I used to coach high school cross country and track & field. I absolutely loved it. More than my primary role as a high school teacher. Coaching was so concretely rewarding and eye-opening. It was experiential. Without forcing kids to become great but with encouragement and guidance, I saw so many awesome successes through their own dedication and decision making. It was certainly helpful to me in deciding to become a father, as I wanted to be able to experience that with my own children. Coaching wasn’t always roses, but there was plenty of beauty I beheld through my time as a coach. My wife knew it was such a blessing to me, and wanted me to have that back in my life. Unfortunately, it was not possible right away as we moved across the country and I was switching jobs. But finally, once we felt like we had a little bit of stability under our feet, I was able to look into personal coaching as an option and found UESCA.
UESCA
UESCA stands for United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy. They give individuals the knowledge and tools to become personal endurance sports coaches. I wanted to become a personal running coach, and so it seemed like a good program for me. I learned about human anatomy and physiology in a way that gave me the ability to look at biomechanics of a runner and to then tailor strength training exercises into a running program for them. It helped me see the science behind some long-time held running mantras, concepts, and practices, and also where some of those have been somewhat or wholly debunked by research. Overall, I felt more confident and knew that I could be more intentional with my training plans and better equipped as a coach to help individuals succeed. Following successful completion of their program, I ventured down the path of creating my own company and brand – Gotta Run. It was too easy of a choice with a last name like mine. And, let’s just be real — who would forget it after hearing it?
Pandemic
So, here we are – 2020, amid a worldwide pandemic, and I have been busy creating Gotta Run as a means to help individuals succeed in their running goals; whether those successes can happen in a physical event, or through virtual competition. No matter how bad this pandemic is, your personal health should not be put on hold, as a strong and healthy body will also help your mental and emotional health and keep you ready for the explosion of races happening as soon as we pass the Coronavirus finish line. Gotta Run is here to help you down this road into the unknown!