I suspect you’re right that there’s room for a new entrant(s) in the coaching market. Personally, I like the idea of AI + adhoc access to experts.
But, didn’t that state of trail running report say only like 2% of trail runners run trail races? In that way, it feels somewhat akin to surfing or skiing or cycling. I don’t know the stats, but I have to imagine the vast majority of participants in those sports don’t compete, and probably don’t hire coaches.
Maybe for most trail runners, it’s not about competing. It’s a soul sport.
The report seems to suggest 44% ran five races last year, with additional percentages running three or more races: https://docsend.com/view/jti4mdepccf2andw (see page 14/109)
Either way, I get the sense there is a bifurcation within the sport: runners who reach some threshold of “seriousness” or “need for coaching“ (however each individual defines that) vs those who don’t. For the former, a good chunk of them are willing to pay a significant amount of money on coaching.
I agree in general it is a soul sport and plenty of trail runners view it more as a lifestyle than a competitive endeavor.
Well now I’m confused. On page 13, the report says there are 257k trail runners who’ve run a trail race (derived from Ultra Signup according to the footnotes), and on page 9 it says there are 14.8m trail runners in the US. If true, that means 1.7% of trail runners in the US have run a trail race. 😵💫
The only thing I can think of that makes sense is that maybe the percentages on page 14 are *of the 257k* and not percentages of all runners, though the wording implies the latter.
I feel like more coaches should offer one off 30-60 minute consultations for like $50-100. The sounding board piece is huge, but most runners just want to be told "looks good bud!" or when they should do their peak training. Seems like an hour or so would do.
For sure! Would help answer some of the burning questions without athletes feeling like they need to commit to a full training relationship. Could also work to build trust and lead to longer-term coaching relationships in the future.
Anecdotally, I believe there are plenty of athletes who would be willing to pay for the “missing pieces” and have the opportunity to pick the brain of an experienced coach (then decide to commit more later).
The biggest challenge I see in the remote run coaching space (and this goes beyond trail) is the same as the biggest opportunity: anyone can call themselves a coach. This becomes problematic because there are a lot of inexperienced and flat-out bad "coaches" that don't understand what effective remote coaching actually entails. They're charging a couple hundred bucks/month and not doing much (e.g. templated/generic training plans, training that's not appropriate for the athlete, forgetting to fill in schedules, providing little to no or poor feedback on a regular basis, and/or have limited to no availability to talk/FaceTime, etc.), i.e. basically not acting like a professional should and this hurts the profession as a whole. It's a hobby or a hustle for many of them and they're not taking the role seriously. Athletes who have/have had a poor experience(s) think it's a poor return on investment and I don't blame them! These "coaches" give "coaching" a bad rap. Many athletes could/probably would do better spending less on a decent training plan and/or self-educating/programming on their own given the abundance of free (and generally pretty good!) resources that are readily available. On the flipside, and this is coming from someone that's been doing it for 20 years (full-time for the last 10), if you know your sh*t, treat the job as a professional, provide feedback and communicate regularly and effectively, in addition to providing training that's appropriate for the athlete, you can charge a fair wage for your time and expertise and athletes will pay it (and tell their friends!) if they're getting a return on their investment. So in short, I think there's a lot of opportunity for the coaching space to expand and evolve (n.b. some good suggestions in this post!), but I think poor coaching is a big reason more people aren't taking advantage of it.
Thanks, Mario! Your insight on this topic is super valuable and I appreciate the thoughtful response.
Do you think there's any improvements or innovations that can help filter out the "poor" coaches and surface the "good" ones? Other disciplines have certifications or other training that lend some sort of credibility to the coach, but given the personalization required in trail running (distance, terrain, strengths/weaknesses of the runner, etc.), I'm not sure this would change much. Any ideas based on your experience?
It’s a good question and I don’t know if I have a thoughtful answer yet. The online coaching world (in/out of trail) is kind of the wild west but a more standardized certification system might be helpful in filtering out the “poor” coaches. But first, more everyday trail runners/runners in general need to know that they are deserving and can benefit from great coaching, but yeah, need to help them know what to look for in a coach, what questions to ask, how to determine a good fit, etc. I’ll keep thinking on it!
Such valuable perspective here for the coaching industry and it was eye opening thinking of only this individual sport: trail running. The opportunity for coaching is so much broader when thinking across all endurance sports (e.g., cycling across all forms, running across all forms, xc skiing, mountaineering, swimming etc etc). Additionally, from my lens as a physician training in applied sports psychology and focused on mental health and mental performance, I'm also often thinking about the need for—and opportunity for—mental performance coaching as its own entity (somewhat independent from the physical coaching, but not entirely). I'd love your perspective here, Seth.
To some extent, I'd actually say a large extent, traditional running and endurance coaches help an athlete to build mental resilience and mental strength ... but it's not always the case. It takes the right kind of coach, and I believe it's a fallacy, especially among youth athletes, to think that all coaches will help build a child's mental strength and mental health. I guess all of this is a roundabout way of asking: Given your financianl and analytical perspectives and your personal gut perspectives, what are your thoughts on the industry of mental performance coaching for sports?
I think there’s a huge opportunity for mental training, especially in ultras, though I suspect it takes on a different form for everyone. E.g. some may want more mental toughness (finding a finish) whereas others are lacking in confidence (lining up with the intent to compete and win).
Like physical training, I sense it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution and there’s opportunity to weave mental training into a more holistic coaching relationship or as part of a collaborative community approach (e.g. running coach + physio + chiro, etc).
Totally agree. Sometimes the mental side can take a back seat in the mix, especially if it involves yet another professional. Still thinking this through
Thanks for a great piece and analysis! As a coached athlete-- who started coaching as well earlier this year-- I'm really excited by a lot of these ideas. I offered to create a two cycle plan in prep for a 100k, including some phone calls, for about the cost of a what I charge per month. Because I was able to aggregate the work on my end, I was able to pass on that time savings to the runner. I planned 3 months out to a 50k, we touched base on how things were going, and soon we will touch base again (recovery post race this week!) Then I will plan the next 3 months leading to the 100k.
I prefer this because, as a coach, sooo much depends on the person. Their goals, their life, their schedule. I want to make sure I am creating a plan that serves their needs and takes into account their lives off the trail. Parents who want to get to a weekend soccer game, or doctors who are on call on their feet 3 days a week, are different and deserve plans built around them. I hesitate to create a "100 mile training plan" as that would not be applicable to every person or every 100 miler. Courses are different, people are different. But it's nice to hear I may be on to something with the more limited--but still personal--coaching plan. Just have to figure out how to find more people who would want this...Seems like they are out there!
Really intrigued by this discussion and piece, glad I found it!
Thank you, Allison, for sharing such an insightful response! This is exactly what I’ve found has worked for me given kid responsibilities, job commutes, and a desire to continue to push myself in 100K+ distances.
Based on other comments, it seems like many coaching experiences are different and can’t be lumped into the same category. Some folks have had negative experiences with higher profile coaches and others seem to find what they need out of a more collaborative, community-oriented approach.
I think the good news is that there’s still a lot of evolution happening in this space. I’d be interested to hear about the feedback you’re getting from both the folks who opt into your approach vs those who want something more standard / structured.
Different people have different needs, motivations, and life realities. It’s awesome to know people like yourself are out there trying to help provide solutions!
I agree Seth! It seems coaching needs are as varied as people : )
The one athlete who chose the 3 month cycle approach did so because they wanted some coaching help, but needed a style that fit their budget. So I sort of created it on the spot as an offer in a female running group. It has worked really well!
I find that most athletes who work with me in a more standard way, tend to really enjoy it and stick around. I'm really grateful I have two athletes who are already discussing what they want to build towards in 2027! But I pride myself on extremely tailored planning. While many athletes may run the same types of workouts (you can't make a 60 min easy run that different) there weeks are structured to meet their work and family needs. Different rest days, different long run days, different speed work.
I have one athlete who is a bit of a hybrid, I plan the entire month out (I typically plan about two weeks out, allowing the schedule to be flexible and reactive to work, family, life, and feedback from the athlete) and then we discuss work and travel plans, and make adjustments. They prefer this approach so they know what the month ahead holds.
In general, as I said, I want my coaching to feel unique to the needs of the athlete. And I just really love the daily interactions we get in the training logs too! I think there is great value in building a long term relationship with a coach (and athlete) but there is also a need for shorter term approaches (coach towards one race and move on) and the "less hands on" approach so that all runners can have access to quality training methods without breaking the bank.
Fantastic analysis. I've been a long-time trail runner who occasionally does ultras. I haven't had a coach since college. I value guidance, and I also identify with your statement about wanting "ownership, feedback, and flexibility."
In the ultra space, I think many people are looking for a finish. For my first (and so far only) 100, I leaned really heavily on my personal network for guidance, and was essentially collectively coached (for free from my buddies... I'm trying to return the favor now as crew/pacer). Most of this was IRL or on text messages.
I'd love to see these group chats pulled more into the light in a public forum. I would join a welcoming place where I can go and ask my random questions without fear of judgement (how many miles should I be targeting per week, do I need speed work, etc.) and get thoughts from peers who are like a few events more experienced than me.
Maybe slack groups and reddit can accomplish that (and they probably already exist!). Guessing it'd take some strong community moderation to keep the vibes, but it could be cool.
I love this idea. I've always hoped something like this would make its way onto a platform like Strava (where many people already track their training), but it hasn't quite come to fruition yet aside from various groups you can join.
I agree the advice from peers or those a few steps ahead of you can be some of the most impactful guidance you can receive. I did the same thing when I first started running ultras and still lean on a few folks for questions even now.
I see this a lot in Facebook groups, especially those are the more female focused (as a woman I haven't joined or seen any "Men only trail running groups" but they may be out there) The issue I personally see with social media or a slack group is that those people don't know you. So much of running and training is personal to your goals, needs, strengths, weaknesses etc. A peer chat group has access to a lot of that intel that a larger forum wouldn't see. Though perhaps a Strava type extension would? I just feel the comments can run long and be in contradiction to each other.
However, this is coming from someone who has worked with a coach since 2020 and begun coaching earlier this year, so not an unbiased opinion ;)
I read (and wrote about) this same report and the more striking thing for me was how few people actually race. Like Ken wrote, the number of racers are very low compared to the numbers of runners which shows me that people run for reasons beyond competition and therefore they don't need a coach. Also, from those who race (at least anecdotally), few people are actually competitive, and they more just want to race to give their running some extra meaning and motivation, and they don't need a coach for that.
The wording in the report is confusing. Page 13 shows the number of trail runners who race (based on UltraSignup) is like 2% of the total trail runners listed earlier in the report.
Page 14 just says “43% of trail runners ran five events last year”. I’m assuming this is “44% of the 2% who race” but it doesn’t make that clear. It also states that “44% plan to enter five or more next year.”
And, if only 2% of trail runners run races (~257K on pg 13), why would 29% have a coach (3.5M on pg 34) and why would 48% of those spend more than $1,000 per year.
It doesn’t make sense that ~14% of trail runners spend more than $1,000 per year on coaching when only 2% of them race.
Something in the report isn’t adding up or I’m just completely missing something.
Compared to that, 29% is low, but I'd be curious to see an updated survey of trail runners or the same survey methodology carried out over several years.
I think this is part of it. I've had several road-running coaches over the years (which some in the local running group questioned because I'm not the fastest runner in the group), but there seems to be few trail running coaches. I contacted Krissy Moehl but she's pricey and I like her book but took a pass. She does offer check-ins as an option to paying a lot for her to write a plan. Hillary Allen is super expensive in my opinion. It might be worth it to hire a well-known coach for a younger, faster runner. I'm 64 and just want to beat the cutoff so I can finish the ultra.
I think the key is finding a coach who can meet you where you're at (age, goals, experience level, etc.). It seems like this may be the missing link in a lot of coaching relationships, at least based on some of the comments I've seen.
I had two 3 month coaching experiences in trail running. Both with well known orgs. Both were a desaster. In the 200$ / month case, I was coached for a 25k race as it would be an ultra. Nice people and all but totally biased by ultra methods and theory.
The other case, it was much cheaper and less individual and they had their own platform, but it was obvious their own platform was using wrong data all of the time. They couldn’t even tell me which wrong data they are actually looking at. It was so unempathetic, it was a disgrace.
Tons of money down the drain, but the results were more depressing. My outcome was much better when I was self coached.
Again, well known training orgs. So, the industry is off to a bad start. The level of expertise of the coaches I met during those experiences was also quite low. These orgs give you the impression that their ‚system‘ is as smart as their well known head coaches. It’s not.
Your ideas might be good starts but the bottleneck to me remains serious, well educated, unbiased coaches who really know their sh€&.
It takes more than a couple finished ultras and trail runs to be a good coach and a ton of mindwork. Until that bottleneck is fixed, none of your ideas will land in scaling that industry.
Thanks for sharing your examples, though I’m sorry to hear about your negative experiences with coaches. Seems like advancements in other areas can’t necessarily make up for coach who is lacking in knowledge or empathy.
I suspect you’re right that there’s room for a new entrant(s) in the coaching market. Personally, I like the idea of AI + adhoc access to experts.
But, didn’t that state of trail running report say only like 2% of trail runners run trail races? In that way, it feels somewhat akin to surfing or skiing or cycling. I don’t know the stats, but I have to imagine the vast majority of participants in those sports don’t compete, and probably don’t hire coaches.
Maybe for most trail runners, it’s not about competing. It’s a soul sport.
The report seems to suggest 44% ran five races last year, with additional percentages running three or more races: https://docsend.com/view/jti4mdepccf2andw (see page 14/109)
Either way, I get the sense there is a bifurcation within the sport: runners who reach some threshold of “seriousness” or “need for coaching“ (however each individual defines that) vs those who don’t. For the former, a good chunk of them are willing to pay a significant amount of money on coaching.
I agree in general it is a soul sport and plenty of trail runners view it more as a lifestyle than a competitive endeavor.
Well now I’m confused. On page 13, the report says there are 257k trail runners who’ve run a trail race (derived from Ultra Signup according to the footnotes), and on page 9 it says there are 14.8m trail runners in the US. If true, that means 1.7% of trail runners in the US have run a trail race. 😵💫
The only thing I can think of that makes sense is that maybe the percentages on page 14 are *of the 257k* and not percentages of all runners, though the wording implies the latter.
I feel like more coaches should offer one off 30-60 minute consultations for like $50-100. The sounding board piece is huge, but most runners just want to be told "looks good bud!" or when they should do their peak training. Seems like an hour or so would do.
For sure! Would help answer some of the burning questions without athletes feeling like they need to commit to a full training relationship. Could also work to build trust and lead to longer-term coaching relationships in the future.
Anecdotally, I believe there are plenty of athletes who would be willing to pay for the “missing pieces” and have the opportunity to pick the brain of an experienced coach (then decide to commit more later).
The biggest challenge I see in the remote run coaching space (and this goes beyond trail) is the same as the biggest opportunity: anyone can call themselves a coach. This becomes problematic because there are a lot of inexperienced and flat-out bad "coaches" that don't understand what effective remote coaching actually entails. They're charging a couple hundred bucks/month and not doing much (e.g. templated/generic training plans, training that's not appropriate for the athlete, forgetting to fill in schedules, providing little to no or poor feedback on a regular basis, and/or have limited to no availability to talk/FaceTime, etc.), i.e. basically not acting like a professional should and this hurts the profession as a whole. It's a hobby or a hustle for many of them and they're not taking the role seriously. Athletes who have/have had a poor experience(s) think it's a poor return on investment and I don't blame them! These "coaches" give "coaching" a bad rap. Many athletes could/probably would do better spending less on a decent training plan and/or self-educating/programming on their own given the abundance of free (and generally pretty good!) resources that are readily available. On the flipside, and this is coming from someone that's been doing it for 20 years (full-time for the last 10), if you know your sh*t, treat the job as a professional, provide feedback and communicate regularly and effectively, in addition to providing training that's appropriate for the athlete, you can charge a fair wage for your time and expertise and athletes will pay it (and tell their friends!) if they're getting a return on their investment. So in short, I think there's a lot of opportunity for the coaching space to expand and evolve (n.b. some good suggestions in this post!), but I think poor coaching is a big reason more people aren't taking advantage of it.
Thanks, Mario! Your insight on this topic is super valuable and I appreciate the thoughtful response.
Do you think there's any improvements or innovations that can help filter out the "poor" coaches and surface the "good" ones? Other disciplines have certifications or other training that lend some sort of credibility to the coach, but given the personalization required in trail running (distance, terrain, strengths/weaknesses of the runner, etc.), I'm not sure this would change much. Any ideas based on your experience?
It’s a good question and I don’t know if I have a thoughtful answer yet. The online coaching world (in/out of trail) is kind of the wild west but a more standardized certification system might be helpful in filtering out the “poor” coaches. But first, more everyday trail runners/runners in general need to know that they are deserving and can benefit from great coaching, but yeah, need to help them know what to look for in a coach, what questions to ask, how to determine a good fit, etc. I’ll keep thinking on it!
Such valuable perspective here for the coaching industry and it was eye opening thinking of only this individual sport: trail running. The opportunity for coaching is so much broader when thinking across all endurance sports (e.g., cycling across all forms, running across all forms, xc skiing, mountaineering, swimming etc etc). Additionally, from my lens as a physician training in applied sports psychology and focused on mental health and mental performance, I'm also often thinking about the need for—and opportunity for—mental performance coaching as its own entity (somewhat independent from the physical coaching, but not entirely). I'd love your perspective here, Seth.
To some extent, I'd actually say a large extent, traditional running and endurance coaches help an athlete to build mental resilience and mental strength ... but it's not always the case. It takes the right kind of coach, and I believe it's a fallacy, especially among youth athletes, to think that all coaches will help build a child's mental strength and mental health. I guess all of this is a roundabout way of asking: Given your financianl and analytical perspectives and your personal gut perspectives, what are your thoughts on the industry of mental performance coaching for sports?
I think there’s a huge opportunity for mental training, especially in ultras, though I suspect it takes on a different form for everyone. E.g. some may want more mental toughness (finding a finish) whereas others are lacking in confidence (lining up with the intent to compete and win).
Like physical training, I sense it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution and there’s opportunity to weave mental training into a more holistic coaching relationship or as part of a collaborative community approach (e.g. running coach + physio + chiro, etc).
Totally agree. Sometimes the mental side can take a back seat in the mix, especially if it involves yet another professional. Still thinking this through
Thanks for a great piece and analysis! As a coached athlete-- who started coaching as well earlier this year-- I'm really excited by a lot of these ideas. I offered to create a two cycle plan in prep for a 100k, including some phone calls, for about the cost of a what I charge per month. Because I was able to aggregate the work on my end, I was able to pass on that time savings to the runner. I planned 3 months out to a 50k, we touched base on how things were going, and soon we will touch base again (recovery post race this week!) Then I will plan the next 3 months leading to the 100k.
I prefer this because, as a coach, sooo much depends on the person. Their goals, their life, their schedule. I want to make sure I am creating a plan that serves their needs and takes into account their lives off the trail. Parents who want to get to a weekend soccer game, or doctors who are on call on their feet 3 days a week, are different and deserve plans built around them. I hesitate to create a "100 mile training plan" as that would not be applicable to every person or every 100 miler. Courses are different, people are different. But it's nice to hear I may be on to something with the more limited--but still personal--coaching plan. Just have to figure out how to find more people who would want this...Seems like they are out there!
Really intrigued by this discussion and piece, glad I found it!
Thank you, Allison, for sharing such an insightful response! This is exactly what I’ve found has worked for me given kid responsibilities, job commutes, and a desire to continue to push myself in 100K+ distances.
Based on other comments, it seems like many coaching experiences are different and can’t be lumped into the same category. Some folks have had negative experiences with higher profile coaches and others seem to find what they need out of a more collaborative, community-oriented approach.
I think the good news is that there’s still a lot of evolution happening in this space. I’d be interested to hear about the feedback you’re getting from both the folks who opt into your approach vs those who want something more standard / structured.
Different people have different needs, motivations, and life realities. It’s awesome to know people like yourself are out there trying to help provide solutions!
I agree Seth! It seems coaching needs are as varied as people : )
The one athlete who chose the 3 month cycle approach did so because they wanted some coaching help, but needed a style that fit their budget. So I sort of created it on the spot as an offer in a female running group. It has worked really well!
I find that most athletes who work with me in a more standard way, tend to really enjoy it and stick around. I'm really grateful I have two athletes who are already discussing what they want to build towards in 2027! But I pride myself on extremely tailored planning. While many athletes may run the same types of workouts (you can't make a 60 min easy run that different) there weeks are structured to meet their work and family needs. Different rest days, different long run days, different speed work.
I have one athlete who is a bit of a hybrid, I plan the entire month out (I typically plan about two weeks out, allowing the schedule to be flexible and reactive to work, family, life, and feedback from the athlete) and then we discuss work and travel plans, and make adjustments. They prefer this approach so they know what the month ahead holds.
In general, as I said, I want my coaching to feel unique to the needs of the athlete. And I just really love the daily interactions we get in the training logs too! I think there is great value in building a long term relationship with a coach (and athlete) but there is also a need for shorter term approaches (coach towards one race and move on) and the "less hands on" approach so that all runners can have access to quality training methods without breaking the bank.
Fantastic analysis. I've been a long-time trail runner who occasionally does ultras. I haven't had a coach since college. I value guidance, and I also identify with your statement about wanting "ownership, feedback, and flexibility."
In the ultra space, I think many people are looking for a finish. For my first (and so far only) 100, I leaned really heavily on my personal network for guidance, and was essentially collectively coached (for free from my buddies... I'm trying to return the favor now as crew/pacer). Most of this was IRL or on text messages.
I'd love to see these group chats pulled more into the light in a public forum. I would join a welcoming place where I can go and ask my random questions without fear of judgement (how many miles should I be targeting per week, do I need speed work, etc.) and get thoughts from peers who are like a few events more experienced than me.
Maybe slack groups and reddit can accomplish that (and they probably already exist!). Guessing it'd take some strong community moderation to keep the vibes, but it could be cool.
I love this idea. I've always hoped something like this would make its way onto a platform like Strava (where many people already track their training), but it hasn't quite come to fruition yet aside from various groups you can join.
I agree the advice from peers or those a few steps ahead of you can be some of the most impactful guidance you can receive. I did the same thing when I first started running ultras and still lean on a few folks for questions even now.
I see this a lot in Facebook groups, especially those are the more female focused (as a woman I haven't joined or seen any "Men only trail running groups" but they may be out there) The issue I personally see with social media or a slack group is that those people don't know you. So much of running and training is personal to your goals, needs, strengths, weaknesses etc. A peer chat group has access to a lot of that intel that a larger forum wouldn't see. Though perhaps a Strava type extension would? I just feel the comments can run long and be in contradiction to each other.
However, this is coming from someone who has worked with a coach since 2020 and begun coaching earlier this year, so not an unbiased opinion ;)
I read (and wrote about) this same report and the more striking thing for me was how few people actually race. Like Ken wrote, the number of racers are very low compared to the numbers of runners which shows me that people run for reasons beyond competition and therefore they don't need a coach. Also, from those who race (at least anecdotally), few people are actually competitive, and they more just want to race to give their running some extra meaning and motivation, and they don't need a coach for that.
I agree with all your points in general.
The wording in the report is confusing. Page 13 shows the number of trail runners who race (based on UltraSignup) is like 2% of the total trail runners listed earlier in the report.
Page 14 just says “43% of trail runners ran five events last year”. I’m assuming this is “44% of the 2% who race” but it doesn’t make that clear. It also states that “44% plan to enter five or more next year.”
And, if only 2% of trail runners run races (~257K on pg 13), why would 29% have a coach (3.5M on pg 34) and why would 48% of those spend more than $1,000 per year.
It doesn’t make sense that ~14% of trail runners spend more than $1,000 per year on coaching when only 2% of them race.
Something in the report isn’t adding up or I’m just completely missing something.
I love this information!
As someone who is interesting in undertaking run coaching courses and has ideas this is super helpful
What % of non-trail runners use a coach? Is 29% is high, low or normal!?
Good call out. There was a recent survey in 2024 that suggested 62% of runners (broadly defined) used a coach: https://run.outsideonline.com/training/when-do-you-need-a-running-coach
Compared to that, 29% is low, but I'd be curious to see an updated survey of trail runners or the same survey methodology carried out over several years.
That probably includes all road runners being part of a clubs here common trainings are lead by a coach. I don’t think the comparison holds.
I would only compare that 29% to people trying to run a sub-3hr marathon (maybe sub4hr), because entry to those trail races is pretty elite.
Still likely low in trail. Is it a skills issue? As in, are there simply not enough trail-specific coaches? Because that'll come with time.
I think this is part of it. I've had several road-running coaches over the years (which some in the local running group questioned because I'm not the fastest runner in the group), but there seems to be few trail running coaches. I contacted Krissy Moehl but she's pricey and I like her book but took a pass. She does offer check-ins as an option to paying a lot for her to write a plan. Hillary Allen is super expensive in my opinion. It might be worth it to hire a well-known coach for a younger, faster runner. I'm 64 and just want to beat the cutoff so I can finish the ultra.
I think the key is finding a coach who can meet you where you're at (age, goals, experience level, etc.). It seems like this may be the missing link in a lot of coaching relationships, at least based on some of the comments I've seen.
Thanks for sharing!
I had two 3 month coaching experiences in trail running. Both with well known orgs. Both were a desaster. In the 200$ / month case, I was coached for a 25k race as it would be an ultra. Nice people and all but totally biased by ultra methods and theory.
The other case, it was much cheaper and less individual and they had their own platform, but it was obvious their own platform was using wrong data all of the time. They couldn’t even tell me which wrong data they are actually looking at. It was so unempathetic, it was a disgrace.
Tons of money down the drain, but the results were more depressing. My outcome was much better when I was self coached.
Again, well known training orgs. So, the industry is off to a bad start. The level of expertise of the coaches I met during those experiences was also quite low. These orgs give you the impression that their ‚system‘ is as smart as their well known head coaches. It’s not.
Your ideas might be good starts but the bottleneck to me remains serious, well educated, unbiased coaches who really know their sh€&.
It takes more than a couple finished ultras and trail runs to be a good coach and a ton of mindwork. Until that bottleneck is fixed, none of your ideas will land in scaling that industry.
Thanks for sharing your examples, though I’m sorry to hear about your negative experiences with coaches. Seems like advancements in other areas can’t necessarily make up for coach who is lacking in knowledge or empathy.