CJ Albertson – Fresno Running Coach
$115.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
Winner of the 2023 California International Marathon and most recently the 1st American at the Boston Marathon in 2024, where he ran a PB of 2:09:53, CJ also holds the world record for the indoor marathon and placed 5th in the US Olympic Marathon Trials in 2024 and 7th in 2020.
Description
Whether you are training for your first 5k or a marathon, you are in good hands with coach CJ Albertson. A lifetime runner, CJ holds the world record for the indoor marathon and placed 5th in the US Olympic Trials (2024) and the 1st American at Boston (2024). Besides his personal records, he was also twice recognized as the Central Valley Conference Women’s Coach of the Year. Now, he is available to help you take your running to the next level.
LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Road, Track
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon
TRAINING PLATFORM: Final Surge
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited text
RESPONSE TIME: Within 48 hours
LOCATION: Fresno, CA
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: No, online coaching only
SPECIALTIES
- Intermediate to Advanced Runners looking for a breakthrough in any event from 5k-Marathon
- Beginning runners looking for flexibility and creativity in their training.
- Strength and running form along with event-specific nutrition.
PHILOSOPHY
I believe there are many factors involved in being a good runner and that coaches should educate their athletes as much as possible. So in additional to the actual training, my coaching package includes:
- Descriptions of various types of running workouts and why they are used.
- Strength training- The importance of it, as well as customized strength training programs if desired. (Along with plyometrics and core strengthening.)
- Information on running form and how to improve it. (Possible form analysis if in Fresno area or can send me a good video)
- In depth information on nutrition tailored to your specific event and goals.
- Warm up drill descriptions and organized sets.
- Injury Prevention including information on: Stretching, Foam Rolling, Lacrosse Ball mobility work, etc.
- The importance of balancing your life with running and overall stress levels.
Specific to running, I believe in briefly working all energy systems, all the time. The ratio of certain types of workouts changes depending on the phase of training. For example, during the base phase, most of the training will be easier, aerobic running. However, there will still be small doses of pure sprint work, VO2 max training, and lactate threshold workouts because you can’t go months or even weeks completely neglecting these parts of training. Lastly, I believe in being creative to help meet the needs of your specific situation.
For those who want in-depth specifics about my training philosophy click the ‘contact’ form below.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
- Community College Head XC/Track Coach.
- 2nd year Online Coaching: Have coached athletes to PR’s in events ranging from the Mile to the Marathon.
- Have coached athletes to PR’s across all ages: ‘teens to 60’s.
- Self-coached myself to 2:09:53
ABOUT ME
I have been running since I was 10 years old and ran in high school (Buchanan High, Clovis, CA), college (Arizona State University), and am now competing professionally for Brooks Running.
One of my main hobbies is reading research studies/articles about running, strength training, biomechanics, nutrition, sports psychology, etc. so I’m a bit of a nerd – But I still landed a beautiful, amazing wife 🙂
I enjoy having in-depth connections with people and helping in whatever way I can. That is one of the reasons I enjoy running/coaching so much – you can form instant connections and build great relationships
BIG INFLUENCES
My high school/college coaches. Renato Canova, Jeff Messer, Steve Magness, Tom ‘Tinman’ Schwartz.
PRs
- Mile: 4:03.07 (4/09/16)
- 3k: 7:59 (2/27/16)
- 3k Steeplechase: 8:45 (5/14/16 ‘Pac 12 Championships’)
- 5k: 13:50 (2/10/17)
- Half Marathon: 64:17 (10/7/18 ‘San Jose Rock n Roll’)
- Marathon: 2:09:53 (4/15/24 Boston Marathon)
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
- 2024 1st American Boston Marathon
- 2024 5th place overall US Olympic Marathon Trials
- Indoor Marathon World Record Holder – 2:17:59
- 2020 7th place overall US Olympic Marathon Trials
- 2019 2nd place overall CIM Marathon
- 2018, 2019 Central Valley Conference Women’s Coach of the Year
- 2017 Pac-12 Track and Field Student Athlete of the Year
- 2017 Academic All-American
CONTACT CJ
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
- Boston Marathon Race Report – 10/11/21
- Post-Boston Runner’s World Feature – 10/11/21
- Post-Boston iRunFar Interview – 10/14/21
- Modesto Marathon Race Report – 3/31/19
SOCIAL
Josh Hendricks –
The way CJ structures training is highly creative and always keeps me on my toes! This is the most fun I’ve had with workouts since I started running marathons, and I look forward to breaking 2:30 in the not too distant future with CJ’s guidance. Learn from the best! Thank you, CJ!
Javier Cerna –
I met Cj through a running friend who highly recommended him, and I can honestly see why. I spoke with Cj regarding my marathon goals and he has tailored a training plan that is already showing dividends. My training sessions have improved by approximately 30 secs/mile after just 2.5 months. He’s quick to respond to any questions I may have regarding workouts, and goes above and beyond to break it down to my level. The training block he has for me is challenging but definitely doable while maintaining a family and work balance. I highly recommend Cj to any runner looking to surpass their goals! It’s a pleasure calling him my coach.
Jared –
CJ has been a great coach through about 4 months. He is extremely knowledgeable and seems very natural at knowing how to get me to my goal. In my day to day training, CJ has added a lot of texture, in terms on variation in workouts, while increasing my mileage in a safe way. He also prepared a great strength plan for me which I have seen pay dividends. We met up in NY. Great dude and loves running. Very responsive on text, and has a very straightforward communication style. Gave me a nice chat before my half marathon with advice and encouragement. Looking forward to going forward with him
Johnny Verive –
CJ has been an excellent coach and highly recommend him! CJ has met me where I’m at as far as my ultimate running goals and my run life balance. Great communication and structure of my program!
Denis Akhiyarov –
CJ took my training to new heights with his tailored workouts. I was hitting a plateau after 6 marathons. During this training cycle with CJ, I did one PR in half-marathon and looking forward to checking my fitness on upcoming marathons! He answers questions in details about specifics of training zones and adjusts the workouts depending on how I feel. The most important benefit I got is learning how to have just the right amount of training without over-training/under-training while improving my mileage and speed over duration of 3 months. My 6-mile workouts are now like the race pace from few months ago. I also adjusted my nutrition following his advices. I am still learning and hope to learn more from CJ!
Dario Vincent –
In the short time I have had CJ as a coach, I have made impressive progress. I had self-coached for years based on readings but having CJ as a coach is a game changer. I am about to run my first race under his coaching and the pace that now feels controlled was not even a long shot goal a few months ago. I highly recommend CJ for reaching your potential.
Christy Endrud –
As a high school cross country runner looking to run my first marathon, I was very unsure about where to start with my training because 26.2 miles is much different than 3.1 miles, my usual distance. CJ constructed my training to help me avoid injury so that I can continue my cross country career in the future, and with this training, I have improved my abilities in both speed and distance. I am running in the Lifetime Miami Marathon in a week and a half (February 6), so this Sunday is my last long run, and I am honestly sad to see this training process come to an end. I really enjoyed working with CJ, and I appreciated that he always commented on my workouts with congratulations or questions to check in on how I was feeling. He also responded to my texts immediately, which made it easy to adjust my training whenever I had a conflict or something didn’t feel right. I am going into this race feeling super confident in the efficacy of my preparation, and I have CJ to thank for helping me build up my distance in a healthy way in the relatively short time of 11 weeks, while making me a better runner overall.
Cesar Lira –
My experience of working with CJ so far has been amazing. As a runner who has been running for over 20 years it is very difficult for me to hire a coach. I had been debating hiring one for the last 2 years. I have an extensive background in running so anyone that I would hire, would have to suit my style. After seeing the progress a training partner was making with CJ, I knew he would be an appropriate coach for me. After running the Chicago Marathon in 2021, I hired CJ and in 6 weeks of working with him, he got me in great marathon shape to run a 9 min PR at CIM. His workouts are great and I always am able to see benefit of his runs. They maybe hard sometimes, but you see the rewards on race day.
He is a good listener and responds timely. He has given me the confidence I needed as a runner that I have not had since my I was a freshman in college. He has a great running philosophy which is similar to mine and he really cares about his athletes.
I highly recommend him as a coach if your looking to make great gains in your training.
Dan Couvillon –
(51 M) I really enjoy working with CJ. He has been knowledgeable about all aspects of training. This is the first time I’ve worked with a coach – it’s been physically challenging and very rewarding. Uploads are done daily / weekly – which has kept my interest and avoided getting me bogged down in a month’s long calendar. He responds to questions and concerns I have about training, and has provided positive & rewarding feedback on workouts where I’m meeting / exceeding the mark. He has a relentlessly positive attitude about coaching and running, and has expressed sincerity in every response. Working to get a BQ in 2022.
CJ is a great coach to work with!
Noel Bautista –
I started with Cj late July of 2021 & he’s been increasing my weekly mileage to build up my endurance. He uploads my weekly training which varies week to week. I’ve already seen racing improvement by shedding 6 mins from my HM pb. Cj has open communication & has a quick turn around with responding. Every time I have a question or concern he answers any questions I have or clarifies if there’s any confusion. I am looking forward to working more with Cj to crush more goals.
flavio pezzini –
I’ve been working with CJ for over 2 months now. He has been an outstanding coach so far. Very accessible, the training has variety so you’re never bored and it is adjusted to your ability. As a 40 year old who no longer recovers as quickly as in the past, his training has been on point, challenging but never too much. He’s also very responsive. I highly recommend him as a running coach.
Nina Schrödl –
After working with an Olympian and a coach who coaches world famous record holders I came to CJ Albertson after listening to him on the Morning Shakeout podcast.
The thing I liked abut him and that made me want to train with him was his modesty and his focus on what is important for him (family and relationships), while also being a running geek and extreme personality.
The mix of this value-based philosophy and his experimental nature (not doing things the „right way“ but his way) and his feeling that great things are possible for him drew me to believe he will be one of the great coaches of running. In fact I am a student of the sport and especially interested in coach-athlete relationships.
CJ overdelivered and has been A DREAM COME TRUE to work with.
My running was stagnating before starting and since doing his training I am at the best fitness I have ever been at. He has taken the time to reply to many aspects of training and even been interested in the person which is rare for a coach of his caliber.
I am extremely stoked and proud to have this opportunity to be coached by one of the greatest of coaches in the history of the sport. He is also a runner who will make his wildest dream come true and I am excited to be there to cheer him on and support him.
smilesbsmith –
CJ is a fantastic coach — personable, knowledgeable, passionate, and accessible! What more could you ask for honestly? As an aging but undertrained amateur runner myself, I’m looking for expertise and guidance, and it’s really nice to have someone that you can trust knows what they’re talking about but never comes off as arrogant. As a high school coach in my not so spare time, I also see that CJ’s style translates to all sorts of abilities and styles. I highly recommend him as a coach.
Yvonne Kapila –
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Z. Wu –
It has been very pleasant three months since working with CJ! Thanks to CJ, I’ve been setting new records in almost all aspects of my training and making fast progress in a rate that I couldn’t think of before. As a coach, CJ understands my goal clearly, and makes plan and assigns workouts specifically targeting that goal. Also, CJ is always available for questions, and his answers always include a lot valuable context and are in a great detail. I look forward to continue working with CJ, and would highly recommend him to anyone!
Katelyn January –
I really enjoy working with CJ; he is very patient with me. I don’t know anything about running whatsoever, and whenever I have I have a question, he always kindly answers. He gives me a detailed schedule every week, and I just put one foot in front of the other. I’ve had random aches and pains come up, and he’s always quick to help with different ways I can get rid of them. I can’t wait to see how I improve over the years with him as my coach; he’s the best!
Mark Anderson –
Having never worked with a running coach before, I can honestly say my only regret about working with CJ is that I didn’t start years ago! CJ has been guiding me two months now and in that short time I’ve seen my numbers improve dramatically.
CJ has brought variation to my workouts and sets me challenging but achievable targets based on my ability. I’ve run times in training that I’d be ecstatic with on race day in years past. And though I’ve been running for years and have completed 9 marathons, I’m comfortably running my highest weekly mileage ever under CJ’s guidance. He’s always quick to respond and provides encouragement and guidance where needed.
Though my target race is still a way off, CJ is helping me to build a foundation for success and I can already feel and see the benefits of his expertise!
Geng Huang –
I’m very happy with working with CJ. CJ makes very detailed training plan, and adjusts the plans based on my workouts performance. CJ is also very fast to answering questions I have. Highly recommended!
Richard Pedro –
Phenomenal run coach! Excited to continue training with confidence.
Anita Sarathi –
So far so good. He is definitely knowledgeable and has helped me tweak my running form to prevent injury. Still some time before my marathon but I can tell this training will have me crush my goal. I was not sure how virtual coaching would go, but so far I have been quite pleased.
Matteo DeVincenzo –
I’ve been working with CJ for the past two months – and plan on continuing to work with him! I’ve made an immense amount of progress in both my running ability and running knowledge. This is my first time working with a running coach; and to say the least, the experience has been well worth it.
CJ is always available for questions via text and call. We talk regularly – and for CJ, there’s no bad questions. I’m excited to see how much I grow over the next few months as I prepare for my first marathon in October 2020.
Robert Flores –
Training with cj was great???? he created a schedule that pushed me hard and comfortable. I set new personal records with his training. Highly recommend his coaching.
Shawn Jakubowski –
Hiring CJ was hands down the best decision I have made with my running. He has been very quick to respond to questions or comments and has made great adjustments to my training plan when needed. You can tell he puts a lot of time into each plan. After only 8 weeks of working with him I set a HUGE PR in the 5k and am in better shape now than I have ever been. CJ’s workouts not only have increased my fitness levels but they have also given me a ton more confidence as a runner. I look forward to continuing training under CJ and would HIGHLY recommend him to anyone looking to take their running to the next level!
Omar Baig –
CJ is my run coach for the ITU Triathlon World Championships (140.6 miles). I’ve been very happy with the coaching and would rate my experience as a 10/10.
Brian Nelson –
I approached CJ in April 2020 with the goal of getting my marathon time to sub 2:50. In the three months that I’ve worked with him my running and speed has improved significantly. I’ve seen my long runs move from approximately a 6:40 to 6:20 pace. Furthermore, I’m running smarter and stronger than I ever have.
I reached out to CJ specifically because of his intense passion and knowledge of training, his early success as a college coach and his proven accomplishments as one of America’s most premiere Marathon and distance runners.
Charles Madden –
CJ has been awesome to work with. I’ve been training with him for just over 2 months now. He brings a ton of knowledge / experience, using a science-based, empirical approach to coaching. He is always accessible and thoughtful in answering random questions or giving advice on injury prevention, strength training, etc. I would recommend CJ to runners of all backgrounds and goals, especially those trying/willing to take their running to the next level.
Dustin Doty –
CJ has exceeded my expectations in all respects. He challenges me each week, while maintaining a variety of different workouts, daily goals, and long term plans. He is available for questions and takes a genuine interest in his athletes. It is easy to tell that he enjoys coaching and watching the progression of a runner.
Since starting with CJ I have gained more confidence in my running, and I have become a better runner. I am able to see the tangible benefits of having CJ as my coach through my daily, weekly, and monthly progress. He pushes me to improve and he has the expertise to put together workouts that seem keep you just at the edge of your abilities.
I would absolutely recommend CJ to any runner who is looking for a coach, regardless of their overall goals. I am extremely happy in working with him so far, and I am excited to work with him toward my future goals.
Kristine Terronez –
CJ is awesome! I have been working with him for a couple of months now. He has put a training program together for me that fits my goals. He challenges me every week and it has paid off. I am becoming a stronger runner, my runs are improving a lot and I am starting to feel more comfortable as I run and push myself. CJ is always available for questions. He is very motivational and understands when you have a bad week. I am extremely grateful for having found Team Run Run!
Jacob Royal –
In my mind easily worth the money. CJ writing my workouts saves me about 4 hours a week I would estimate, or 16 hours a month. This time savings is relative to deliberating and creating my own training plans. Time is money and CJ is far more experienced and qualified to write marathon training plans so it’s an all around win to me.
I’ve had CJ coaching me for about 3 months now. CJ is a great fit for me. I have a pretty good grasp on general training concepts and different popular marathon plans (Hanson’s/Jack Daniels primarily) and have read about about a few others. I have had success and steady improvement over a few years.
I wanted a coach to help me go from good to better and someone to talk about workouts with and learn from. CJ has introduced some fundamentals that I was lacking to the training regimen that seem small on their own, but their incorporation over time add up to make a big difference.
In my opinion he is best suited for someone who has the general concepts understood and is looking to take their marathon preparation and execution to the next level. He knows his stuff and is an exceptionally congenial individual who is a pleasure to interact with.
Steven Parker –
CJ has been great to work with and in just a couple months he’s already gotten my running to levels I’ve never hit before. I came to him with a kinda weird goal to set a PR and crush my friends in a oddball local half marathon and he’s been supportive and encouraging from the beginning. From the first email he looked into my goal race and instantly responded knowing the key to a good result and a plan for how to get me there.
Alex Silverman –
I’m an older runner so wasn’t sure how having such a young coach was going to work and I’m a coach myself so I wasn’t sure how the fit would be.
I’m really happy with everything he has done with me so far. I had no idea that I could run as fast as I am now. It feels really great. I’ve already run PR’s in some races and really look forward to the upcoming LA Marathon.
I’m learning to be a better coach with the experience I’m getting from CJ and highly recommend him for anyone looking to take it to the next level.
arensry –
As an experienced marathoner who has completed 19 marathons over a 10 year span, I was looking to push myself more in my training an getting a coach felt like a great way to go. CJ is a fantastic coach in that he is always available to answer questions in a thorough manner and he does a great job breaking down the workouts and the reasoning behind them. CJ has a very positive attitude and creating a training plan that challenged me like never before with consistent speedwork sessions twice a week with a variety of paces and hill sprints mixed in. CJ was also very adaptive to weeks when I was having flare-ups with my hamstring tendinitis and he tweaked workouts and gave advise on how to handle it. He is a very experienced Elite runner and his knowledge and expertise about training really shined through in my interactions with him. Under his coaching, I set a new PR in every distance and met my marathon goal with a new PR of 2:45:01. I highly recommend CJ!!!
Ana Dicochea-Lujan –
I have been training with CJ for almost 4 months. In the short time working with him, I have seen significant improvement in my running ability and overall fitness. CJ is ALWAYS available for questions and concerns. I love that he takes into consideration my work/family schedule and provides a training plan that is reasonable. His feedback is honest and I feel he is definitely providing a workout plan to make me the best runner I can be. CJ is extremely knowledgeable and I highly recommend him if you want to seriously improve your overall fitness and running ability!
Una McLeod –
CJ is amazing! I have been struggling to get back running for months, and with my work/home life it’s very difficult. CJ has given me the support I need to get back on the horse. His treadmill workouts are amazing, I hate the TM, of course, but he makes it a win for me all the time. He is there every day of the week with something I can do. I have complete faith in him to get me back to tip top shape (despite my insane work schedule!).
I am just incredibly grateful as nothing in my life works without running- and when it was gone, I was too. Thank you CJ!
Linque –
Love working with CJ! He has developed a fluid training plan that meets my needs and adjusts the plan according to my progress. CJ has helped my through injury and encourages me to continue to work hard and meet my goals. CJ is very knowledgeable and I trust his system. I recommend CJ to new runners learning how to run and train as well as experienced runners wanting to improve.
Phil Manning –
I have been coached by CJ for about three months and have been impressed by his ability to challenge me with a variety of quality workouts and mileage goals that have been difficult but still possible to reach. He has always responded quickly to any questions I’ve had about the training or about running in general. On Mondays I get a discussion of the past week’s training and an explanation of the goals for the quality runs in the upcoming week. This is all very helpful and motivating. My advice to prospective clients is to commit for six months – in part because it’s a bit cheaper – but mainly because that’s enough time for the training regimen to make a tangible difference.
Pegosaki –
His methods and training are helpful for me to realize my dream. I think we can share my big goal and he shows me the path to realize my dream. He explains about training well, so I can always understand what to do and why every workouts are important for me.
He always encourage me to work hard even though training is not easy. Good coach.
jmoreno531 –
I decided to seek out the help of a coach because my goal is one day to qualify for the Boston Marathon. My current time is 3:43 and felt like I hit a wall in my training after failing to improve. After reading CJ’s bio I learned that with his coaching experience and training method’s that it would be a good fit for me. He is also from the central valley so that was a plus. CJ took the current plan I was using and has personalized it to help me meet my short and long term goals. He has met with me 1-on-1 to help observe and improve my running form and has offered exercises including videos. He has an easy going personality and provides answers to all my questions. It is evident he knows what he is talking about. I would recommend CJ’s coaching to someone who is looking for a personalized plan to reach their goals.
c_adam8 –
It’s always a confidence boost when you know your coach is an Olympic Qualifyer. He has a clear and concise marathon philosophy with terminology clearly defined and the science behind how each work out will benefit you.
Technique is paramount in any sport . We went over hip extension in my running form that has helped me stay injury free. He lives in my home town so he has recommendations for where and when to run . I’m so, so, happy with the decision to train under him.
Bradon07 –
Ever since I met Cj and started working with him, he has broken it down the the basics to help me from the ground up. The mechanics, form, and breathing took a bit to get used to but a month later it just flows into my running without me worrying about while running. He’s very knowledgeable as an experienced runner which makes it easy and comfortable to ask questions to when I need to ask. He never gives more then I can handle and asks if a harder session was to ensure I don’t injury myself. If I ever feel too tired he won’t push my body into injury as he’s always looking out for your best interest. And best of all the results you get, after working with him each month I’ve hit PR’s in every category building up to it. I trust CJ and his training plan given to me. Highly recommended!