In Part 1 we dove into what your plan might look life if you don't have a coach. In Part 2, we lean on the wisdom of Team RunRun coach, Brant Stachel to find out what your running will like if you do get a coach...
By Team RunRun coach Brant Stachel
Embarking on a running journey is an adventure filled with personal highs, challenging lows, and the pursuit of goals that may have once seemed out of reach. Whether you're lacing up for the first time or eyeing a new personal best, I hope to share some insight into why hiring a running coach can transform your experience and outcomes.
1. Tailored Guidance for Your Unique Path
Imagine having a roadmap designed just for you, one that considers every twist and turn of your personal and physical landscape. A running coach offers just that—a training plan crafted to fit your life, your goals, and your current fitness level. This personalized approach ensures you're not running aimlessly, rather you're running towards something efficiently and effectively.
2. Technical Insights and Efficiency
Running seems straightforward until you dive into the nuances of form, technique, fueling, strategy, injuries, and periodization. A coach breaks down these complexities and offers insights that can help you move more efficiently, reduce injury risk, and perhaps even find a new love for aspects of running you hadn't considered. Having a coach is like having a translator to help decipher the language of running, all while making the process more enjoyable, and bringing you closer to your goals.
3. A Source of Motivation and Accountability
Let’s face it, running isn’t always fun, sometimes it sucks to get out the door. Sticking to a training schedule can be as challenging as the runs themselves, especially when motivation dips. Having a coach provides a layer of accountability that's hard to replicate on your own. Knowing someone is there, cheering for you, waiting to hear about your runs, and pushing you gently (or firmly) towards your goals can be the difference between hitting snooze and hitting the pavement.
4. Emotional Support Through Ups and Downs
The journey of running is filled with emotional highs and lows. A coach is there through it all, offering a shoulder to lean on when things get tough and celebrating your victories, big and small. This emotional support is invaluable, especially when at times the mental hurdles seem bigger than the physical ones.
5. Overcoming Plateaus and Setting Achievable Goals
Every runner faces plateaus or setbacks. A coach helps you navigate these moments, adjusting your training to keep you progressing. They're skilled at setting goals that stretch you but are within reach, striking a balance between ambition and realism that keeps you motivated and injury-free while building consistency along the way.
6. Beyond Running
Shakespeare once wrote, "Bid me run, and I will strive for things impossible." This embodies what coaches help us achieve. They inspire us to reach beyond the confines of what we thought possible, challenging us to set goals that stretch our limits, and ignite our passion for running. Beyond the physical act of running, a coach plays a pivotal role in weaving the fabric of community and confidence around us. They introduce us to fellow runners, clubs, and groups, and in doing so help us find our tribe within the broader community of the running world. This sense of belonging in addition to the above-stated reasons to hire a coach can transform your running practice from a solitary pursuit into a shared experience, enriched by camaraderie, support, and excellence.
About Brant
Brant Stachel is a coach with Team RunRun. He is a professional Ironman athlete, has 13 years of professional coaching experience as both a triathlon and run coach, and is a former Canadian national team coach known for guiding athletes to achieve PR's at every distance. He combines his coaching acumen with his credentials as a Registered Massage Therapist and Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), providing a unique fusion of physical and mental expertise for athletes aiming to realize their full potential.
Work with Brant!
Like his style? You can save 25% off your first month with Brant with code FG25brant here.
Remember, you get $20 off the first month of any Team RunRun coach with code fuelgoods20 over at teamrunrun.com