Natalie Halapin – Bend, OR Running Coach
From: $70.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
50% off your 1st month! UESCA Ultrarunning & Coaching Collective Certified Coach. Individualized plans for ultra distances or return from injury.
Description
Bend running coach Natalie Halapin is well-versed on both the roads and the trails, whether you’re making the jump to a marathon road race or testing the waters in the trail and ultra scene, Natalie is your coach. Reach out below to get started!
*** 50% off First Month for month-to-month Coaching – Coupon Code: 50%halapin ***
LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Trail
DISTANCES: Ultra
TRAINING PLATFORM: Final Surge
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited phone, unlimited text
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Bend, OR
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: No, online coaching only
SPECIALTIES
I focus on runners of all levels preparing for 50K to 100M distances, particularly runners who are training for a “new” distance or challenge. I also work with athletes who are returning from injury. I can provide strength training structure, nutrition education, and fueling coaching.
PHILOSOPHY
My coaching style is based on four values: safety, joy, engagement, and growth. I believe the coach-athlete relationship should provide the athlete with safety through education, mutual respect, and openness. Individual plans are founded in evidence-based exercise science and medicine, and inspired by what brings an athlete joy. The evolution of the individual plan over time is informed by the athlete’s engagement – always striving for growth – to help an athlete achieve their goals.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
For the past two years, I’ve coached individuals with varying levels of running experience who are taking on a new challenge either in distance (all ultramarathon distances) or difficulty of terrain. These athletes have generally been new to formal training structures that include hill workouts, speed workouts, and cross-training.
Prior to that, I informally coached friends and family for about 3 years with a focus on the Half-Marathon, Marathon, and 50K distances.
In addition to coaching, I also work as an Emergency Medicine Physician and Hospitalist. This background in medicine has enabled me to better understand how each athlete’s medical history impacts, and is impacted by, their training. It also helps me effectively guide athletes navigating the healthcare system.
ABOUT ME
I picked up running while living in New Orleans after college because it was cheaper than joining a gym. My trail running “career” got started when I had family move to the Asheville, NC area, and after I was feeling a little burned out after a couple of years in the road-running/marathon-training scene in New Orleans, I made the jump to ultrarunning. I didn’t really discover how much I loved the woods and exploring until I started running the trails around Asheville whenever visiting my family, I made the jump to ultrarunning, and that love has blossomed over the past nearly 15 years. My travel became limited when I started medical school and then continued into residency (still in New Orleans), so I have a keen appreciation of training through busy/hectic schedules, and in hot/humid/flat locations.
After completing residency, I spent two years in Western North Carolina and just recently relocated to Bend, Oregon. During that time, I have been able to thoroughly re-evaluate my “why” to create a sustainable future in sport. Crewing, pacing, race volunteering, and running “fun runs” over 30-50 mile routes with friends have become the foundation to the joy I find in trail and ultrarunning, and are now key components in my personal training plans. I’ve shifted towards setting distinct long- and short-term outcome goals (take 90 minutes off my Black Canyon 100K time by 2026, finish The Bear 100 this year) as well as a couple of process goals (consistently fueling my runs and hitting bike-doubles once a week during build weeks).
My husband and I met in Montana, and while he’s not much of a runner, we both love to hike and camp. We’re also proud dog parents, and are currently focusing on directing all our love and energy on our 17-year-old Lab/Rottie mix, Killer (the only thing she’s ever killed is snacks). I work full time as a physician, but coaching and running are the things I do that bring me joy and make the daily grind worth it. My guilty pleasures include watching the same TV shows over and over (Doctor Who, The Office, What We Do In the Shadows), reading science fiction and adventure/national park nonfiction, and trying local coffee roasters.
BIG INFLUENCES
My greatest inspirations in running and coaching are my coach, Des Clarke (also a Team Run Run coach), and David and Megan Roche. My coaching philosophy is also highly influenced by Kilian Jornet, Steve House, Steve Magness, Jonathan Marcus, and Stacy Sims.
RACING HISTORY
Shut-In Ridge Trail Run (Asheville, NC) (18mi, 5000+ft of gain) was my first trail race, and I’ve now done it eight times. It’s likely my favorite of all the races I’ve run.
Black Canyon 100K (AZ) is another one high up on my list because it’s so much fun, and is a standard by which I plan to continue to use as a measure of my personal growth in sport over my career.
Heartbreaker 50M (Old Fort/Mt. Mitchell, NC) is one of the more difficult trail races I’ve run, and is a wonderful display of classic #beastcoast trails.
Rim to Rim to Rim (R2R2R or R3)/Grand Canyon, AZ isn’t a race, but a route I completed with some friends and was a life-changing experience. It’s a solid reminder of my “why”!
Three Sisters Skyline 50K is a beautiful 50K near Bend, Oregon that inspired me to one day make Central Oregon my home.
Other trail races or ultras completed: Arches 50M (UT), Mount Mitchell Challenge (NC), Firewater 50K(TN), The Great Scorpion Trail Run 50K(MS), Whiskey Basin Trail Run 60K (AZ), Iron Mountain 30-miler (Damascus, VA), Loup Garou Trail Run 40-miler (Louisiana), Beaverhead Endurance Runs 55K (MT), Umstead 100 (NC), Rocky Raccoon 100 (TX), Coldwater Rumble 100 (AZ), Uwharrie 100K (NC), Twin Mountain Trudge 11-miler (WY)
PRs
- Marathon – 3:34:34
- 50K – 4:41:43
- 50M – 9:29:21
- 100K – 11:55:04
- 100M – 19:42:42
- Course Records: The Great Scorpion Trail 50K 5:26:46, Loup Garou Trail Run 40 miler 6:50:20, Uwharrie 100K 13:53:38
CERTIFICATIONS
- UESCA Ultrarunning Coach
- Certified Coaching Collective Coach (C4 Coach, https://drlarapence.com/
coaches )
CONTACT NATALIE
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
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