So you wanted a run coach. Here’s some things you might want to consider to get the most out of the coaching relationship. I’ve been working with runners online since 2018, I’m always open to feedback and improving how I do that. But to date these are some of the things my runners tell me help them.
Post run notes
The more we communicate the better I can help you. As a minimum I ask for a sentence about each run. “Easy run, felt easy, box ticked, feel fine and ready for the rest of the week” tells me soooo much more than not writing anything.
I check in a couple of times a week to final surge. And the comments you leave after a run are for both of us to track things such as fatigue levels, if a niggle is getting worse or better, patterns of any type (struggling with a certain session type, day of the week, sleep, stress, diet, caffeine, alcohol, bowel movements, shoes, chaffage, in-laws visiting, partners cricket matches….) you name it I’ve seen it as a thing that can affect a session or a 4 week training block. And how you note down a session felt… is key. Tell me if it get great, like the best session in weeks…. Or the worst….And perhaps guess at why. We might just discover something unique to you that we can work on, avoid or keep doing
I wish I had an automatic way to say “how did it go?” After each run. But I don’t. And with a dozen runners I simply can’t go in immediately after a each run at all times a day and ask. My other work and my kids need me, I’m not glued to my phone. Because, like er mental health and presence and I’m your coach but not 24/7, that costs a lot more, sorry,
So please know that I care. Know that I need to know how it went. And know that you’ll enjoy reading these post run comments back to help you develop.
Contact me ANY time
WhatsApp me 24/7 voice notes, paragraphs or one liners.
I mean 24/7 too. My notifications are off. And I’ll respond, normally the same day or next morning, when I am in coach mode.
This isn’t like messaging your friends! You pay for this. And I want to hear the questions, concerns, doubts, schedule changes, thing your cat just did when it comes up for you. Get it off your chest when you need to. And then we go from there.
Changing the day of a run
I have learnt over time that what works best is to trust my runners to be able to move planned runs in Final Surge.
This works as long as you stick to rule number one of moving runs: tell me.
Simply ping me a WhatsApp to say “I changed my plan for the week because…” and mention when you can’t do a run. It’s quicker for you than writing 6 paragraphs of what might be possible too.
This way I can dive in, check what you think will work best for you and your other commitments and make sure you are not risking injury, over training, or under training.
In time most runners learn that Rule 2: applies to moving runs about: never 2 “quality” sessions on subsequent days (that’s a long one, or anything that’s faster than aerobic).
Rule 3 : if you have to not do a run protect them in this order (long, medium long, lactate threshold; VO2 max, easy, recovery)
Making a run happen
No matter how busy you are you find time to attend those work meetings, personal appointments and things other people need you to do right? So why not make your run an appointment with yourself (and me). At a specific time.
And it becomes non negotiable (almost) when pressure comes onto your calendar to make space for something else. “Can you make a call that starts at 8:30?”
“No sorry, I can’t do anything that starts before 9am that day”.
And what you don’t tell them is you’re running 9 miles at 7am, and need time for stretching, a shower and a decent breakfast before you login, check overnight emails and are then set for their ‘thing’. Or you do tell them. That bits up to you, you know your audience.
To make this easier, I suggest you sync up final surge with your calendar app. List the runs to a time slot for this appointment with yourself (and me). This needs to be edited in the final surge app and you have access.
Want less admin? Just tell me your typical run times across a typical week and I’ll pre programme them to that.
Choosing Races
I work with 3 types of race. Some runners let me know a ton of races they’ve entered. Some enter a marathon 6 months out and nothing else. Most are in between.
I think it’s useful to have several races in a marathon build up. I can even give you a plan for a marathon with specific weekends to find a race on.
A races: a spring marathon and an autumn marathon. Or whatever it is for you. It would be typical to have 2-4 A race goals a year. these are the big ones, we’re going to plan training so that your at the peak of fitness AND form. You’ll be tapered to the max.
B races: often in the build up to or after recovering from an A race. you still want to run well. But we might not fully taper for it. We certainly won’t risk injury for it.
C races: catered training runs. Fun at pace. With a friend. Because your cousin lives there. They’re in there for lots of great reasons, but they’re no one’s we will do a 3 week taper for. They might get binned if you’re ill or knackered. They might just get you a PB, but if they do, you’ll probably beat it once your next A race is out of the way and the training cycle and recovery is complete.
Not sure what kind of races or when would suit your A goals? Need some inspiration? Let’s talk!
Getting ill
Try not to get a cold. But if it happens to you; rule number one of training when unwell is: only easy runs, and nothing at all if the cold is on your chest.
Worse than a cold? Let’s talk about that immediately! I expect you’re not going to be training till it’s better, but let’s not make assumptions.
Totally trivial not running related? Always up to you what you share with me. However I’ve learnt that recovering from illness, dealing with any kind of poor health (mental or physical) or a flare up of a long term condition that’s been well managed or in remission can and often does take from the same finite pool of energy we drawn on when we train and ask the body to adapt. I’d like to be able to help understand your training outcomes and adapt what we plan to do in full sight of your health if your OK with that too.
Step Outside 