Personalized Coaching Keeps Athletes Going Despite the Unexpected
/
The emotional and physical ramifications of COVID-19 combined with group training and race cancellations have derailed many runners’ training plans this year. Without a specific race to train for, we can feel at a loss for the purpose and goal of our training schedule.
Personalized Coaching with Coach Amy can bring structure and accountability back into your training plan, even if there isn’t an official race to train for in the short term. Coach Amy offers a dynamic and evolving plan that is unique to each runner. Each plan considers personal lifestyle, and running history including prior injuries. Coach Amy adapts each training plan on a weekly and seasonal basis depending on your progress and performance. She uses the Training Peaks platform to upload customized workouts each week which include specific instructions on how to do each one with encouragement and motivation.
“The most important goal right now is to stay healthy both mentally and physically. Some of you need to have a race goal to work toward during these crazy uncertain times. For some of you, the thought of working hard towards a race that may get cancelled is too frustrating and defeating. Whether you are in one camp or the other, the secondary goals are to maintain consistency and variety and that is what you will see in your plan. You will see hills, strength work, form work, pacing workouts, cadence workouts, distance runs and recovery runs. Whether you get the chance to test yourself with a race or not, these are things that improve your running over the long haul. So, if you find yourself wondering “why this workout?” - think of the long term, bigger picture: your future runner self. What does he/she look like? That is what you are aiming for.”
With so much to worry about these days, allowing an experienced coach to manage your running and fitness schedule can help you stay on track and accomplish your goals. Here is one athlete’s post workout note to Coach Amy:
“I was nervous about the interval paces beforehand and drove around a bit fretting....I did what you told me to do - just start and see. I noticed that when I struggled and fought for speed, it was harder. When I decided to focus on push off, leaning forward, and having fun, I got faster...Running is a metaphor on how to handle life: Relax, keep going and stay positive through hard things. How we react is up to us (like you always say)!”
We have the opportunity to use this time in tandem to train our brains and our muscles to become stronger, but we have to be intentional with our actions to achieve this strength. Imagine yourself and your goals during and post COVID-19. What do you envision? If part of your vision is a running PR, or feeling your personal best, Coach Amy can help.