Brendan today!
***Brendan has alternative pricing for collegiate athletes that have graduated in the past two years and for the high school and collegiate athletes looking for coaching in the summer. Contact Brendan (below) for more details***
LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Road, Trail, Track
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon, Ultra
TRAINING PLATFORM: Final Surge
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited text, unlimited phone
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Waterville, ME
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: No, online coaching only
SPECIALTIES
I take pride in coaching a diverse group of athletes. I have never limited who I am willing to work with because I believe there is value in working with someone who is just starting out as much as the athlete looking to meet the Olympic trials standard. Every athlete offers the opportunity to learn and grow as a coach.
In addition to using Final Surge for athlete training plans and communication, I also deliver strength training and mobility exercises via an app as well, aiming to help train athletes on the whole with multiple tools.
PHILOSOPHY
I have worked with hundreds of athletes over the years at all levels and the three most important elements I have found that creates success are: communication, consistency, and specificity. When an athlete and coach focus on these three components, they will find success in achieving their goals.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
I have been coaching runners for the past 10 years including 7 years as a college XC and track & field coach.
Coaching Athlete Highlights
- Providence Half Marathon Winner
- Maine Half Marathon Winner
- USATF Top 25 Performance at Half-Marathon Nationals
- USATF New England 5K Track Champion
- USCAA Track and Field National Invitational Team Champions
- Dozens of 100 mile finishers including several podium finishes
- Boston Marathon Qualifiers both men and women
- USATF Club Cross Country Nationals
- Olympic Trials Qualifier in the Marathon – 2022, 2:16
ABOUT ME
I was not born to run. In high school I lettered in 4 sports none of which were cross-country or track and field. In college I played lacrosse and found that once I graduated, I had this feeling that something was missing. I signed up for a race with a close friend and trained with little knowledge. I finished — it hurt — and I was hooked.
Since that first race, I have used my passion for running to develop my knowledge of the sport and the science behind it. To date I have raced distances from the local 5k to trail 100 milers. Running has allowed me to explore places I would not have imagined possible and to make a deep and lasting connection to the natural world. It motivated me to go back to school and earn a master’s degree in Exercise Science to have a greater understanding of human physiology and performance.
BIG INFLUENCES
As a coach it is critical to always be actively learning. This includes staying current on scientific literature to pursue continuing education opportunities. It is just as important for me as a coach to push myself and grow as it is for my athletes with their running goals. Daniels, Lydiard, and Fitzgerald work has been a major influence. Former UMaine runner and Thomas College coach Kerry Smart has had a great deal of influence on me as a coach as well as Jennifer Laney who was a former athletic director and women’s head basketball coach I worked closely with. Both of these women have taught me a great deal about coaching and positive leadership.
RACING HISTORY
My personal running has been focused on trail/ultra running where I have competed in over 40 ultramarathons. Below are some highlights:
- Barkley Fall Classic Finisher x 2, 6th Overall
- South Mountains Marathon 1st Overall
- 1st Place and Course Record (now broken), Last Man Standing, Maine
- 10th Overall, Buckin’ Hell 50K, Canada
- 3rd Overall, Riverland’s 100 Miler, Maine
- 4th Overall, Orcas Island 100 Miler, Washington
- 3rd Place, Cayuga Trail Marathon, New York
- 9th Overall Hurt 100 Miler, Hawaii
- 3rd Overall TARC Winter Fells 32 Miler, Massachusetts
CERTIFICATIONS
- University of Southern Maine – B.A., Psychology
- University of Maine – M.S., Exercise Science
- Thesis: Pacing Variability in Mountainous 100 Mile Ultramarathons
- USATF Level 2 Endurance Coach
- USATF Level 2 Sprints, Hurdles, Relays Coach
- USA Weightlifting Level 1 Coach
- USATF Level 1 Track and Field Coach
- RRCA Certified Running Coach
- First Aid/CPR Instructor
PRs
- 5K – 17:35
- 50K – 3:54
- 100 Miler – 18:29
CONTACT BRENDAN
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
- Barkley Fall Classic Race Report – 2022
- 9 Exercises to get in Shape for Trails
- Barkley Fall Classic Race Report – 2019
SOCIAL
Leah –
Brendan is a fantastic coach and a great guy to work with! I wanted to work with a coach because I never ran competitively, just the occasional Turkey trot and I was ready to see some real progress and improvement. I am so thankful I did work with Brendan because I accomplished goals and really saw results. I think my biggest barrier was the mental aspect because I had in my head that I wasn’t a runner, and Brendan helped me through that so much. I would also ask him the most random questions about something I had read or heard regarding running and he would always answer quickly and knowledgeably. If you are considering working with a coach, definitely work with Brendan and you won’t be disappointed!
Angela Spaulding –
I have been working with Brendan for the past 6 months and I would absolutely recommend him to anyone looking for run coach. He helped me train for my first marathon, which I finished in under 4 hours! He takes the guess-work out of running, all you have to do is get up, look at your schedule and go do it! So much better than winging it! He responds quickly to messages, and has no problem rearranging your schedule to accommodate life – I’m a mom of a toddler, we had to rearrange a lot of runs. He also incorporates strength and mobility training if you so desire. As a novice runner, I’ve asked a lot of dumb questions, but he’s never made me feel dumb for asking them. Brendan is experienced, knowledgeable and really great to work with. I 10/10 recommend! I’m excited to continue working with him.
Ginger Reoch –
I hired Brendan to be my coach for my Chicago Marathon training cycle this year. I have been lucky to have some amazing coaches in my short running career. This year I decided to try someone new so I read about coaches on Team RunRun. I chose Brendan mainly because he had a lot of informative reviews and his description of what he offered seemed to match what I needed. He is also a fellow Mainer and was quick to respond to my initial inquiry. I liked the weekly plans sent via Final Surge and the strength workouts as well. I looked forward each week to see what Brendan had put together for a speed workout. They were varied and tough, but he was open to feedback if something felt too easy or difficult. As I have already said, Brendan was quick to respond and he communicated via text which was great. At the Chicago Marathon, I PR’d by 2 minutes and negative split the 2nd half! Also, my recovery was quicker than after my first two marathons and I was back to running after 10 days of recovery. I do credit Brendan’s training for these outcomes. I look forward to working with him again in the future.
Jeff Lind –
I worked with Brendan for eight months this year after being referred to him by one of my co-workers. I originally planned only to work him him to prep for the Sugarloaf Marathon in May, but ended up getting COVID the week of the race and had to shift plans. We worked together to refocus on the Reykjavik Marathon in August, and I took 18 minutes off my 2021 Maine Marathon finishing time. We kept it going as I decided to run the Maine Marathon a week or so ago and again was very pleased with my time. So, we actually trained for three marathons this year (not to mention several races at other distances)! Brendan was great working around my work and travel schedule and the races I wanted to do in the midst of training season. Very knowledgeable, friendly and accessible. Looking forward to working with Brendan again in 2024!
Jeffrey Ahern –
Working with Brendan was an awesome experience. Not only did he tailor my training plan to my past experiences, but he tailored it to my family life, last minute schedule changes, and planned vacation time. At the start I didn’t want to be a bother with so many questions so I would only message him on social media, but he reminded me to text him directly if I had any questions so he could get back to me in a timely manner. Throughout training he always reached out to check on my recovery after long runs and he knew what runs would be tough for me (heat and humidity) based on our initial interview. My training plan through Brendan was to finish the Midstate Massive Ultra 50 miler in under 14 hours and 30 minutes but I finished just under 14 hours!!!! A lot of that was to his training plans and mobility sessions!!! He is truly an inspiration and a professional and cares greatly for the success of his clients. Looking forward to working with him in the future! Cheers!
Jason McDaniel –
I worked with Brendan to help me get ready for the Barkley Fall Classic. I have several 100 milers under my belt, but the unique requirements of this race demanded someone who knew what was going on. I searched out and found Brendan. He provided a training plan that was responsive to my needs and other goals (I am an avid Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner). The workouts were clear and his communication was prompt. I didn’t need the “ra-ra” type of encouragement, I just needed direction, but Brendan was still enthusiastic and supportive of the work I was doing. He also provided some much needed tactical information about how to best attack the Barkley Fall Classic. I finished the race this past weekend when 2/3rds of the field did not. His advice was absolutely spot on and made a big difference. Cannot recommend highly enough.
[email protected] –
Been working with Brendan for a few months after a friend recommended a running coach for my next training cycle. Brendan has been an incredible wealth of knowledge when I wasn’t sure what I was doing and had questions, and has provided tools to make me a stronger runner, and was able to adjust my plan with a few life disruptions I had during the training block. I definitely plan on working with him again in the future, and highly recommend to anyone looking for a coach!
Jonathan Jones –
Getting a running coach was the best idea I ever had and Brendan has made the whole process of running again so much more painless than I thought it would be. He has given me the direction I have been looking for and is always available to answer any questions that come up. It’s so easy to get lost in what you are supposed to be doing everyday but now I don’t have to spend a bunch of extra time being confused. Highly recommend.
Stephanie Schick –
If you are still considering working with Brendan while reading this review, this is your sign to look no further! Brendan has not only exceeded my expectations as a running coach, but he has also become an enormous source of encouragement, knowledge, friendship, and kindness. He truly cares about his athletes, and is 110% committed to their journey towards their goals. He is always willing to listen, answer questions, and be direct when I need it. He is incredibly reliable and consistent with his communication. I could not recommend him enough, and I plan on working with him longterm if it allows!
Jen Zeliger –
I’ve only been working with Brendan for a few months. So far, I really love the specificity of the cross training and focus on mobility as well as strength for this older, beginner runner. Looking forward to becoming more efficient in my form and to trying new things this season – getting off the roads and onto the trails after my spring road marathon. He is easy to communicate with and understands the challenges that weather in Maine can provide for winter training.
MP –
Brendan Gilpatrick has been coaching me for six months. He was kind, patient and amazing at delivering the perfect amount of stimulus for challenging one’s body but knowing just how much to allow for adaptations. He’s clear in what he’d like see and reasonable and flexible to an athlete’s need to balance their schedule with “real” life. I really appreciate his laid back yet passionate personality. He’s a true running ambassador in his up-to-date running research and in his own personal running experience. I feel fortunate to work with him!
Jennifer Schlosser –
I have been working with Brendan since June 2022 with my main focus on being able to complete my first marathon in October 2022. Although I have always been active, I was new to doing any type of endurance running. I talked to a few coaches prior to reaching out to Brendan and knew during our initial consult that his knowledge and approach to training was just what I needed! Brendan is easy to talk to and always available whether it’s a question about the upcoming week’s training or minor injury. He has continue to create an individualized plan; including strength work that has me progressing more than I could have imagined. I would highly recommend Brendan to anyone; from those just getting into running as well as those looking to improve their endurance and speed!
brad_ullrick –
Brendan is the first running coach I have had, and he is fantastic. No matter your skill level, he knows how to help. He is a great communicator–very responsive, always supportive, and flexible with a training plan to suit your needs. I have been running with Brendan for about 6 months and beyond the fact that I am continually making progress with my times, I am also learning to love running more and more. I highly recommend Brendan!
Patty Hallee –
I started training with Brendan 2 years ago. From the start he was amazing about addressing all my concerns about injuries and created plans according to my injuries or any pain I was having. Working a full time job well over 40 hours and having a special needs person at home sometimes creates difficulty finding the time to achieve all of what I would like to accomplish. My first goal was to be able to run a half marathon. Brendan’s help and flexibility with my training and his belief and support with the self doubt I had that someone my age could accomplish something like that was amazing. It is what helped me to achieve this goal last fall. I am continuing my work with him in hopes to improve my times. I would highly recommend Brendan to anyone whether a beginner such as I was to a veteran who has a goal and wants support and guidance achieving it. He is very knowledgeable about running and he has the ability to make you feel that what you are trying to achieve is truly possible.
Abigail Burdue –
I’ve worked with Brendan for a little under a year and he’s the best! I’ve always thought I was just “not a runner” and every time I’ve tried to start running on my own I would injure myself but Brendan has helped me build and maintain consistency! He’s been extremely adaptable to my busy schedule and is always receptive to my needs. This is the longest I’ve been able to maintain a healthy schedule for fitness and I attribute that to Brendan. Definitely would recommend for busy beginners trying to improve their overall fitness!
Daniella Patton –
I worked with Brendan for most of 2022. From the beginning, he was great to work with: we quickly spoke and established goals, and he developed a plan that adapted to my schedule (e.g., around vacations/work trips and weekly schedule). Beyond this, the plan was achievable, and I saw improvements in my running – especially in terms of consistency with pacing. He coached me through a marathon and half-marathon this past year and brought positivity and sound advice pre both races. Brendan has been an amazing Coach to work with, and I recommend working with him!
Chip P Eastman –
I worked with Brendan for over 2yrs. I like to trail run and run ultras. Brendan helped me become a stronger runner mentally and physically. He showed me how to be a better ultra runner without running 200-mile weeks. He understands the work/family/hobby balance that we non-professional runners have to navigate. He coached me to a sub 37 hr 100 Mile Wilderness finish! Brendan took the time to drive to northern Maine and find me on the trail to share some miles and wisdom that I will always be grateful for. If you want to become a better runner then call Brendan!
Jeff Matranga –
In short, I highly recommend Brendan as a coach. Although I have been running pretty consistently since high school (1973), I did not start doing longer events until 2018 and then hired Brendan in 2019. He has been patient, knowledgeable, and good at tailoring the training to this 66-year-old. Brendan has guided me through one of my road marathons (2019) and then my first trail ultramarathon in 2019, Grand Canyon R2R in 2022, and most recently in the fall of 2023 two ultras 3 weeks apart (50K and 55K), not to mention helping me through what I thought was a very challenging trail half marathon in June of 2023. If (when?) I sign up for something big again, I will gladly ask Brendan if he will coach me.
Sean James –
Brendan is a top notch coach. I can’t say enough good things about him. He checks every box you could want in a coach. I hope to be able to work with him for years.
Chris Burnell –
I have been working with Brendan for a little over two months and have been nothing but completely satisfied. I was already running 50k’s when I started working with him and have already seen improvements in my fitness. He is super responsive and is always willing to adjust when I want to do something that’s more than is in the plan. As someone who self coached for years I was apprehensive to get a coach but Brendan’s relaxed but focused approach is perfect and my only regret is not doing it sooner. Working with him gets me excited to see what the future holds.
Alden Iselin –
I have been working with Brendan for a few months now and I have nothing but positive things to say. He has been eager to help me achieve my goals and is super helpful whenever I have questions. He is also clearly very knowledgable about all things running and training and has the experience to back that up. Most importantly, he is always flexible and almost always responds in under 20 minutes.
So far Brendan has been a great coach and I would 100% recommend!
flavio pezzini –
I have been working with Brendan for a couple of months now. He’s always very responsive. His plans are well laid out and he can figure out very well just how much effort I can put in a week. The workouts are well explained and I also receive a very well thought out core routine that I can do twice a week.
He was able to carefully ease me back into higher mileage and I was feeling the gains from his weekly workouts from the start.
I highly recommend working with him!
CrystalS –
I have been working with Brendan for a couple months now. I am coming back from hip surgery and it has been a rough recovery. I love how Brendan has been adapting my plan. We’ve been working well together in creating plans based on my progress and sometimes lack of progress. I 100% trust in his coaching!
Richard Drown –
I started working with Brendan when I was a part of the Thomas College Cross Country team while he was the assistant coach over there. After I graduated in 2018, I took a year or two off and just casually ran off and on. During the summer of 2020, I was looking for a change and to follow an actual plan so I reached out to Brendan, and we got right to work. Since that day, I have become a much better runner and overall athlete. I have PBed my 5k time twice, went from completing Murph in 53 minutes to 38 minutes the following year. Brendan is very knowledgeable when it comes to multiple aspects as well. He has been really flexible with planning my training and I can tell that he puts a lot of thought into programming based off from his athlete’s goals. Any time that I’ve heard someone say they’re training for a running event or want to get better at running, I recommend them going to Brendan due to my experience with him as my coach. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be where I am as an athlete and runner without Brendan as my coach!
Shannon Corliss –
I started training with Brendan in August 2021 after a year plus of pretty uninformed running where I had slowly and steadily increased mileage but lacked any real plan or support for reaching my next level. As a high school and college track athlete (multi events, hurdles, jumps) I wasn’t sure I really wanted to or could become a distance runner, but under Brendan’s guidance I ran two half marathons last fall and have a 20 mile trail race coming up in a few weeks (I’ll also race a 10K for the first time this summer and I have no doubt he’ll have me ready for that too). His coaching and weekly plans added sorely needed structure to my training, and along the way I feel I’ve learned a good deal about running philosophy and have matured as a runner (keep the east miles easy!). He’s been very flexible when my weekly training plans needed to be adjusted to accommodate for travel or various life events, and he’s easy to reach with questions, concerns, or just to listen to me complain or stress out about a given workout. He’s encouraging, reassuring, and effectively places things that can seem intimidating in a larger context so they feel more approachable. Working with Brendan feels like taking the guess work out of training: now my job is just to trust the process and show up and do the work. Highly recommended!
Jarrod Ottman –
I have run under Brendan for 2 years now. I have had nothing but success and seen great commitment from him. Amazing Coach to work with.
Kelly Hood –
After growing up playing a number of sports and competing as a Division I field hockey player for four years, I felt like something was missing. When I graduated from college, hiking and running filled that gap for me. Despite being athletic, I had been running for years without making a ton of progress. I honestly didn’t think I had the “long-distance gene,” but figured I would see if a running coach could help me improve. I found Brendan after a quick google search. His athletic background and coaching/life philosophy was in line with my own. I reached out to Brendan via email. He happened to be getting his master’s degree at the same school I was taking prerequisite courses. He made the time to meet me in person. After meeting him, I knew it would be a great fit. I have been working with Brendan for about 2.5 years. During that time, I have brought my half PR down from 1:48 to 1:39 — something I never thought was possible. Brendan gave me the running workout structure to be able to steadily improve my times. Beyond the numbers, Brendan is an advocate of whole-food nutrition, connecting with nature, mental health, and work/life balance — core values that I also hold. As a psych nurse working long shifts, I feel like he just knows when I need a random encouragement text message from him. I have nothing but positive feedback to give about my experience as an athlete working with Brendan. I would recommend him to anyone.
James Delorie –
I have been working with Brendan for a number of years now and have enjoyed great communication, flexibility and continued improvement in my running. From scared to run a 5k to sub 18 minutes.
Matthew Molison –
I have worked with Brendan since 2016. I was 48 yo, overweight and hadn’t run since high school track and cross country 30 years prior. My initial goal was to just get in shape and run some trail races, but it morphed into a 25k, then a 50K, then 2 more, then a brutal mountain 50 miler attempt and more. He is patient, positive and knows what the hell he is doing. He brings experience as an athlete and collegiate coach and he also has exercise physiology knowledge. His training plans are not only achievable but they bring success. Anytime I have needed to talk to him in person he has been available. I took some time off a year or so ago, and I am grateful that he was willing to take me back and start over again, so we can achieve some unfinished business. I would recommend Brendan to anyone at any level!