Jon Phillips – Seattle Running Coach
$85.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
I believe running is for everybody and I’ll meet you where you’re at. Coaching beginners, novices, and experienced runners.
Description
Seattle running coach Jon Phillips is excited to get to know you as a runner and a person so he can create a personal, tailored program for your personal running journey, whether it’s on the roads or the trails, or as a beginner starting out with 5k or an intermediate runner tackling a trail ultra. Reach out to Jon below to get started!
LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Road, Trail
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon, Ultra
TRAINING PLATFORM: Final Surge
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited phone, unlimited text
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Seattle, WA
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: No, online coaching only
SPECIALTIES
Coaching runners of all abilities at all stages of their running journey, especially beginner and novice runners. Are you having trouble finding consistent joy and sustained success with stock plans, gadgets, and apps? I’ve been in your shoes! Take the next step in your running direction with me as your coach and I’ll help you take advantage of the abilities you already have. Couch-to-5K, personal bests, speed workouts, or marathons, I’m not picky. I can help give you the direction to match whatever motivation you already have within yourself. Let’s get running!
I also have a growing support network of nutritionists and strength trainers if you’re seeking guidance to complement your running.
PHILOSOPHY
I believe running is for everybody and I’ll meet you where you’re at. I’m interested and invested in you as a whole person and I know running is just one aspect of your life. I want to work with you to help you learn and understand more about yourself as a runner and where that fits into your life so you can accomplish all your goals. I emphasize progress over longer amounts of time rather than promising immediate results. I won’t tell you how to do things. I will provide you with the framework, training principles, and tips so you can surprise yourself with your results. Running should always be fun and enjoyable. Think of me as your biggest fan and running companion, inspiring you to find the potential you didn’t know you had. I look forward to learning more about you and supporting you in achieving your goals.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
After coaching friends and family members informally for years, I launched my coaching career in January 2023. I’ve coached runners looking to set 5K personal bests to completing 20-mile mountain endurance runs to finishing their first marathons to just getting back into running after a long hiatus.
I’ve obtained running coach certifications from Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and USA Track & Field (USATF). I am also a United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) TrueSport certified coach.
ABOUT ME
I was born and raised in Portsmouth, NH, and have spent the last 28 years living in Seattle, WA. One of my earliest memories as a kid is running the 100 meter dash against a bunch of other fifth graders at our local high school track. After going all out and crossing the finish line, I was handed the first place “popsicle stick” marker. From that day on, I was hooked on how running made me feel. I played sports all throughout school and college and running was central to that. I gradually drifted away from running before falling back in love with the sport 20 years ago and I’ve been running ever since.
I consider myself a proud midpack runner. I’m not the fastest, and I’m not the slowest. Sure, when I want to throw the hammer down I can place in the top three of my age group, but I am fueled more by my own intrinsic motivations. As such, I’ve experienced “success” in a variety of different ways in my running career. Challenging myself to run three days per week, five, seven. Entering races to compete. Entering races to finish. Trying the marathon. Improving in the marathon. Trying ultras and day-long endurance efforts.
Other than running, I spent over 20 years in product management in high tech. I found building things and then improving them has an incredible capacity to delight people. The more I worked with my own mentors and coaches, and my peers and team members, the more I realized that I enjoy and derive the greatest satisfaction from empowering others and helping them succeed. The longer my career went on and the larger the organizations became I increasingly found myself at odds with what I valued and believed versus the frameworks and mechanisms the corporate world wanted me to impose.
As I discovered more about who I am, how I want to be, and what I want to bring to others, coaching runners turned from a daydream into a concrete plan. I’d always trusted my judgment and intuition, and that gave me the confidence to focus on building a running coach career. In December 2022, I launched my coaching business to turn my dreams into reality. Now, here I am.
BIG INFLUENCES
Who isn’t inspired by Eliud Kipchoge these days?!? He tops the list of inspirational runners, but there’s so many runners who inspire me it is impossible to list them all. Meb Keflezighi, Des Linden, Evens Chebet, Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher, Scott Jurek, Sally McRae, Candice Burt, Sarah Hall, Killian Jornet, Courtney Dauwalter, Camille Heron, Martinus Evans, Grayson Murphy, you (yeah, you!) and on and on.
As far as coaching influences, Jack Daniels’ principles of training have made a huge impression on me. Matt Fitzgerald and his methods of training intensity are influential. Jeff Galloway, the man who made it a mainstream concept to walk during some of your hardest runs, whoa! Steve Magness and Brad Stuhlberg for mental strength, focus, and patience. Rich Roll for passion and endurance and cosmic wisdom.
RACING HISTORY
I have raced in scores of trail and road races over the years ranging from 5K to 50K. Some of the more recognizable races I’ve competed at include, but are not limited to:
New York Marathon 2018: A life-changing experience! I entered the lottery on a lark, my name was drawn, and running 26.2 miles would never be the same again. Even though I became intimately acquainted with the “pain cave” for the first time during this race, it is still my favorite race of all time. Someday, I’ll go back and run it again armed with more wisdom.
Seattle Marathon 2015: My hometown marathon and the first marathon race I entered. Nothing beats that first-time experience of crossing the magical 22-mile marker and discovering just how much grit and determination you have to cross the finish line.
Cascade Super Ultra 50K 2021: My first ultra distance race. My goal was to finish and run a comfortable race and enjoy the stunning PNW scenery. I even got to run 1.5 miles in the dark in a tunnel! My sister ran the regular marathon and was there to greet me at the finish line. Another runner grabbed me as we were leaving to congratulate me and tell me he had been trying to catch me the whole race, but couldn’t do it. That felt good.
Bigfoot 20-mile Endurance Run 2022: The hardest race I’ve ever run. Crazy vert in a short amount of time, and then rolling downhill for most of the rest of the race. One aid station at mile 12. Alone most of the time in the wilderness navigating my way around a deceptively well-marked course. I’ve never had more fun!
CERTIFICATIONS
- Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) Level I certified coach
- USA Track & Field (USATF) Level I certified coach
- US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) TrueSport certified coach
PRs
- Mile: 6:24 (11/04/2018) New York Marathon
- 5k: 24:17 (01/03/2023) lactate threshold workout; 26:04 (04/09/2017) Run MS 5k
- 10k: 51:44 (05/26/2017) Seattle Marathon 10k @ Gasworks Park
- Half marathon: 1:58:34 (06/10/2018) Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon Seattle
- Marathon: 4:27:44 (11/29/2015) Seattle Marathon
- 50k: 6:34:02 (09/25/2021) Cascade Super Ultra 50k
CONTACT JON
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
SOCIAL
Gabi Leif –
I’ve been training with Jon for a few months now and working with him has been fantastic. As someone who is new to running and has a history of putting too much pressure on myself, he has taken the time to talk with me about the holistic picture of my running goals and how they fit into my life. I can’t recommend him enough!
Gene Kim –
I have worked with Jon for now 3 months. I needed a coach who can helped me with designing my training plans, giving me feedback on my training, and giving me valuable advise so that I can achieve my goals. I ran two half marathons, but felt like I needed extra help from a coach. Jon is great in terms of listening to me, my aspirations, and challenges. He checks in with me via text frequently and give me his feedback. I had several zoom meetings and find him to be very sincere, professional and attentive. I just finished my very first marathon while the time was not very satisfactory. I am planning to continue to work with Jon and try to better my time in my next marathon in November. I would recommend Jon as a coach to anyone.
Christian Andersen –
Jon was great at getting me in the right mindset for picking up run training again for an upcoming 70.3 Ironman. After being out of the game for 5 years of consistently running he took the time to understand my overall training plan, my busy lifestyle and my love/hate relationship with running after a number of injuries. He set me up with a gradual plan to get me into a steady but manageable program that increased in duration and intensity as my triathlon plan progresses. He also helped me with some good stretches given my hip injury. The results have been a steady improvement on my mile average and overall comfort with increased run distances. Definitely recommend Jon as a great coach!
Sunbear3 –
I’ve tried all kinds of training plans from apps, watches, and websites, nothing compares to the personal attention I get from Coach Jon. He synthesized my running history with my current goals to create a 2-phase plan that helps me run my best and get the most out of my training. I’m reinvigorated… and loving the process!
Ryan Clark –
Coach Jon took the time to understand my motivations. Those went well beyond simply hitting a target time on a watch. He wanted to know more fundamental questions about why I run and what I enjoy about it. His approach isn’t just about reaching new PRs, but improving my overall well-being. I couldn’t recommend him enough!