Laur Fischer – Seattle Running Coach
UESCA certified. Trail specialist. Empower runners to meet goals and have fun. Train based on science and mindset! LGBTQ+ matters!
From: $180.00 / month
Running Coach Description
Seattle running coach Laur Fischer works with all types of athletes, with a specialty for distance trail runners, the LGBTQIA+ community, and chronic pain. With first-hand experience with HRT, as well as training with chronic pain, Laur has a unique, personalize approach to movement and overall health with training. Laur offers a sliding scale pricing model so that all runners can access quality coaching without cost being a barrier. Higher-paying clients directly subsidize access for those who need it. Reach out to Laur below to get started!
Specialties
While I love working with all athletes, my specialties are in trail running, LGBTQIA+ community members, and those who live with chronic pain or disability.
- Trail athletes who are new to running trails and those who are more experienced trail runners reaching for a new goal, whether that’s running their first ultra, training for a big mountain adventure, or trying to learn the ins and outs of trail running.
- LGBTQIA+ athletes who are looking for someone who is of community and has knowledge about races that are inclusive (or exclusive!). I have first-hand experience with hormone replacement therapy and can provide guidance navigating body changes from HRT and training from existing (albeit minimal) research and experience.
- Athletes with chronic pain or disabilities who want someone who can help them blend their need for flexibility and adjustable training with meeting their personal running goals. I personally have chronic pain and have found extreme benefit from movement.
Philosophy
I believe for coaching to be successful there must be mutual respect and trust between the athlete and the coach. I hope to earn your trust through sharing not only the day-to-day training needs but the long-term strategy and how it all works together to help you reach your goals – whether it’s hitting a PR or being able to run for decades to come. My coaching philosophy isn’t about telling you what to do, it’s about helping you understand the reasoning for why I’m recommending what I’m recommending.
My approach to coaching is to keep the athlete, their personality, and their goals as the focus. We will work together to find ways to incorporate training into your already busy life to balance training that works for you and your goals. I believe training must be individualized for each athlete.
In other lives, I was an engineer and user experience researcher. Those roles taught me how to ask the right questions, collect data, and dive deep into data analysis. I bring these approaches to building training plans based on both how the athlete feels and other data sources (things like heart rate) to continuously analyze, problem-solve, and optimize the plan. Let me bring these corporate data-analysis skills into your training plan!
Coaching Experience
I’ve been coaching friends since 2024 and am looking to expand to those outside of my circle. I’ve coached athletes to PRs for their distance of choice; for example, I recently coached an athlete to a 50 mile PR on the same course, decreasing their time by over 60 minutes in just 1 year!
I have coached myself for years to reach my own PRs. This includes dropping my half marathon time by 20 minutes in 1 year and dropping my 5k over 6 minutes in 2 years. While ultra running races aren’t directly comparable, I’ve decreased my time for 50k and 50 mile race times over the past couple years.
About Me
I was born and raised in Ohio before making my way to Indiana to earn my Bachelor of Science at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering, focusing on biomechanics and electrical signals. I wanted to study biomedical engineering to get a better understanding of how the body works and ended up loving learning about things like gait through setting up lab experiments to test and monitor gaits at different speeds. Little did I know this would eventually be part of my life years later and help me learn more about the physiology and strength for running!
Before moving out to Seattle in 2018, I learned about thru-hiking and ultra running online but never believed I’d be strong enough to do such a thing. My running journey started with great hesitation in 2019 when a co-worker in Seattle asked me to sign-up for a 10k and then a half-marathon only a few months later. After completing my first half-marathon I was hooked!
Starting in 2020, I began to feel a significant amount of pain in my SI joints, which at its worst left me barely able to walk down my hallway or take my dog out. After what I thought would be an easy run, I wasn’t able to stand up off my couch and was terrified I wouldn’t be able to move normally again. I finally went to see a doctor and eventually got a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) months later. Armed with this diagnosis, I began looking for others with AS and seeing what types of activities they did, fearing I’d never reach my dreams of hiking and ultra running. I found Helgi Olafson who has AS and runs ultramarathons and has previously raised money for the Spondylitis Association of America. This gave me the hope I needed, and I have since learned how to use movement to help manage chronic pain with flexible enough training plans to adapt to flare-ups.
In 2021, I switched over to primarily running trails, and running became an integral part of my life. Trail running has added so much goodness into my life – pain management, meeting close friends, providing structure, feeling confident in my queerness and beyond. It was these running friends who gave me the confidence to explore gender outwardly more and the push to sign-up for my first ultra, which took place early 2023. I feel so at home in the mountains and running ultra distances.
I began HRT in early 2025 and have gone through a lot of personal learnings with how it has affected my body and training. It’s been such a joy to explore how to train with HRT. There’s little research on what to do when you start HRT and how it will impact athletics – this is a special interest of mine to continue to learn from research, my own experience, and the voices of others in the community to share knowledge with runners who are considering HRT.
Big Influences
My big influences are Jason Koop and Corrine Malcolm for their science based approach and individualization for an athlete’s needs. Helgi Olafson and his determination to continue ultra running, manage ankylosing spondylitis, and fundraise repeatedly for the Spondylitis Association of America.
Race History
While I love racing and working towards a goal, a personal goal of mine if to also enjoy long days out in nature. I’ve included a few key standout long effort days in the mountains as well as races below.
- 2019 Seattle Half-marathon
- 2022 Euguene Half-marathon
- 2023 Orcas Island 50k
- 2023 Wy’east Wonder 50M, 2nd non-binary
- 2023 Wildwood 27M/3000ft, Forest Park in Portland
- 2023 K’esugi Ridge Trail 30M/6500ft Alaska
- 2023 Javelina Jundred 100M, 3rd non-binary
- 2024 Loowit Trail 27M/7000ft, June Lake Trail approach
- 2024 White River 50k, 1st non-binary
- 2024 Oh deer (28 mile route in Olympics), a Cascadian Wilderness Endurance Series Route
- 2024 Javelina Jundred, DNF
- 2025 Hood Hundred 100M, 1st non-binary
- 2025 Olympics Grand Loop 42M/13,700ft
Certifications
- Certified United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy (UESCA) Ultrarunning Coach
Awards & Accolades
- US Trail Running Conference panelist, 2023
Personal Records
After running a couple of half-marathons early in my running career, I transitioned to focus on trail running and specifically ultrarunning.
- Half: 1:51:45 2022 Euguene Half-marathon
- 50k: 6:28:44 2024 White River 50k, 1st non-binary,
- 50M: 11:22:56 2023 Wy’east Wonder 50M, 2nd non-binary
- 100M: 24:45:01 2023 Javelina Jundred 100M, 3rd non-binary



Anna Daley –
I had a very specific goal going into working with Laur and a real narrow slot of time (less than two months) in which to train for the goal, and he got me to the finish line of my 50 miler! He took into account my injury-prone tendencies and my previous training and made a plan for me that was conservative but still pushed me enough, and I felt strong and capable running at mile 45 of my race which was pretty wild for me. He provided a super thorough race plan that kept me locked in and confident the whole race. Laur’s attention to details is above and beyond what I’ve experienced with other coaches, and I’d strongly recommend working with him.
Carly Contorno –
Laur has been the right coach for me as I step back into running from ACL reconstruction surgery. He considers my physical and mental needs every step of the way, checks in to see how things feel after each effort, and really listens and helps me adjust when I share various aches/tightness/pains. He expertly balances encouragement and caution, and provides timely adjustments that are rooted in thoughtful research. Laur understands how important running can be for mental health, physical health, and community. I trust Laur because I see firsthand how he leads by example. I’m excited to continue working with him!
Daisy T. –
Working with Laur has been a great experience! As someone who is more of a casual runner, I wasn’t sure whether working with a coach was right for me. However, those doubts vanished when I started working with Laur in preparation for my first trail race. Laur is incredibly thoughtful and knowledgeable, putting clear effort into making a training plan that suited my life, schedule, and running goals.
One thing I was especially impressed by was Laur’s ability to accommodate my job, which is physically demanding with an irregular schedule. Laur mapped out runs ahead of time, usually giving me several options to choose from, and developed strength workouts to complement the activities I was already doing. Flexibility was baked in, giving me freedom to shift things around if necessary. I was able to fit runs in where I had previously struggled to find the time. And on top of that, Laur wrote comments or words of encouragement on each activity in FinalSurge, which I really appreciated.
I highly recommend working with Laur! I couldn’t have asked for a better coach!
Anson Fatland –
I’ve been working with Laur for a few months now and can’t recommend him enough. I’ve had a few coaches and what I particularly like about Laur is how thoughtful and intentional he is. Training plans are mapped out in advance on Final Surge, he builds workouts in the platform that sync with my watch so it’s easy to track repeats or strides without having to count them. This is super helpful because it’s easy to lose track with 8x30s strides! How many is that? 5? 6? 7? He also puts real purpose behind every phase, from building endurance, increasing VO2, or developing strength.
I also appreciate that the coaching doesn’t stop at the running plans. Laur reviews every single activity and responds with feedback that’s genuinely tailored to my effort, nothing cut-and-paste. He clearly pays attention. And if something needs more thought, he asks questions. “Your HR looked a little elevated, how did that effort feel?” “I know you’ve been dealing with some foot pain, how did those strides feel on your foot today?”
He also gets something that is probably the most important element to me: running fits into my life, it isn’t my life. He’s flexible and pivots when things need to change, whether that’s schedule, workload, or just where I’m at. That kind of awareness makes a real difference. And he cares about the whole me, not just the runner part of me. That comes through in everything. Highly recommended!