Running a marathon is no easy task to do alone. It is time consuming, stressful, mentally draining, yet it is something that can help someone become the best version of themselves. However, the question everyone should ask themselves before starting their training block is a simple question. 

Do you need a coach for running a marathon? 

This is a question that I asked myself over and over again before finally signing up for the race. Coming from my perspective I knew practically nothing about how to go about training for something like this. I just knew that it would require lots of time management and of course with running. Boy was I wrong, it is so much more than that. 

Learning from someone who knows more than you is something that could only benefit you. So, having a coach who was a great friend of mine was a life saver. He introduced me to so many things that I honestly didn’t know practically anything about. Kevin knew it all from his experiences of ultra marathons to half Iron Mans. My training wasn’t going out and running as much I could for that day anymore. It was a structural and precise plan to get me to where I want to be. 

Before getting a coach to run a marathon, I never knew what a speed workout was. I always thought that oh you aren’t supposed to sprint a marathon? So, why would I work on any speed work, right? Welp, Kevin shut that down right away. He explained how going fast for a mile then the next one is something that will make you faster over time. Also, how doing something like seven half mile repeats will make the long run on the week feel like nothing. 

So the question then becomes why wouldn’t you have a coach? 

There are some simple answers such as not wanting to pay someone or not knowing anyone who has this type of experience. However, the biggest one could be an egoistical problem. Not wanting someone to tell you what to do and when to do it. Not being on your own agenda or having someone telling you to pick it up. 

Honestly, I get it. I get why some people don’t want someone almost ordering them around. At the end of the day you should do something like a marathon for your own reasons. If it is just to have fun, then a coach might not be necessary. You just want to prove to yourself that you can do this insane event and that’s completely okay. 

That is something that I had to get used to right away, being humbled. Getting told that I am not doing something right such as my pre-run nutrition was something I wasn’t used to. However, I knew Kevin was only telling me the truth because this is how I will succeed along with growing as a runner. Which is something that I most definitely did, I grew exponentially as a runner. Seeing me not even struggle at a pace to when I used to, is something I wouldn’t be able to do anymore. 

So, I owe that to Kevin for pushing me when I didn’t want to. Without a coach, I don’t know if I would have been able to finish the marathon. For my first half marathon, I used an app called Runna. I scheduled it to coach me for my half marathon by only running three times a week. I didn’t really listen to the app at all. There was no discipline there at all, it wasn’t an actual person who understood me. 

The bond I formed with Kevin was a trusting relationship that helped me grow as a person, runner, and friend. Nothing was holding me back from reaching my potential, only myself as the plan was laid out for me every week. 

If you think you need a little help or a push to pursue your goals. You can email me at [email protected]