Coaching Services

As a certified coach (USAT&F Level I, RRCA Level II, UESCA Running & Ultrarunning, & Lydiard Foundation Level II) I want to make sure each athlete not only gets the training they need, but to maintain the joy and fun that running should be! I love running, and I want to make sure each runner finds and maintains their love for the sport as well!!!

My Philosophy:

I believe that running is a journey that should be shared and enjoyed along each step of the way. By coaching, I create a partnership with each individual athlete in which we get to know the individuals needs and ways in which we can find the most success in helping the athlete achieve his or her goal(s) through training. We cannot be successful without building trust in one another, and that begins with our daily honest communications as to how the athlete is performing in running and how daily life may be affecting their run for the day, week, or beyond. I believe in a comprehensive approach to training in which we have to consider the athlete’s history with training (successes & failures), strengths & weaknesses in training and how we can capitalize on the strengths and strengthen the weaknesses, and keeping a long term view for the athletes longevity and health in the sport. My goal for each athlete is to keep them healthy and enjoying the sport in route to helping them build stamina & endurance, while getting faster & stronger. 

I coach Middle School Aged to Adults and distances of 5k to Ultramarathon. 

For $125 a month, my coaching provides:

• Online Training Plan Using Training Peaks Premium Edition

• Daily Feedback & Weekly Email and Communications 

• Unlimited text, emails, & calls

• Flexible Schedule Changes

• Private Facebook & Strava Groups

• Weekly Topic covered in a Zoom Conference w/ Q &A Sessions

• Crewing & Pacing at events

• Running Form Analysis

• Footwear and Gear Selection

• Private Events/Races so even if events are cancelled, you'll have something to look forward to!

If you're interested in having a conversation, please don't hesitate to reach out by clicking the button below. I currently have spots available.

Apply or Nominate for the Shoe Scholarship

I have decided to use the Patreon dollars received each month to donate a pair of shoes to a person in need each month. This brings up two points:

1. If you are in a financial pinch, and need a new pair of shoes, please reach out to me. At this point in time, I can only do one pair per month.

2. If you can financially help support this, please donate to my Patreon page (see link below).

Running Tip of the Month

Attack a Problem from Multiple Angles

In the above section "What I'm Up To", I described, for lack of a better term, fatigue in running. I couldn't sustain my normal paces or distances. It wasn't for a few days. It lasted a few weeks. When it started creeping into my daily life activities outside of running (walking up stairs), I decided to take a multi prong approach in hopes in finding a solution. As I mentioned, I talked wife my wife (a physician), my family doctor (who is also a Sports Medicine doctor), my dietitian, and my coach.

My wife & I discussed possible causes for the fatigue I was experiencing due to my diet, hydration, sleep, training, and stress. We came to the decision that I needed more sleep.

My dietitian and I looked at my eating habits and whether I was meeting my macro needs. We decided I needed more protein in my diet.

My coach and I discussed my training and discussed what I could potentially improve on. We decided three things. 1.  I needed one day off per week. 2. I need a down week (in training volume) after every 3rd week. 3. I would switch to training by time volume rather than miles (I was spending too much time on my feet).

And my doctor & I began blood tests to find potential causes. All we could find was a vitamin D deficiency, but we tested my thyroid, testosterone, cortisol (stress), & ferritin (iron). All were within normal range.

So collectively we came up with a comprehensive plan to help my body come around. I took each conclusion I found with each member of my assessment team and began implementing them in my daily life. I also took some time off from running just to give my body it's best chance of improving. 

As I write this, it's been over a month of implementation. I'm not 100%, but I am getting better as each week passes. I've pulled back on the duration & intensity of my daily run. I've also bought a new heart rate monitor to make sure my intensity stays low. Apparently, this will take some time, but it's my hope that by you reading this, you don't allow yourself to become as fatigued as myself, and if you do come across a problem, any problem, you use multiple resources to resolve it!

Racing/Training Tip of the Month

Knowing When to Pull the Plug on a Race

We as runners are NOT very good at listening to ourselves when it comes to holding off on a race. In fact we're awful at it. We know we should not line up, but we do. We come give ourselves the pep talk that we can finish even if it's slower and we have to hike a bunch. This should be a red flag! We've already compromised ourselves by confirming we're not 100% and we have to compromise our race plan to accommodate for an inadequacy.

THIS IS NOT OK! 

If we're already compromising our plans, our mental state is compromised as well. Our confidence levels are certainly shaken. You need your confidence levels to be as high as possible and not wavering or teetering in the balance of "Maybe I can do this."  We should be balanced both mentally and physically. Sure there are physical niggles that bug us, and the uncertainty of an event/race give us moments of pause and thoughts of "Can I do this?" These are normal. I'm speaking of the constant pains or the fact that you had to take two weeks off close to your event. 

In these times, it's best to assess if you should race or bag it and move forward to another event in which you can get in the proper training.

In the article above, "Attack a Problem from Multiple Angles", I spike of fighting fatigue, enough so that my training has been extremely limited. My goal race is in Feb. The Black Canyon 100k in Arizona. As hard as it was, I pulled the plug knowing that my body could not manage the training, and the result of running the race would possibly set me back further.

I know it is one of the hardest things to do in pulling out of a race, but we have to think of what is best for the long term of our health and running.

I have faked my way through races a lot in the past few years, and there are some that are worth it (Boston Marathon, UTMB, Hardrock, etc), so I'm not saying it doesn't happen as I understand there are some races this may be the only opportunity you have in running it, so there are exceptions to every rule. But if you can replace the race in question with another later in the year and still fulfill your goal, and more importantly, it's best for your long term health and running, DO SO!

UTMB 

Race atmosphere:

Commercial, big race, sterile. If you're not a fan of the huge numbers at races and being crowded at the start, this race might be a bit overwhelming! 

Host Town:

Chamonix was an amazing host town with so much to see and do, it was hard not to do too much prior to race day. I wanted to see and do so much! I rent ed a VRBO apartment a quarter mile from the start. UTMB is very noisy in town. If we had the windows open, we could hear the activities in town. Book early as things fill up quickly. We flew into Geneva, Switzerland and rented a vehicle. You can get away with traveling by bus or train if you do not want to rent a vehicle.

Swag:

One word...WEAK! We received a shirt. You had to buy everything else. We don't run for the swag, but something like UTMB, I expected more!

Course/Altitude:

Amazing! Views were spectacular! The Alps are an amazing magical place. The climbs and descents were some of the longest I have ever faced. While vertical gain was nearly the same, it was the altitude that made a huge difference in the difficulty in the two courses. UTMB never went much above 10,000', so while difficult, it didn't become a factor like it was at Hardrock. UTMB was also 106 miles versus 100 miles at Hardrock.

Aid Stations:

Very different from the aid station fare we have become accustomed to in the United States! I'm not a fan of meats and cheeses, which is primarily what was served at UTMB. Some Aid Stations that advertised food also did not have any. Note: you should always have what you need and not try to rely on Aid Stations. I was ill prepared as with traveling, I didn't pack many backup options or find good backup options at the markets. Language could be a barrier at times depending on the volunteers and my ability to communicate in the same language. I tried to learn some basic French and Italian. I did ok, and often found a way to express my need. Some times it just took longer due to my fatigue.

Crew:

Front end, I only saw them once and it was too early leaving me over 50k to seeing them at the midway point. The back end I saw them more frequently and appreciated the frequency due to my fatigue and greater needs due to how tired I was. My crew were able to take a bus to the various crew accessible aid stations without fear of missing me.

Pacers:

Not allowed. Understood due to the number of runners out on the course. I was fortunate to find a friend in the race I could do a majority of the back half with!

Gear:

UTMB is very particular about their mandatory gear and they will let you know 24 hours prior to the start which kit (of the 3 options - hot weather, wet weather, or rain) you need to bring to check in. They check and sign off all your equipment at the checkin. There were also gear checks at aid stations along the course. I used the Salmon Adv Skin 12 pack, Black Diamond Carbon Z poles, Hoka Evo Speedgoats for shoes, and Drymax Sage Cannaday socks. I had two jackets, one a light windbreaker I picked up while in Chamonix by Columbia. I believe it was their FKT jacket. I also had the Salomon Bonatti Pro waterproof jacket. 

Finisher's Award: 

We received a Columbia fleece logo'd vest. It was a nice award.

Overall impression:

While this race is a bucket list race, and Chamonix is a destination I suggest everyone try to visit even if you don't race, I was underwhelmed by the race itself. The course is amazing, but looking at the race overall, I didn't feel it lived up to the hype. While I am super happy I did it and finished, I would not do UTMB again.  

*This one should not be missed!

Hellbender 100 Podcast

Episode 10

With Registered Dietitian Jake Edmiston

This episode is jammed packed with nutrition tips. Both in training and race day. I hope you'll have a listen!

Xero Oswego - The Shoe I live In

My local run shop, Foot Rx, turned me on to these shoes. They are a knit moccasin like shoe. There's no cushioning to them (aside from the minimal insole), but my feet couldn't feel better or more comfortable! I know that sounds weird, but this shoe is like wearing your most comfortable bedroom slipper all day long. 

It's obviously super flexible and soft. It has laces, but even though the shoe stays loose on my foot, i never feel like my foot is shifting around.

I even had to run a bit in them on the road. While I did feel the shoe was a bit shifty due to the loose fit, they were just fine for the 2 mile run home. 

I walk my dog in them each morning on our dirt road. At first, I could feel the rocks under foot and felt a bit uncomfortable by them poking at my feet. Over time, my feet became accustomed to this and almost feel, as weird as it sounds, massaged by the rocks. That felt strange writing it, but it's true!

I know I've wrote two reviews recently on Xero shoes, but I truly like what they are doing!

I also just did a Podcast with CEO of Xero shoes Steven Sashen. Check it out below.

Fuel of the Month

Precision Hydration

It took me awhile to come around to this company. I had heard a number of Podcasts that featured Andy Blow, Co-Founder & Sports Scientist and wanted to learn more for myself. 

The website has a survey that you take to determine a hydration plan based on your answers. It's not fool proof, but it does make it a tad more personalized than most companies. They suggest a sweat test for optimal formulation of a personalized plan.

I had a discount code from the last Podcast i had listened to, so I decided to give them a try. Obviously the weather hasn't been too hot, so I haven't been able to fully test it, but I want to put it on your radar even if you just take the survey to learn more about your hydration needs.

Podcast of the Month

 The Movement Movement Podcast

with Aaron Saft - Episode 120

Man, we dig into the behind the scenes of owning a run shop, footwear (of course), and getting stronger without lifting a weight.

Have a listen...

Upcoming G5 Trail Work Days

Jan. 7 - Kitsuma

Jan. 15 - Rostan

Jan. 22 - Mackey Mtn

For more information and to reserve your spot, please click the button below.

American Trail Running Association 

The American Trail Running Association, ATRA, was formed in mid-1996 as a Colorado not for profit corporation to serve the mountain, ultra & trail (MUT) running community. Our mission is to represent and promote mountain, ultra & trail running.

POW helps passionate outdoor people protect the places and lifestyles they love from climate change. We are a community of athletes, scientists, creatives, and business leaders advancing non-partisan policies that protect our world today and for future generations.

Want to check out Xero Shoes? Click the button below...

Love this community, and happy to share what I know. Please reach out if you have any questions in any aspect of running, training, and or racing!!!

Sincerely,

Aaron Saft

MR Runningpains