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As long as you’re not trying to make a career out of running, you don’t really need a running coach, right?
Yes, there are thousands of training plans you can download online. And, yes, hiring a running coach can feel like a luxury. But there is so much value in working with someone who’s qualified to help you achieve your goal and avoid certain dangers. That’s especially true for newer runners: Last year, MapMyRun saw a 65 percent increase in runs logged while Garmin saw 27 percent more new users than in previous years; at the same time, runners logging more volume (even with less intensity!) experienced more injuries, a recent survey of 1,147 runners found.
A quality running coach is a) an expert in their field and b) qualified to give you way more personalized advice than what you’ll find online. Whether you’re gunning for a PR of just trying to stay injury-free, guidance from a pro can help you get there. Here’s how.
1. It’s an investment (and that’s a good thing!)
When you shell out your hard-earned cash for a piece of fitness equipment or a gym membership, you want to get your money’s worth, right? Same goes for investing in a coach—whether it’s an in-person or virtual relationship. People are motivated to exercise by the prospect of losing money, a 2016 study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found.
“When you pay for a running coach, you’re more likely to succeed because you’re actually investing in your own progress,” says Amie Dworecki, head coach of Running with Life in South Bend, Indiana. “It’s one thing to just say you are going to do something, and another thing to actually put money down to commit yourself.” It’s the same as when you take advice from a friend, a free plan online, or a social media running group, she adds—“that’s more likely to be dismissed by our brains because let’s be honest, who knows where that advice came from or if it will work for us, so we naturally value it less.”
2. A coach holds you accountable
Let’s say you want to run a Boston Marathon qualifying time. Telling your goal to someone whose opinion you respect (ahem, like a running coach) will help you accomplish it, a 2019 study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found. “A lot of times I have to be reminded why I signed up for this program and why I need to do intervals or tempo runs when I’d rather just go for an easy run with a friend and chat through it,” says Olympian Carrie Tollefson, who also serves as a Rock ’n’ Roll Running Series coaching ambassador . “Accountability is so huge, but also the need for somebody to just say, “I’m holding you accountable, but I'm also going to remind you of your goals and to be that person, to push you, to set them and to achieve them.”
P.S. If you work out with a coach, chances are you’ll push yourself harder than if you run alone: People who exercised with someone they thought was better than them worked out up to 200 percent harder and longer than others, according to older research published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine. It’s a lot easier to give up when you don’t have someone else pushing you, right?
3. They can help you train smart
Forty-six percent of runners who logged an average of just over nine miles a week reported some kind of injury over the course of a year in a 2021 study conducted by the University of Gothenburg. While online plans can provide a guideline for your training, a coach can prescribe workouts that are specifically tailored to your goals, your life, and your body. And “when things come up that can change your routine, having a coach to relay that to and help alter your training plan in a way that will still map a journey towards reaching your goals provides a sense of security and reliability,” says Tollefson.
When you’re following a general plan, it’s easy to take it too seriously and obsess over hitting every workout, every distance, every pace. That can lead to overtraining and burnout if you’re not listening to your body. “A coach can be that person who says it’s okay to push your long run a day or get a quick run in before your work trip,” says Tollefson. And, since training isn’t just about logging miles, a coach can help you work in the right mix of cross training, recovery, and more to help you stay on your A-game.
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4. They’re trained to spot weaknesses
Running is a repetitive sport that puts a lot of stress on your body. Chances are, you may have some imbalances or asymmetries. You probably don’t even notice them. But say you have overly dominant quads; if you’re not using their counterparts, the glutes and hamstrings, you can end up with issues like IT band syndrome or knee pain.
But a coach is trained to spot those imbalances before they become injuries. “I’ve pretty much seen it all in running at this point, and can often predict many of the mistakes runners will make—before they make them,” says Dworecki. A coach can prescribe strength and mobility training that will help you correct any issues in your form, and that can save you years of failed attempts at your goals.
5. They can give you perspective.
So maybe you had a bad run or a bad race. That’s part of the journey, and it’s part of your coach’s job to keep you from spiraling. “A coach can bring an athlete back to where it all began—they know your learning patterns, your goals, your dreams—and bring a realistic perspective to them,” says Tollefson. “Personally, I think a coach becomes more of a mentor, a close friend, almost a family member, because they're trying to help you achieve a better version of yourself.”
Yes, it’s a coach’s job to provide encouragement and celebrate the wins—but they consider it just as important to help you look at a bad run as a type of mental training for race day, or a bad race as a learning experience for the next one. A coach looks at the bigger picture even when you can’t—and that’s priceless.
📹 Watch: The Symmetry Solution
