Christine Schaefer – Chicago Running Coach
$99.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
Masters elite and mother of 3. Sound training rooted in science and experience. Let’s get those goals!
Description
Chicago running coach Christine Schaefer knows what it’s like to balance a busy family life with running, as well as balancing a safe return to running post-partum. Whether you’re just starting out or aiming for a new BQ or big PR, Christine can help you get there with personalized training, including run-specific drills and exercises to complement your running. Reach out below to get started!
LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Road, Trail
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon
TRAINING PLATFORM: Final Surge
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited phone, unlimited text
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Mundelein, IL
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: No, online coaching only
SPECIALTIES
I have 3 children and have returned to running after each pregnancy. I understand the unique physical challenges women face during pregnancy and post-partum as well as the mental load that comes with such transitions. Much like building back fitness after an injury, smart training and guidance are crucial to reach peak fitness once again. A busy family life means maximizing training time! I’ve always been good at making schedules work and I translate this to my athletes. Our schedules don’t have to be roadblocks to our success!
I also have a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and worked as a personal trainer for 5 years. Strength is a big component in running and I often include run-specific exercises and drills as part of my athletes’ training.
PHILOSOPHY
EVERY runner has untapped potential. With the right stimulus and repetition the body can transform and accomplish incredible things! These experiences are there for the taking but only YOU can decide how far you want to go.
I believe a good coach is one that coaches the athlete as a whole; we are much more than our best splits and PR’s! Guiding others to greatness means developing that potential together with my athletes, and recognizing their unique advantages while working around challenges. This is what I love about coaching!
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Inspired by what good coaching has done for me, I want to provide others the same opportunity in their running adventures! I am known for “nerding out” with running books, podcasts and youtube channels that are all things training. I have always loved creating training plans for myself, figuring out how to make a busy schedule work and ultimately seeing the planning, preparation and commitment pay off. I prepped for four race distances with training plans by Sage Canaday (long distance runner and ultramarathoner) and learned much about tailoring a plan to meet an athlete’s needs, having to adjust training constantly to suit our young family’s lifestyle. I knew at that time I wanted to learn more and seek certification.
I was RRCA certified Level 1 in early 2022 and am seeking Level 2 certification in the near future. Since then, I have designed and implemented training plans for athletes from the 5k to the marathon and have experience guiding intermediate/advanced runners through setbacks in their training. I enjoy organizing local group runs in our town of Mundelein, IL and offer in-person speedwork sessions throughout the summer and fall. My athletes have ranged from beginner to intermediate/advanced with some returning from minor injury or pregnancy. I specialize in adult and masters runners, however, I have worked with middle school cross country athletes as well!
ABOUT ME
I am a professional dancer turned runner! I used running to help stay in shape during high school and through college…
I was born and raised in Michigan and have always loved the outdoors. I’ve been running recreationally since I was 15 and have always challenged myself physically. I loved exploring mountain biking, rock climbing, downhill and cross-country skiing into my 20’s and 30’s. At Western Michigan University I studied Dance and Exercise Science as a double major, ultimately leading me to pursue a professional dance career and side work as a personal trainer in Chicago after graduating.
My career path has some interesting twists including decades of teaching dance/choreographing, spending 8 years working in fine wine distribution, as well as being a teacher in the early childhood setting. Through it all my love of running has grown; it has always been something I could return to.
After finishing my dance career, I turned to running again to fill the athletic void. The 2010 Chicago marathon was my first race ever. My time was unimpressive, but the experience left its mark on me! After growing a family with three children, my husband and I began running more seriously; myself returning to the marathon and middle-distances and he embarking on several trail and ultra-distance races. It’s been an incredible journey doing these hard things and having our children witness all of it, even take part in it now that they are older. These experiences are invaluable and have become a conduit for life lessons and wisdom.
BIG INFLUENCES
My coaching foundation lies on the principles of Jack Daniels, Arthur Lydiard, Steve Magness, Pete Pfitzinger, Scott Douglas, Pete McGill and Tim Noakes, among others. I value learning from other coaches and their practical experience, and also enjoy exploring the ever-changing research surrounding our sport. My own coach, Olympian Jenny Spangler, has taught me that approaching our training from a growth mindset allows us to get closer to the outcomes we desire. Not every race will be an indicator of our true potential, and so we continue practicing consistency and pursuing our own excellence.
RACING HISTORY
I became more serious about running in my mid-30’s. I raced the Door County Half Marathon several times from 2015-2019, the Highland Park Northshore Half as well as a 12-mile trail race in Wisconsin. These races led me to dream of finishing a marathon once again.
I ran my second marathon in 2018 (sub-4:00) and began dreaming about what my potential could be. I joined Olympic marathoner Jenny Spangler’s group that fall. I was blown away by the camaraderie, the personal successes of those who participate, and the overall culture of support and positivity that Jenny’s group cultivated. I began regular speedwork and consistent training under Jenny’s guidance. Since then, I’ve run three PRs in the marathon as well as the 5k.
In 2019 I qualified for Boston with a time of 3:31:40 and was invited to join the elite racing team Jenny Spangler Racing (JSR) in 2021. I am currently on a journey to run a sub-3:00 marathon and sub-20:00 5k!
CERTIFICATIONS
- RRCA Certified Level 1
- B.S. Exercise Science & Dance Double Major
PRs
- Marathon: 3:22:10 (6/17/23) Grandma’s Marathon
- 5K: 20:13 (9/30/23) Prairie State/Oktoberfest 5k, 1st Place Open Female
- Mile: 5:48 (8/6/)22 Rockford State Street Mile, 3rd Place Masters Female
- 10 Nautical Mile: 1:23:18 (8/22/21) Fort2Base 10N Mile, 2nd Place Open Female
- 2021 Boston Marathon Finisher – 3:39:12
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
- Teammate for Jenny Spangler Racing (JSR) since 2021
- Boston Marathon Finisher
CONTACT CHRISTINE
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.
SOCIAL
Shivani Kozarekar –
Christine has been a great coach! She is always so enthusiastic. I am prone to injuries, and she’s done a great job of helping me progress in mileage in a sustainable way while keeping future goals in mind. I also appreciate the diversity in workouts and responsiveness to questions.
Danielle Schur –
Christine is the best! I wanted to run with a coach for this training cycle to take out the guess work, have someone hold me accountable, and help me build in a sustainable yet challenging way. Christine has done just that! She makes me feel supported in every workout and has great advice. She always has new and fun runs waiting for me and has approached my training block in a smart and structured way. She helps me adapt and roll with the punches when things don’t go according to plan, and celebrates each and every success. She is experienced, kind, motivating, and a fantastic running role model. I am so apprecaitive for all of her help. Also, as a physical therapist who treats marathoners, I would not hesitate to recommend her to patients.
Amber –
I have been working with Christine for the past couple months and it has been a wonderful experience. I am newer to running and she takes time to not only explain how to execute a workout, but also the benefit of the workout. She regularly checks in to see how the week is going and will adjust the week if needed. I appreciate that she creates training plans that build strength and endurance, without overwhelming. Each week I finish I feel stronger and excited for the next. I have seen significant improvements in both my abilities and confidence as a runner. I would highly recommend Christine as a coach!
Kate –
I signed up for coaching because I have been so prone to injuries. With several races this year, I needed to find a coach with knowledge and care with my training plans. Christine has been perfect! I am so incredibly impressed with how far I’ve come in my months with her coaching me. Not only have I felt stronger and my pace faster, but I have not had any injuries thus far, and the one that I had been dealing with when I first signed up, feels much better.
Christine cares so much about making sure I am feeling comfortable and not facing injuries that she regularly checks in to see how my muscles are feeling. Her level of care is top notch and I seriously cannot recommend her enough.
Kathy –
Christine Schaefer is a fantastic running coach! She loves the sport and genuinely wants others to find joy in it while meeting their goals. I have always been a “just for fun” runner, but this training kicked it up a notch. It has definitely made me stronger. She has pushed me to be better, while also taking into account my physical abilities and busy life schedule. Honestly, it’s fun to have someone come up with what you do for the day and to not have to think about it. For me, it has been a gradual build up in miles and strength, and the way she has structured the plan has been spot on. Christine is a great communicator, is highly adaptable with the training plans, and loves to talk about different ways to tweak workouts/runs to better accommodate the goal. I would highly recommend this coach!