Miles Bennett-Smith – San Francisco Running Coach
$120.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
I specialize in working with all dedicated ATHLETES who are hungry for improvement—whether you’re new to the sport, chasing a PR or BQ or OTQ. With a background in coaching and deep understanding of endurance training, I help find the balance between pushing limits and staying strong for the long haul. If you’re looking for a coach who sees the bigger picture and helps you train smarter, not just harder, let’s get to work!
Description
San Francisco running coach Miles Bennett-Smith specializes in working with competitive runners looking to improve in the 5k up to the marathon, as well as older runners coming back from a layoff, or those with previous high-level experience in non-running sports. Reach out to Miles below to get started!
***Miles offers alternative pricing for collegiate athletes that have graduated in the past three years, runners experiencing financial hardships, and for any high school and collegiate athletes looking for coaching in the summer. Contact Miles (below) for more details***
LEVELS: Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Road, Track, Trail
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon
TRAINING PLATFORM: VDOT
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited text
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: San Francisco, CA
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: Yes, meet within 50 miles of San Francisco. Miles can lead you through a variety of running sessions — long runs, detailed track workouts, focus on form, balance, cadence, breathing, race prep and tactics, or nutrition. These sessions are purchased separately from the monthly, online coaching. Reach out to Miles if you’re interested!
SPECIALTIES
I focus on helping all athletes improve against the clock, themselves, and the sub-elite race pack. Coaching a diverse range of athletes is a source of great pride for me, and I have always held the belief that it is important not to restrict myself to working with any particular group, as there is immense value in guiding individuals at various stages of their athletic journey. Each runner presents a unique opportunity for me to continuously learn and develop as a coach.
I have lots of fun with competitive runners looking for balance, older runners coming back from a substantial layoff, or those with previous high-level experience in non-running sports (soccer, basketball, crew, cycling, lacrosse) trying to turn that athleticism into speed.
In addition to using V.02 for athlete training plans and communication, I also deliver strength training and mobility exercises from a variety of resources, aiming to help train athletes with multiple tools.
PHILOSOPHY
I embrace a holistic approach to running — let’s build your stride from the literal ground up…we’ll be talking shoe fit (stack height, cushion, spring and weight), foot strike, lower-leg swing, arm swing pattern, and of course everything in between the ears! But above all, we’ll be guided by open communication that allows us to set (and modify) specific goals, which I have seen over the years as perhaps the biggest differentiator in those who have felt the greatest success.
Training with a coach has to be an ongoing conversation, informed by data, knowledge, expertise and RESULTS. How does your body respond to an 80/20 approach? What happens when we introduce speed work in the Fall? How many healthy miles can you maintain with your work/life balance? Whether you’re trying to go from couch to 5k in old trainers, or qualify for Boston in carbon-plated Vaporflys, we’ll customize a plan and approach that is effective and sustainable for your entire body and mind.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
I am currently the Head Coach for Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country, and Track and Field at Summit Prep in Redwood City, where we have had numerous All-League and CCS competitors since I was hired in 2019. I’ve been working with individual runners as a passion project since 2013, am an Assistant Director at the Bowerman Track Club Summer Running Camp, and am now joining Team RunRun to tap into an even wider running community and network.
ABOUT ME
Hi! I’m a 32-year old AP Government and Politics teacher and coach at a public school system in Redwood City, CA. But in previous lives I was a high school journalist, a violinist, a walk-on soccer player at Stanford, a nanny, and a venture capitalist. I live in beautiful San Francisco right next to Golden Gate Park, where my fiance and I walk (NOT run) our wonderful 5-year old pup Oliver.
I read a lot (too much), watch Below Deck on Bravo, listen to a lot of podcasts during long runs, play a bit of golf, basketball, and pickleball, and care deeply about public education and policy in America.
I have some experience and interest in global affairs as well — my high school senior project helped to establish a foundation that has built basketball courts, libraries, classrooms, a medical clinic, and promotes educational enrichment at a series of schools in Rwanda. I’ve had the privilege of running in those beautiful hills, where the altitude, heat and humidity are absolutely brutal, but the shouts of surprise and excitement from hundreds of children watching you jog past more than make up for it.
BIG INFLUENCES
The biggest influences on my running and coaching career have been three great friends that I’ve been unbelievably lucky to also call my personal coaches — Elliott Heath, Chris Derrick, and Rick Fullum. Elliott and Chris both were All-Americans and classmates of mine at Stanford, then ran professionally for Nike with the Bowerman Track Club, and somehow still found time to help write workouts for me and gas me up before big races over the last 10 years.
RACING HISTORY
As someone who missed out on the chance to specialize as a runner in high school, I was later to develop in the sport. And in fact, I haven’t always “loved” running at all…but I might have been born to race. I’ve always been up for a fun run, a turkey trot, a trail race, even a beer mile or two. I really hope for my runners to understand that belief and at times even irrational confidence is a SKILL, and can be trained for peak performance right alongside the muscles, tendons and ligaments.
CERTIFICATIONS
- USATF Level 1 Track & Field Certified Coach
- NFHS Accredited Interscholastic Coach (Additional Cross Country Specialization)
- SafeSport Trained
- First Aid/CPR Certified
PRs
- Marathon: 2:44:52 – Boston Marathon – April 17, 2023
- Half-Marathon: 1:20:03 – Kaiser Permanente Half – Feb 5, 2023
- 5k: 16:14 – Credit Union SACTOWN – April 2, 2017
- 1600: 4:32 – SMAL Championships April 4, 2008
CONTACT MILES
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
- Recover Harder to Run Faster
- Should I Buy Super Shoes?
- The 5 Best Daily Running Shoes
- How to Choose your first pair of Running Shoes
SOCIAL
Jared –
Miles is a really wonderful person and coach. He is very knowledgeable and even better at communicating the information he needs to convey. He came up with a plan for my goal 5K. I got my PR. He is a darn good coach.
Brad Taylor –
What to say about Coach Miles. He’s supported me through two full marathon builds, two half marathon builds and throw in a 10k for good measure. Miles couples sage wisdom with a positive attitude (he’s not Coach Smiles for no reason) and plenty of good humor. He knows when to push, but also when to point out the positive when a race doesn’t go your way. He’s helped me find the love and passion for running and keeps me going when training gets sticky. There’s no way I could have sent Berlin as hard without his training, coaching and support.
Gabby Mickevicius –
I’ve loved working with Miles for the past year. He’s extremely knowledgable, supportive and kind, communicative and responsive, and reliable. He’s cheered me on during my successes and cheered me up after more challenging performances. He helped build me into marathon shape injury- free after I came back from overuse injury last year. I recommend his expertise to anyone / everyone and I look forward to continuing to work with him this next year as I work toward my goal of BQing!
Pat Manion –
I worked with Miles from June through September of 2024 leading up to my first marathon and could not have done it without him. During my training I moved across country, started a new job, and had several international work trips, all of which are big life events that are super disruptive to a training schedule. Miles was communicative, responsive to my training needs, and encouraging throughout the months leading up to the race. So much so that I’ll be a repeat customer in a few weeks as I kickoff training for my second marathon in March 2025. Could not recommend him more highly.
Hanz De Leon –
I have worked with MIles for almost a year now. He took me from the couch now a regular runner. He has coached me through my ups and downs. He tailors my workouts and runs base on my progress and my schedule. He is flexible and supportive. He provides great advice and resources for me to get better. He is communicative and responsive to any questions I may have. I recommend Miles to any beginner or experienced runner looking for a coach to help them reach their goals.
Will Lucky –
I worked with Miles through 2 back to back training cycles, and far and above achieved my wildest expectations of nabbing a sub 3 marathon. I went into training fresh off Achilles tendonitis, and had concerns about achieving a goal of 3:30 for my first marathon. Miles worked with me to slowly build base milage, tempering me to hold back speed until the body had adapted, and we made it through block 1 without incident for a 3:13 marathon time. Goal smashed.
Block 2 came a few weeks later, and we started focusing on building speed, with a slight overall increase in weekly milage, but still within the realm of reason. Miles helped me dial in Marathon pace during the next 4 months, and we never overextended into injury. On Marathon day we got a 2:56.
If you had asked me at the start of training if I could ever run a sub 3, I would have laughed. It was never something I believed I was capable of. The structure and guidance from Miles helped me slowly and patiently progress to a point where I was surprising even myself with the progress I had made. Many thanks to Miles for the coaching and structured plan that helped me progress healthily towards (and past) my goals.
JC –
I highly recommend Miles as a running coach! He is incredibly nice and always ensures our training schedule is up-to-date. Whenever I have questions, he’s easy to reach and quick to respond. His support and dedication make training with him a fantastic experience. Thank you, Miles, for your excellent coaching!
Rahim –
I have been working with Miles for 2 months and am very happy with his coaching. He has done a great job of tailoring the training to my specific needs/goals. When I have questions, he is very responsive via text.
Amy Che –
Coach Miles strikes a great balance between holding me accountable while being flexible. As someone who has been on a 3 year journey recovering from a variety of injuries, his attention to adjusting to how I’m feeling while blending in strength and pacing my re-entry have been helpful. I also have a demanding work schedule, and he will adapt my plan to accommodate while ensuring I achieve the right goals. Additionally, because we live in the same city, and I have participated in the running club he also supports, I have gotten in-person feedback on my form and demonstration of techniques and exercises. He’s responsive and always happy to explain the why’s / importance of techniques or focused workouts or answer my questions or empathize on my running frustrations and excitement. While we’ve only been working together for 2 months, I’m excited and feeling confident I will be able to achieve my marathon goal!
R Vaezeafshar –
Coach Miles is amazing! I really enjoy working with him! His approach is great and tailors your training based on your abilities!
Carley Kline –
I’m thrilled to share my incredible experience with Miles over the past two months. His unwavering support and effective training have played a pivotal role in boosting my fitness levels, especially as I approach my upcoming marathon. Grateful for his expertise and encouragement!
Sean Ledingham –
Miles is the best! He’s super friendly, knowledgeable, and took the time to get to know me and my running. He knows when to push you and when to take it easy, and you’ll learn loads along the way. Can’t recommend him enough!
Danielle –
Miles has played a pivotal role in helping me (who was previously new to running) achieve my goal half marathon time. His personalized training plans, real time feedback and encouragement has helped me stay motivated and significantly improved my endurance and technique. His pre race strategy calls have been invaluable. I’m really looking forward to continuing to work with Miles as I continue to race in the new year. I highly recommend him to anyone looking to improve their running.
Greg –
Miles applies just enough encouraging pressure to keep me consistently running, which is something I haven’t done since I was in college. I particularly appreciate his adaptation to my running progress and quick feedback on any running-related questions I have from pre-run to post-workout. I think he’s on his way to becoming the Gjert Ingebrigtsen of the Bay.
Morgan –
I’ve been working with Miles all summer and it’s been excellent. Lots of valuable feedback, including some super tough speed sessions to really push me. Somehow, running is fun again – as a former college soccer player, that’s about as high of praise as I could give.
Gary Smith –
Miles has been a game-changer as my running coach. He designed a program that accommodates my work schedule and other constraints on my time. He has been able to put together a blend of strength and speed training that has me clocking times–at age 68–that I haven’t reached in years. I’m even considering running a marathon again! Looking forward to many more years of steady progress.