How to Choose an Ultra Running Coach

Unlock the secrets to transforming your ultra running journey.  Join me, Richard Gleave, as I share my experiences running ultras since 2017 and discuss the potential impact of having a coach, especially for those navigating new distances or feeling lost in the balance of training and recovery. With stories and practical advice, we'll explore whether a coach is a luxury or a necessity for the back-of-the-pack runners who make up the heart and soul of the ultra running community.

Discover the critical factors to consider when choosing a coach, from understanding your personal goals to finding someone who truly comprehends the unique challenges of ultra running at the tail end of races. Whether you're gearing up for your first 50k or setting your sights on epic races like the Bigfoot 200 or Cocodona 250, clarity on your aims is key. I'll share my personal anecdotes of how a coach might have saved me from overtraining and helped me conquer those grueling final miles. Tune in for actionable tips and advice that could help redefine your running experience.

Support the show

Choose to Endure:
Email:
[e-mail]

Website:
https://www.choosetoendure.com/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@ChoosetoEndure

Instagram:
https://instagram.com/choose_to_endure?utm_source=qr

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552757049526

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello again and welcome If this is your first
time with us.
Thank you so much for stoppingby.
You are listening to Choose toEndure, the podcast dedicated to
non-elite runners, where weshare stories, interviews, gear
and training tips specific tothe tail-end heroes of the Ultra

(00:20):
Universe.
The tail-end heroes of theUltra Universe.
If you haven't had a moment todo so yet, consider heading over
to your favorite podcast app.
Maybe hit, follow, maybe ratethe show.
If you're getting something ofvalue, definitely feel free to
leave us a review and let othersknow what you think.
My name's Richard Gleave.
I have been running Ultras nowsince 2017.

(00:44):
I have taken on and finishednumerous ultras distances all
the way up through 220 miles,and I'll tell you, I am

(01:04):
unashamedly a member of the backof the pack, just like many of
you.
Now, let's be honest.
Ultra running isn't exactly anormal pastime, right, it's a
sport where you end up runningthrough the night.
You could be eating quesadillasat mile 70 and quite possibly
hallucinating your way throughmultiple stretches of a race.
So if you're thinking abouthiring a coach, you probably

(01:24):
want somebody who understandsthe weird, wild and wonderful
world of ultra running,especially those of us at the
back of the pack, so today we'regoing to dive into that topic.
It's been buzzing around for awhile, especially now as people
start setting goals for the newyear.
People start setting goals forthe new year.
This may come up how to choosean ultra running coach.

(01:47):
Whether you've thought abouthiring one before or you're just
curious about what they canoffer.
In this episode, I'm going totry to help you understand what
to look for, what to avoid andwhether you even actually need
one in the first place.
So lace up your shoes.
We'll get into it right afterthis.

(02:08):
Discover raw, inspiring storiesfrom runners who've been right
where you are.
This is the Choose to EndureUltra Running Podcast With your
host he's English, notaustralian richard gleave.
Okay, before we even talk abouthow to pick a coach, let's ask

(02:34):
the initial question first doyou actually need one?
I think for 99 of runners, theanswer isn't a clear yes or no.
It's a maybe.
I'm gonna sit on the fence withit.
A coach is definitely a luxury.
It's not a necessity.
You really don't necessarilyneed one.

(02:56):
If you've got a library cardand some grit and, yes, I'm
showing my age there you cangrab books like Tim Noakes' Law
of Running or Jason Koop'sTraining Essentials for Ultra
Running.
You can figure out a lot ofthis stuff yourself.
If you've got a bit of moxieabout you and if you're injury

(03:16):
prone, a session or two with aphysical therapist can give you
more value than some coachesever will.
But here's where a coach can begame-changing.
If you're chasing a big goal,maybe you're venturing into a
new distance or you just feellike you need somebody out there

(03:38):
to help keep you accountable.
For example, when I signed upfor my first 100 miler, I was a
bit overwhelmed.
I'll be honest.
I didn't quite know how tobalance the mileage, strength
training and recovery.
I barely actually did anystrength training.
A good coach could have savedme from overtraining and feeling

(04:00):
like absolute crap for the last30 miles and almost not
finishing the race.
So if you're someone who needsstructure, maybe some expert
advice or just a voice tellingyou you know what you've got,
this, you're going to be fine,yeah, then at that point a coach
might be worth considering.

(04:22):
So one of the first things tolook for if you're going to go
with a coach is to know yourgoals.
What is it that you're actuallytrying to accomplish?
Are you looking to tackle yourfirst 50k.
Are you looking to improve yourfinishing times, looking to

(04:45):
conquer a race such as Bigfoot200, cocodona 250, or some other
huge race out there?
Maybe you just want to stayinjury-free while training for
your next adventure and you'vehad challenges doing that up to
this point.
Whatever it is your goals aregoing to help you find a coach

(05:05):
that fits your needs.
So make sure you're clear onyour goals before you go looking
.
For example, if you're a back ofthe pack runner like me, maybe
you might think twice about acoach who only works with elites
.
You need somebody whounderstands cutoffs, pacing
strategies and how to staymentally tough.

(05:27):
When you've been out twice aslong as the leading runners and
you are actually one of the lastrunners on the course, I've had
friends hire coaches who didn'treally get or understand the
back of the pack experienceGreat coaches but they prescribe
70 mile weeks with noflexibility for work, family or

(05:49):
life, basically treatingtraining as if we were all elite
, and you'll know as much as Ido.
That's not realistic for mostof us.
So make sure your coach'sexpertise matches your goals and
, if we're being honest, yourreality, your life, what you're
able to do.
Secondly, make sure you dig intheir experience.

(06:12):
Here's where you've got to do alittle bit of homework yourself
.
Not all coaches are createdequal.
Some are phenomenal.
Others are great runners whojust slap the word coach on
their Instagram bio runners whojust slap the word coach on
their Instagram bio.
So what you should be doing, inmy opinion, is looking for

(06:37):
someone who has number one realcoaching experience and
preferably, a known credentialattached to them, not just
personal racing success.
Number two, look for someonewho has knowledge in areas like
strength training, nutrition andinjury prevention, which are
key areas for us at the back ofthe pack.
And number three, as wementioned before, look for

(06:57):
somebody with a track record ofworking with runners like you.
It's definitely going to bemore difficult for a coach who
was an elite runner to reallyunderstand the intricacies and
challenges that people at theback of the pack are facing.
Those may be much differentthan they were used to when they
were running.
So look for somebody who'sgoing to understand where you

(07:18):
are as a runner.
I've worked with coaches before.
I once worked with a coach whojust sent me a generic plan from
a big name program nopersonalization, no adjustment
from my own busy schedule.
Honestly and I'm being verygenuine here it definitely felt
like a waste of money for me.
Compare that to a friend ofmine who found a coach that

(07:43):
built her plan around herchaotic life.
They proactively checked in,weekly, tweaked workouts and
even discussed fueling and raceday strategies for her 100-mile
race and friends.
That is the difference a goodcoach can make.
Which do you think you wouldprefer?

(08:04):
All right, step threecommunication is pretty key as
well.
If you're paying somebody let'ssay, $150, $200 a month, which
is a pretty decent going ratefor a coach out there you
shouldn't have to be the one, inmy opinion, that is always
reaching out to them.
You are the customer here.

(08:41):
You are paying the money, and agood coach should take the
initiative to check in with youregularly, not just send a.
Discuss tweaks week to week,check how you're feeling and
what more they can do to helpyou reach your goal.
The relationship, I think,where I'm trying to go,
shouldn't feel one sided.

(09:03):
You deserve to feel like apriority because you're a paying
customer, not just another nameon a spreadsheet.
And, of course, when're engagedwith you and they are genuinely

(09:33):
interested in your progress,they make you feel important.
They make you feel like thecenter of their universe, even
though obviously they'veprobably got a whole bunch of
other people they're coachingtoo.
It's that personalization.
I think that really drives thevalue in a really great coach.
A whole bunch of other peoplethey're coaching too.
It's that personalization, Ithink, that really drives the
value in a really great coachversus one that's not so good.

(09:56):
Also, make sure the plan thatthey come up with fits your life
.
This one's pretty big too,right?
So a training plan is only goodif it fits into your life and
you're able to actually executeon it.
If you're a back of the packrunner, chances are, like me,
you've got a day job, familyobligations and fairly limited

(10:18):
training time available to you.
The coach you hire needs to beable to account for that and
explain how they're going toaccommodate it in the plan that
they provide for you andhopefully walk you through so
that not only do you have theweek-to-week but you have the
full scope of the plan, so thatyou can understand the different

(10:39):
periodized elements of thatplan, whether it's base four
weeks and then you move to apeak.
For whatever it is, your coachis going to help you through
that.
For example, I once worked withsomeone who had a really
unpredictable work schedule.
Her coach would send her weeklyplans and check in to make
adjustments if she had a lastminute work trip.

(11:00):
That's the kind of flexibilitythat you're looking for.
And let's talk mileage as well.
If you're training for ahundred miler but you can only
commit to four runs a week,that's something your coach is
going to need to talk to youabout and find a way to make it
work.
So ask potential coaches abouttheir approach to building plans

(11:23):
for people with busy lives likeyou and I.
If they can't adapt or you feellike they struggle to adapt,
it's possible that they aren'tthe coach for you.
And last but not least, becausewe've mentioned it already,
let's talk money.
Coaching is an investment.
It's an investment by you foryou, and the price should

(11:47):
reflect the value that youbelieve you're getting.
You deserve a personalized plan, regular check-ins and a coach

(12:18):
who's with folks like you and I.
Look for someone who offersvalue, expertise and a great
connection with you, not justthe big, fancy price tag or the
fancy name.
Okay, so let's wrap this upreal.
Choosing a coach definitely is apersonal decision, but here

(12:41):
again are the four key takeaways.
Number one know your goals.
Figure them out in advance.
Find a coach who is going tospecialize in getting you to
those particular goals.
Number two look for realcoaching experience and
credentials and someone whounderstands your challenges as a

(13:02):
runner, not just the ability torun fast race times.
Number three make sure theircommunication is proactive, not
reactive, and that your coachprioritizes you.
Actually, when you try to setup an interview or a call with a
coach, this is your firstindication of how that

(13:23):
communication is going to go.
That should give you a prettyclear idea.
And number four whatever planit is they come up with or are
going to suggest to you, thatneeds to fit with your life, not
the other way around.
Don't overpay for genericservices.
If you are considering hiring acoach, take the time to

(13:45):
interview them, ask them sometough questions and make sure
before you go putting money up,make sure they're the right fit
for you.
And if you decide a coach isn'tright for you right now, that's
perfectly okay too.
You can accomplish a wholebunch on your own if you need to
.
There's plenty of resources outthere that you can work with,

(14:06):
including fantastic Facebook andinternet communities, all right
.
So if you're out there on theinternet looking for a coach,
don't forget to subscribe tothis show too.
Hopefully you got some valuefrom that.
If you subscribe, you're goingto get notified each time a new
episode drops.
If you're enjoying what you hear, definitely feel free to follow

(14:29):
, share and leave a review aswell.
That would mean the world to me.
Your support helps grow thepodcast, connects to more
runners and spreads the word forthose of us who could benefit
from what we're sharing.
You can find us on Instagramand Facebook at Choose to Endure
, or visit us anytime atchoosetoeendurecom.
I would love to hear from you,whether it's to say hello,

(14:53):
suggest a topic or share yourstory.
You can also email me directlyat info at choose to enjoycom.
I have to tell you, interactingwith listeners, just like you,
is one of my very favorite partsof doing this show.
I love the conversations.
Please keep them coming.

(15:13):
So until next time, get outthere If you want to look for a
coach, so that you have theability to keep running long,
running strong and keep choosingto endure.
We'll see you next time.