Archive | Coaching

Get prepared, run with confidence!

Thanks to Berenise for sharing her experience with our coaching services! She writes,

My husband surprised me by gifting me 3 months of MTA coaching for Christmas. It came at a perfect time as I was getting ready to run my 8th half marathon.

I was assigned to Coach Lynn, who has an incredible running history and she’s also a nutritionist – she’s impressive! I didn’t know what to expect but coach Lynn quickly helped me identify key goals and I was amazed by all that I learned. Continue Reading →

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6 Minute Half Marathon PR

Congratulations to Kyle D. who ran a perfectly paced 6 minute half PR at the Disney Princess Half in the middle of his marathon training block!

His coach writes, “I’ve had the pleasure of coaching Kyle since October, in that time he’s made great strides in his speed and endurance, boosting his VDOT score several points.

He’s also one of the most disciplined and consistent runners I’ve ever coached (there have been thousands at this point so that is really saying something) Excited to see what lies ahead, he has the Cleveland Marathon up next. Way to go Kyle!” –Coach Kris

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29 Minute PR in the Marathon

Congrats to our coaching client Gareth on running a 29 minute PR, he writes,

“Mesa Marathon in the books. My #3 Marathon and a PR by 29mins!! I couldn’t have nailed this one without an awesome training block under the guidance of Coach Antonio. I really enjoyed the process and mixture of sessions throughout the build up – I leant on the feeling of those tough ones when the race got heavy at Mile 21 yesterday.

Weather wasn’t superb – however the atmosphere and location were spot on! Through the rain and puddles – I kept to the plan we’d discussed and I knew at halfway I was rolling ok. Squally showers kept the temperature low and the feet drenched.

The quads were banged up from the early fast downhill sections, and at Mile 23 needed to dig real deep . . . found something in the tank and kicked it home with a strong last 3 miles to run 3.30.34.

This is my first race with a coach formulating a specific and guided plan and can absolutely testify to its value! Much thanks Coach Antonio and bring on the next PR chase!”

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12 Marathons in 12 Months with MTA Coaching

Here’s a post from our client Heather Grazzini-Sims who had an awesome year. Enjoy!

“MTA Coach Abby was a huge asset to my success of completing 12 marathons in 12 months!

I started working with Coach Abby of MTA in the fall of 2021. I had several marathons under my belt at this time and had worked on and off with other coaches but I needed a change.

I like the process that MTA has for selecting coaches based on the runner’s profile. I also like that Coach Abby lives in a similar region, so our running conditions are often the same. After working together for about a year, I knew she could help me with my next crazy idea. Continue Reading →

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From 90 Pounds Overweight to a Sub 3 Marathon!

Chris Farrands used our marathon training plan and had three strategy sessions with Coach Nicole. He writes,

“Thank you again for your guidance the last few months. The initial training plan and then getting me linked up with Coach Nicole absolutely made the 2:57 possible.

Last year, in 2022, I ran a 3:50 on the same course.

The training plan held me accountable to not over training. It helped me to keep easy days, easy and hard days hard. The progression and build up worked really well for me. I was healthier throughout the training plan, ate more than the prior year and ran 15-20% fewer miles per week. Continue Reading →

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Running a 3:15 Marathon with MTA Coaching

We appreciate our client Jessie Hogue-Morgenstern for writing this blogpost about what it was like to work with an MTA Coach to both BQ and run a blazing fast 3:15 marathon! She writes,

“I started working with Coach Joel right at the start of the pandemic with the goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon (a tale as old as time).

In previous attempts I would get close but then end up injured, so I wanted to try out a coach to help me figure out a solution. On a whim I reached out to MTA’s coaching program because my dad was a big fan of the podcast (and I am now too). Continue Reading →

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Have Fun and Enjoy the Experience

Shoutout to our client Christina who ran a new PR of 5:17:39 at the NYC Marathon! She writes,

“I am still a bit in shock about my performance at the NYC Marathon last weekend. It was a good reminder to me that we are stronger and more capable than we believe as long as we put in the work, trust our body and focus on the positive.

It was not necessarily an easy training cycle. I work full time. I have two young children (one is young enough to still be breastfeeding), so a good nights sleep is rare.

There were a lot of early mornings and times when I wanted to hit snooze instead of head outside. There was fatigue, frustration and self doubt. There was also joy, peace and strength. Coach Nicole was instrumental in keeping me on target with a training plan. She was my virtual cheerleader. Continue Reading →

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My Experience with MTA Coaching

Here’s a testimonial from our client Mark Arceneaux who used MTA Coaching to prepare for the NYC Marathon. He writes,

“Wanted to send a big thank you to MTA and coach Abby for my recent experience with MTA Coaching.

After getting covid in 2021 my next two marathons were a disaster. I thought my marathon career was over but a email from the New York City Marathon in February 2023 told me it wasn’t over yet.

I had thought about a coach in the past but thought how hard could running be and as a 63 year old experience runner, having done over 20 marathons in the last 10 years, why did I need one. Continue Reading →

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A Marathon Success Story with Chris Farrands

In this episode we bring you a marathon success story with Chris Farrands.

Chris started running three short years ago, lost 90 pounds, and transformed himself into a sub-3 hour marathoner!

Listen as he shares why he decided to take control of his health; the misery he experienced at his first marathon, and the smarter training plan he used for his second marathon.

Continue Reading →

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Running the Marathon of Life: A Journey of Grit and Determination at 60

Our client Maripat Rhood ran her first marathon at the age of 60! She’s pictured here with her daughter at the Marine Corps Marathon. This is her story:

From Maripat Rhood

“For many, the idea of running a marathon can seem like an unattainable dream, especially if you’ve never considered yourself athletic. However, life has a way of surprising us, and sometimes, the most remarkable achievements come when we least expect them.

My own journey into the world of long-distance running began in a rather unconventional way. Continue Reading →

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A tremendous year in achieving my goals

Congrats to our client James who built up to running five races in just 10 months! He writes,

“This has been a tremendous year in achieving my goals. I ran my first half marathon, first full marathon, and my first 50K . . . as well as a 2nd marathon and a 10 mile race PR.

That’s 5 races in 10 months which is also a huge “first” for me.

All of this was possible because I found MTA and Coach Henry. The MTA podcast helped me learn and understand there are many others new to running and learning just like me. Continue Reading →

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Fit, Ready, and Smiling

Congrats to our client Sandy Landers on finishing her first marathon! She ran the 2023 Marine Corps Marathon. She writes,

“When I first started listening to MTA I had no intention of ever running a marathon. Running half marathons was good enough. But after listening to the podcast for a few years, the seed was planted (did I have what it takes?).

I started working with Coach Cindy in January 2022 to get my love of running back and to train for another half. It was a rocky start but then I got into a good rhythm.

I enjoyed training with Cindy and signed up for the 2023 Marine Corps Marathon deciding on a run/walk plan. At the same time I started working with Coach Jesse at Metpro to help fuel the running and to loose the post menopause pounds. Continue Reading →

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