Will a personal running coach make you successful?
Runners come in all levels and abilities. You may be just starting and want to know how to be able to run your first 5K or be an experienced athlete who wants to set a new personal best in a marathon. Will a personal running coach make you successful? Yes, all can benefit from a running coach but their needs are quite different.
We know that we need to dig deep within ourselves to be successful. It is us ourselves that put in the hard work to later see the rewards—whether it’s weight loss, increase of fitness, or crushing new running goals. But having someone else on our team, a running coach, can take our performance to a whole new level.
Many might think that personalized running plans are reserved for the professionals. Behind every Olympian or professional runner is a private coach that helped train them properly to reach their specific goals. But everyday runners don’t need to hire a big-name in order to have their very own coach. There are countless certified running coaches that are knowledgeable in the sport to help runners reach their potential. The benefits of a coach are many but the ones that most people agree on follow.
They help you define—and meet—your goals
Coaches are trained and experienced in helping runners figure out exactly how to meet their fitness objectives. They’ll also help you set other goals by telling you what’s realistic, what it will take [to meet your goals], and showing you the path to get there. This adheres to research which finds that the more measurable and intentional goals are, the easier they are to achieve.
A running coach helps to keep a runner accountable. There is a better chance a person would get out there and run if they knew they had to report back. Regardless of their goals, the runner is more likely to complete all their workouts and complete them correctly since someone will be following up with them.
They keep you consistent (and motivated)
Consistency is a “secret sauce” to good training, and your coach can help you be more consistent than ever and help you to get faster than you ever thought possible. Running is a long-term sport, so runners need to remind themselves that results don’t happen in weeks or even a few months. Staying consistent means staying motivated—and coaching may play a key role in keeping spirits high. One study suggests that one-on-one personal training is effective in not only changing attitudes towards physical activity, but also increasing the amount of time participants spent being physically active.
They will help reduce injuries with disciplined workouts and remind you of the little things
Different coaches’ program designs may vary, but any structured plan will include structured training runs, warm-up drills, cool-down and recovery activities, fueling guidance, strength training, and race-day prep. Besides having a personalized plan, a coach provides the right type of training. This includes teaching proper form, which then can reduce the risk of injury. It also includes learning how to manage the mileage without overuse and learning the importance of recovery and nutrition.
They can provide a training plan specifically for you
Structured training plans focused on you will reduce the risk of injury and maximize improvements. Reducing injury risk takes proper planning for running workouts and total mileage run per week as well as careful selection of day-to-day activities to balance the workload and recovery. A correctly balanced plan will stress the body when appropriate and then allow it to recover and become stronger.
They have great tips for nutrition and fueling
Nutritional guidance can be a part of the coaching experience. And, as most athletes know, nutrition is key when it comes to enhancing physical activity, athletic performance, and recovery
Improved performance; athletes in all sports improve with coaching
Very simple, studies have shown that hiring a coach will lead to improved performance at a much faster rate than by training on your own. This applies to all things, golf, tennis, swimming, and to running. As is true with most things in life, you will not live long enough to learn everything, so we must learn from others. This is especially true with a sport like running where there are many complicated factors. Whether you are interested in running your first race, from a 5k to an marathon, becoming faster at a given distance, or have plateaued and want to become fitter to break through that plateau, a coach can help you.
Running continues to be a popular activity and is often the starting point for those who realize their need to improve their fitness or lose weight. It does not have to be a standalone activity but can be combined with other fitness activities as in a triathlon or obstacle course event. As the popularity of running grows, so, too, does the stream of resources available online that help people get started and get better. From training guides, running apps, and assorted other tips and tricks, it’s perhaps never been easier or, more overwhelming to get started with running or take your training to the next level. It is equally easy to latch onto the latest fad workout that may not be right for you. Running magazines print their monthly “greatest” workout but fail to help you integrate that into a training plan that will guide you to your goal. It might be time to follow the lead of the more than six million people who work out with personal trainers. Yep, there is such a thing as a personal trainer who just focuses on helping you run better, a running coach.
