Get to Know
the Coaches 

Who is Climb Above coaching for?

Climb Above works with athletes of all ages, abilities, and experience levels. Whether you're training for your first 5K, trying to qualify for Boston, preparing for an ultramarathon, or simply looking to become a healthier and more consistent athlete, coaching is built around your goals, your life, and your current level of fitness.

What makes Climb Above different from a training plan I can find online?

A generic training plan can tell you what to do. Coaching helps determine what you should do, when you should do it, and when you should change course.

Your training is adjusted based on your schedule, goals, fitness, recovery, injuries, race results, and how you're responding to the training. We believe the best plan is one that evolves with the athlete, not one that asks the athlete to fit into the plan.

Can you coach me if I am dealing with an injury?

Yes. Injury prevention and long-term athletic health are important parts of our coaching philosophy. 

Coaching is not a substitute for medical care, but we can work alongside your healthcare providers to help you continue progressing toward your goals when appropriate.

Do I need to be an experienced runner to have a coach?

Not at all. In fact, coaching can be especially valuable when you're newer to endurance sports and aren't sure how to structure your training.

We will meet you where you are and build from there. You don't need to know your training zones, weekly mileage, or exactly what workouts you need before getting started.

What types of athletes do you coach?

Running is at the heart of Climb Above, but we work with athletes across endurance sports, including road runners, trail runners, ultrarunners, cyclists, and multisport athletes.

Your program can be built around a single goal or incorporate multiple sports depending on your interests and objectives.

How personalized is my training plan?

Very. Your training is developed around you, your goals, experience, schedule, available time, strengths, limitations, and life outside of training.

We don't believe that the best athlete is the one who follows the most complicated plan. We believe the best plan is the one you can consistently execute while continuing to enjoy the process.

How much communication will I have with my coach?

Communication depends on the coaching service you choose, but coaching is intended to be a collaborative relationship, not simply a training plan delivered to your inbox.

We use your feedback, training data, questions, and experiences to make decisions about your training. The goal is for you to understand why you're doing what you're doing, not simply check workouts off a calendar.

What if my schedule changes or I miss a workout?

Life happens. Work, family, travel, illness, weather, and unexpected events are all part of being an athlete.

Missing a workout doesn't mean you've failed your training plan. We can adjust your schedule and help determine what is worth making up, what should be skipped, and how to move forward without trying to cram everything into your week.

Can you help me with race strategy?

Absolutely. Race strategy is an important part of coaching, particularly for longer events.

We can help develop pacing, fueling, hydration, effort, and decision-making strategies specific to your race and goals. As experienced endurance athletes and race directors, we also understand that races rarely go exactly according to plan, and knowing how to adapt is part of racing well.

Can you create a training plan using my existing AI-generated plan?

Yes. If you already have an AI-generated training plan, you don't necessarily need to throw it away.

Climb Above can review your plan and provide an experienced coaching perspective on the workload, progression, workouts, recovery, race preparation, and overall fit for you as an athlete. We can identify potential gaps or concerns and suggest changes based on your goals and circumstances.

If you want more than a one-time review, ongoing coaching is also available to continually adapt your training as you progress.

How do I know if coaching is right for me?

You don't have to be an elite athlete to benefit from coaching. If you're tired of guessing, struggling with consistency, unsure how to progress, repeatedly dealing with setbacks, or simply want someone in your corner as you pursue a goal, coaching may be a good fit.

The first step is simply starting a conversation.