*** 50% off First Month of Coaching – Coupon Code: 50percentoff ***

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 text, unlimited phone
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Denver, CO

Contact Liz

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.

SPECIALTIES

Overall, I specialize in endurance events, which are 5k and longer and I like to put an emphasis on including strength training into my training programs. I am excited to work with motivated athletes who would like to step up their running game!
My specialties are:

Experienced runners looking to get faster and BQ or PR
New runners looking to train for their first race and build their aerobic base
Incorporating strength training into your training plan
Race day planning (e.g. pacing plans, race nutrition plan, hydration plan)

PHILOSOPHY

I believe success in running is found in consistency and that working with a coach can help you stay consistent, which will lead you to achieve goals you didn’t think you could reach before. Working with a coach keeps you accountable and motivated for workouts and races.

I understand that my athletes have lives outside of training so training needs to be consistent but flexible. I believe coaches need to be compassionate and understanding towards their athletes to truly get their athletes to achieve their goals. Understanding and compassion lead to more honest communication between coach and athlete which is important for successful training.

With all of that in mind, working with me includes:

Free Consultation Meeting: To set up a consultation meeting click the “Contact Liz” button and we can set up a meeting to see if I am the right coach for you!
Flexible Training Schedule: This schedule will include various types of workouts that will help you become a stronger and faster runner.
Information and Tips on Running and Training: If you have questions about your training, races, etc. do not be afraid to ask me any questions you may have.
Strength Training: I think that all runners should incorporate some sort of strength training into their schedule. If adding strength training into your schedule interests you, just let me know!
Form Analysis: Good running form is essential if you want to improve your times and minimize your chance of injury. If getting your running form analyzed interests you, feel free to send me a good quality video and we can work from there.
Recovery Techniques: You can only train as hard as you recover, so I believe having a good recovery routine is important for any runner. I can provide tips and techniques on developing a recovery routine (e.g. stretching, foam rolling, etc.)
Weekly Check Ins: I contact all my athletes weekly and make sure that they are progressing forwards. Along with a weekly rundown, I will also provide comments on your workouts daily.
Life Balance and Motivation: Like I said earlier, I know that most athletes lead busy lives and can get demotivated or disheartened from time to time. I will work with you to figure out how we can fit your training into your busy schedule and how to stay motivated when things get hard.

My philosophies for training revolve around my background in science and engineering. I think that the science behind running is very important when working with an athlete. I study and utilize several different evidence-based training methods in my training plans which are aimed to help you meet your running goals.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

The first athlete I coached was myself. When I became an avid runner, I began learning all that I could about the world of running. I turned into a complete running nerd. Under my own coaching I was able BQ on my 2nd marathon. In 2019 I decided that I wanted to become a certified running coach, so I took the time and obtained my UESCA running coach license. With this knowledge I’ve also coached many friends and family members to their first race or to a new PR.

ABOUT ME

Currently I live in beautiful Denver, Colorado with my husband and two pups where I now work as a freelance web and graphic designer as well as a running coach.

I grew up in Marysville, WA where I ran track and field as a sprinter all throughout high school. After a short hiatus from running I rediscovered my love for running and fitness in college where I worked my way up in distance. I did my undergraduate degree at Washington State University (GO COUGS!) where I received a BS in Civil Engineering with and emphasis in environmental engineering. After receiving my undergraduate degree, I stayed at WSU to get my master’s degree in Environmental Engineering focusing on water treatment.

I find that running brings a lot of joy and discipline into my life. Being able to get my morning run in allowed me to have an outlet for all the stressors in my life while I was in graduate school. Running has also taught me a form of mental strength and resiliency that I find incredibly helpful for other aspects of my life.

BIG INFLUENCES

My love of running started watching the growth and success of the professional women in marathoning today. Women such as Shalane Flanagan, Molly Huddle, Deena Kastor, and Des Linden. Watching these women race inspired me to become a more dedicated runner myself.

From a coaching standpoint I am strongly influenced by Jack Daniels and Author Lydiard, who have influenced many other coaches as well. Other influences include David Roche and Matt Fitzgerald.

RACING HISTORY

I have been racing different distances since high school. In high school I raced sprinting distances including the 100m, 200, and 400m. Since high school I have focused on aerobic endurance events including many local 5k and 10ks and several half marathons and marathons.

CERTIFICATIONS

UESCA Run Coaching License
ProTrainings: Adult, Child, and Infant CPR/AED and First Aid

PRs

5k: 19:56 (2019 Wonder Woman Run Series Pullman, WA)
½ Marathon: 1:37 (2019 Beat the Blerch Carnation, WA) & Unofficial Virtual Time Trial: 1:33 (2020 Denver, CO)
Full Marathon: 3:24 (2019 Jack and Jill Boise, ID)

GET STARTED

PUBLICATIONS

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Karissa Bradley-Evans

Overall Experience working with the coach

Accuracy of coaching package implementation

Value provided given the price

Communication quality and consistency

Availability for questions/comments/changes

Knowledge about running and training

Training program effectiveness

Liz has been such an amazing support on my running journey! She not only offered encouragement when I needed it but friendly advice and an occasional reminder of why I’m doing this. She is also flexible with my schedule and always available on any platform I talk to her on – final surge, Instagram, email and even text.

She’s always cheering me on and I just couldn’t have asked for a better coach. I’m getting closer to running a half marathon every day that she is on my side.
2 weeks ago
Katie Walker

Overall Experience working with the coach

Accuracy of coaching package implementation

Value provided given the price

Communication quality and consistency

Availability for questions/comments/changes

Knowledge about running and training

Training program effectiveness

I’m currently training for a half marathon or 25k distance, and Liz has been a great coach! I’ve found that I’m improving consistently and the runs/workouts are at the perfect level; they’re challenging without being too hard. Recently I’ve had a lot going on, and she has been amazingly accommodating and flexible to my schedule and has made sure I have everything I need to train successfully. I like the accountability that her coaching gives me, but she is also very understanding and encouraging. She really cares about how I’m doing and the progress I’m making. I’d definitely recommend her as a coach 🙂
2 weeks ago
Ana Kodama

Overall Experience working with the coach

Accuracy of coaching package implementation

Value provided given the price

Communication quality and consistency

Availability for questions/comments/changes

Knowledge about running and training

Training program effectiveness

Liz has been a wealth of knowledge and support! Her ability to explain the science behind running and how it relates to body recovery is extremely valuable for a info driven person like me! She has been able to accommodate my schedule with flexibility and patience. Liz has been able to give me more confifldence and lots of encouragement during this process! She has been a tremendous asset in getting me ready for my first half marathon!
2 months ago

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Liz Crain – Denver Running Coach

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Liz Crain – Denver Running Coach

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