Coaching Services

As a certified coach (RRCA Level II, UESCA, & 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.

ONE TIME FEE

12 OR 16 WEEK INDIVIDUALIZED TRAINING

SCHEDULES

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We will schedule two phone calls, the first is to set up your training schedule. The second is to follow up after you receive the schedule and make sure everything is understood. After that point, you will be on your own.

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12 Week Schedule Fee - $60

16 Week Schedule Fee - $80

Better to Be Over Prepared

Have you seen the social media post (or repost) of the guy that is addressing the trail runner that has the hydration pack, hiking poles, and lugged out trail running shoes? He says to that runner, something to the effect of “Relax! My daughter just hiked the same trail in crocs with her half naked Barbie doll.” It made me take pause and think about everything I take with me on a trail run. Of course, this father isn’t considering how far the runner is going or if the runner is practicing with the gear needed for an upcoming event.

I’ve been on both sides of the tale when it comes to how much gear I pack, and I can tell you with the confidence of Uncle Rico (Napoleon Dynamite reference) that it’s best to be over prepared when it comes to the gear you carry. My latest adventure and example for this was the Art Loeb Trail. A 30-mile run with around 8000’+ of elevation gain.

My adventure buddy and best friend, David Workman sent me an innocent text early one Monday morning in April. It read, “Do you want to run Art Loeb THIS Saturday?” Do I want to…YES! Should I? Probably not. I was just getting back to running consistently after the Umstead 100-miler in late March and hadn’t done any real vert training. I was about as well trained as a two-month-old puppy except my family didn’t have to clean up a mess after me when I read the text. But of course, I said yes.

I still had haunting memories from our last run on the Art Loeb Trail. My stomach had uncustomarily decided to give me a literal run for my money. It was awful! Thankfully we planned to stop a little past halfway on that run, but the memory was fresh as a daisy.

It was that memory that made me pack the way I did. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of different types of calories just in case my stomach went South for the Winter in early Spring. I want to preface my packing list with the statement that I love the idea of minimalism, but the reality is that every time I try to be more minimalistic, it always comes back to bite me in my keester.

The rest of the story can be read by clicking the link below to my Blog...

Running Tip of the Month

Using your Shoes as a Toolbox

We all can't have running shoe closets as pictured at right, but we should purchase shoes with intention and purpose. Of course, fit and function are at the forefront, but have you thought about purpose they can serve. Sure Aaron, I have a road shoe, and a trail shoe. It's simple, right?

I like to think beyond these and toward not only my training, but my goal race. I ask myself, will this shoe add something that I am perhaps missing in my shoe lineup, or do I just want it? There are a few things that can affect this decision.

1. Ramp - the offset of the shoe use muscles and tendons very differently. Using a variety of offsets in training allows for the muscles and tendons to be used differently, and the hope is to not injure those very things due to the fatigue of consistently running in one specific offset. For instance, my rotation includes Zero, 3-4mm, & 5-6mm offset shoes. I rotate between them as I have a history with Achilles troubles and constantly wearing Zero Drop aggravates my Achilles. Using and rotating through the other ramps helps in keep my Achilles happy.

2. Weight - how heavy or light a shoe is can affect how we perform. Too heavy and of course we can not go as fast and/or slow down over the course of a run or race. Too light, and our body can feel like it's being pounded by the ground, and thus muscles feel sore and fatigued. We must find the correct weight for optimal performance. Thankfully running shoes have come a long way in how much materials weigh in regards to cushioning! Which brings us to...  

3. Cushioning - we are in an age where you can find maximal cushioned shoes that don't weigh much more than a minimal shoe. It's incredible! We all have our comfort zone as to how much or how little cushioning we like underfoot. I like to have minimal shoes in my lineup for shorter runs to keep my foot strong, maximal shoes for recovery days, and everything in between for the majority of my training miles.

4. Features - there are so many shoes and categories on the market. When it comes to road running shoes, at minimum, it's great to have 2 types of shoes if you plan on racing and doing workouts. If not, just a daily trainer will do. If your goal is to race however, it's great to have a daily trainer, and another shoe that will be for workouts and race day. For trail running, things to think about for your purchase is:

a. What are the trails like you run? Are they technical with lots of rocks and roots that you need extra protection or are they smooth and buffed out and you can get away with something less aggressive?

b. If you are training for an event/race, will these shoes serve you well at that event?

c. Do you need something that sheds water/mud easily or something that is waterproof? Think about the climate and places you'll be using the shoe in this case. Are there lot's of creek/water crossings or will you be training through a snowy winter in which waterproofing might be advantageous?

d. Read shoe reviews of a person that has a similar foot to your own. If you have a very narrow foot, a reviewer that has a wide foot is going to have a completely different (and completely useless) review than what you need! Make sure the review is relevant to the aforementioned criteria for which you are selecting the shoe!

Most importantly, make sure you love the shoe in training! If not, keep looking!

Next article...Buying 2 of the same pair of shoes for longevity?

Training Tip of the Month

Coming Back From Time Off

You've done your body justice in taking time off (review the April newsletter on this topic)! So how do you not do it a disservice by coming back too quickly? 

Start easy and build gradually. What does this mean?

I suggest the first week or two you run every other day and keeping the runs to 30-40 minutes in duration for veterans and 20-30 minutes in duration for beginners to intermediate runners.

In week 3, I suggest running 2 days and taking a day off and building the durations to 40-50 minutes for veterans and 30-45 minutes for beginners & intermediate runners.

In week 4, you can start to run every day, but make sure to take one or two days off as needed. Limit your time on feet as we're not back to full training just yet. You can begin to add a medium long run 2/3 the duration of your long run and a long run (don't go crazy yet). Keep the long run under 1:30:00 for veterans & 50:00-1:10:00 for beginners & intermediate runners.

In week 5 you can begin to add strides back and pick up the volume of time on feet. Gradually add time back to all runs. Try not increasing regular runs by more than 5-10 minutes and long runs by no more than 20:00.

As for effort, keep these all conversational pace (never over Zone 3 for your heart rate). Actually the first 2-3 weeks, it's great to keep to Zone 2 heart rate.

This should get you back feeling healthy and spry!

Trail Maintenance

Carolina Mountain Club has trail that need a trail maintainer to adopt them. You can find out more information on the Club and contact them through the link below.

Their next Quarterly work day is June 5th, National Trails Day. Information on this can also be found on their website!

Shoe Review of the Month

Inov8 TerraFly Ultra G 300

I was certainly surprised when Inov8 introduced this shoe as it seemed outside their typical shoe! With a higher stack height due to the 25mm heel/19mm forefoot (6mm offset), its beefy for a company that has its roots in more minimalistic footwear! But they are a company try to keep up with the other trends in the industry.

What sets this shoe apart is the Graphene they added to the midsole. Previously, Graphene was only an outsole material. These shoes still have the Graphene Outsole, and they have added it to the midsole as well to provide more energy return and durability. Usually a shoe with a larger stack height need a good "rocker" midsole (think Hoka). instead, Inov-8 decoupled the heel. In other words, there is a flex groove in front of the heel in the outsole and through a portion of the midsole. This helps the shoe move and flex better with the foot. A welcome added mobility for more technical terrain.

With the Inov-8 TerraUltra 270 coming in as one of my top picks for trail shoes, I tried not to be biased (also, please note, as a disclaimer, I have no affiliation with Inov-8). So how does it perform? Overall, I give it an 8 out of 10 with ten being the best shoe ever.   

Fit - not as generous a toe box as the TerraUltra 260. The toe is slightly more tapered giving it a narrower fit than its brother/sister shoe. The laces lock the foot down for those with a lower volume foot (like me). If you're familiar with the TerraUltra, its toe box is more generous and higher volume. The TerraFly does not allow for a variety of width and volumed feet. The upper is durable and structured helping to provide a locked in feel when laced. It's not soft by any standard, but I didn't notice the upper being uncomfortable at any point in wearing the shoe. I also ran through multiple water crossings, and the shoe did well draining. It did not feel heavy upon exiting after a total submersion of the shoe.

Function - Since this shoe is touted as an "Ultra Running" shoe, I took it out for a "long run". I tested the shoe on various terrains such as road, dirt road, gravel road, & single track. I found the underfoot feeling consistent no matter the surface. It transitioned smoothly and moved easily with the terrain. Many shoes with a high stack height I feel overly cautious with foot placement. I was able to just run and move nimbly through the trails. I enjoyed it as it didn't feel clunky or heavy. The tread is overly aggressive, but handled the trails well. It was slippery on wet rocks (especially in water crossings). I was a bit disappointed in this aspect of the shoe.

If I had to compare it to another shoe for fit & underfoot feel, I'd say it's similar to the Hoka Torrent 2. The only difference would be that I would give the advantage for traction to the Torrent. 

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.

Podcast of the Month

Ultrarunning Magazine (UR) Podcast

Dean Karnazes Episode 

To compliment the Book of the Month, you can get a taste for it in this episode.

Have a listen...

Kogalla Lights 15% Discount

I'm a Brand Ambassador for Kogalla. You can purchase through the link below and receive a 15% discount.