I launched into my first year of consistent training with lots of excitement. It was the most consistent I had run since high school. I understood form, drills, the importance of a warm-up & cool-down routine, and some simple stretches. Yet, I was helpless in the face of a half-marathon and a full marathon. 

Like many, I typed marathon training plans into my search engine and went with one of the only free options available. All I knew to do, was stick to the plan I had chosen and hope for the best. When training for a half marathon, it worked well enough, and it got me to finish my run under goal time while avoiding injury and any lingering issues. With that knowledge, I leaped straight into marathon training, selecting a plan I assumed was right for me. The training left me exhausted. I felt alone trying to figure out how to pivot when my troubled hamstring led me astray, when illness stole a weak of training away from me, and when I didn’t hit the paces, the plan had asked me to do. Regardless, I finished. I made it through the program and arrived marathon morning, lining up & so damn proud of everything I did to get me to that point. 

The distance humbled me. I felt incredible up until mile 15. I was confident I was in line to finish sub 4, which was my goal for the race. The last 10 miles surprised me. By mile 18, all I could say when I saw my boyfriend was that I wanted to stop and puke. Regardless, I finished. I ran a marathon. So why was I so disappointed in my performance that day? 

I went into marathon day more or less alone. Yes, I knew people running and cheering me on nearly every 30 minutes, yet I hadn’t found my support in the sport. 

The race left my ego bruised, and my body beat. It took months to tap back into the joy of the run. These feelings propelled me into a desire to coach. I never want an athlete to arrive as ill-prepared as I felt on race day. I began signing up for training and listening to lectures and became engulfed in the love of the run. 

I set out to run my 2nd marathon with a self-designed training plan to meet me where I was, acknowledging my schedule, limitations, and strengths. I arrived on race day ready to execute my plan & I did. I took off over 25 minutes from my marathon time & arrived at the finish line so proud of myself. To top it off, I left that week beyond excited to do it all again in a way that honored where I was at in my running journey. 

That’s the whole point of coaching, to not go into it alone and to have a plan that honors precisely where you are when you start. It allows for goals to be dynamic, adjusting to the strengths and weaknesses ever present throughout the journey. I’m excited that race season is coming because I can’t wait to help guide others into their best runs and races. 

It was an honor to begin writing plans for others this last year and have the willingness of friends to let me design their training for races. Guiding others is so much more than running; it is proving what you are capable of and the strength that comes from a mind & body connection through movement. 

2023 race season, we’re ready.