***Limited roster space available. Contact us for more details.***

LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Road, Trail
DISTANCES: Marathon, Ultra
TRAINING PLATFORM: Google Docs
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited text
RESPONSE TIME: Within 48 hours
LOCATION: Bend, OR

Contact Yvonne

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

Beginner to advanced runners.
Marathon to 100 mile distance as well as fixed time events.
Trail and road.
Strength training for runners.
Ketogenic diet for ultrarunners.

PHILOSOPHY

While there is a certain degree of art to coaching I like to maintain a strong scientific basis to what I do. I’m also an advocate of strength training, appropriate recovery and good nutrition as vital components of a good training schedule to ensure injury prevention and longevity in endurance running. I believe that having a coach should not be regarded as extravagant or reserved only for elite runners. But rather by investing in the knowledgeable guidance of a coach you are investing in a long, healthy and enjoyable running pastime and racing career.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

I’ve been casually coaching friends for a number of years but most recently I’ve been a coach with the La Conner High School track team since 2015.

ABOUT ME

I grew up in Ireland taking part in track from the age of 6. My main events were short sprints and jumps and I won numerous county, provincial and national titles throughout my teenage years. Unfortunately, after two abdominal surgeries I ended up drifting away from running during medical school. However, I did meet my husband Dave who’s from Pittsburgh! After graduation we moved to Tucson for residency training and in 2011 relocated to Washington where we now call La Conner home! It was here that I was first introduced to trail running and quickly fell in love with the ultrarunning community. We’ve two kids aged 11 and 13 who also enjoy trail running and have finished 25k races themselves. When not working at our medical clinic in Anacortes we enjoy working on our hobby farm and taking care of our dogs, cat, goats and chickens! We also enjoy skiing, hiking, camping, and music festivals and dream of retiring early to the San Juan Mountains of Colorado!

BIG INFLUENCES

Coaching philosophies of:

Tudor Bompa
Jack Daniels
Jason Koop
David Roche.

RACING HISTORY

I began distance running in 2013 taking part in two road half marathons. Since then my fascination with ultra distance events quickly escalated and I’ve finished over forty five ultras including twenty 100 mile or farther distance events and over twenty five half to full marathon distance events. In 2018 I won two major 100 mile races, Bighorn and Wicklow Way in Ireland. 2019 was another year of long ultras with a third place in Old Cascadia 100 and second place finishes at Desert Solstice 100 and 24 hour races. My proudest accomplishments have been the opportunities to be a part of the Irish national team at both the World Trail Championships in Spain in 2018 and the World 24 hour Championships in Belfast in 2017 and again in France in 2019. I’m excited to continue adding to this list of running adventures in the future.

CERTIFICATIONS

USATF Level 1 Coaching Certification
USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sport Performance Coach
IOC Sports Medicine Diploma

PRs

Marathon: 3:28, Skagit Flats (training race)
50k: 4:28, Lake Young Nuts
100m: 17:28, LHotse 24 hour
24hr: 133.03miles, LHotse 24 hour

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Coach to three La Conner HS athletes who finished top three in State in sprints and jumps events in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. One female athlete won State long jump four years in a row.
One of four team coaches for the La Conner HS girls track team who were third overall at State in 2017.

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PUBLICATIONS

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Alyson Hockett

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I’m an “older” athlete who wants to try a 50K trail run at some point. Yvonne has been wonderful in helping me build my miles and speed and is very responsive and positive with feedback. She wants to make sure my training isn’t just about the long runs, she includes striders and intervals and shorter distances and she includes strength training and suggestions for other activities (swimming, biking, etc.). She videoed herself doing a strength training workout and sent it to me to follow, which is so much more helpful than getting a list saying, “Do this.” She is also wonderful about responding to my questions in a timely manner. Anyone would benefit from her great coaching!!!
2 months ago
bwadkins

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I started working with Yvonne at the recommendation of a friend, we are both training for some 100-mile ultras. Shortly after beginning, I pulled/tore a lower calf muscle. Yvonne provided very wise advise on training, rehab, and how to approach an arduous event.
She is very knowledgeable which reflects an apparent high level of experience. She is also very good at responding timely and concisely. The training plan she has helped develop for me challenges me yet does not burn me out or take me to a feeling like I’m at the brink of failure. I have very much enjoyed working with Yvonne.
9 months ago
Timothy Brown

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Yvonne is crazy knowledgable and has really helped me. I have been running less than 2 years and she has been very patient with all my questions. My pace has improved 2min/mi in just a few months!! I am looking forward to preparing for my 100 milers this year with Yvonne.
10 months ago
Anna Dowling

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This is the first time that I have ever worked with a running coach and it has made a huge impact on my consistency and endurance. I am a physician mom with 3 young children, I’m always short on time. Yvonne gets that and gives me a weekly training itinerary that fits my schedule and keeps me making steady progress towards my running goals. She is incredibly responsive and knowledgeable. I’ve really enjoyed my coaching experience with her thus far!
1 year ago
Navindra Gunawardena

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Working with Yvonne has been great for the past two months. I have a busy work schedule and have had a lot of uncertainty in preparation for the Javalina Jundred 100k this October. While I have finished multiple marathons and the Badger Mountain 50k Ultra on my own, a 100k seemed like enough of a different race where I wanted help. So far the program has been a benefit, I have definitly noticed an improvement in my training, Yvonne has been a good resource for my questions, and I feel like I am on track to run a good race at Javalina. I will say that remote coaching is different and it is dependent on asking the right questions and giving the right feedback from the workouts since your coach is not there to observe. Above all I have confidence that I am taking the right steps in my training going forward.
1 year ago
meglelonek

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I have only been working with Yvonne for a few months and she has been responsive and knowledgeable. From the beginning, I’ve felt like we speak the same language in some sense, as fellow doctors and moms, and it’s nice to feel like I don’t have to explain everything. She is helping me fit in training while I navigate a tricky and constantly changing work schedule and keeps me accountable. I like that she takes the time and care to comment on each my runs, it is clear that she is paying attention. I’m looking forward to continue to work with her.
1 year ago
rreid

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I’ve been really happy with Yvonne’s coaching for the past 2-3 months and feel that I’ve definitely benefited from her experience, knowledge and support. Having a program and coach keeps me accountable and gives me confidence and motivation in my training. The structure is just what I need for improvement. I’m a mom with three young kids, so running is my self-care and an important priority. Yvonne can relate to my situation, which is comforting. She is really encouraging and genuine. She’s also been very helpful responding to my questions around nutrition, strength training and other running-related issues. Yvonne’s feedback and review of my training log is consistently timely and informative. Lastly, Yvonne’s own running is super inspiring, which makes her all that more trustworthy as a coach. I’m excited about what the months ahead will bring. Many thanks to Coach Yvonne!
1 year ago
elbandy

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I have loved my experience with Coach Yvonne! She has been very responsive and flexible with my schedule needs. We have been working together for just over two months and am already seeing gains in my performance. Highly recommend!
1 year ago
jacassata

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Yvonne does an excellent job of meeting me where I am. She takes what I wish to get out of running, my current level of training, my likes and dislikes, and turns it into a magic training plan.

Coming up with your own training plan AND getting out the door is daunting. Before I signed up with Yvonne, neither was happening for me. If I would have planned it myself, I think I would have put more pressure on myself to do more miles. It turns out Yvonne’s plan worked well, and I’m really thankful to execute a 50 mile race without the extra time and stress of running excess miles.

It was so nice that my tailored plan was just there, whenever I went to see what run I had in store that day. It really makes training simple, which is a relief when facing an otherwise daunting race goal. I also appreciate that Yvonne got me started immediately. Once I initiated coaching, she provided me with my upcoming runs right away.

Yvonne also provided the support I was looking for, in regards of just “watching” my training, and cheering me on remotely.

Before initiating coaching, I was fortunate to have met Yvonne through the trail running community, so I knew she was good energy. That energy carried through our training together, and I’m happy to recommend to anyone looking for positive and knowledgeable support to seek Yvonne’s guidance.
1 year ago
Trevor_Northrop

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Working with Yvonne has been wonderful. Her coaching style and technique work well with my style of running and she is flexible with your personal schedule. Yvonne has tons of great experience, advice and resources for runners looking to push their limits!
2 years ago
Emcott

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Two months ago, I finally made the decision to reach out for a coach – Thankfully, I found TeamRR and was introduced to several qualified coaches. Yvonne, however, immediately stood out based on her background in coaching and medicine as well her personal accomplishments in ultrarunning. Yvonne was quick to tailor a training plan to my goals and – just like that – we were off! It is very validating to know that as I put in the hard work, Yvonne is only an e-mail away with answers to any questions. For example, just before my first 25K, she answered dozens of questions I had that I often was too intimidated to ask others or peers since I am new to distance trail running. She gave me to-the-point and practical advice and I had a great race. I also love how quick she is to provide feedback on my training log. When I am excited about one of my runs, she is always there with the same enthusiasm – Similarly, when I struggle through a run, she has provided very valuable encouragement. Life happens and Yvonne is wonderful in helping me tweak my schedule to fit everything in – even (unintentionally) on a moments notice. I appreciate how Yvonne has helped my running and my confidence and I look forward to what we can accomplish for my first 50K this May!
2 years ago
cherrydg

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I wanted to work with Yvonne mainly because of her experience with ultras, but also because her philosophy aligns with things that are important to me (e.g., exercises to support running, social runs, etc…).

Just before I started working with her, I strained my calf. Her guidance in helping me recover while maintaining my fitness, then getting me back to running without re-injuring myself was invaluable. Since then, she’s helped me build my mileage back up and has me feeling stronger and more confident.

It’s wonderful to have a coach who’s looking out for me even though we’re on opposite sides of the country. She makes it possible to train for ultras while still having a life outside of running. Yvonne monitors my progress daily, provides insightful feedback, and adjusts my schedule when things come up. She’s been very supportive of my goals, but also knows when to be the voice of reason to make sure I don’t hurt myself. She’s pretty awesome and everything I could want from a coach.
2 years ago
judebowerman

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Working with Yvonne has significantly elevated my expectations for working with a running coach. Just as running isn’t always simply putting on shoes and hitting the trail/pavement, Yvonne adapts quickly when needed, providing a holistic training experience. My goals include improving my strength, speed and increasing distance into ultra running. My goals also include understanding, and aligning on, the right solutions (for me) for technique, nutrition, strength training, motivation, racing, recovery and gear. I have inundated Yvonne with questions and she has answered every one, providing information and additional resources for me to delve in further. As other reviews have mentioned, this is on top of daily check-ins on each days’ training. It doesn’t hurt that Yvonne’s experience includes winning multiple 100-mile trail runs. There’s never a doubt that Yvonne doesn’t know what’s required to perform at my best, even when life throws curveballs and I’m forced to stray from the training plan. In my case, Yvonne completely restructured my training around Monday long runs, Thursday social runs, and provided training to remedy some hip pain. This helps me ensure I keep my family, community and running commitments. I’ve never experienced a coach who cares, and is willing to make training personal, as much as Yvonne. Yvonne and I have many interests, beyond running, in common including the “Johns”: Prine (Angel from Montgomery), Snow (Winter is coming), and Howie (protein source in the Seattle area). The fact that I know this after only a couple months is testament to her ability to connect with her runners (even across an ocean and 5000+ miles in my case). I feel Yvonne shares in my commitments, keeps me honest and on track. I’m super excited to see where we take running to over the next months/years. Thank you Yvonne!
2 years ago
Memoryangela

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Great coach. Tons of experience. Always answers my questions in a timely manner, provides good feedback, and comes up with gnarly routes for me to run.
2 years ago
anson.fatland

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Yvonne has been a terrific coach. She strives to understand my goals, where I’m at in my training, and meets me there to help bring me along. She is also super understanding and accommodating when life “happens”. If I can’t get to a workout because I have to be somewhere else or something unexpected comes up, she’s super supportive and adjusts the workouts accordingly. She always comments and gives feedback on my efforts which is helpful to keep me going forward, as well as correct anything that may be going askew. She’s even suggested some stretching and strength exercises that have helped remedy any budding injuries quickly so as to keep me outside on the trails.

And I think she has a wicked sense of humor and dry wit, which I love.

Overall she’s terrific. It’s only been a couple months so far but I can already see what a difference she’s making in my running. Can’t wait to achieve bigger things in 2019 with her help.
2 years ago
BSepeda

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Coach Yvonne is everything in a run coach I’ve been looking for. Looking for a trail coach I wanted someone that could understand what I wanted to achieve in trail running. The joy of doing the work and enjoying that payoff on race day. She gives constant feedback on scheduled plans and completed workouts, letting you know Coach is always watching : ) even the day after she races 100 miles! I look forward to what’s to come and the way we’ll get down those roads.
2 years ago
Justin Wall

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I have been an avid runner for the past 5 years and have dabbled with trail races and ultra marathons. I have had a couple of top 10 finishes at some small local races and decided to hire a coach based on the fact that I have gotten myself so far and needed help to get me to the next level.

I chose Yvonne because of here experience with Ultra Marathons and the fact she is a certified USATF coach. She has helped me understand how to pace myself for specific training runs and why. She has been completely supportive on days when I’m feeling good and training well. On days when I may feel a little fatigued and tired. And more importantly, she has been supportive on days when I just could not squeeze in a particular training run due to life commitments taking priority over my training.

She has been willing to adapt or change my training plan to accommodate these circumstances and at the same time I feel stronger physically and mentally with my running ability. Yvonne has always answered any questions and concerns I may have and has provided me with additional articles and suggestions for additional strength training.

My big race is just a couple of weeks away and I am going to continue to work with Yvonne.
2 years ago
PJSheely

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I had made several attempts to train for another ultra but injuries derailed the process. Consequently I decided I would find a coach to help me achieve my goal. During my inquiries a prominent coach from another organization suggested Yvonne. I found that Yvonne had credentials I value in a coach, we share philosophies and she and I had run some of the same races. We have worked together for about 2 months now and I am a month away from my goal race. The training program she tailored to my abilities and the race itself have me on track and confident. My aerobic capacity is amazing and my leg strength on the hills and in the gym continues to improve even as the mileage goes up. I enjoy communicating with Yvonne. She is articulate, committed, and insightful. I appreciate that she has a substantial experience base to draw from as we discuss training day results and strategies for my race. Yvonne is very responsive and has effectively dealt with schedule changes demanded by my circumstances. I am looking forward to working with Yvonne as we complete the final buildup to the race and am already factoring her coaching me through my next run.
2 years ago

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