Ask The Coach

Happy Wednesday!

Today on the blog I am very excited to do my first ever Ask The Coach segment! I get such a thrill calling myself a coach and legit am so excited to start officially taking on athlete soon!! (Looking at around March 1st!!)

The below questions are a mixture of questions about running, my coaching specifically and then some random ones for fun!!

Let the fun begin!!!

How to come back after a running free break?

Going to use a coach favorite phrase “it depends”----how long has it been? What was your level like before your break? Going off of having non of these answers I’m going to ball park and say in general start out slow. Walk for a bit, then run for 30-60 seconds, walk, repeat, etc. if you feel good then extend the run period to be longer in between walk breaks. Overall don’t go out and bust out a 60 min run off the bat. It’s easier to pump up the volume then go too hard and have to reel it back. You'll never regret a smaller run but can absolutely regret going too big too soon.

How do I get started running?

First off, WELCOME TO THE CLUB!! It's super exciting to start running. Like the above start slow and don't get frustrated. Get comfortable running with short timed running portions with walk breaks in between. The biggest challenge new runners face is going out too fast and losing steam just as fast. I always advised to walk and then "jog" . Just enough bounce to be faster than a walk but not a full out sprint like you would have done in elementary school. Concentrate on picking mini milestones—-if timed run portions are daunting for you, then pick a mailbox to run to, a house, a tree, etc. Sometimes a visual target is easier than trying to keep checking your watch to see if you hit 30 seconds.

How do I fit in strength, running and my regular life?

Not going to lie---It's ROUGH sometimes. Especially if you have kids it can sometimes feel like you have 1000000 balls in the air at one time. How I like to approach it is by asking myself “What gives you the most joy?”. For me running is my number 1 goal/priority so if I have to choose between running and strength training I will choose to run. BUT strength training is a big part of running stronger, healthier and overall better so even if you don't have time for a full workout I do urge you to sneak in a few minutes here or there. It doesn't have to be complicated---Do a small set of side lunges, butt kicks, hip bridges, clam shells, etc. but try your best to squeeze it in when you can. At the end of the day though this is supposed to be fun and fulfilling. DON'T LET IT FEEL LIKE ANOTHER CHORE!!

What do compression socks actually do?

In short they add pressure to your lower legs/ feet and help to maintain blood flow and help to reduce comfort and swelling. I particularly like to use them after a long run or a hard workout but truth be told like them only on my calves and don’t like the foot part. I linked the brand I use in my post HERE

What if I am having trouble hitting my workouts/paces?

A lot of follow up questions to this but what are you trying to hit pace wise? Have you hit it before? Are most of your runs "Easy" runs?----You can't make progress if you are running hard all the time. Most of you runs should be at an "Easy" or a "relaxed" pace--You should be able to talk while running and not be gasping. A big saying in the running world is keep your easy days easy and your hard days hard. Plus my biggest question would be "When was your last rest day?". You would be shocked that a lot of runners wouldn't even know off the top of their head. I really recommend one complete rest day---No strength training and no running. You'll be amazed at what it does physically and mentally.

If I’m not training for anything why hire a run coach?

I see this come up A LOT. I like to think of coaches not only as someone who provides you a plan and guidance but also as my personally running buddy. They celebrate your victories and help you in the hard times too. I feel like a run coach can be super beneficial when you are start out especially to help ease the chance of discouragement, injury and over fatigue. Even now when a lot of people aren't training for a specific race a coach can help you maintain your fitness while also helping you make progress so when you do decide to race you're ahead of the game.

What type of running coach are you going to be?

For me I really want to connect with my athletes. I know that sounds cheesy but it’s the honest truth. I see myself helping new runners, runners getting back into it as well as those shooting for PRs ranging from 5k-onwards. I'm not going to be a coach that yells or makes you feel bad for missing a workout/missing your pace. That's just not me. If you need a kick in the a$$ I can do that but I will never belittle someone for not doing 100%. Again, this is supposed to be enjoyable--even with training for PR's, big races, and big goals at the end of the day if you aren't enjoying any of it than really what is the point?

What types of runners are you going to coach?

New runners, old runners, mother runners, 5k, 10k and beyond!!! If you are a runner you're my type of person LOL. I want to especially be a safe space for people who are starting out, getting back into it or just don't even know where to turn. I've been there, done that, gotten frustrated and been lost. If I can help just one person learn to love running I will feel like it's all been worth it. It may sound corny as you're reading this but I just LOVE running. I mean heck I even wrote a love letter to running----It's my passion and what helps complete me.

Hope ya'll enjoyed and hopefully took something away from all of this!

Don't see your question here or have a follow up? Always feel free to DM my on Instagram or send me a email. I promise I don't bite, judge or eye roll! 🥰