Evan Covell – Santa Barbara Running Coach
From: $115.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
50% off your 1st month! Evan will help you set and achieve your running and fitness goals through personalized, science-based training and injury prevention.
Description
Santa Barbara running coach Evan Covell focuses on consistency, patience and kindness as he helps athletes achieve their goals while building strength, mobility and injury prevention on both the roads and the track. Evan also offers in-person sessions, see below for more details or reach out to Evan to get started!
*** 50% off First Month for month-to-month Coaching – Coupon Code: 50%covell ***
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 phone, unlimited text
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Santa Barbara, CA
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: Yes, within 10 miles of zip code 93110. Options can include a workout session, strength and mobility training, race strategy planning, and/or a guided goal-setting session. Reach out to Evan for more info.
SPECIALTIES
While the majority of my coaching experience comes at the high school level, training athletes in events from the 800m to 5k cross country, I am equally as passionate about coaching adults in all distances up to the marathon. Coaching beginners who are eager to learn and fall in love with a new sport is a blast for me. At the same time, helping more experienced runners break through a plateau and set PRs well beyond their original goals is very fulfilling.
My specialties include:
- Helping athletes improve their speed through: strength and mobility training, form drills, and high-quality track training sessions
- Coaching those chasing a BQ (Boston Marathon qualifying time)
- Injury prevention strategies
- Mental coaching paired with science-based training to help athletes break through a plateau
- Off-season training for high school cross country and track athletes
- Goal setting – best practices
PHILOSOPHY
Three phrases my athletes always hear me say are:
- “consistency is key”
- “running is a patient person’s sport”
- “be kind to yourself”
The way to get better at running is to consistently run, therefore keeping my athletes injury-free is my top priority. Together we will achieve consistency through a focus on quality running with proper form that works for you, an emphasis on recovery (easy running, cross training, rest days, mobility routines, strength training), mental strategies to approach the hard workout days with confidence, and setting both outcome and process goals to create routines and good habits in your training. Because remember, “consistency is key.”
Patience, patience, patience. A common mistake new runners make is trying to rush the process. I will be reminding you that “running is a patient person’s sport,” All. The. Time. When athletes attempt to rush things, injury occurs. And you can’t remain consistent if you’re injured. As a coach, I focus on quality over quantity in training. More isn’t always better.
“Be kind to yourself.” I use this phrase a lot as I find most runners are naturally pretty hard on themselves. I encourage taking a posture of curiosity when things don’t go as planned. Saying “hmmm, I wonder why this run feels harder than I thought it should,” is a great way to approach a potential concern. In general, staying relaxed, calm, and happy makes for a positive training experience. When you find yourself getting frustrated, remember to be kind to yourself.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
I have coached high school cross country and track for 7 years, and I’ve been coaching myself and other adults in the 5k, 10k, half marathon, and marathon for 3 years.
The last two summers, I also coached high school athletes in the off-season looking to improve their sprint speed and return to their sport injury-free. The in-person training sessions prepared these individuals for their seasons in track, football, baseball, and basketball.
ABOUT ME
When I’m not running or coaching, I’m either binge-watching a TV show with my wife, catching up on running shoe reviews on YouTube, or playing GeoGuessr (the most cost-effective way to “travel” the world). As much as I love being active, hiking, swimming, climbing, etc., when we go on vacation it is time to relax by the pool with a cold drink in hand. I believe a healthy work/life balance is crucial to longevity and avoiding burnout.
BIG INFLUENCES
Coaches and Systems: Jack Daniels, Steve Magness, Ryan Hall, my college coach Russell Smelley
Podcasts: “Magness and Marcus On Coaching”, “FareWell: The Growth Equation”, and “Run Free”.
Books: Running to the Edge by Matthew Futterman, Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, Running with the Buffaloes by Chris Lear, The Science of Running by Steve Magness.
RACING HISTORY
I grew up playing every team sport that was offered. By my middle school years, I realized I wasn’t very good at the hand-eye coordination part of sports, but I could always run fast! So in 6th grade, I joined my school’s cross country team and I never looked back. I’ve been running and racing competitively for 17 years now. I started my running career in Massachusetts racing middle school and high school XC and track. Then I moved out to the west coast to run for Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA where I raced 8k cross country and the 5,000m and 10,000m on the track.
I currently live in Santa Barbara, CA, and compete in many local 5k and 10k road races, an all-comers heptathlon once a year, the “coaches mile” at my high school track meets, and I typically race 1 or 2 marathons a year with a half marathon race here and there as well.
PRs
- 5,000m: 16:44.22 (3/11/16) Occidental Distance Carnival, collegiate track meet
- 10,000m: 36:16.88 (4/2/17) Westmont College vs Concordia University, collegiate track meet
- 8K Cross Country: 27:52.2 (10/21/17) Warrior Invitational, collegiate cross country meet
- Half Marathon: 1:24:30 (11/3/24) Santa Barbara Half Marathon
- Marathon: 3:03:58 (2/25/24) Ventura Marathon
CERTIFICATIONS
- USTFCCCA Endurance Specialist (received July 2021)
- M.A. in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
- 2019 Boys Cross Country California State Academic Champions
- Providence High School record holders in the 800m, 1600m, 3200m, and 3-mile cross country
- 2023 Girls Santa Barbara County Champion in cross country
- Countless athletes’ personal records (this is why I love the sport of running, achieving your personal best)
CONTACT EVAN
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
Michael Nechemia –
Working with Evan since June 2024 has been a game-changer for my running journey. He’s incredibly supportive and motivating, always making sure each workout has a clear purpose. One thing I really appreciate is his willingness to entertain my many training questions, and deep dive into the science behind the training. He is constantly checking in on how things are going and is great at making adjustments to the plan as things come up in life. Thanks to his guidance, I recently completed a half marathon feeling strong and prepared. I highly recommend Coach Covell if you’re looking for a coach who genuinely cares about your progress and knows his stuff!
Patrick Malberg –
In April of this year I set out to run my first ever marathon, but I didn’t know where to start so I reached out to Evan for help. He gave me a really awesome training plan for 4 months leading up to the race. He pushed me in ways that I would not have pushed myself. He also made adjustments to my plan whenever life stuff got in the way of my training (travel, illness, injury).
Evan planned each week out for me mixing in long runs, easy runs, workouts, rest days, and resistance training. All of the workouts were easy to follow and he input them on an app for me that would sync directly to my watch so I wouldn’t have to memorize the whole workout. Evan made it so I didn’t really have to think about my training I just had to go out and do it. The workouts he gave me made me a much better runner and gave me the confidence to go out and compete in my first marathon. I ended up running a 2:46 marathon thanks to Evan’s training. The night before the race I looked over all the workouts I did just to remind myself that I had put in the work and I was ready. When the race got hard I thought back to some of the long runs I did and that gave me the confidence to keep pushing.
I highly recommend being coached by Evan. He was always available to chat whenever I had and questions about the training. He is a great friend and he knows his stuff. Most importantly he loves what he does and you can tell he puts a lot of thought and care into his training plans.
Cindy Villa –
A seasoned runner with years of wisdom and experience, Coach Evan Covell planned and adjusted a ten week program of long runs, workouts, cross-training and and more to shepherd a friend and I to our first ever marathon. Coach Covell employed more than just his extensive knowledge as an accomplished high school coach throughout this process, though that’s not to say he didn’t demonstrate his incredible understanding of the human body and its potential during our entire preparation before the big day. I would have never imagined myself possible of the athletic achievements I was able to complete with Coach Covell’s guidance, and the hundreds of strong miles I accomplished supported by his expertise is a testament to his outstanding proficiency as a mentor. To ensure this prosperity, he checked in with us regularly regarding how we were responding to the mileage, the implementation of varying types of workouts to maintain engagement and promote progress, and how we felt mentally as athletes enduring a level of challenge and toll we had never faced prior. Coach Covell prioritized our overall wellbeing, minding both the physical and psychological impacts of such an intensive undertaking, and his care and thoughtfulness did not go unappreciated. The time, energy, and concern Coach Covell puts into his athletes is unparalleled, and he skillfully adapted our program according to conflicts such as work, vacation, and fatigue without hiccup. His timely feedback and compassionate responses made us feel welcome to relay our questions and thoughts, and he went above and beyond in his dedication to our success by doing extra research and creating personalized recovery procedures to aid our journey to the big race. Coach Covell’s love for running and coaching could not be more apparent, and I cannot possibly eulogize his excellence as a coach enough to accurately portray just how much he strengthened and nurtured my own relationship with running as well. For any future race, whether it be as short as a 5k or another 26.2, I will absolutely be looking to train with Coach Covell again and enthusiastically encourage all other runners looking for a positive experience in reaching their goals to do the same.
Ellie Monson –
In the spring, a running teammate and I decided to tackle our first marathon but didn’t know where to start. We were looking for a training plan that would both challenge us and hold us accountable to reach our goals. A friend recommended Evan Covell’s coaching services and we decided to give it a try! We committed to a 10-week training plan to prepare us for the race, and it turned out to be an incredible experience.
Coach Covell’s organization and style made the process seamless. We always looked forward to the next week of training. He checked in on us weekly so that he could assess how we were feeling from longer runs, which helped fuel the following week’s workout. His vast knowledge about running, combined with his own experience, made him credible and trustworthy. He understands the ups and downs that come with high-mileage training.
Additionally, Coach Covell provided high-quality workouts that varied, keeping us engaged with different stimuli throughout the 10 weeks. Our personalized training plan made it easy to implement into our busy schedules, taking into account work, travel, and soreness. Since the workouts varied from week to week, it helped to challenge us both mentally and physically. His communication was excellent and he was always responsive, which made him feel approachable with any questions.
Coach Covell also emphasized recovery, helping our muscles stay healthy with tips on warm-ups, cool-downs, stretching, nutrition, sleep, and cross-training. He even sent us articles to deepen our understanding. Throughout the training, he provided feedback on our progress to ensure we were on track.
Ultimately, Coach Covell’s commitment and dedication to our success made the marathon go smoothly, and helped me hit my exact goal pace. This positive experience motivates me to further my relationship with running. I look forward to continuing training with him, whether it’s a new PR in a 5k, half marathon, or another marathon!
I highly recommend Coach Covell’s coaching to anyone looking to reach their goals at all levels, whether you’re an experienced runner or just getting started. His love and passion for running is contagious, and will surely excite you to continue your running journey.
Jackson Bright –
I have been being coached by Evan for 3 months so far and have been loving it! He helped me plan and run my first marathon and currently has me on track to set new PRs in my 5k, 10k, and half marathon in the next few months. Evan’s training plans are incredibly personalized, dynamic, diverse, and fun, while also providing a good challenge, which helps me to grow as a runner. Evan’s training plans are really exciting with lots of different kinds of workouts and runs, which keeps my motivation to run very high and has me always looking forward to each workout. He has helped me focus on proper warmup routines, stretching, and running technique which has helped me to run injury free and continually improve.
One thing that is really great about Evan’s coaching is he really makes running fun! He emphasizes the importance of mental health, and listens to his athletes. He’s always available if I have a question, will check in frequently, and will adapt my training plan as necessary. Evan really cares about his athletes, and he’s always one of the first people to give me ‘kudos’ on my run on Strava! I personally really enjoy cross training and lifting and Evan has seamlessly incorporated those things into my training plan, which is a way he has really worked with me to make my training plan personal to me and exciting for me.
I’m very happy being coached by Evan and recommend you become one of his athletes too! Regardless if you’re an elite runner or just getting started on your running journey, or anywhere in between, Evan is a terrific coach that will help you reach your goals and foster your love to run.