coaching Archives

No Days Off: What Happens When You Don’t Take Rest Days?

July 5, 2025

6 weeks, 1 self-experiment, 0 planned rest days—here’s what happened.

As a coach, I believe in prescribing rest days. Adaptation happens during rest. Your body needs a break and you come back stronger. I believe this. However, when Team RunRun Editor-in-Chief, Ruby Wyles, asked me to write a piece on rest days, I got a facetious smirk on my face and decided to do some self-experimentation. I’m an ultrarunner so, of course, I’m going to push the limits and reevaluate beliefs of what is possible and what is best.

What would happen if I just didn’t have any rest days? How would my body feel? Would I get stronger and faster, or would I break down? How long would it take me to adapt? I’m not training for any specific race or adventure right now, so let’s just have fun and see. I mean, I love running and moving. It sounded amazing to do it every day.

*Sample training plan with rest days removed.*

Disclaimer: This is an experiment of one. I do not encourage my athletes to do this. I give them rest days. At least one if not two per week. I also give them two or three rest days after peak training efforts (e.g. a 50 miler while training for a 100 miler). I’m just having fun here, seeing what happens and reporting back.

Setting Up the “No Days Off” Experiment

I’m more a “send it and see what happens” type of athlete, but for this I thought I should have some expectations set up. This is what my brainstorm sheet of paper says:

Take a rest day when you need it but make it floating (i.e. not having a set rest day or structure to when to take one).
You don’t need to run every day. Cross training works too.
Give yourself some time to adapt to the experiment.
Do this for 6 weeks and reevaluate.
How are you going to measure your success or adaptation?
1. Sign up for a race?
2. Strava segment over and over again?
3. Personal narrative?

*TRR Coach Ryan Williams running on trails.*

No Days Off: Weeks 1 & 2

I stretched myself during this time. Week 1 started with four days in a row of running, and just having a floating rest day based on how I was feeling. I felt like this really gave me a lot of control. Previously, I’ve had rest days where I am beat up and need it, but I’ve also had days where I felt like I could go back out there.

During these first two weeks, I had a particularly challenging back-to-back weekend of running but, surprisingly, on Monday I felt great! So, I got back out there again and pushed the rest day to Tuesday. That said, I did notice during this block that I was feeling really tired. I needed more sleep than usual, but mentally I was always ready to get out and run. I also didn’t notice a big change in my need to fuel. My legs were tired, but I just kept that floating rest day every four to five days. It didn’t feel sustainable right away, but it was fine for the purpose of this experiment. And we’re just getting started, right? No need to be concerned. Onwards and upwards!

No Days Off: Weeks 3 & 4

Bring on the bike; active recovery here we go! Introducing mountain biking, riding the indoor bike trainer, and road cycling has been a game changer for me. If my legs are tired, cycling helps flush out whatever fatigue is there so I can show up stronger for running the next day. Basically, on active recovery days, I’m just doing whatever I feel like that day.

Over the past ten days, I’ve mixed in trail and road running with indoor and road cycling, mountain biking, uphill treadmill hikes and runs, fatiguing hill repeats, easy aerobic days, tempo runs and more! I feel like Courtney Dauwalter out there (other than the massive talent differential between us) because I’m just doing what I feel like in the moment, whatever brings me joy. It feels really freeing and I’m moving for at least an hour every day. Now my body is craving it.

The one rest day I tried to take in this block did not start off so well. I felt super tired and irritable. I’ll admit, I could resist going out in the afternoon to reset, and afterwards my energy came flooding back. During this period, I certainly wasn’t getting as much sleep as I’d like–or is optimal–( I also have a three-year-old daughter so…) but when I hit the pillow, I am out hard. Nutrition wise, I ate a lot, but it felt appropriate for the work I put in. Overall, my legs were a bit tired, but they also just felt so strong at the same time.

No Days Off: Weeks 5 & 6

I decided to do a longer, adventure run on a local trail loop as a pseudo test: the Reservoir Run Test, and I didn’t plan a rest day leading up to it. I was coming to the end of my experiment, so I thought I’d simply throw it in the mix and see what happened. However, if I felt that I needed to rest beforehand, I’d do it, but otherwise the plan was to just cruise right into it.

*TRR Coach Ryan Williams running the reservoir loop.*

At this point, I was still floating rest days while mixing in cross training and other forms of active recovery. On average, I was probably going six days straight without a break. Unfortunately, I began to question whether I could trust myself with rest. Afterall, I’m an ultrarunner, I’m used to pushing into areas of discomfort. Can I be trusted with making responsible decisions about my need for rest? Or have I told my internal governor to “take a hike” so many times that it’s hesitant to even check in with me about needing a rest?

No Days Off: Reservoir Run Test

The reservoir loop is about 25 miles with 5000 feet of vert on overgrown bridle trails and fire roads. It’s hard and there are no refuel options, requiring you to carry all of your fuel from the start. Traversing these unmaintained trails is a true adventure run. In the end, I took a rest day before, but that was preceded by days of trail running prior.

I started the loop in the dark. I did not feel rested, and far from fresh. Then, around mile 20, I started to get some unfamiliar fatigue in my feet. My body just didn’t feel like it should have. While this is a hard loop, I still didn’t feel adequately prepped for the run. My volume had been there, but I sensed my legs were pretty beat up, and I started to get some pain in my right foot.

I finished, but not in a very happy way. This loop was way too hard, far harder than it should’ve been. While I got away with stacking shorter runs day after day, when I stepped up to the longer, more intense effort–one I had previously been used to–my body just wasn’t there the way I had hoped and expected it to be; I felt like I was pushing my body too much.

Takeaways and What I Learned

In the month since my experiment, I’ve just been mountain biking and running a few days a week; nothing too serious. Unfortunately, my right foot is still sensitive, so I’m prioritizing rehab and recovery in order to prepare for a big fall racing season. So, I have planned rest days now.

*TRR Editor-in-Chief, Ruby Wyles, embracing a rest day on the couch!*

My personality loves being free and untethered. Floating rest days were very freeing, and I felt like I had a sense of control over where things were going. But upon reflection, I just don’t think I can trust myself to make the best decisions about my rest and recovery needs.

I wasn’t coached during this experiment, and I feel like I needed someone to tell me to take a break. My ultrarunning background is just going to keep me pushing forward until I really need a rest–forced through injuries or illness. I don’t think the floating rest days (or lack thereof) caused me to show up at my best, nor set me up for longevity moving forward. Since one of my main goals for me and my athletes is longevity in the sport, I’ve learned that I need something or someone to hold me accountable for giving my body permission to rest.

After reflecting on this experiment, I’m not confident in my ability to control my own rest days. I need to have them scheduled and then strictly adhere to the plan, or I need a coach to evaluate how I’m doing and be in charge of the floating rest days for me.

If you find yourself resonating here, it might be time to get a coach. Check out Team RunRun here, they have a coach for every runner, no matter your age, ability, budget, or goals.

Final Thoughts on Rest Days

Rest days are a great topic to discuss with your coach. This article from Running Warehouse details why they are powerful tools. They most certainly aren’t a step backwards. Hold yourself accountable to taking care of your body and your mind, and realize that, like me, you might think you know best, but we all have blind spots.

Albert Einstein wisely said “we cannot solve problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

Happy trails and happy rest days!

Ryan Williams is a parent, proud dog dad, athlete and coach who believes running is a metaphor for life. He specializes in forming positive bonds with runners of all ages, distances, and abilities from couch-to-5k to ultramarathon.

Do AI Running Apps Cause Injuries?

June 12, 2025

A deeper look at how AI-powered running apps can be more harmful than helpful.

Picture this: You’re inspired to start running — maybe a friend gets into the sport, or you cheer on strangers at a local race. Either way, something clicks and you think to yourself, “I want to do this”.

*Example of an AI running app, Runna. PC: runna.com*

But where do you start?

Like many newer runners, maybe you grab your phone and download an app like Runna, Strava, or Garmin Connect. These AI running apps promise optimized plans and data-driven insights. All you have to do is choose a distance and a goal and, ta da, your training plan awaits!

But there’s a catch. If you’re new to running, you might not have a clear sense of what a realistic goal looks like. That can lead you to follow a plan with too much intensity, or pacing that’s simply too fast for where you’re at — leaving you, at best, frustrated and, at worst, injured.

Beyond Injuries: What AI Running Apps Miss

This disconnect between what an app prescribes and what your body is ready for isn’t hypothetical — it’s real. And it’s something I hear often from athletes who come to me after getting injured or feeling burnt out. Many of them started with the best of intentions, excited to follow a plan and see progress. But over time, they began to notice something wasn’t quite right.

The experiences they’ve shared with me speaks volumes:

“I felt that the training was either very mild or incredibly intense. No in between.”

“I pushed myself too hard, too fast.”

“I found that some of the plans progressed too quickly for me.”

So where does that leave these runners?

Too often, it leaves them frustrated, injured, and wondering what they did wrong. In reality, these runners were just following the plan they were given. They did what the app told them to do. But the app didn’t know anything about them beyond a goal time or a goal distance. It didn’t know their background, stress levels, family commitments, or how they were feeling on any given day.

The Reason Personalized Coaching Wins

For many runners, that experience becomes the turning point — the moment they realize they don’t just need a plan, they need a plan that’s right for them. That’s when they choose to work with a coach — not for a cookie-cutter schedule, but for a personalized approach that adapts to their needs.

Working with a coach can help runners:

Set realistic, achievable goals
Adjust their training when life gets busy
Know when to push — and when to pull back

Whether it’s navigating a missed run, working through a tough workout, managing fatigue, or addressing a niggle before it turns into an injury, having a coach means having someone who sees the whole picture — not just the data, but the person behind it.

Because while metrics like pace, distance, and heart rate can tell part of the story, they don’t capture everything. They can’t pick up on doubt, fatigue, or the mental battles an athlete might be waging with themselves — factors that can impact a run just as much, if not more, than the numbers on a watch.

*An athlete and coach have a 1:1 coaching conversation.*

Why Runners Are Ditching the AI Apps for 1:1 Coaches

That’s where real, two-way conversations become invaluable. Having someone you can turn to — to ask questions, voice concerns, and to openly share what you’re thinking and feeling in real time becomes a powerful form of qualitative data that no algorithm can replicate.

Anyone who’s ever read the ‘Athlete Intelligence’ on their Strava run knows that the feedback from AI often falls flat or is one-dimensional. It simply cannot compare to the feedback a coach can provide, whether it’s through text, email, or by hopping on a call and actually hearing their voice.

At the end of the day, running is personal — and your training should be, too. While AI-powered running apps can offer some semblance of personalization, they can’t replace the insight, flexibility, and support that come from working with a coach who understands you as a whole person. Your life isn’t a static spreadsheet, and neither should your training plan.

Where an app sees numbers, a coach sees nuance.
Where an app pushes you to stick to the plan, a coach helps you adapt the plan.
Where an app reacts, a coach anticipates.

Next Steps for Faster, Injury-Free Running

Whether you’re a beginner taking your first steps into running, aiming for a Boston Marathon qualifying time, or dipping your toes into the ultra running world, Team RunRun has a coach for you. With over 200 coaches at every experience and price level, let us help you avoid the pitfalls of AI running apps. View our coaches here and get started today!

Elaina Raponi is a coach with Team RunRun based in Kingston, Ontario. Elaina loves helping athletes of all abilities and experiences achieve their goals, while finding confidence and joy in the process!

The Sacrifices Runners Make

June 5, 2025

Achieving goals often requires us to change certain habits that can be tough to let go of, often termed the sacrifices runners make. It might mean adjusting our nutrition, or reshaping how weekends look. Perhaps it’s eliminating time spent doom scrolling social media, or even navigating shifts in personal relationships. Often without realizing it, we’re required to adjust schedules and become more effective problem-solvers. Whether training for a race, running for overall wellness, or chasing milestones, athletes make sacrifices to move forward and improve.

What’s not often discussed is the reality of sacrifice and the challenges that arise with it, especially as adults.

Understanding Why Runners Make Sacrifices

Like most things in life, change is tough. It can be especially difficult for the people in your life who have a fixed image of you, the version of you who’s always flexible and available. But when your goals matter, setting boundaries is essential, even if others don’t fully understand them. Stay flexible, yes, but also stay focused on your goals.

That might mean blocking certain times off for the purpose of your training, or adjusting your availability for after you’ve got your run in. Being open with the people in your life about why your goals matter can help them see your perspective. If you’re training for a specific event or race, invite those who’ve seen your commitment come to support you. It’s a powerful way to show what it looks like to follow through and take on a tough challenge.

*Team RunRunner Jay achieving his running goals despite a family busy life.*

Fitting Training into Life

Balancing training with work or family commitments can be tricky. Many athletes juggle unpredictable schedules and packed calendars. Staying adaptable and working with a coach who understands your life outside of running can help you stay on track without burning out. Running isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s dynamic and constantly evolving. Sometimes it means shifting your training time or pushing dinner with a friend back by thirty minutes to make it all work.

The Reality of Sacrifices Runners Make

The sacrifices runners make don’t require canceling every single personal plan—but it does mean learning how to effectively pivot, reevaluate, and manage your time so you can show up for your training with confidence. Sacrifices may come with headaches, conflicts, and maybe feeling a little lost. Know that the work that you are putting in every day is a tribute to your commitment and dedication.

Above all, remember that challenging yourself to be uncomfortable in a world full of comfort offers growth and achievement.

Tanner Amrhien is a coach with Team RunRun based in Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes improve performance through thoughtful training, science-based nutrition guidance, and injury prevention strategies.

Want to Actually Improve Your Running?

May 30, 2025

Ditch the One-Size-Fits-All Plan

If you’re reading this, I’m assuming you want to actually improve your running or, as is the case with a coach or friend, help another runner improve. This is the article for you.

Let’s get this out of the way: stock running plans aren’t cutting it anymore.

Sure, they’re accessible. Sometimes free. They look neat, pre-packaged, and “official.” But if you’ve ever felt confused mid training, plateaued in performance, or suffered an injury that “shouldn’t have happened,” then you’ve experienced what many runners discover too late: one-size-fits-all training plans rarely fit anyone well.

*Two runners with Team RunRun coaches who write them unique and personalized plans.*

If you’re serious about improving–whether it’s chasing your first 5K, qualifying for Boston, or anything in between–it’s time to rethink your approach and consider what happens when your plan actually fits you.

The Illusion of Personalization in Stock Plans

Stock plans try to offer simplicity: pick your race, plug in your finish time goal, and boom, here’s your 12-week roadmap!
The problem: you’re not a spreadsheet. You’re not a series of formulaic, quantitative data that an algorithm can detect and use to optimize your training. You’re a human being with a unique history, schedule, stress levels, strengths, weaknesses, and recovery curve.

Stock plans can’t possibly account for:

Injury history
Work, family, and life demands
Other external stressors
Variation in recovery ability and training adaptations
Your natural pacing skill
Sleep, nutrition, health

The result? You attempt to force your life into a plan, rather than fitting your plan into your life.

Short-term, this might work for you and you may see results. Long-term, however, life interferes and any number of the above factors make strictly adhering to the stock plan, at best, challenging, if not impossible. Your progress stalls, motivation drops, and the goals you set for yourself now seem totally out of reach.

Real Coaching = Real Results

When you work 1-on-1 with a running coach, the difference is immediate and powerful. You’re no longer a name on a download list. Instead, you’re a person whose training plan evolves as you do.

What personalized online coaching actually delivers:

Customized plans built for just you, not mass-produced
Ongoing adjustments based on feedback, fatigue, or surprise life events
Direct communication with someone who knows your goals
Injury prevention and recovery support
Race strategy, pacing advice, and mental coaching
Accountability, motivation, and insight from an expert who sees your blind spots

But What About the Cost?

Sure, online coaching isn’t free. But neither is lost time through ineffective training, injury costs like doctor and PT appointments, frustration, or months of guessing. Let’s frame it differently: if you spend hundreds on shoes, gear, and race entries, shouldn’t you also invest in your training to make those other expenditures worthwhile?

And here’s the kicker: 1-on-1 coaching is more accessible, and affordable, than you think. At Team RunRun, our coaching starts at $1/day, much less than a coffee–or energy gel–a day! In fact, that’s also cheaper than many paid stock plans and online programs!

Want to Actually Improve Your Running? Here’s Why Coaching Wins

*This Team RunRunner used a 1-on-1 coach to actually improve their running amidst a busy life and parenting.*

Let’s bring this home. You want results. You want confidence. And overall, you want to get to the start line healthy and to the finish line proud.

That doesn’t happen by luck. It happens when your plan:

Adapts to your [unique] body
Flexes around your [unique] life
Builds your [unique] strengths
Addresses your [unique] weaknesses

And none of that comes in a downloadable PDF.

Still Not Sure? Ask Yourself This…

Do I want to keep guessing, or start progressing?
Am I running the same race year after year with no improvement?
Do I need someone to help me balance running with my busy life?
Would I benefit from an expert guiding me to peak performance?

If you answered yes to even one, it’s time to leave the stock plan behind.

How to Actually Improve Your Running: Work With a Team RunRun Coach

At Team RunRun, we pride ourselves on having a coach for every runner. We’ve helped thousands of athletes:

Progress consistently
Stay healthy and injury-free
Crush new PRs
Qualify for Boston
Fall in love with running again

Our coaches listen, adapt, and coach the runner in front of them.

Ready to actually improve your running?
View our coaches here and get started today!

FAQs

Here are some of the questions runners transitioning from a stock plan to individual coaching often ask me.

Q. What if I’m just a beginner?
A. That’s exactly why you need a coach. You’ll avoid common pitfalls and set a foundation that lasts.

Q. What if I miss runs or get sick?
A. Your coach adjusts the plan in real time: no guilt trips, just smart training.

Q. Can I still follow a race specific plan?
A. Absolutely, because your coach builds your plan around your race, your individual goals, and your unique timeline.

Q. How often do I talk to my coach?
A. That depends on your coach, but most runners get daily or weekly feedback and messaging support.

Q. Is online coaching worth the money?
A. Short answer: yes. Runners waste more on race fees, physio appointments, and gear than they would on coaching that prevents the disappointment of missing a goal or being injured.

Brant Stachel is a coach with Team RunRun based in Kingston, Canada. He works with runners and triathletes of all skill levels, from beginners to international and professional athletes.

Building an Effective Coaching Relationship

May 21, 2025May 17, 2025

How to get the most out of the relationship with your online running coach.

*Two happy athletes meeting their online coach from Team RunRun in person at a race.*

Building an effective coaching relationship is essential for fostering an athlete’s self-worth and confidence in running and life outside of sport. Rick McGuire, author of Chapter 1 on Positive Coaching in USATF’s Track & Field Coaching Essentials¹, describes a running coach as an “environmental engineer” who helps create a positive atmosphere for athletes. As such, the coach-athlete relationship demands considerable attention.

For adult runners with demanding schedules, an online coach can provide flexibility and convenience where in-person coaching may not be feasible. However, online coaching has faced criticism for lacking personalization, providing generic training plans, and using athletes to generate income with minimal thought and effort. Therefore, it’s natural for athletes to wonder if the experience they are receiving from their coach is being fully utilized and tailored to their needs and expectations.

Despite the challenges of remote coaching, with a little effort, it can be equally as rewarding as working with an in-person coach. In this article, we’ll explore key principles for building an effective coaching relationship.

Define Communication Expectations and Research Coaches

An important first step in maximizing the coaching relationship is to define why you’re hiring a coach. Before contacting the coach, researching the coach’s background and determining your preferred communication type and frequency can indicate how successful the athlete/coach match will be. Use the initial intake call to discuss running history, injuries, training patterns, and goals, and ask prospective coaches about their interaction level, athlete load, and approach to building training plans.

Provide Honest and Frequent Feedback

Providing feedback on training sessions is one of the most beneficial actions an athlete can take to assist the coach and make the coaching relationship more successful. In-person coaches can observe an athlete’s mood, physical health, and fatigue before, during, and after workouts. Coaches can then make training adjustments based on these observations.

In contrast, remote coaches are limited to the outputs of the watch versus the workload as prescribed. Without athlete-driven feedback, there is little to indicate why paces were or weren’t achieved. This can lead to coaches misinterpreting athletes’ training, guessing at the apparent mismatch in workload to current fitness level. Ultimately, this can increase injury risk and sacrifice optimal performance on race day. Leaving feedback for a remote coach with honest insights about how workouts feel allows for conversations around the non-physical–but equally important–areas of the sport: mindset, confidence, enjoyment of the training, and more.

*An athlete writing feedback for their coach in their training diary: a key principle for building an effective coaching relationship.*

Honesty in feedback is essential. Athletes might hesitate to disclose injuries or issues due to fear of judgment or negative consequences. However, withholding such details handicaps the coach from providing the best plan for the athlete. For athletes uncomfortable or unable to share, general phrases like “work stress”, “family schedule”, “medical situation in the family”, etc., are often more than enough insight to allow the coach to guide an athlete’s training more productively.

Ask Questions

Another key principle to building an effective coaching relationship is not being afraid to ask questions. Tonya Phillips, an athlete working with an online coach, began the tradition of asking questions in the comments section of her running log. This allowed her to learn why her training is programmed a particular way, how her coach sees things, and ask for advice on everything from nutrition to footwear. Phillips also used the process of asking running-related and personal questions as a way of building trust.

Tonya Phillips: “Initially, I only knew my coach by their coaching profile page, as well as their history as a successful runner and coach to others. But through these questions, they became more than a name to me. I have a person who cares enough to think about my questions and answer them. And I trust the information I’m receiving.” She adds, “If I’m a silent participant, it doesn’t help the coach or me progress. Questions help us both.”

Explore Other Opportunities for Interaction

*Team RunRun coaches Brant and Elaina at the California International Marathon (CIM).*

Alongside asking questions, in-person opportunities to interact with an online coach may be more accessible than athletes realize. Many athletes assume that communication with online coaches is limited to phone calls and video chats. If an online coach is local, consider moving coaching and race planning calls to in-person conversations. For athletes with questions about running form, video analysis with a coach can be beneficial. Additionally, many coaches attend major racing events, hold pre-race runs, and may even run races with their athletes. You’ll never know if you don’t ask!

For example, Team RunRun is often present at popular races, offering athletes the chance to interact with coaches ahead of race day. Athletes can join Team RunRun coaches for shakeout runs, group meet-ups, and panel discussions. Pre-race Zoom calls allow athletes and coaches to discuss a particular race in detail, talking event logistics, travel, course knowledge and more. Team RunRun members can see upcoming meet-ups here.

Be Your Own Advocate

All too often, athletes are reluctant to question their training plan for fear of appearing confrontational. If the training feels too hard or too easy, the athlete needs to speak up. Similarly, if an athlete feels their training plan doesn’t align with their goals, communicate that to your coach. When conducted respectfully between coach and athlete, these conversations build understanding and trust, allowing for a more effective coach-athlete collaboration. Remember, your coach is working for you. If you, as the athlete, feel that you are not receiving the full value of services paid for, addressing the situation is deserving of time and attention.

Consistency and Patience

Recognize that consistency and patience are essential elements for building an effective coaching relationship. No two athletes are identical. As a result, it may take a training cycle or more for the coach to understand an athlete’s wiring. As the understanding of the athlete’s physical needs grows, developing the interpersonal relationship lays the groundwork for deeper communication and knowledge of the athlete as a whole person. Remote coaches often serve as an anchor for runners who are unable to interact face-to-face with the running community. Coaching/athlete interactions often develop from a purely goal-oriented focus to the longer-term development of the athlete more hollistically.

Sources:

¹Freeman, Will. (2015). Track & Field Coaching Essentials. USA Track & Field.

Christina Mather is a coach with Team RunRun based in Atlanta, GA. She works with athletes running all distances from 5K to 50K on both the roads and the trails. She especially enjoys helping female athletes and those looking to balance training with a busy schedule.

Do You Need a Running Coach?

May 2, 2025

Before diving into the reasons for working with a running coach, let’s do the unthinkable and box runners into totally arbitrary, made-up, overlapping boxes!

Five Broad Categories of Runners:

*Working with a running coach helped this runner achieve a PR!*

Novices: those new to the sport, new to a particular distance, or new to a type of terrain.
Returners: runners returning to the sport after an injury or break.
Chasers: runners who desire to attain the next level of success.
Stagnaters: those trying to break through a plateau or achieve a long-desired goal.
Community Builders: runners who desire more interaction and growth within the sport.

These categories are not mutually exclusive, and you don’t need to box yourself in. You likely might find yourself resonating with a few. Regardless, these subtypes are useful for the purpose of this article. A runner in any of the preceding categories may benefit from using a running coach to guide them towards their goals. However, finding the best fit for a running coach requires an investment of one’s time and finances. How does one decide if they really need a running coach? Under what circumstances does having a coach provide the most fulfillment and the most benefit to an individual?

Who Needs a Running Coach?

There are many reasons that a runner may be curious about working with a running coach. Let’s break them down using the above categories.

1. Novices

New to Running

The Covid pandemic saw running’s popularity increase (turns out that might happen when you have nothing else to do!) with new runners finding joy in movement and seasoned vets increasing their training frequency. Better yet, the running boom has continued post-pandemic with increasing opportunities to socialize and race.

For many novice runners, hiring a running coach may sound and feel like overkill. The commonly held belief is that coaches are for the experienced and competitive athlete, not for “runners like me”. How does one know when they may need a running coach, even as a beginner?

A static training plan may be enough for a runner without any pre-existing health conditions entering the sport with the primary goal of gaining fitness. Additionally, novice runners have the unique opportunity to see a high number of gains in a short amount of time compared to more seasoned athletes due to their lack of training. Runners with an athletic background may be able to appropriately gauge how hard to push themselves as the body is adapting to the new stimulus of continual running or new terrain. However, it can be harder for novice athletes experiencing rapid gains in fitness to determine the right amount of volume and intensity that can be sustained over time.

A coach can identify the appropriate level of training and tailor it specifically to the individual. By helping to mitigate the types of overuse injuries and setbacks that tend to plague newer runners, a coach maximizes individual’s fitness gains. As runners transition to different types of terrain and distance, working with a coach early on can help to establish healthy movement patterns and practices as they are being learned.

New to Distance and/or Terrain

In addition to road running and racing, trail and ultrarunning are becoming more popular among runners and mainstream media. Recent findings report a 12% increase in trail running annually since 2010, alongside a 345% growth in ultrarunning since 1996! Such remarkable increases in participation indicate that a large proportion of trail and ultrarunners are newer to the distance.

Seasoned road runners transitioning to the trails face a unique set of challenges given the many nuances to environmental conditions, terrain management, and equipment. A marathon runner who jumps into a local 5K trail race is likely to be successful in learning from the experience without the guidance of a coach. However, a marathon runner training in the southern United States has a significant learning curve if attempting an ultra-distance trail race on the west coast with mountainous terrain, different environmental elements, and altitude. Afterall, you don’t know what you don’t know. A runner with limited time or resources to train and learn the nuances of running a particular distance or terrain would likely benefit from a coach’s wisdom and guidance.

2. Returners

Returning to Sport After Injury or Significant Break

Unfortunately, and probably news to no-one, runners get injured, often. Research suggests up to 70% of competitive and recreational runners get injured yearly, with 50 to 70% being caused by overuse. Running injuries can happen to anyone regardless of experience and/or training level. However, a running coach can help athletes identify any training triggers that might have contributed, hopefully preventing future injuries too!

When injured, a runner often seeks out the help of a primary care doctor, physical therapist, or sports medicine doctor. Many specialize in the treatment of runners and may offer strength training and rehabilitation exercises to heal an injury. However, there is often a gap in return to sport specific recommendations. For example, a runner recovering from a bone issue may be told to cross train. The specifics of how much and when in comparison to the running plan prior to injury may be more vague leading runners into unfamiliar territory. A running coach can work with the guidance of the medical team to more specifically advise a runner on the best ways to maintain fitness during the injury and create a path to return to running post injury.

Whether planned or not, returning from an extended break in training has its challenges. It’s common for athletes to struggle reconciling with where they were fitness wise prior to the break and currently. A running coach can objectively assess the athlete’s current fitness, then program the correct training at the right time. Importantly, a coach can ensure the athlete progresses from non-training to more consistent training at an appropriate rate that maximizes fitness gains while minimizing their injury risk.

3. Chasers

Reaching for a Personal Best in Distance, Pace, or Consistency

*This runner used the support of a running coach to persist through a tough race.*

Once a runner has passed from the beginner stage, improvement can become harder to attain. As general fitness gains start to level out, it requires additional stimulus to see performance increases. Here, a running coach can help fine tune the right amount of stimulus for them to achieve the desired pace and/or distance results. For those striving for big goals, breaking time barriers, achieving a personal best or qualifying time, having the support of a coach to build a plan, push training to the appropriate level, and provide a realistic timeline, could make all the difference in reaching such goals or not.

Runners desiring more consistency with training but are caught in a cycle of injury, life stress, or fluctuating motivation, can turn to a running coach to trouble shoot or align a training schedule that supports their current lifestyle. A coach can alleviate the stress of creating training plans that balance training, recovery, and overall life demands. This can be especially important for runners who have inconsistent schedules due to school, work, or family. Other athletes may benefit from and need a running coach to stay motivated and be a source of accountability.

4. Stagnaters

Assistance in Breaking Through a Plateau

Runners experiencing a plateau in running physically or mentally often benefit from a fresh perspective from someone with running experience. Sometimes, fine-tuning all the dials in a training plan can be hard to accomplish on one’s own. Coaches can also be beneficial in recognizing elements outside of a training plan that may be the cause for plateau. Think fueling, hydration, recovery, etcetera. Although a coach is often not a sports dietician, sports doctor, or psychologist, seasoned coaches can recognize common issues and themes that may be hard for an individual to identify or vocalize to non-running peers. A coach can assist with addressing issues of burnout without athletes abandoning the sport. They help runners avoid injury, and overcome continued fatigue, diminished performance, and decreased enjoyment of running and daily activities.

5. Community Builders

Desire for Connection, Learning, and Growth Within the Sport

Although running has become a popular way to connect and meet others, not every runner has access to running groups. Many runners may also lack the running social networks that allow them to learn from and relate to others. Again, this is where a coach can assist! They will be more than happy to feed your curiosity to learn about the sport. They become your go-to person to talk training nuances, and nerd out on the latest supershoes and tech!

Team Run Run, for example, not only assists athletes in finding a running coach, but works to provide greater opportunities for connection through insights into running events, resources for runners, newsletters, pre-race shakeout runs, discounts, information sharing forums among athletes and coaches, and more!

*Proud athlete and coach after a successful race.*

So, Do You Need a Running Coach?

Hopefully, now you can appreciate why the majority of runners who work with a running coach are not elite athletes. They are individuals striving to show up as the best version of themselves that they can be. A running coach is there to create excitement, and provide support and joy throughout a runner’s journey. They’ll help their runners continue to learn, push performance, and explore new boundaries that they desire, were unsure how to reach, and maybe never even thought achievable.

Sold on working with a running coach but not sure where to start? Check out Team RunRun’s coaching directory and browse by budget, goals, location, or level. With over 300 coaches, we have a coach for every runner!

5 Tips for Planning Your Next PR!

April 7, 2025

And how to build an effective running roadmap to achieve your goals

For many runners, having a race on the calendar provides purpose to their training, adding extra motivation to getting out the door. The prize many seek at the finish line? A shiny new PR (personal record; “PB” or “personal best” in other parts of the world)! While setting a PR is exciting and leads many runners coming back for more, there’s much more that goes into any given PR than just race day. Race day can be seen as the product of all the training days coming together in synchronized harmony to bring out a runner’s best.

That said, this article will seek to address the full running roadmap, including building a training cycle and racing season, with considerations for what to train and race for and when to do it. It’ll also address the topic of setting goals and expectations, as life, and by extension training, can often be in flux.

5 Tips for Planning Your Next PR

1. Write Goals in Pencil, Not Permanent Ink

As hinted at, while setting preseason race goals are great, it is also important to be flexible in your planning. You never know when an injury might come up and sideline you from running, or when life events–be them work related or personal–make it more difficult for you to get your training done as envisioned. In the event of injury, various forms of cross training allow you to maintain fitness as opposed to advancing it like a consistent running program would. This is one of many reasons why it’s important to have a variety of goals beyond solely finish lines and PRs.

2. Create a Goal Hierarchy

As a coach, regardless of whether I’m working with one of my high school athletes or Team RunRunners, I always emphasize having multiple tiers of goals (A, B, and C goals). The A goals are for when everything is clicking: it might be a stretch to achieve but is still attainable (after all, part of the SMART goals framework is that they are attainable and reasonable). B goals are the solid middle ground: expect B goals to take significant effort to achieve, but appreciate that there’s a high degree of confidence you’ll get there. Finally, come C goals: still good achievements worth celebrating, but are often benchmarks to fall back on when things don’t go as envisioned. This is all the more reason why no matter how big, training milestones should be celebrated and pride should be taken in a runner’s ability to stay consistent.

3. Avoid “In An Ideal World” Goal Setting and Acknowledge Your Constraints

In order to give yourself a chance at achieving a goal, it’s crucial to understand that different seasons of life add context to your running roadmap. For example, compared to the high schoolers I coach prepping for the mile in track season, an adult long removed from their scholastic running days would have different factors and considerations if they had hopes of returning to the mile for the first time since high school. Even avid club runners who still raced track in college and adulthood have different looking mile training than when they were in school due to the more advanced training age. The point being, even three runners all training for the same thing require different roadmaps and lists of expectations for getting to their final destination.

Niwot High School cross country team after their "A" race. — *Niwot High School cross country team after their “A” race.*

4. Trust the Process (Goals)

While we fortunately have the COVID pandemic in the rearview mirror, it was a time where we had to be flexible in expectations and goal setting. The same principles still apply now, though we don’t have to resort to virtual races and solo time trials. In this article, “Setting Running Goals during COVID-times”, I discussed different types of goals. This included the importance of having process-oriented goals alongside your outcome-orientated ones. Afterall, process goals often lead to those results-based goals, such as PRs and distance milestones. Consider both quantitative process goals–ones that you can measure, like covering a certain number of miles–and qualitative goals–those you can’t, such as running a new route each week.

5. Be Open to Trying Different Events

Set yourself up for success in your primary event by going after PRs in “off events”. For example, a marathoner might pursue a new mile PR following a marathon training cycle. Or perhaps it’s a road runner taking to the trails and trying to set an FKT (fastest known time). This variety builds a more complete runner and can help address individual weaknesses. Don’t shy away from dedicating a mini training cycle to some lower tiered goals. In the long run, it can prevent you from burnout and becoming stale.

How to Build a Running Roadmap

Team RunRunner Therese M. running a "C" race dressed as a banana! — *Team RunRunner Therese M. running a “C” race dressed as a banana!*

Now this just leaves the question of how to build a training cycle and racing season. The fall and spring are commonly seen as the marathon seasons, but don’t forget that there are plenty of great marathons year-round. Similarly, depending on where you are in the world, the seasons in the Northern and Southern hemisphere don’t align: fall cross country in one region might be spring track season for the other. Even just in the United States, the Midwest and East Coast puts much more emphasis on indoor track in the winter than the West Coast does.

Periodization and Race Planning

Linking back to the aforementioned marathoner who lacks footspeed, they may want to hone in on shorter distances for all or part of a cycle to improve this area of weakness. Great! Thanks to the concept of periodization, it can, and should, be done together with the above 5 tips for planning your next PR. According to Runner’s World, “periodized training is structuring your training for a goal race so that on race day you’re at optimal fitness for the demands of that race.” Periodizing your training takes the concept of having multi-tiered goals and applying it to a training cycle, with the goal race representing your “A” race and tune-up races consisting of your “B” and “C” races. Often periodized training breaks the season into different cycles, each with one or two key objectives being focused on that build on each other towards accomplishing your primary goal.

This might look like running an “off-event” as an early season “C” race to remember what racing feels like. Consider “B” races more like a tune-up, racing something more similar to the goal “A” race. You might take these opportunities to implore different racing strategies, approaches to nutrition, and other considerations as a way to test and see what works and what doesn’t before the big day. Then it’s the goal “A” race: you’ve tapered, dotted your I’s and crossed your T’s, and are ready to lay it all out there before ending your season with a break and/or base building phase.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we have highlighted 5 tips for planning your next PR, alongside building a comprehensive running roadmap that will hopefully lead you to achieve your goals. Like any good travel itinerary, it factors in all the stops along the way. From periodization and varying your training and race calendar, to setting realistic expectations when injury or life happens. This extends to the setting of expectations when taking on something new, whether that be distance or terrain.. While this article not only seeks to inform, hopefully you feel enlightened, dare I say enchanted, to tackle something new with a holistic approach not only to training but to goal setting as well.

Brian Comer is a coach with Team RunRun based out of Portland, Oregon. His goal is to help you grow as a runner and a person through consistent training.

The Coaches Collective: Insights From a Certified Coach

March 27, 2025March 21, 2025

A training that provides the skills to support the unique psychological needs of athletes

*Two athletes running in the High Oregon Desert. PC: Kelsey McGill*

Introducing The Coaches Collective

I first heard about Dr. Lara Pence’s training, The Coaches Collective, through an Instagram reel: “If you’ve been told you feel things too deeply…. there’s no ruler for that and it’s not a thing. You’re feeling them exactly the way you’re meant to…..” It resonated with me to my core. I perused her Instagram page (@drlarapence) and reflected on the many golden nuggets that, as a coach and counselor, aligned with my personal beliefs on removing pathology from the human experience. Non-pathology in this sense means we avoid putting labels or disorders onto someone when uncomfortable emotions, thoughts, or sensations arise.

Effective coaches support athletes psychologically as well as physiologically

Dr. Lara Pence is a Clinical Psychologist who has decades of experience directly supporting athletes. She founded The Coaches Collective to educate and provide coaches with necessary skills to support the humans they work with. I say “humans” because as a coach, we are often one of the first people our athletes communicate with when X, Y, Z arises. Being able to maintain a non-judgmental, empathic, supportive presence is crucial when difficulties arise for our athletes.

Whether an athlete is sidelined from sport due to injury, the anxiety becomes overwhelming leading up to a race, or an athlete deeply struggles getting enough nutrition while training, this course will, without a doubt, provide you with necessary steps and tools to support your athlete. Hopefully, coaches will refer the athlete to an outside specialist with expertise in the athlete’s area of struggle. But as coaches, we can also learn the skills to be more involved and supportive when challenges arise.

My personal experience with The Coaches Collective

Fast forward to March 2025. I was lucky enough to partake in The Coaches Collective, a 2.5 day extensive training course. Compared to any of my previous training as a mental health professional and run coach, this education through The Coaches Collective far surpassed my expectations of how we can better support our athletes to help establish healthier norms, practices, and communication channels.

The training highlighted a myriad of noteworthy topics. These included: identifying our values as a coach, the power of the coaching-athlete relationship, boundary-setting, cultural considerations, and the importance of reflection as a coach. We also discussed the psychological needs of athletes. This included how to support those experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, injury, disordered eating, body image challenges, and more.

The depth of the material and skills we were provided with took me aback. The material was a highly impressive merging of mental and emotional wellness resources with unique athlete considerations. The group processing and discussions provided ample room for retaining the information. It also allowed for direct application moving forward.

Creating community through The Collective

In addition to the in-depth materials and resources we were provided, Dr. Lara Pence brought such an enthusiastic, collaborative, curious, and welcoming presence for the entire duration of the training. Needless to say, we often peppered her and the entire cohort with a number of questions to directly apply these skills to our current and prospective athletes. I’ll be the first to admit that I walked away from this training feeling so much more reflective in my own process as a coach. The discussions don’t just remain solely confined to the weekend-intensive, fortunately. Upon completion of the training, you can attend a weekly virtual meeting, The All Collective. Here you can converse and meet previous Coaches Collective attendees, which can broaden the doors for further consultation and mentorship. The All Collective is also a great way to retain the content that you may have forgotten from the weekend!

Final thoughts

Whether you are new to coaching or you’ve been in the profession for decades, I highly recommend The Coaching Collective. I guarantee you will learn heaps of invaluable skills to apply to every athletes you coach the very next day. Take a look here to learn more!

Kelsey McGill is a UESCA-Certified Ultrarunning Coach with Team RunRun. She has 10+ years of experience in coaching all levels and ages of runners, specializing in trail running and ultrarunning.

Add Fun to Your Running Routine: 6 Ways to Stay Motivated

March 9, 2025

So you might not yet be sold on finding running fun, but you can at least acknowledge the many benefits to running. It’s one of the best activities for building cardiovascular fitness and improving your physical health. Running also offers significant mental benefits such as enhancing your mood and reducing anxiety.

Despite the numerous benefits, it is not uncommon for running to feel like a drag at times, and our motivation to do it can wane. How can we ensure that we keep our running fun and fresh so that we are willing to stick with it for life?

6 ways to add fun to your running routine:

1. Change up your running routes.

Limiting yourself to running the same route day after day can become monotonous. This can interfere with motivation and engagement. Choosing a new running route can make runs feel more like an adventure than a routine. Rather than running around your neighborhood for your next long run, try venturing to a new trail or a nearby park.

For some people, finding a new route will be simple. You can simply head out the door without a plan and purposely begin running a different way than usual. For others, this approach might make them nervous. Fortunately, apps like Strava or MapMyRun can help you discover new running routes beforehand. Then you can download and follow the route on your phone or watch.

Add fun to your running by finding new routes, such as via Strava's route planner. — *Add fun to your running by finding new routes, such as via Strava’s route planner.*

Add fun to your running routine by training for a race. No matter if it’s a 5K, ultramarathon, or any other organized event, signing up for a race can give you something to look forward to.

Consider themed races such as color runs, mud runs, relays, hot chocolate runs, and countless others: the possibilities are nearly endless, and there is something out there for you!

*Runners having fun as part of a running club. PC: Ruby Wyles*

No matter your pace or finish pace, you will feed off the exciting atmosphere, and be rewarded by an incredible sense of accomplishment and camaraderie with your fellow runners. And for an added bonus, many post-race parties are an absolute blast!

3. Find a running partner or join a running group.

For some people, one of the most difficult parts of running is the solitary aspect. Finding a friend or a local group to run with can make an enormous impact. When you run with other people, there is built-in accountability at play. On a day when you may not feel like running, you know that your partner or group is waiting for you to join them.

Many communities have local running clubs that are inclusive of all levels, from complete beginners to elite marathoners. Regardless of your level, you are likely to find someone to run with. You will be surprised how this can make running fun and motivating!

4. Set challenging yet attainable goals for yourself.

Having a clear goal can make your running both more exciting and rewarding.

Again, there are endless possibilities: setting a new personal best time, increasing the length of your long run, or running a given number of miles in a week or month. The important thing is that you are challenging yourself in a way that is motivating rather than overwhelming. If you find your goal negatively affecting your desire to run, it’s time for a new one!

5. Mix up your workouts.

One of the quickest ways to reinvigorate your running routine is by keeping your body guessing. Rather than going out and running five miles per day at the same pace, try peppering tempo runs, fartleks, hill repeats, or interval workouts into your weekly running routine.

As well as making your routine feel fresh and exciting, mixing up your runs will also facilitate improvements in your performance. If you are not sure where to start with incorporating these sorts of workouts into your training, or want personalized advice on pacing for these workouts, check out TeamRunRun for coaches who are excellent at doing this.

Adding this sort of variety to your running routine may be the secret to more enjoyable training!

6. Turn your runs into a game.

Have you tried gamifying your runs? Apps like Strava or Nike Run Club allow you to participate in a variety of fun challenges and competitions. You can connect with your running buddies virtually and have friendly competitions. Some platforms hold official challenges like Strava’s “Run 50K in 30 Days” campaign.

Using apps is only one way of gamifying your running. You can also incorporate self-imposed games into your runs. For example, you could pretend that someone is about to pass you and that you need to reach the next telephone pole within fifteen seconds. Maybe your running cadence needs work, so you play a game with yourself to see how many steps you take in a given minute.

Having a scavenger hunt is another fun way to gamify your runs. You could look for different types of trees, flowers, birds, or anything you want.

*Signing up for a non-traditional race or running in costume is another way to add fun like these runners are doing! PC: Howie Stern*

When you get ready for your next run, remember: the best way to add fun to your running routine is one that sustains running as a lifelong habit. Don’t forget to enjoy the journey along the way!

Caleb Betton is a coach with Team RunRun based in Philadelphia. He specializes in coaching runners who are new to the sport or are coming back after a long time away.

10 Things I’ve Learned from Coaching Cross Country Running

October 11, 2024October 8, 2024

When I moved to Niwot, Colorado, a town known for its running prowess, I knew I wanted to get involved with the community. As a runner, I reached out to the head coach of the local high school cross country team to see if they needed any help. Before I knew it, I had found myself more immersed in a team and culture of athletes than I had since I was in high school myself! What made coaching cross country extra special was how, unlike other more self-centered running disciplines, it’s much more about the team and working together in practice to race for each other! Add to that the chance to learn and develop alongside my athletes, and I was hooked!

*Niwot cross country team after racing the Nike Cross National (NXN) meet.*

Coaching high school cross country running has been more rewarding than I ever could’ve imagined, not to mention an invaluable opportunity for learning and growth. While the exact examples outlined below are unique to my time with the Niwot High School cross country team, I believe the overarching themes and takeaways can apply to all runners.

Here are the top 10 things I’ve learned along the way that you can benefit from:

1. Mental Toughness Is as Important as Physical Endurance

*Niwot cross country runners strengthening their minds and bodies on hills.*

On the roads and track, we run off the time or heart rate on our watch, judging our fitness by paces. In cross country, none of that matters. What matters on race day is how many people you beat, regardless of your finish time. It’s pure racing, head-to-head.

Rather than “hitting splits”, succeeding at cross country requires pushing past what you perceive is possible in the moment, digging deep and telling your muscles to keep driving forward through the pain because you need to pass the two people in front of you. The athletes I treasure most are not always the fastest ones, but those that show true grit in the face of a challenge, committed to run their hardest for the team.

2. Patience Pays Off

Achieving your potential in just about anything, be it speaking a new language or learning to drive, doesn’t happen overnight, rather as the result of consistent hard work. Running is no different. We all want to set new PRs every race, but that can’t happen all the time. I have coached countless kids that started off as freshman unable to finish a 5K without walking who turn into incredible national caliber runners by their senior year. Coaching the underdog is special because they are the ones that have to choose hard work and discipline, instead of relying on talent. Stay patient, stay diligent and you will be surprised at what you can do!

3. Everyone Has Different Motivators

Talk to 10 runners and hear 10 different “whys”. Some people want to get fit for other activities, others want to push their limits to the edge. Perhaps they run to clear their head, or maybe mom and dad insisted that they join the cross country team. Understanding what drives each individual is key to not only helping them reach their potential, but maintaining a love for the sport.

*Two Niwot athletes racing for their team.*

4. There’s No “I” in Team or Cross Country

Of all the running disciplines out there, cross country is the closest you’ll get to a team sport. We train as a team and fight as a team. Though not all athletes get the chance to run varsity, each and every one of them is valued for what they bring to the team. Showing up and putting in the work consistently is that little bit easier with the support and accountability of others. The highs are even higher when you can celebrate with others, the lows easier to handle with teammates around, and all the memories more enduring when you have shared experiences.

5. Recovery Is Crucial

My high school runners run 6 to 7 days a week most weeks. They go to school, have social lives, and stay up way too late on their phones! Replace “school” with “work” and maybe you can relate too.

Sleeping enough, eating and hydrating well and avoiding stress are all so easy on paper. But in reality, these are the first things to go when life gets busy. However, in order for my athletes to keep training at the level they do, proper recovery is a priority. So in addition to writing training plans each week, I spend almost as much time helping them implement effective recovery strategies into their busy lives.

6. Injury Prevention Is an Ongoing Battle

As runners, it’s become common to feel all kinds of aches and pains both while running and when resting. Shins can flare up, muscles are seemingly always tight, those dang IT bands never seem to stay happy! Why can’t we just run!? The truth is, running is hard. It’s even harder still on the body if you are not properly warmed up or cooled down. Any car person would tell you that you should never cold start a car and then immediately hold it at redline for 6×6 minutes! We are no different. Focusing on warm up drills before running, then rolling and stretching after can make a world of difference. Add to that a consistent lifting routine, while developing your ability to listen and respond to your body, can move you out of being chronically injured to feeling good running (almost) every day!

7. Adaptability Is Key

I LOVE RACING IN THE ELEMENTS! It truly creates a situation where the playing field is a little more level. At Nike Cross Nationals this past year it rained for 3 days before the event. The cross country course is always a bit wet and muddy as it takes place in Portland, OR, but this year was something else! Picture a 30 foot long, almost knee deep puddle of water at one point, and so much mud that even pigs would complain! And no, much to the surprise (and dare I say hope) of many athletes and coaches, the officials did not reroute the course around this feature.

However, our team chose to adopt a different mindset: the demands of the race were what they were, and everyone was facing the same challenges. Besides, I told them that it would be a day that they would tell stories about for a very long time! The sight of over 100 kids sprinting through that water, coupled with the muddy post-race smiles are memories I cherish highly.

*Niwot runners on the top of the podium.*

8. The Value of Small Wins

We can’t all be the winner of every race. In fact, unless you’re running a solo time trial, chances are that you probably won’t win! However, that doesn’t mean you should try, and success is independent of where you placed in a race.

One of the things I love most about running is the constant battle for personal development and individual success. This comes from focusing on these little wins every day, no matter how big or small they may be. It could be hitting a sleep or nutrition goal, setting a new plank PR, or challenging yourself to an extra rep during a workout. By celebrating the small victories, you learn to love the process and stress less over the end results.

9. Running is a Lifelong Sport

My favorite part about coaching cross country is helping athletes see the positivity that running brings to their entire lives. Unfortunately, I only get 4 years to work with most of my athletes before they graduate high school. Fast times and race wins are nice, but my main goal is to foster a love for running that lasts far beyond high school. It brings me so much joy to see athletes continue running, whether competitively or recreationally. Having my former athletes come back and help with the current high schoolers in the summer as guest coaches fills me with so much pride. This full circle experience always reminds me of why I do what I do.

10. It’s About More Than Running

Sure, on a superficial level running is a form of exercise that helps us get fit and maybe accomplish a goal of a certain time or distance. But in reality, it is a way to create balance and a well rounded character in all of us. The Niwot High School cross country runners score the highest GPAs of any other team sport in our school. They voluntarily choose not partake in certain activities when socializing, because they know it will impair their ability to perform in their next race or workout. We have built a family that models good work ethic, resilience and a strong character that will follow these students long past when they graduate.

Coaching cross country and working with these kids every day not only has made me a better coach and runner, but also a better overall person. I’ve seen firsthand how the sport shapes character, builds community and teaches life lessons that extend far beyond the finish line. No matter your age or ability, consider applying the above takeaways to your running and life. You won’t regret it.

If you’re curious about coaching running, at any level, I strongly encourage you to give it a shot! The impact it has on your life, as well as the runners you work with, might surprise you!

For more running takeaways, check out: “Lessons Learned the Hard Way with Coach Jamie Ness“.

by Peter Brandes

200 Miles and Beyond: Inside the World of Ultrarunning with Team RunRunner Rebecca Walker and Coach Greg Ottinger

May 5, 2024

by Ruby Wyles

A few weeks back, we received a race report from Team RunRunner Rebecca Walker that said something along the lines of: ‘I hopped in a 200 mile race, it was fun, wasn’t my fastest or my slowest’. Rebecca’s nonchalance suggested that running super long distances was a relatively common affair for her, and I had to learn more!

Rebecca running 200 miles and beyond at the 2023 Cocodona 250. PC: Anastasia Wilde — *Rebecca wading through a creek during the Cocodona 250. PC: Anastasia Wilde*

Meet Team RunRunner Rebecca Walker and Coach Greg Ottinger

Coached by accomplished ultrarunner and Team RunRun Coach Greg Ottinger, the pair have been working together for two and a half years and counting. As mentioned, coach Greg is no stranger to 200 mile races or back-to-back ultras, himself targeting the Triple Crown of 200s this summer, which involves running three 200-mile races over four consecutive months! With over 200 Team RunRun coaches to choose from, it’s no coincidence Rebecca and Greg seem to have the perfect coach-athlete match.

According to UltraSignup, in little more than 10 years, Rebecca Walker has 82 ultras to her name, including seven 200+ mile races, which had her running for up to 5 days at a time! Yep, 5 whole days, over 121 hours to be precise! Interviewing Rebecca, I thought I’d start with the obvious question I’m sure we’re all wondering: why? What draws you to these super long events, and why do you keep going back for more?!

Rebecca: “Historically, I chose my races based on places I wanted to visit. My first 200 mile run was the Tahoe 200, which I remember seeing advertised and thought I would like to do it someday. At the time, you had to have completed a mountain 100 mile qualifier race beforehand, so I wasn’t able to enter Tahoe 200 until the prerequisites were met. After completing that one successfully, I realized how much I appreciated the variability of these events, as well as the slower pace – being a slower runner, this was important to me!”

Balancing ultra training with life

As superhuman as Rebecca’s ultrarunning exploits seem, she isn’t a full time runner focused solely on the eat-sleep-train priority triplet that many professional athletes are. Instead, Rebecca balances a full time job in the legal field with family life as a wife, mom to an active teenage girl, plus two cats and dog too! Not your typical husband-and-wife duo, the pair bond over their love of ultras, and actually ran the Moab 240 together for their honeymoon!

So what’s Rebecca’s secret? How can she possibly excel at these ultra ultra distances with so much other life to balance?

Rebbeca: “Greg [Ottinger, her TRR coach] has been AWESOME working with my schedule, and we’re flexible with moving workouts around. My husband typically runs with me on the weekends, but the weekday stuff is all me.”

“Training for 200 milers is not too much different than 100 mile training. Under Greg’s guidance I now run 5 days a week (vs the 3-4 I used to do): 3 runs are usually Z2, easy training; 1 day is typically speedwork and/or hills depending on whatever race I have coming up; and the other day is a long run. Saturdays are always my long days, involving either a progression run if I’m training for something flat, but usually I go on a time-based adventure run in the foothills/mountains.”

Add to that Rebecca’s one day per week of strength training, and training for 200 milers seems almost manageable…?! Rebecca adds: “I just do what I’m told”, not overcomplicating her running, and leaving the X’s and O’s of training science to her coach Greg, a job he readily accepts.

Greg: “As a coach, navigating Rebecca’s race calendar is akin to orchestrating a symphony of commitments, aspirations, and relentless determination. Hailing from the frosty climes of a region that could freeze a San Diegan’s bones, Rebecca juggles the roles of a dedicated runner, nurturing mother, driven professional, and even a devoted dog mom. It’s a balancing act that requires precision planning and adaptability, a task I undertake with both awe and admiration.”

As a runner with a coach myself, I believe this is one of Rebecca’s, and most athletes’, secrets to success: enjoy your running, don’t overthink it, and outsource the programming to an expert, like our band of Team RunRun coaches!

If you want further proof of Rebecca’s mortal and measured approach to training, consider that when the weather is close to freezing she simply doesn’t run. Instead of toughing it out in miserable conditions, or making up mind-numbing miles on the treadmill, Rebecca opts for extra recovery over trying to prove her toughness in training, a fallacy that almost always backfires. Despite preparing to race through all hours of day and night, in all kinds of sleep-deprived, underfueled,and fatigued states, again Rebecca doesn’t make training harder than it needs to be, not losing sight of the fact that running should be (at least most of the time) enjoyable!

Rebecca: “I don’t night run [in training], but I do vary the terrain and elevation, running on dirt roads and trails near my house in Colorado.”

Greg: “Preparing for the rigors of ultrarunning demands a holistic approach that transcends mere mileage. Rebecca’s training regimen revolves around building a robust aerobic base, with 90% of her workouts dedicated to aerobic efforts, Heart Rate Zone II. We prioritize consistency, honing her ability to endure the relentless demands of multi-day races.”

Rebecca’s year-round race schedule means that she is constantly in training mode, save for a taper week prior and recovery week post race.

Greg: “When it comes to setting race goals, Rebecca is quite candid. Whether she’s eyeing a podium finish, leisurely adventure with friends, or simply seeking the joy of crossing the finish line, each race serves a distinct purpose. If it’s a “fun 50,” we integrate it into her routine without the customary taper, allowing her to enjoy the experience without compromising her overall progress or risking injury.”

Without big swings in her mileage, plus her incredible ability to endurance and recover from these long distances, Rebecca maintains an impressive baseline fitness that allows her to race frequently and avoid injury. She reminds us all that the key to any and all running success is consistency, not hero workouts or huge increases in mileage leading into race day; Rebecca, with help from her TRR coach Greg, has found a sustainable level of training for her body and life demands, that she is able to repeat year-round. Now that is the not-so-sexy secret to success!

Running fundamentals: fueling, sleep, and recovery

Fueling, a critical element of any ultrarunner’s performance, is another of Rebecca’s strengths, and she is gifted with an iron stomach that allows her to “eat whatever is available at aid stations”. She jokingly refers to herself as a “trash panda”, recognizing that she is “in the minority of folks who don’t have issues with fueling”. During long training and race days, Rebecca fuels consistently, always carrying extra snacks to ensure she’s never running close to empty.

It’s not just fueling that Rebecca’s dialed in, running through extreme fatigue and sleep deprivation appears to be another one of her skills. Whether honed through parenthood, a highly caffeinated lifestyle, or a rare genetic ‘I-will-run-on-no-sleep’ predisposition, if the princess and the pea is on one extreme, Rebecca is on the far other!

Rebecca: “I can get through night one fine without sleep now that I have nailed down a good caffeine plan. After that first night though, I tend to have issues falling asleep, but taking some time off my feet at aid stations even when I can’t sleep helps. Over time [as Rebecca gets further and further into a race, becoming more and more fatigued] I can usually get about an hour’s sleep at an aid station, as well as 5-10 minute trail naps! If the terrain permits, I’ll just lie on the side of the trail, or sit up against a tree; other times, just closing my mind will usually be enough to keep me going for a few more hours.”

Much to my surprise, and in part credited to great nutrition and smart training, alongside honest communication with her coach, Rebecca isn’t bed-bound for weeks following her epic adventures, and instead is an advocate for the ‘motion-is-lotion’, ‘movement-is-medicine’ paradigm.

Rebecca: “Hydration and sleep are so important, and I aim for 8-10 hours a night the first few days after a big race. I am a huge fan of active recovery. I still take my dog for walks (usually a few miles at a time) and I have a treadmill desk that I walk on while working.”

Greg: “Navigating the aftermath of ultramarathons requires a keen understanding of the body’s signals and rhythms. Listening to her body becomes an art form, as we interpret its subtle cues and adjust our approach accordingly. Rebecca is always clear with her progress and we adjust each week accordingly.”

Rebecca during her Tahoe 200 "honeymoon". — *Rebecca during her Tahoe 200 “honeymoon”.*

Ultra racing: highs, lows, and 200-mile memories

A seasoned ultrarunner with over 100 results to her name, I asked Rebecca a very difficult question: what her favorite race has been so far.

Rebecca: “Tahoe 200 will always be very special to me. I ran when it [the course] was still a loop around the lake, and it was just so surreal to be going for this huge, unknown distance. Cocodona 250 was also a wonderful event with very diverse environments” as runners traverse from the desert and cacti in Phoenix up to the mountain town of Flagstaff, with its fir trees and cooler temperatures.

Full of positive regard for these super long races, I imagined there must also be significant challenges and low points that are just par for the course. Yet again, I was surprised and in awe of Rebecca’s response.

Rebecca: “I don’t typically encounter many issues in training, unless it’s weather related or to do with personal things going on outside of running. I am, and always have been, a slower and low mileage runner, but that doesn’t derail me or make me “get in my head.”

That said, races can be a stressful experience for Rebecca, with race cutoffs never far from her mind. Even in the face of uncertainty, she remains remarkably undeterred, reminding us all to continue to chase big goals no matter how unlikely they may seem!

Rebecca: “I know I can complete these distances, but am I fast enough to make cutoffs? Sometimes yes, sometimes no, still I never regret going for big goals.”

Working such an ambitious and motivated athlete comes with its own set of challenges, as Greg attests to, but he, like Rebecca, sees them in a very positive light.

Greg: “Coaching Rebecca is a rollercoaster of exhilaration and anticipation, characterized by the electrifying unpredictability of her ambitions. From impromptu 100 mile races, to last-minute decisions to pace a friend across unforgiving terrain, Rebecca’s spontaneity keeps me on my toes. Yet, amidst the whirlwind of uncertainty, her commitment to the process remains a true inspiration.

The ease of coaching Rebecca lies in her work ethic—a pursuit of excellence that leaves no room for excuses or shortcuts. She embraces each challenge with resolve, transforming obstacles into opportunities for growth.”

I finished off digging deeper into her race highlights, and again, the pure joy she has for running –running very long distances at that– shone through.

Rebecca: “All my ultras are victories! Tahoe 200 being my first; Moab 240 [Rebecca’s ‘honeymoon’] for not pushing my new husband off a cliff (haha, just kidding!); Bigfoot 200 for being the most technical and challenging of any 200 I’ve done; Cocodona 250 – I was a DNF the first time around, then went back for redemption in 2023 and had an awesome experience; and, most recently, the Southern States 200, a race I completed without crew or pacers, barely recognizing anyone on the start list, made for a fun and novel challenge in and of itself!”

*At the finish of her most recent 200 mile race that inspired this piece, the Southern States 200.*

Top races for new ultrarunners from Team RunRunner Rebecca Walker:

100K (62 miles) distance

Rebecca recommends the Black Canyons 100K for its non-technical nature, great organization, and community spirit. In her words: “it’s large enough that you’ll never be alone on the trail”.

100 miles distance

The Lean Horse Ultra in South Dakota and the Javelina Hundred in Arizona come top of Rebecca’s list. The two race courses are non-technical, runnable trails, and the events as a whole are a lot of fun for both runners and crew!

200+ miles distance

“Amazing in different ways”, according to Rebecca, these long ultras are so varied. Cocodona 250, a race that takes runners from Phoenix to Flagstaff, AZ, has quickly become one of the most highly rated and popular events.
Another great beginner-friendly ultra is the Cowboy 200 in Nebraska. Rebecca highlights its “flatter and less technical nature”, and a course that is very crew accessible with good phone service throughout.

Advice for new ultrarunners from Team RunRun Coach Greg Ottinger:

I asked seasoned ultrarunner and TRR coach Greg Ottinger to share some words of wisdom for ultra-curious folk, and what I received was something quite prophetic, not to mention poetic! (Greg, if you fancy a career change, or get bored of running 200-milers, I’d take you on as a TRR staff writer in a heartbeat!).

Greg: “To aspiring ultrarunners, I offer a simple advice: dare to dream, but do so with deliberation and respect for the journey ahead. Embrace the unknown, but temper enthusiasm with wisdom and experience. Seek guidance from seasoned veterans, whether it be through mentorship or the counsel of a trusted coach. And above all, trust in the resilience of the human spirit—to endure, to overcome, and to transcend the limits of what is deemed possible.”

What’s next for Rebecca and Greg?

Unsurprisingly, Rebecca’s mind and body are already preparing for the next challenge: a relatively achievable –only by Rebecca’s standard that is!– series of 100 mile races this summer. Fear not, Rebecca’s 200+ mile days are far from behind her! In fact, Rebecca has her sights set on the Arizona Monster 300, a 309 mile run through the desert of Arizona. And before you ask, yes, I’m equally confused by the race director’s dishonesty: I mean, if runners are already covering 300 miles, why keep the extra 9 miles a secret?!

As for coach Greg, he’s in the thick of training for the Triple Crown of 200s, running three 200-mile races in so many months this Summer, along the way inspiring more runners to give ultras a try!

If you’re curious about ultrarunning and the training it takes to run long distances, check out our group of Team RunRun coaches and filter for ultra and trail specialists.

Ruby is a runner, triathlete, and passionate coach, who is most fulfilled by helping athletes overcome limiting beliefs with joy. She is also a proud science nerd, and advocate for athletes’ mental and physical health.