I HIRED A RUNNING COACH!

My running coach!  It's kinda funny actually.  I met coach through facebook running pages!  I'm that running person that not only loves to run, talk about running, read about running, but also follows run pages for fun.  I started following Nathan with Beast Mode Running because I took note it was close to home in Fort Lauderdale.  I had the chance to meet coach Nathan and his family running a local 5K Memorial Day weekend in 2014.  It was my last race before heading up to Michigan before that BQ bust at the Charlevoix Marathon in June.  (refer to previous post)  

After trying a few different marathon training plans on my own, and making up my own schedules, I decided it was time to hire a coach.  I hired Nathan! It was in October 2014.  I told him I wanted him to train me to qualify for the Boston Marathon.  The reason I decided to hire Nathan?  It wasn't just because he was willing to take on the challenge.  He's a family guy, an amazing runner, passionate about running and he knew how special it would be to qualify for Boston as he had just qualified for the first time himself that year!  (I still love asking him all about it)

I loved how encouraging and supportive coach was.  He lifted me up when I was down and he knew what to say to me when I had to concentrate or focus on the right things.  I wish I still had the thoughtful email he took the time to write when I was frustrated about my fitness level returning to running after needing to take a lot of time off for an injury.  He taught me that it's not always pace we need to concentrate on.  We need to focus on effort, strength, proper fueling, mental toughness and REST.  I listened and followed everything he planned out for me to do.  I was motivated and determined to reach my goals!

Hiring Coach I soon became part of a team of runners training for their own personal goals.  The Beast Mode Running team!  It's a wonderful group that shares the same passion and support for each other while also having fun training.  We would meet for track once per week and a fun recovery run at the beach on the weekend after having done a long run the previous day. (well, that was my schedule anyway)  It's been fun getting to know one another and the best time for that was always when you could schedule a long run with one of the others.  It's been awesome to meet such a great group of people.  Looking forward to the continued friendships!

Packet pick-up with the fellas of Beast Mode  

Training fun at the Beach 

Me with some of the ladies on Track Thursday

It's amazing how much I have learned about training for a marathon with coach and my running team.  I'd say it's been more this time around than I have training for all the other marathons I have run.  It's fine to follow the different marathon plans and have the experience of running 26.2, but this time was so much more enjoyable and was truly a great positive experience.  Especially with all the support we all give one another!

The one thing I will never forget during my training?  Getting a chance to talk to Coach after he ran his first Boston Marathon on Monday the 20th of April 2015.  He said, "KELLY, YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE BOSTON!"  After he said that - was the first time I actually started to visualize myself qualifying for Boston!  I felt this was coach's way of telling me he had the confidence that I was going to reach my goal.  This is the positivity that I needed for me to start believing in myself.  I was doing all the work, but it's also important to visualize it!  If you want to qualify, you have to believe in yourself and you have to see it happening.  I STARTED TO BELIEVE!

What marathon training plans have you followed?
Do you run with a running group?
Would you ever consider hiring a running coach if you haven't already?