Many of us think that a coach is only for those who are elite, or in high school or college and don’t know that you are able to have a coach for yourself even if you are just thinking about starting to run.

A few months ago my Red Cross CPR/First Aid certification was due for renewal. When I went to the class, the instructor asked all of us in the room what we did that necessitated having this training. When I said I was a running coach and it was a requirement to keep my status current, he was surprised.

He had never heard of there being a coach for running.

Have you ever been really involved in a hobby or job or something, and it just seems like everyone should know about it? Then one day someone asks you what you do, and they’ve never heard of it.

That’s how it feels for me. I’m surprised when people don’t know how long a marathon is, or what foam rolling is or don’t know that there are coaches for everyday runners.

Reasons for a Coach

1- Getting to the next level-There are many beginners that either want to get to the next level, or would like someone to guide them as they start.

2- Encouragement– Having someone by your side to encourage you and help you stay motivated are great reasons to have a coach.

3- Accountability is a big reason some beginners hire a coach.

It is hard to take up something new. Having a coach means you will have days that you are supposed to run, and days that you are supposed to rest, and days that you will probably be scheduled to strength train.

That can be easier for you to do, if you know there is a person checking at the end of the day that you did it, and someone that will ask you why you didn’t if you skip it.

4- Achieving Goals– Even a new runner should work on goals. Just following a plan off the internet may not get you there, since the plan is not tailored to you. It may even be hard for you to think of any goals.

A blueprint from a coach who knows all about you and your habits and your paces will direct you towards the finish line of whatever you are trying to accomplish. A coach will also discuss with you other goals that you may not have thought of, and ones that they think you are capable of.

5- Getting Personalized Training– With all the tools available to coaches today, you can be assured that a good coach will be tweaking your plan on a week by week basis to give you the most personal plan they can.

They can take what life hands you and incorporate changes so that you avoid injuries, burn out and overtraining. Of course, they can’t guarantee that, but they will help you through those issues as well.

They will also change and grow your plans as you gain running fitness, and push you further than you may have gone without one.

6- Constructive Correction– There were many things about running that I didn’t know, I didn’t know I didn’t know, and also some things that I thought I knew but wasn’t correct.

Having someone who could walk me through some of the confusion would have been great.

Even the essentials to start running like shoes, clothing, a walk to run program…all those things would have been explained to me and tailored to me personally. Having your quetions answered is a great benefit of a coach.

I’ve been doing some form work for myself for a while now, trying to correct some things and improving others, and having the knowledge of how to do that is beneficial for me and those I coach.

If you hire a coach, they may have you run for them while they take a video so they can analyze your form and see if there are areas that you can improve upon. Even if you have been running for a while, you can get great feedback regarding your form from a coach.

7- A Built in Running Buddy– It’s also a great thing to have someone who loves running to talk to! If you have started anything before and really liked it, I’m sure you have been eager to talk to others about it. I know when I talk to non-runners about my passion for running, eyeballs tend to glaze over. Having a coach means never having to say your sorry for talking about running!

Reasons to NOT Have a Coach

1- Can’t be consistent – If you don’t have the time to put in, or you tend to have to postpone or cancel your running days, you probably will end up frustrated with a coach and they will end up frustrated with you.

2- Certain personality types– If just like to do things by yourself or HATE when someone tells you what to do, no matter how well meaning, a coach is probably not for you (I’m kind of like that!)

3-“Insert your reason here”– there are those of you who just don’t want one, and that is fine!

But, if you can devote the time and like having a plan, having a coach may be something you want to persue.

What to Look For

So what should you look for in a coach? A lot will depend on what you want from them.

If you are just beginning, a coach that charges $200 a month for their time and trains 20 year olds for the Olympics is probably not a good fit for you.

Look for a coach that talks about taking on the novice runner.

Now, if you are breaking records on a college team, someone like that may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Certification

A coach should have some kind of certification. This will run the gamut from RRCA certification like I have, to coaches with 4 year degrees in Exercise Science and other degrees related to coaching.

Experience

You should ask about the experience of the coach as well.

All of us have to start somewhere, and just because a coach may not have been coaching for years and years doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be a good coach for you.

Also ask about how long they have been running. Someone who has coaching certification after only running for a year may need a bit more experience at both.

That said, someone who has an actual college degree in Exercise Science, Coaching, Kinesiology…those are things to take in consideration, even if the person hasn’t been running for a ton of years.

Approach

Ask a potential coach about their coaching approach. I’m pretty conservative when it comes to mileage and training. Other coaches are more aggressive. I always ask a potential client what he or she is hoping to achieve and when, and have referred some to coaches who I feel will help them get to where they want to be closer to their timeline if I feel like they are wanting a more intense approach.

Your impressions

When you meet a coach, what do you think of their personality? Does it mesh with yours? If you are looking for someone who will cheer you on with lots of encouragement and be somewhat laid back, but your meeting leads you to believe they will be more rigid and militant you PROBABLY should pass…but keep in mind sometimes we need someone different than us, so really be honest with yourself about what you want and need.

Training

Ask what training will look like. How many days? Can things be rearranged if need be? Do they include strength training recommendations? Do they use a particular app or software to build your plans?

Communication Avenues

What are the avenues of communication provided to you? If you have a question on that particular days run and can only communicate via email that they may not see and therefore you may not get an answer right away, is that ok with you, or do you want someone you are able to text?

Now, keep in mind, coaches have lives too… and some (if not most) have “day jobs”, so as a client/athlete you also should not expect that your coach is at your beck and call either.

But you should be able to get a concrete policy from them about what you can expect when communicating with them.

What to expect

There are many coaches that do online or virtual coaching, and you can find them in a number of different places. The RRCA website will tell you whether a coach is virtual, in person or both.

Virtual coaches will usually meet with you over some kind of video app, and you can expect these one on one meetings to happen once a week or so. There are websites in some cases that you as the athlete will be directed to so that you can get your training for the week or 10 days or whatever cycle your coach chooses for you.

In person coaches will meet with you personally, but may also direct you to certain software or apps to get the training that they write.

Different coaches handle training times differently. I coach for 3 month blocks at a time, while others will take on clients for as little as a week or will write a plan for you for a price and then you are done. Check out different coaches websites to find out the different offerings available to you.

Hiring a coach is a process and if you decide you would like to explore the possibility, do your research and don’t be afraid to find the best fit for you before committing.

If you take the leap, you may find that you are rewarded with a relationship that takes you to your next level.