What types of running coaches are there?

Whether you are just getting started on your running journey or are a very experienced runner training to achieve your next PB, having a training plan with expert guidance to prepare and lead you will always make it more likely to be a success and less likely to suffer a dreaded injury (Harris-Fry, 2022; Movold, 2021) . 

Other benefits of a training plan include:

• Some training plans, like Coopah, provide you with your specific paces you need to do each run, as each run is not meant to be full effort. 
• Training plans also come with resting periods built in which are crucial to your overall training to prevent injury and overtraining (Harris-Fry, 2021).
• Training plans will already incorporate your weekly mileage so there is no need for you to work this out each week.
• Achieve a specific objective: complete a challenge; achieve a certain time on your next 10k; be more confident in your next marathon
• You will be less nervous on race day as you have done the right training

When you do have a specific training plan, whether you have created it yourself or looked for it somewhere else, possibly through a running coach. There are so many different types of running coaches and each provides different benefits. When looking to use a training plan it is important to know all the options available to you and we have done the hard work for you! So read more to find out about the different options available to you:

Personal Running Coaches 

There are online coaches as well as in person coaches. Running coaches can provide you with this expert knowledge and create a training plan for you. If this is the route you wish to go, make sure to find the right coach for you! 

However, this option is not the most cost-friendly option. This may motivate you to keep running and get your money’s worth. Personal running coaches create personal training plans tailored to your current running ability and goals. And if you fall sick or injured or you need to update your training, they are there to help you reorgranise your training and ensure you can still achieve your goals (Mateo, 2021). 

To read more about a personal running coach, head to Why you need a running coach? 

Group coaching sessions 

Another way of access to coaching is joining a running club. Depending on the club and membership you join and choose it could vary quite a lot. 

The thing I love about being part of a club or a running group is that you are part of a team and your fellow runners are on the journey with you. You may meet up once a week or more for a run session together. 

Groups can vary on frequency of training together, what training is offered and the price to join. Some running groups may run together but runners would not receive a specific coaching during their time together. They all might have different training plans or no training plan.

Some may focus on other areas but running is still a big aspect to their community, for example 261 Fearless. As well as getting some physical activity into your day these offer an array of different benefits including creating new connections, sharing new ideas, networking, building your confidence, meeting new friends, discovering new running routes and seeing new places. 

This could be anything from your local Parkrun to your organisation’s running club.

To read more about joining a run club, read Is it worth joining a run club?  

Digital Running Coaches 

Every runner is unique and to get the best out of your training we recommend getting a personalised plan. Coopah members are able to get personalised plans tailored to them at the fraction of the price of a coach. 

Our digital coach will create a training plan specific to your target race and time. As you train, our plans adjust based on your progress, giving you the right sessions at the right time.

Coopah APP:

• Personalised training plans created instantly 
• Adapts to your training performance accordingly
• Plans your training specifically to your event day, distance and desired goal time
• Opportunity to chat with Strength and Conditioning coaches, qualified nutritionists, professional physios as well as a wider community of runners
• Integrated with Garmin
• Always accessible via our downloadable app (Apple and Android)
• All for just £7 a month.

Download the Coopah app today!

Static PDF Training Plans

Online training plans are very cost effective as most of the time these are free. These can be very simple and straightforward. However, these do come with a few drawbacks as these training plans are not geared to your ability. 

They are also bad for the environment as these most often have to be printed off. And just imagine the amount of paper runners will use when printing out 16- 24 week training plans. 

Another negative side of these plans are that they do not adapt to you as a runner. For example, if you (touch wood) get injured and must miss a few training sessions, your training plan will not update accordingly. Or on a more positive note, they would not adapt your paces for you when you are overperforming your current training plan, and therefore will unlikely result in you training to your full potential. 

References

Harris-Fry, N., 2021. Running Training Plans Explained. Coach Mag [online]. Available at:https://www.coachmag.co.uk/running/8757/running-training-plans#:~:text=Training%20plans%20can%20help%20you,step%20out%20of%20the%20door. [Accessed 10th June 2022]

Mateo, A., 2021. 5 Very Convincing Reasons Why You Need a Running Coach. Runner’s World. [online]. Available at: https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a37112268/running-coach/ [Accessed 14th June  2022]

Movold, J., 2021. Why you might benefit from a running plan – even without a race in the diary. Runner’s World [online].

Available at: https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a36763939/benefits-running-plan/ [Accessed 10th June 2022]

We Run, 2022. The Benefits of a Training Plan. We Run [online] Available at: https://we-run.co.uk/benefits-running-training-plan/ [Accessed 1st June 2022].