Spots open on “the team” for coaching!

I have a couple of spots open for athletes as I’m expanding my team post-Chicago. 

I’ve decided not to go back to the finance/business world and instead continue to focus on my coaching and my own running. I am so freaking in love with coaching, and excited about my athletes’ potential! My life post-MBA-full-time-career is so much simpler, happier, and fulfilling. I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to both work through others and to have time to volunteer and motivate the next group of speedsters!

Truly, I couldn’t ask for a happier, more satisfying life!!

You’re still here after that sappy intro? Wow – dedication!

My goal as a coach is to have no more than 10 athletes that have that
“Let’s just see where we can go!” type of attitude, and to be a coach
that is very much invested in them and their goals to see what their
potential is. That is what Jerry did for me, and obviously, I am FOREVER
thankful that I decided to reach out for coaching help (even though I knew
“how” to train from years of training/racing in HS and college). I’m keeping the group small to make sure I’m getting to really know you and what motivates and demotivates you, what your strengths are so I can tap into those, etc. 
 

The things I look for in an athlete: 
 
#1. “I wonder what I could do…” 🙂
#2. You enter training with no
expectations, no pressure from me, and are just willing to see where your
limits are. My own running story is centered around this (i.e. a 1:24 high ½
marathoner when I sought coaching help – 1 year later I was an Olympic Trials
Qualifier and 2:44 marathoner. Something that should have been “impossible”). 
#3.  Communication! Good and bad days. Random thoughts. Challenges. Breakthroughs. The more I know YOU, the better coach I can be.

The plans I create are very custom and definitely build on what I see in the previous cycles. I am a math nerd and consider myself very good at finding patterns in data. For example: an athlete seems to get fatigued after a week of X workouts, mileage, this athlete needs to spend about 2-3 weeks longer on their speed cycles before they start responding, this athlete seems to respond to a double taper vs. a traditional one. I also try to have a “feel” for where each athlete is at based on my own personal running experiences and coaching experience.

I can happily say that so far (knock on wood!) all of my athletes in 2013 have PR’d. I am so lucky to have such an awesome, motivated, and positive group! It makes my day to see emails from athletes on their week, paces, and how they’re feeling. Especially those notes where I can just tell an athlete is smiling about while writing :)!! A cycle is long and difficult, but hopefully I can take some of the lows out of the equation.

Had to use this again because it’s the greatest. Dream big, run happy, and enjoy the journey! And don’t forget to dance a little along the way!!