What's in a coach?

I recently have had a few good conversations with fellow runners about coaching. One has a coach, one doesn't. Without going into detail about personal information, one is having some major issues with her coach and it got me thinking, what should you really look for in a coach? Why get one? Is it really worth spending the money when the wonderful world of Google can give me a free plan to train for (insert race distance here)? Let's talk about it. But first, it's time for 'a rundown of Britany's life right now'! We should really think of a clever title for that...

A year ago, around this time (obviously in September), I was in Michigan for a few weeks. I've really missed home lately, mostly because it's officially Fall and as much as I love living in Arizona, nothing beats running during the Fall season in Michigan. I can almost visualize going down the Macomb Orchard Trail, the tunnel of trees that are changing colors, stopping at every bathroom because I was ignorant about my dairy consumption. Too much? I told you I'm transparent. You know what I miss the most? Eating enough cider mill donuts to put you into diabetic coma. I actually found out Yates, my favorite place near my local town, ships donuts and cider. I thought I was saved but the $35 shipping fee made me close that browser window real quick. Needless to say I'll be filling my own donut pan this year. With the uncertainty of the world still and not knowing when I'll be able to go see my family again, it really puts a downer on your mood some days. Sure, some people will fly willingly right now but I am not one of those. Maybe I'm being too cautious but when you live with someone who is in the high-risk category whom you also love to the moon in back, you won't take the chance. I hate technology but in this case, I'm thankful for video chatting.

I believe we're finishing off week 5 of 5K training, if I remember correctly? Things are actually going really well. My knee *knocks on wood* is feeling fine. I haven't had to tape it this past week. My skin started to get a little irritated so I gave it a break but it seems to not be calling out for the extra support any way. The mornings are dark much later nowadays with the sun not giving any peak of light until almost 6am. My Noxgear vest has been getting a lot of action! Thankful that I have it, especially since I run along the road pretty often. I see a few other runners in my town wearing dark colors with no lights. I may look like a running rave party of weird but at least I'll be seen. I've also resorted to wearing a proper HR strap that I forgot we had stuffed in a drawer. I forgot how much more accurate it is than the wrist-based sensor. Some days, I'd be out on a easy run and my watch would read 180bpm. I definitely knew that was whack. Heart rate straps might not be the most comfortable, especially for us ladies who have to wear bras, but knowing I'm getting more accurate data makes me happy. What can I say, I'm a nerd. I like numbers. I've been peeping through the internet for some potential next races already. I may or may not have ultra on the brain again....

So, let's talk coaching. Obviously, this will all be my own general opinion. You do you. I've been on both sides of being on my own and working with one. I currently work with one and have for about three years now so maybe I'm biased. I decided to throw my 10 cents into the pot because I've had this conversation before and have seen multiple posts on my running team's app of people seeking advice on coaching. 

• Why should I get a coach? This is probably the one question I see the most. I usually offer advice on different spectrums. Do you have a specific goal in reach, maybe a personal record or trying for that Boston Qualifier? Maybe you want to build endurance or have more structured workouts. The biggest game changer for me? Coming off of injury. I've seen so many runners injury themselves, take time off (or run through it like an idiot) and then try to come back into it firing on all cylinders only to sustain an injury again. My coach has lifted me from three injuries, all of which I've successfully come back from and raced with healthy and happy results.
• I should probably get one of those pro runners to coach me, right? That's your prerogative. If you want to be coached by the great (insert athlete name here), go for it! I know some professional runners who love to coach. However, keep in mind, their resume isn't yours. Don't assume that you'll become Hercules on the marathon course because your coach just ran an insane time at Chicago. Your goals will be your goals and only yours. 
• What should I look for in a coach? First and foremost, credentials. Would you go to a doctor if they weren't board certified? I would hope not. Make sure they are indeed certified, typically through the RRCA. It doesn't hurt to skim through their accomplishments. Some may publish it, some may not. It does help to work with someone who may have ran the distance you are looking to run or a specific race. Aside from certification though, the biggest thing, at least to me, is being able to have transparent and open communication. If you aren't sure if you're ready to sign the imaginary contract line, see if you can have a call with them and talk about what your goals are. See if you two align well. Make sure you'll feel comfortable bringing up issues you have with a specific workout, what's working or what's not, and even share your personal victories! If they work with an application such as Final Surge or Training Peaks, they can see your data, but sometimes saying, "I can't believe I did that good!" is a great feedback line not just for yourself but also for them to know you're on the same page. Some coaches may require a higher fee to have more communication and, in my opinion, it's worth it.
• How much is TOO much to pay? I don't really have an answer to this question. It's all within your own budget. For myself, I stay within the $100/month range. I don't pay for a gym membership since I do all my cross training at home and most of my resources are free, so the expense works for me. Sometimes I tell people you can't put a price on your goals but at the same time, I see some coaches charging upwards of $300 with basically no options other than 'here's your plan, have fun'. I don't need the whole kitten caboodle but I also want to make sure I'm getting what I deserve to pay for.
• Are the free plans just as good? Sure! If that's the route you want to go, be sure to use legit sources. I trained for my first marathon using the Hansons Marathon Method. Hansons offers free plans on their website as well as in their book, which I highly recommend getting even if you don't use their plans. I used the 'Just Finish' plan. Honestly though, having someone do the work for you and take the guessing out of the numbers involved is wonderful. When you get sick or injured and have to take a break, it's nice to also have someone be able to adjust things at the drop of a hat. Again, my opinion.

At the end of the day, the ball is in your court. I'm not knocking the free route whatsoever! I think it's a great way to get going. I know not everyone can afford the expense of having coaching services. I hope some of that offers a little insight to whomever may be on the fence. I will always work with my coach as long as I'm running. She has become my sister from another mister and has been my foundation to building back from injury to becoming the strongest runner I've ever felt to be in probably forever. She's coached me through short runs to ultras and never hesitates to be there when I'm like "I don't know what the F I'm doing". 

On that note, happy spooky season though I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like we've been living in a horror film since the beginning of the year. 

Hey, It's June

One of these days when I say "I'll keep up on this blog thing" I'll actually mean it, I swear. I mean, what else do I have to do? I'm not working. I've deemed myself a professional live-in chef to my husband. I'd like to think I'm the next Charity Morgan but minus the football team.  If you have no idea who I'm talking about, check out The Game Changers.

I think it's safe to say we are all riding the worst rollercoaster ever. I won't get political on here but let's be honest, we're fricked. We're in the midst of a pandemic, which I feel like many people have already forgotten about. Over 100,000 people are dead and cases are still on the rise. I can't even type that without getting upset and sad. I won't even go into the problem of police brutality. Everything is just as bad in every way. I can't be out there with everyone but Lord knows I stand here with them.

One subject matter that has come up quite often these past few months is mental health and how there has been a rise in those seeking help. I've never publically talked about this and just recently came out about it to my running coach but anxiety is something I've been dealing with for a while now. Due to recent events, it's pretty much been much more prominent in my life than not. Usually, I'm pretty good at making it subside or preventing it from coming on at all. I don't take medications or anything as I like to take a holistic approach to everything. It was suggested I take a gander at the application Headspace and it's been awesome. They are even offering a free year subscription to those who are unemployed, otherwise, you can try out a 14-day trial by clicking here. It might feel weird at first. Sitting still for 5-10 minutes is actually a lot harder than it may seem but after a few days, I've looked forward to it so much. Whenever I want just to sit and have a guided meditation has been wonderful and a big aid at emptying my thoughts. Mental health in the form of telemedicine is something that is slowly becoming more widely available but I still think the accessibility can be improved and the cost. Either way, it's okay to ask for help, even if you think whatever you may have going on isn't "as bad" as someone else. Just talking with someone can be such a huge weight off your shoulders. I've been journaling every morning for the past 21 days. I even set a "Digital Wellbeing" block on all of my social media apps from 5am-12pm though I'm considering making it longer. I absolutely love my Instagram family but sometimes, it's too much. It's too much to take in on everything being posted. It's too much to consistently try to seek validation so people can be like HEY LOOK WHAT I DID I'M THE BEST. I'm guilty of this and I know some of you that read this are too. We all are at some point. There is tons of positivity radiating on there but sometimes it's equally met with negativity. I've connected with a lot of people I wish lived closer to me and I've also become annoyed with those I wish would take a break and find out who they really are. Either way, remember everything else around you. Sometimes when you put the screens down and take a moment to look around, you do realize there is more to life than just scrolling your feed for 15 hours a day. It's been a wonderful choice I've made.

Phew, okay. That was a lot to get out. Should we talk about running? We haven't since I finished my ultra. The good news is that I'm still doing it. I took a week off after my race and just did yoga every day. My body felt fully recovered probably 2 days after but it's good to have that reset period. My coach had me start back up with some light work and cycling. I told her I wanted to incorporate more cycling into my training since I've really enjoyed it and it's really been a great help to my cardiac fitness and endurance. The NordiTrack is still amazing. One day I'll have a road bike but until then, I'm enjoying rides all over the world. Last week I rode in Tokyo. Tomorrow I'll hit up Colorado. My first attack was the McKirdy Mile. I wasn't setting big expectations on my time since I had only run twice and was only two weeks post-race.

Yeah, needless to say, I was quite surprised when I looked down after I hit the 1-mile mark. I told my coach that I'd be happy with an 8:30, even an 8:15. It was a great accomplishment. It also lit a fire under me wanting to work more towards becoming more efficient. Becoming faster is one thing but doing it in the most efficient way is important. I started looking at races coming up for the fall and winter. To be honest, I am not comfortable being around people and I highly doubt that will subside for the rest of the year. Sure, maybe I'm being too cautious but it only takes one person. I'm okay with riding the virtual race train for a bit. I registered for the SeaWheeze virtual half marathon and will attempt that in August. I guess you could say I'm currently in week 2 of training for that and my coach just started implementing speedwork in today. Have I mentioned how thankful I am for her? Because I am. 

Let's see if I keep up with an actual consistent schedule with this thing again. I'm trying to play around with the layout again since I got bored with the purple. I want it to look cleaner. I'm kind of OCD when it comes to graphic design. What can ya do? I hope you all stay safe. Stand up for yourself. Be grateful for what you have and pray.