Over the last year the majority of the world has moved virtual. Things we'd never have considered doing online in the past have all migrated to the internet. From old people in council meetings, to teenagers on first dates - the whole world has had to adapt. The running community has been no different, we've had virtual races, online clubs and the boom of Zwift. Though online coaching was already around pre covid, we've seen a huge uptake over the last year. We've outline the pros & cons of having an online running coach below.
Online run coaching has gone from strength to strength in the last 5 years. People have been investing more in themselves and their ‘free’ hobby to achieve their big goals. An online running coach will make sure you stay on track and offer a more bespoke approach from the off the shelf training programmes you can buy or download.
As with any service, there are a variety of different price points. From semi-personalised plans to an all in service that will offer advice on everything from running & lifestyle to strength & nutrition. There's a coaching option suitable to every level of runner and one to cater for every budget.
The Cons of an Online Running Coach:
Accountability
An online coach can keep you accountable to your goals. If you don't have someone checking over what you're up to, it's easy to get lost and go off track. Keeping open communications with your coach is also incredibly important. Stress is one big pot - stress from life & stress from training all present in the same way. So being honest if you have a lot on will help your coach keep you moving towards your goals, you'll have to let them know how you're feeling.
Peace of Mind
An online running coach will help make sure you're on the right track with your training. If you end up injured it's also hard to know why or find the way back. You can trust that the coach knows the best path for you, and you don't have to think about your training. You just complete the sessions and enjoy your running!
Bespoke Specific Training
No matter your distance, course or discipline, your coach will be able to tailor your training to accommodate this for you. Coaches should have in depth knowledge about what it takes to complete each discipline. From 800m to the marathon, there are very different demands on your body. This is the same with real life - everybody has a different set of circumstances, so an online running coach will be able to tailor your training to fit in around your life.
Online Plans
Most plans are delivered online anyway and will automatically sync with your phone or watch. It will tell you exactly what you need to be doing and you don't have to think about it. You can track it yourself and follow the sessions without having to have a coach there in person. This is the same whether your coach is there or not!
More Affordable
If the coach doesn't need to be there in person this often makes them much more affordable. It can be a great way to get a plan adapted to your fitness levels and racing goals. You can relay feedback to the coach on what days and times are working for you, and they can change it much more than an off the shelf programme that nobody can feed back to you on.
The Pros of an Online Running Coach:
It's Still Not Free
You'll still have to pay for the coach. With coaches charging up to and in excess of £100 a month, it's hard to know exactly where to start. Our advice would be make some calls, get to know the coach, what they could offer you and how they might begin to build a programme. It's a two way street, you have to enjoy working with them just as much. Decide your budget before hand, and go from there!
Less Personable
If your coach isn't there at the track or club sessions seeing you run, it can be less personable. They can't analyse your form or see the days you're not quite moving as well as you usually would. Doing everything online needs trust from both parties. As an online running coach you need to trust the runner is giving you honest feedback. And the runner needs to trust the coach is giving them a personal and specific programme suited to their needs. Though most coaches aren't in it for the money, they just genuinely want to see people reach their goals and enjoy the life changing effects of enjoying running!
No Group Sessions/Club Runs
An online coach won't have group sessions that you can attend. Group sessions are an incredible valuable part of a training programme. You can run with friends and push yourself much further as part of a group. A good online running coach will build this into your programme for you.
Even if we're not the right fit for you, we hope that you find a running coach that you gel well with. We hope to see you at a race with a big smile on your face soon!
