Misha Knea – Bend Running Coach
$95.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
Let’s create Health, Happiness and Balance while crushing those running goals! You have the Power to create your Journey!
Description
Bend running Coach Misha Knea is all about balance – juggling training, family, and other life commitments, to find the joy in training and racing, on both roads and trails from the 5k up to the marathon.
LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate
TYPES: Road, Trail
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon
TRAINING PLATFORM: Training Peaks Premium
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited text, unlimited phone
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Bend, OR
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: Yes, in Bend, OR – please reach out to Coach Misha first to ensure a good fit.
SPECIALTIES
I love to work with beginner, intermediate, road and trail runners from 5k-26.2! I am a huge proponent of nature based running, finding balance in our busy lives while aligning our passion, goals and family responsibilities. As a mother of two small children (5 and 3) and two amazing step-children (14,11) finding balance is key. As an avid runner with two decades of racing it wasn’t until I became a mother that I realized the mindfulness and intentions behind my passion.
I want to help runners find health, happiness and balance while crushing their running goals. As a certified Personal Trainer through ACE and personal experiences with running through and after pregnancy, injuries and the importance of strength training, I want to provide returning moms with a positive, realistic and healthy journey. My goal is to empower others to reach for their goals with consistency, a positive mindset and a stress-free running plan.
PHILOSOPHY
I want to co-create an environment that encourages you to find consistency in your running endeavors. Consistency can be a challenge with busy lives but together we can be a cohesive unit to find that balance and thrive! I am extremely passionate about creating a plan that provides a foundation to remain injury free, consistent and most of all, fulfilled and happy. Lastly, I will encourage you to safely explore, especially while logging those miles!
As a prior Law Enforcement officer and wife to a first responder, I can provide first hand safety tips highlighting mental preparedness and observation skills to have in mind. I found myself in a very critical moment in the last year and feel I have so much to offer based on my experience personally and professionally.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
My coaching experience currently resides around two beginner level moms who were looking to race their first 13.1 and 10k. Their goal to improve their running ability, overall fitness and be a role model to their children made for a perfect fit! I have had many family and friends ask for guidance over the last 10 years so it seemed natural to bring my passion to light. In 2016 I had the opportunity to coach for a school based program “Girls on the Run” which empowers middle school aged females to team-build, exercise and run their first 5k! It was by far one of the most rewarding inspirational moments for my running life! I am currently obtaining my “Running Coach” certification through United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy and look forward to working with you!
ABOUT ME
I am a mother two very active little ones under the age of 5 who ask daily to join me on my runs! I’m a wife to a first responder and I myself work full-time. I understand first-hand the challenges with schedules and finding balance in life! My training schedule is in constant flux and I have learned over the years to remain positive, adapt and be resilient in the journey.
I am an avid runner with over two decades of running and racing experience. I had the opportunity to run at a collegiate level which unfortunately was very brief due to Title 9 rulings yet the experience remains a blessing. I began racing competitively in my mid 20’s and have thrived even more so after becoming a mother.
BIG INFLUENCES
My High School running coach (Coach A) for always believing in me, providing immeasurable support and guidance throughout my running career in which still remains present and positive as an adult. He instilled in me grit, determination and resilience that I hope to share with many.
Kara Goucher, who I have always felt is so inspiring and empowering. She embodies what I feel is true balance, grace and dedication in her running career and family life!
RACING HISTORY
I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to race over the last two decades. Each and every race had its learning moments, and there is still so much to learn! The race that was a key moment in my life would be the Portland Marathon. A race filled with high hopes to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I was looking for a running challenge after having my son and navigating my way back to my passion. The Portland Marathon consisted of pouring down rain the entire way with smiles and tears as I crushed my goal! Little did I know I would add one more little one to our family before racing Boston in 2018 (another very rainy race) !!! It was Portland that brought a different mentality towards racing, motherhood, intentions and balance.
CERTIFICATIONS
ACE- Certified Personal Trainer
Currently obtaining “Running Coach” Certification through (United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy)
PRs
- 26.2 (3:13:06) 10/9/2016 Portland Marathon Road Race
- 13.1 ( 1:34:08) 9/1/2013 Sunriver Half Marathon
- 6.2 ( 42:52 ) 4/10/2016 Salmon Run Road and Trail race
- 15 miler ( 2:38:46) 5/19/2019 Smith Rock Accent Trail Race
- 5k (19:56) 3/12/2016 St Patricks Day Dash, Bend Oregon
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
- 1st Place Sunriver Half Marathon Race for a Cause, Sunriver Oregon
- 2nd Place Happy Girls Half Marathon,Sisters Oregon
- 2nd Place Happy Girls Half Marathon, Bend Oregon
- Boston Qualification 2016
- Boston Qualification 2018
CONTACT MISHA
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
Josh Braunstein –
Misha is great! Very communicative, works well with the constraints of my day to day life, is very knowledgeable on running technique and nutrition to support your runs. Really appreciate having the super from her to work towards my goals! 10/10 would recommend.
Lindsey Mangin –
I don’t even know where to start when it comes to all of the positive things about working with Misha. Everything about my experience with her was 5 stars. We worked together for 10 months until she referred me over to a triathlon coach and not only did I become a better runner and athlete in those 10 months, I learned SO much. Every time I text her with questions she sent a thorough response. Every time I asked her to meet for coffee to chat running or for extra support, she was there. She’s far more than just a “coach.” She truly takes an interest and helps you get where you want to go.
On a more personal level, she is so kind and encouraging. No matter what I had going on, whether physical or emotional, she helped guide me through it when it came to training and racing. She was the exact support system I needed in a running coach.
I HIGHLY recommend her!
Matthew Hart –
Finding Misha was the best thing I’ve done for my running journey. In the past I’ve always set my own training, but I had reached the point where just putting in the miles wasn’t getting my fitness level where I wanted it. Misha has been helping me run smarter and not just harder. I’ve seen more results in 2 months with her than I did before after 6 months of training on my own.
Sherne-marie McMillan –
Misha is an EXCELLENT coach! He greatest quality as a coach is her ability to find what you need, want and desire and tailor her program to help you reach that. The tailoring process is not something that happens once. She is constantly checking in and making adjustments based on where you are. I never feel stressed or disempowered to show up a certain way. She really starts with where you are on any given day. Hands down, great coach. Highly recommend!!!
Megan Pilkington –
Misha is great! I have specific running goals, and needed the extra help to come up with a plan that could develop as my fitness, goals, and schedule fluctuate. Canned Couch to 5K programs had me bored and looking for more of a tailored training program. I did some online searching for a coach that could check the boxes, and stumbled upon Misha! She took the time to go over my experience and current/future goals, and what she could provide as a coach.
I love that I can reach out to her at any time to discuss a workout or just to check in to let her know how I’m feeling and when I need to take some time off to focus on non-running life events and ailments. For things that are difficult to type out, I’ll get a brief instructional video which really helps when I’m having one of those days and just need to watch someone describe something to me.
Outside of running, I have a demanding job and love weightlifting for fitness. Misha takes everything into account when writing my workouts and is incredibly flexible and quick to make tweaks and updates for me when needed. Aside from being a great coach, she’s so friendly and it’s fun to watch her out there putting things into practice as she kills it at her own races and events! I have a virtual client-coach relationship with Misha that spans multiple time zones, but I feel like I have a local coach.
I hope to continue working with Misha for as long as my budget and schedule allow.
Scott Folland –
I was returning to running after a hiatus for a knee injury with goals of helping to lose weight and to develop an aerobic base for trail running.
Misha took some time with easier test workouts and programmed easy / rest to see where I was at. Then, she had me get to work.
I was on a 6-month RV trip with my family while under Misha’s guidance, and my schedule was all over the place, but she made the workouts more interchangeable to accommodate me. I loved the strength work, too. She was even very attuned to my rest and diet.
I did lose the weight and built a huge aerobic base, even approaching PRs (at age 50) in my mile and half-marathon!
She is great at communication, commenting on most workouts and checking in regularly via text or email. We even met up for a fun walk with my family when we passed through Bend.
Melissa Van Straten –
Misha is an incredible coach! I originally signed up with her so that she could help me prepare to run Ragnar Trail Oregon. Once that race was canceled, I set a new goal of running a trail half marathon this fall and am working with Misha to prepare for that. Misha is knowledgeable, encouraging, flexible, responsive, and the kind of runner I aspire to be. I feel grateful to be working with her.
mary zinni –
Misha is the most wonderful coach! She is extremely flexible with my ever changing schedule and always takes into account my other workouts for the best running and strength program. She has helped me so much when getting back into running. She is very encouraging and offers amazing advice when I am struggling with something. I was nervous to get back into running and in the past get discouraged. Misha has made the process actually enjoyable and I never dread my runs (something I always did in the past).
Even though Misha can run 20+ miles, I am a very beginner runner. She is amazing at training all levels, even if you are just starting out. I think my first few weeks with her I was doing max 1.5 miles.
MadisonHaas –
Misha is an amazing running coach! I came to her fresh off a broken foot that had me laid up for 3 months. What I was looking for in a coach was someone knowledgeable, motivating yet realistic, energetic, fun, and local (I also live in Bend, OR) – after one phone call with Misha, I knew she was the right fit! The first time we meet up, I could barely run 2 minutes on my weak legs and needed to watch the swelling of my foot injury closely. Misha helped me build from the ground up, carefully, and grow my confidence. When we meet up to run together she always helps me push my pace and reminds me that being uncomfortable is where the growth occurs. Since working with her my pace and milage are building and I feel great and excited to continue training towards my goals! Misha truly goes above and beyond when it comes to communicating and caring a lot about the people she works with. She checks in with texts after my work-outs, helps me plan running into my busy schedule (family vacations, stressful work weeks, period cramps, – you name it, Misha still finds a way to help me stay on track with my training), provides guidance on nutrition (what to eat before runs) and local recommendations of trails, hill and tracks best suited for my workouts! I could not ask for a better coach or a running mentor with a bigger heart. I can’t wait to continue working with Misha this summer!
Courtney Poirot –
Shortly into training for my first marathon I struggled with planning my run calendar, understanding proper nutrition to fuel my runs, and honestly, motivation to keep moving forward. My husband suggested I look for a running coach and when I didn’t do so myself, he found Misha for me and I’m forever grateful he did! I am a busy mom of three and I work full-time. I also have little experience with running as it has just recently become a hobby of mine. I needed a coach who understands that my family comes first and there will be days that I am simply too busy or too exhausted to get a workout in. Misha, also a busy, working mom, has taught me to give myself grace on the days that don’t go as planned. She reminds me that some days will be harder than others and she encourages me on days when my runs do not go as planned.
As a coach, Misha is very knowledgeable not only about running, but nutrition as well. She has educated me on proper nutrition to fuel my runs and I’ve seen great improvement in that area. My running form has also improved. Misha consistently checks in on how I’m feeling, making sure I’m not headed down a road to injury.
I am beyond impressed by and grateful for this experience so far! A goal (running a marathon) that seemed nearly impossible to obtain two months ago, now seems within reach. I have progressed immensely in two months and I have Misha to thank for that!
Rebecca Canavan –
Worth every penny!! Misha is so kind and knowledgeable. I feel like she took true consideration into everything I needed. She is amazing—works with my schedule and takes my own personal concerns and injuries into account. My body and run form has changed so much with her as my coach.