By Ann Alyanak
Are you still looking for the perfect gift for that special someone in your life? Is that person a runner? A Run S.M.A.R.T coaching package can make a great gift. Or maybe you need to be honest with yourself. If you’re reading this maybe getting a coach could be the perfect gift for you! Ok, I am a coach and I’m clearly biased but there are many good reasons why starting a coaching subscription can do wonders for your running. Fall into one of these categories?
Has your racing hit a plateau?
A Run S.M.A.R.T. coach can tweak your training and introduce new challenges to create a breakthrough. If you continue to complete the same workouts it will lead to the same results. A coach will have new ideas and training plans to help you improve your recent results. He or she can objectively look at your previous training to find your strengths and weaknesses and work with these to put a plan together to help you reach your goals.
Do you have a big race or big goals planned for 2015?
Maybe this is the year you are trying to qualify for Boston or run your first half-marathon or marathon. A coach can work with you and plan your training around these goals. Your training plan is individualized and geared completely to your goals and races. A coach helps keep you healthy as you work towards your important races. He or she uses your feedback and tells you when you need to back off and when to push. Staying healthy is one of the most important factors when trying to improve your running. Health allows for consistent and quality training – a key to improvement. Training under the guidance of a Run S.M.A.R.T. coach allows you to achieve your goals.
No big races scheduled but maybe need the motivation during the cold, dark and lonely winter nights?
Even if you don’t have any races on your schedule in the next few months a coach can still be very helpful. A coach helps keep you motivated during the winter months. A coach provides motivation to stick with a training plan. They provide constant feedback sessions to help you get out the door and complete your runs. A coach adds variety to your running schedule so you are not doing the same run at the same pace every day. Variety keeps running exciting and enjoyable. Motivation and enjoyment is important for getting through those cold winter months
Comfortable following a generic training plan?
You still might think that you can take a training plan out of a book or magazine. Understand that these plans will not be individualized to you. When life, stress or sickness causes you to deviate, these plans do not tell you what changes should be made. The same is true if you feel fatigued and are not hitting workouts, or if the workouts are too easy! A Run S.M.A.R.T. coach adjusts your training plan to your schedule continuously providing individualization that plans in a book or magazine cannot.
Give your loved one, or yourself, a great start on next year’s running season with a healthy, motivational way to meet their running goals. Give a Run S.M.A.R.T coaching subscription!
Ann Alyanak is a Run SMART Project private coach. As an athlete she finished 8th female overall at the Boston Marathon and represented the U.S. at the World Championships. Her PR is 2:34. To work with Ann privately sign up here.