If you are signed up for the 2017 New York City Marathon, you probably know that you need to start training fairly soon, if you haven’t already started. If you don’t, well, here’s your heads up: it’s time to start running!

The marathon is an entirely different beast of a race than a local 5k or 10k — or even a half marathon. So when it comes to tackling the 26.2-mile distance, it’s not uncommon to question whether or not you need to hire a running coach to get yourself to the finish line.

I’ll be the first person to tell you that you probably don’t.

That’s right — Road Runners Club of America Certification and all, I’ll tell you right now that you don’t need a coach to get yourself to the end of a marathon course. In fact, if you’re in decent enough shape, you could probably walk or jog the course to completion right now.

However, having said that, if you did attempt to conquer the course right now, it would most likely be a horrible experience. It wouldn’t be enjoyable, and you’d probably suffer through it — maybe even injuring yourself along the way.

That’s why I’ll be the first person to tell you that you don’t need a coach to get yourself through a marathon … but it’s a pretty good idea.

Having a running coach or mentor to guide you through 18, or 16, or 12 weeks of marathon training is helpful for a number of reasons, whether you’re a novice runner or a seasoned athlete. While I didn’t hire a coach for my first marathon, I sought out the guidance of coach Chris Baker for my first ironman and am confident that my experience was infinitely better because of it.

How, exactly, can a run coach help get you to the finish line? Let me count the ways.

Continue reading “Do You Need A Coach For the 2017 New York City Marathon? A Coach Weighs In” →