Guest Series: From Couch to Coach

Join me in welcoming Christine to Fitness, Health and Happiness. Christine is a runner, RCCA certified coach and author of the inspiring blog, Dream Big Runner. For me personally, Christine is my running coach. We’ve been training together for about 4 months. Within the first week I was so excited to be learning learn new things about running and more specifically about training. I’m honored to share my journey to a sub-2:00 half marathon and fall 50K with Coach Christine and look forward to learning all that I can from her.

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From Couch to Coach

I’m so honored to write a guest post for Fitness, Health and Happiness! Thank you Jill!!

At first I wasn’t sure what I should write about, but after a little brainstorming I decided to write about my running journey – why I started running and what have changed since then.

Growing up I used to play tennis and just the thought of running around the court was exhausting. I hated it! It’s boring and hurts and I couldn’t understand why people run. Many years later after college I moved to the US and started my first job. I was sitting at my desk all day long, haven’t worked out in 5 years and I felt tired and no energy. My roommate at the time was a runner and she got up at 4am every day to run. I could not understand why and was happy to turn around and sleep in.

New Year’s Eve 2006 I decided out of the blue to run a 5k in 2007. I have no idea why I decided to do that, I have never even thought about running before! My first training run was in March 2007 and I ran my first 5k in May 2007. It was a super flat 5k in Washington, DC. It was pouring rain, no supporting crowd and just me running along. I finished in under 30 minutes (my goal time). Even though it was miserable weather, I was more than excited! I did it! I also receive a super fun goodie bag. And I was hooked, I got the running bug!

I never thought about marathons, I thought I could never do that. In 2010 all of a sudden I wanted to do one and signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon. While searching for info online, I found a blog and started reading. I never even heard about blogs before! Shortly after, I created my own blog to document my journey to my first marathon.

Blog reading and training for my first marathon was so life changing! The blog helped me to stay accountable for the training and also provided me with tons of advice and support. But the most amazing part about blogging is the friendships I was able to build. In the meantime I have met several blog friends and it is amazing how connected I feel with them. Even though we mostly talk online, once I met the person in “real life” it felt like we know each other forever!

Training for and finishing my first marathon also taught me a lot about myself. First of all, YOU CAN DO IT! If you set yourself a goal you can achieve anything you want. But you have to work hard for it, nothing is free. But if you do work for something, it will pay of, sooner or later.

My first marathon was a tough one, physically but even more mentally. I was surprised about the mass of runners (almost 40,000) and I didn’t expect that. It freaked me out and I was not able to run the race I was hoping for. I finished disappointed, I did not finish the way many other runner’s described their first marathon. It took me a little while to recover from it. But once I did, I decided to run a 2^nd marathon to show I can do better than that. My 2^nd marathon was the total opposite, it was the perfect race and I had the time of my life. Looking back, I am so happy the way it went. The bad experience on my 1^st one showed me how important your mental game is, it is important you believe in yourself and no matter what happens you can do it, as long as you believe in yourself!  In order to stay positive during my 2^nd marathon, I created this bracelet.

After marathon #2 I decided I want to share my experience with other runners and want non-runners to believe they can do anything in running and life they set their mind to. So I decided to get a running coach certification started officially coaching this spring.

My goal is to coach runners of all abilities to run faster, stronger, further, but most of all to run happy! I enjoy creating training schedules that fits each runner’s personal goals and schedule. To see “my” runner’s progress and reach their goals and dreams is priceless!

Looking back at my own running journey it amazes me how far I’ve come and how much running changed my life. Running helped me to feel more settled in the US, I met so many nice people locally and online and it really helps me to feel home here. Also, it changed my outlook on life. I know if I set myself a goal, I can do it. There is nothing I cannot do. For the first time ever, I feel I have accomplished something and I am proud of myself!

Tell me about your running journey!
Why did you start running? Did it change your life?

Check out my blog: www.dreambigrunner.com

For more information about my coaching services, check out my website: www.YouOnlineRuningCoach.com. All proceeds go towards a charity that is very important to me. You can read more about that on my coaching website as well.

 

Tagged: #FitFluential, guest post, running, running coach, training