There are people who are naturals in their sports and they rise to conquer every challenge... I am not one of them. Like most, I've fumbled a lot in my various sports over the years and managed to do well at a few things, just through a lot of really hard work. It wasn't flawless or efficient, but I managed to get it done. I always see a lot of questions about coaches and for a long time and sort of dismissed that as an option for those who are elite or really trying to podium at a specific race. More and more, we are seeing runners at every level of ability using coaches to achieve their goals, and what a difference it is making in the sport. Let's talk a little bit about what coaches can bring and what you should expect. Setting Goals A coach will look at what you want to do and figure out a plan to get you there. They will also help you to be realistic and look at the big picture. Sometimes you will be chomping at the bit to run a specific race, but it might make more s
There is no rest for the Sinister, and we are in the thick of planning for 2024. I follow a lot of race director forums to keep tabs on what's happening around the world, and there are always a lot of questions, both profound and basic. There is one common strain of questions asked by new RDs: can you plan a perfect race? And then I laugh and laugh because I love the naive optimism. 😂 I need to tell someone to get off my lawn now. So I'm pondering what would make a perfect race for me, from an organizer's standpoint... My perfect race would have flawless registration and it would fill up really early so that we can plan our expenses for the year, and know how much swag to buy. Everyone would fill out their shirt sizes and not make any swaps last minute. All of it would be within our budget and vendors wouldn't increase our prices at the last minute. The permits would be a breeze and everyone would welcome us with open arms. There would be no course changes due to logg