What Clients Expect When Hiring an Online Running Coach

As a client, you don’t have to be a professional athlete to work with a coach. If you enjoy running and have personal goals to meet, you can benefit from a running coach. 

Thanks to social media and smartphones, it’s easier than ever to access personal trainers and coaches. There is a whole world of virtual coaches that can help you improve your running game. 

If you have never worked with an online coach before, it helps to know what to expect. Understand what you’re getting and how this will compare to an in-person coach before you sign up for sessions. And if you’re a trainer, this is why clients may be seeking your services.

What is a Running Coach? 

Like any other type of coach, a running coach works with clients to provide guidance, education, training, support, accountability, and ultimately results. Most people tend to think of coaches working with teams, but they also work with individuals. 

Aside from track teams, running is an individual sport. Many runners, from professional athletes to weekend warriors, work with coaches. 

A running coach guides their clients’ training, develops workouts and training plans and cycles, offers motivation and encouragement, and teaches form and race strategy. 

What Are the Benefits of Coaching?

Regardless of where you are on your running journey, a coach can benefit you in several ways: 

• Define and meet your goals. This is one of the main reasons people turn to coaches. You have goals, but you need help meeting them. Or, if you feel a little lost and unfocused with your running, a coach can help you refine your goals, then meet them. 

• Get out of a fitness rut. Maybe you don’t have specific running goals, but you feel stuck in your fitness journey. A coach can give you purpose and a plan to improve your fitness and get you excited about working out again. 

• Maintain consistency. Many people struggle with consistency in running, but it’s essential for improvement. A coach’s training plan makes it easier to stick with a consistent schedule. 

• Learn and run safely. Running is a sport that nearly anyone can do, but this doesn’t mean everyone does it well. A coach will help you run safely to minimize and prevent injuries and maximize recovery. They can teach you about form and other technicalities of smart running. 

• Save time. A coach might get you out the door more often than previously, but they also offer the most efficient, time-saving way to meet goals. With a coach, you don’t have to do the research and come up with your own training plan. You don’t have to think about each run, just go out and do it. 

Learn more: If you love running, check out this article to learn more about what a running coach does.

What to Expect When Hiring an Online Running Coach

There are so many benefits of working with a coach, but if you have never done it before you might hesitate. Don’t let the fact that you’re not a pro athlete keep you from benefitting from a coach. Your goals and progress matter. If you can afford a little coaching, go for it. 

Another reason people hesitate to hire a coach is because they don’t know what to expect. There is an element of fear of the unknown. Every coach-runner relationship is unique, but there are more similarities than differences. Understand what to expect so you feel more prepared moving forward. 

A Personalized Training Plan

If you have been running and doing races for any amount of time, you have probably come across or even used a training plan. This is a schedule of workouts designed to help you hit a specific target, such as running a half marathon or the Boston Marathon. 

For example, you can easily find a general training plan for a sub-four-hour marathon. These plans can be useful, but the generic nature of the schedule and workouts naturally makes them limiting. 

What you get with a coach is a personalized training plan. Whatever your goal, schedule, and time frame, a coach will get to know you and create a plan that best meets your needs. With a coach, the plan is also adjustable. They can change up your mileage, adjust workouts, or push you harder depending on your progress. 

Running coaching is a growing market as more people seek to improve their fitness without always having to be inside a gym. Boost your personal training business by becoming a certified coach for runners.

Accountability 

A generic paper training plan does not do a very good job of holding you accountable. It’s so easy to give up or to cut back on anything that is difficult, including a running workout. A coach is built-in accountability. 

When you have someone to answer to, you are more likely to follow through and get the work done. If you struggle to stick with workouts or training plans, this could be the missing element. A good running coach will check in with you, push you to get the workouts done, and depending on the service, might even track your activity through an app. 

Running Correction

You can do all the work on a training plan and still not be prepared for a race or make adequate progress if you’re not doing it right. A coach will follow your progress and find areas for improvement. They’ll talk to you about form and correct any glaring errors or weak spots holding you back. 

This often means providing additional workouts for strength, flexibility, and mobility. A coach will look at your weaknesses and prescribe the right work out to shore them up and improve your form and results. 

Fueling Advice and Racing Strategies

Running coaches know a lot about running and racing, usually from first-hand experience. If you’re working toward a race goal, they will give you a lot of advice about what to eat and how to strategize for your event. 

Nutrition is an essential component of running but one that is often overlooked in favor of focusing on miles. Work with a coach who will provide fueling advice throughout your training plan and on race day. 

What to Expect When Hiring an Online Coach vs Real-Time Running Coaches

When you start looking for a running coach, you have two main options: an in-person, local coach, or an online, virtual coach. The former might seem like the obvious choice, but you can actually get all of the above benefits and services from an online running coach. 

There are some good reasons to go virtual. You might not have access to many coaches in your area, especially if you live in a small town or rural area. Maybe there is a coach you really like and want to work with, but they’re in another state. If your budget doesn’t allow for in-person sessions, virtual training can be a cost-effective alternative. 

Technology allows even virtual coaches to check on your activity and even monitor your running form. Gait analysis programs can take a video of your running and allow your coach to give you tips and corrections. Don’t expect to get away with more when getting coached virtually. They’ll still check in with you. 

Virtual coaching also leaves more room for flexibility. You can take your coach with you wherever you go, even on vacation. Unless you prefer it, working with someone face-to-face isn’t actually necessary. 

Whether your goal is to build fitness, do your first 5K, or set a personal record in your next marathon, consider working with a coach to meet it. An online coach can be a great alternative if you don’t have easy access to in-person trainers. A virtual running coach can provide you with everything you need to become a fitter, better runner. 

If you love fitness, consider becoming a personal trainer. The ISSA’s Certified Personal Trainer – Self-Guided Study Program is a self-paced, virtual course that provides you with everything needed to start a fitness career. Then, if you’re truly passionate about running, take your career up a notch with a specialization—become a certified running coach!