Tom Olson – Fort Collins Running Coach
$95.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
50% off your first month! 50 years of running & 30 as a coach. So many memories! I’d love to help you add to your running story! Train-Believe-Repeat.
Description
Fort Collins running coach Tom Olson specializes in helping beginner and intermediate runners get more out of their training through a science-based approach, whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve existing times.
*** 50% off First Month of Coaching – Coupon Code: 50%tolson ***
LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Road, Track, Trail
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon
TRAINING PLATFORM: Google Docs
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited text
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Loveland, CO
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: No, online coaching only
SPECIALTIES
I love to work with anyone from beginners through advanced runners, and with distances ranging from 5K through Marathon, running on roads or trails. Additionally, if you are interested in track racing, I have helped athletes set numerous PRs, including a 4:10 mile and an 8:59 two mile.
PHILOSOPHY
Author Donald Miller writes that our life is our story. I love that idea and I believe we, as runners, embrace that philosophy. We don’t want to read a book or see a movie about something mundane or inconsequential; we want to engage in a story that touches our heart. Naturally then, we also want to author our own story that has meaning.
Next year will be my fiftieth year as a runner. As much as I value PRs and wins, I’ve come to realize the pursuit of crafting a good story is what counts most. When we put our heart into a good cause we will always have something to celebrate. So whether your story is one of a new beginning in running, or your story is one of racing toward big PRs, I hope to have the honor of helping you add some amazing pages to your story!
On the nuts-and-bolts side of things I believe in science based training. All of our work should have a purpose. We will optimize your mileage, interval work, tempo runs, and active dynamic drills to give you the necessary measure of endurance, speed, strength and flexibility to keep reaching for your goals.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
I was a high school track and cross country coach for over 25 years. Many of my athletes ran in the low 15’s for 5k cross country races with some of my young ladies running in the low 18’s. I had a good number of section champions and state meet medalists on the track. Many of my athletes went on to college careers, including a five-time All American.
As a high school coach I had hundreds of athletes who were new to running. Being a new runner can be a daunting and discouraging task and I have helped these new athletes develop confidence while enjoying the experience. I’ve been able to help a lot of my friends and acquaintances overcome some of the pitfalls that can hamper new runners.
After college I was self coached over my years of road racing. I regularly had local runners join my workouts and ask for training advice. It has always been a pleasure to help friends get started, or work toward PRs. One friend who followed my training plan ran a 2:32 marathon!
ABOUT ME
I’m a retired teacher and coach from Northern California. I was a Special Education Teacher and I loved spending my days with bright, wonderful, caring kids. I have so many amazing memories from my classroom as well as on the track or cross country course.
My wife and I built our dream home in Colorado. We love life in this beautiful outdoor haven. Deep down I’m a twelve year old living in the body of a sixty-three year old man. If it’s an adventure, I’m up for it! I’ve done a tough mudder and a week long 435 mile road bike tour through the Rocky Mountains.
BIG INFLUENCES
Billy Mills- Olympic 10,000 meter run Champion
I’ve met Billy and he is an inspiration! Check out the movie Running Brave!
Jim Ryun- Olympic silver medalist / former mile world record holder
I got to meet Jim at a clinic.
My Family- From my first high school racing, college running, road racing, to age group racing in my sixties I have always wanted to make my family proud.
RACING HISTORY
I was a high school and collegiate track and cross country runner. In high school I competed in the California State Meet in the mile. At California State University Chico I was all conference in cross country and qualified for the 1978 NCAA Div. II Track Championships in the 3000m Steeplechase.
I have run five marathons; the second being the 1977 Boston Marathon in 90 degree heat. I was the 1986 Redding Marathon Champion. I won the Mount Shasta 5 mile run back to back years in the 80’s with a best of 24:57 (at altitude). In 1984 I was the Humboldt Redwoods Half Marathon Champion.
In my recent racing I have won all of my races in the 60+ age group including the 20k Xterra trail run in Castle Rock CO. Who says getting old is a bad thing!
CERTIFICATIONS
- National Federation of High School Coaches Association:
- Coaching Principles and Practice
- Concussion in Sports
- First Aid Health and Safety
- Heat Illness Prevention
PRs
Track:
- 1500m- 4:01
- 3000m- steeplechase 9:14
- 5000m- 15:21 (after a 9:19 steeplechase)
- 10k- 32:17
Road:
- 2 mile- 9:19 (Moonlight Madness Run) 1982
- 5 mile- 24:57 (Mount Shasta 4th of July Run) 1983
- 10k- 31:06 (Wharf to Wharf Run, Santa Cruz CA) 1983
- ½ marathon- 1:10:16 (Humboldt Redwoods) 1984
- Marathon- 2:32:05 (Redding Marathon) 1986
- Boston Marathon- 2:45:36 (322nd) 1977
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
- Miller Chico State Athlete of the Week (spring 1979)
- AFLAC National Assistant Coach of the Year Award (2002)
- Northern Section California Interscholastic Federation Honor Coach CC (2003)
- Northern Section California Interscholastic Federation Honor Coach for Track (2005)
CONTACT TOM
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.
Dominick Adamo –
Tom has been coaching me the last few months and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. First, he’s a great guy and a very good motivator, the kind of person you want in your corner when you’re taking in a new challenge like long distance running. His experience comes through in every interaction, and his training plans are effective. My fitness has increased rapidly since starting with Tom, much faster than times I’ve tried to do it in my own. And, I haven’t experienced any of the pitfalls that I encountered in the past due to strain or over training. Things are going really smoothly. I know that with Tom’s guidance I’ll be more than ready for my first race in April, and I’m going to crush some big runs this summer. I couldn’t be happier. I highly recommend Tom as a coach!
Keith Tyser –
I had the pleasure of working with Tom as my running coach for the past six months. From the beginning, he tailored a training plan specifically for me, taking into account my fitness level, personal goals, and lifestyle. Tom was incredibly attentive to my needs, frequently adjusting my training based on changes in my personal life or if I was dealing with injuries.
Starting from zero, I built a solid running base under Tom’s guidance and achieved a significant milestone – completing my first-ever marathon. His responsiveness to my emails and willingness to incorporate my feedback into the training plan made me feel heard and supported throughout the entire process.
Tom’s depth of knowledge and experience in running was evident in the valuable insights and advice he provided. He had a knack for offering the right motivation at the right time, keeping me inspired and confident in my abilities. His genuine enthusiasm for my progress and achievements made the training experience truly enjoyable.
I wholeheartedly recommend Tom to anyone looking for a dedicated, knowledgeable, and adaptable running coach. His personalized approach and unwavering support have made a significant impact on my running journey, and I am confident he can do the same for others.
Robert Prouty –
I’m 70 years old, but still very new to this–it’s my first time having a coach. Just a couple of months in at this point, but I’m loving the process. Tom is very available, and very attuned to the needs (and potential) of a runner of a certain age. He has definitely made me work more than I have in a long time, but I have loved the result–I’m running more comfortably and stronger than I have in a long time. Tom has fine-tuned my training schedule based on the various quirks of my own life (travel, family commitments, work obligations, even a bout with COVID) which has been above and beyond the call of duty. But he has also kept me moving forward and focused. I look forward to getting in a few races over the next few months to see where I am, but regardless of PRs or any of that, he has helped to rekindle my love of running, for which I am grateful. And he’s genuinely interested in my results, which of itself is almost worth the price of admission. I’ll update this review in a few months after I get in a few 5ks and 10ks–looking forward to it all with great anticipation at this point.
Gullett –
Tom has been working with our high school-aged cross country and track runner. The training program has been progressive and impactful. The following is our son’s review of Tom.
“Tom has been such a big influence in my running career since I started working with him. About a year ago, I was looking for a personal coach to help give me more structure to my training. My Dad and I reached out to Tom, and by the first couple of weeks he had already made a huge difference. Not only does he give quality workouts and training structure, but he also goes in depth on the science and reason behind why he chose the workouts. He is also very inspiring – his motivation is second to none. He is a coach as well as a fan, he will always be cheering you on. Being a former high school coach, he has also given me tons of advice about running in college. I’ve seen huge improvements since I’ve started working with Tom, he’s a quality coach and human being.”
Highly recommended.
Chunlin –
Update as of 12/12/2021:
I want to update my review from ~6mon ago. In that review I wrote, I wanted to BQ with CIM in Dec 2022. Honestly, even standing on the starting line I was not sure I could BQ. I would have been happy with a 3:15 (my BQ was 3:10). To my surprise, I felt so good throughout the first 10 miles, so I picked up the pace and finished with a 3:06.
It was a 20min improvement over my previous person best!!
I couldn’t have done it without coach Olson! I trusted in his training plan. There were weeks that I looked at the training plan and wondered if I could really do it. Those weeks of hard training really paid off! Coach Olson reminded me to try in my training during miles the later part of the race. and that’s exactly what I did. It’s a marathon, and the race is tough and your body will want to stop. You have to fight back those thoughts. The solid training plan from Coach Olson helped me to do that.
Review as of 6/24/21:
I have been working with Coach Olson for a few months now. I am working towards my 3rd marathon in Dec and hoping to BQ. This is a stretched goal. Coach Olson is very patient with me. He has adjusted my training plan multiple times to fit my schedule week-to-week. He is also constantly trying out new workouts with me to see how I respond to them and how I can improve as quickly as I can.
Thank you Coach Olson. It’s been a pleasure working with you.
-Chunlin
Dylan Meredith –
I can’t recommend Tom enough. I came to Team Run Run to look for a running coach on account of the Army training and selection process I was embarking on – some of the toughest in the military, and I needed to be in prime running shape.
I saw Tom’s running and coaching experience and figured I would give it a shot for a couple months to try it out. After an informative intro call, I decided to stay for a full 4-5 months before I was transitioned to the mandatory training.
Tom provided me a very tailored program for my goals, and was very receptive to what I was training for. It was not a cookie-cutter program, and his intimate knowledge and experience with running was obvious as he was able to explain the reasoning for different kinds of running workouts.
For me personally, he focused on building a wide running base before building speed, while my peers jumped right into sprinting workouts. It turns out Tom was right – my leg’s ability to handle more mileage would be more valuable as short-term speed gains dissipated for those that didn’t build that base.
Tom was completely reachable at all times via phone and email, and if anything, he was letting me know that I could be reaching out more if need be.
Tom was worth every penny, and I will be returning to his coaching in the future for whatever events I train for, be it a triathlon, maybe an Ironman one day. I’m much more confident in my running now and hitting goals that I didn’t know I’d be able to.
Heavily recommend!
Ed Manansala –
Tom is an exceptional coach! While I have been running well over 20 years, in a relatively short amount of time under Tom’s coaching, I have accelerated in my performance, training, and mindset. His depth of knowledge, strategy behind effective training, and inspiration are a powerful combination.