Ready to take the next step? Ready for structure, experience, and personalized plans around your lifestyle? Blue Ox Running is now offering a limited number of openings for personalized coaching.
Fast is relative. What is fast? Fast is quicker than you are right now. We’re here to help. Our coaches have helped runners achieve goals running sub-5 minutes/mile all the way to 10+ minutes/mile.
We’ve helped runners complete their first 5k, runners qualify for the Boston Marathon, and beyond. Young. Old. Working parents. Newbies. Veterans. Road. Trail. We’ve been at this a long time. We ourselves are first runners. We absolutely love to run and know achieving goals that YOU set can be a very rewarding part of running and living a balanced, structured life. We’re here to help.
1. Read up on some of our coaches to see who you think might be a good fit
2. Read all FAQs below
3. Fill out the initial athlete survey below
4. We will contact you within one week if a coaching match is available!
Running while working a full time job? Family? Kids? Life? So do our coaches. They love it. They get the training in, but they know what it means to be flexible and smart while balancing their time.
What excites you about coaching? Aw geez, I think what excites me the most about coaching is the potential to really help positively shape an individuals journey towards health and movement. As human beings, we have an innate drive to move. Having the courage to take that first step is always so inspiring and having a positive support system when working towards our health goals can make all the difference in how we reach and sustain them.
Background: I began running Cross Country and Track my freshman year at North High School. I was a team captain through my Junior and Senior year and have kept running as a common thread throughout my life ever since. Never running collegiately, I felt compelled to get away from a competitive training perspective, and instead choose to make my own joy the basis for my own process - if there is joy in what Im doing, then Im on the right track. I often think that we get too bogged down by performance goals that we forget our love of running, our fundamental connection to move and enjoying the freedom that comes from that.
Favorite part of running & training: I feel like running can be such an amazing metaphor for everything we do in life; how we choose to get out and move can very much be a reflection of our current state of being. So I love running for how it gives me such an honest look of where I am at any given moment in time and when anything is out of balance, (which it often is) allowing me to think critically and creatively for solutions, to reflect and to begin again with a fresh perspective.
Fun fact(s): I began a project in mid-2021 to run on every single street in my hometown of Eau Claire. Growing up here, I developed a genuine interest in learning more about the community that helped shape me into the person that I am today. And by simply exploring the streets that make up this city, I came to realize all the wonderful and nuanced ways in which we are connected to one another - all streets lead back to you.
On December 12th, 2021, I organized a 50 mile run through town that traversed the entire city, inviting anyone and everyone to run along with me, completing the last two streets on both the Northern and Southern borders of the city. What was most amazing to me about this experience was not the distance or the streets, but how every step of this 50 mile effort was run in tandem with the amazing people in this community, I was never alone. Running is a transcendental thing that we get to do. By simply putting one foot in front of the other, we can change the narrative of our lives, we can create real, lasting connections to the space and people around us all while creating a positive and healthy relationship with what it is to be alive.
Alexs Rates:
8 + weeks $22 per week
12+ weeks $20 per week
16+ weeks $18 per week
What excites you about coaching? Everyone is on a different running journey, I love helping people push themselves to achieve what they didnt think was possible.
Background: I started running long distance 12 years ago shortly before my son was born in my late twenties. I was looking for a way to get in shape because it had been a decade since I played hockey. I had a few friends that had run marathons and I remember watching my mom run when I was a teenager, so I figured I try a half marathon and a marathon. To this day I remember going out in the middle of January to try this running thing out. It was hard, uncomfortable and very cold. I had no idea what I was doing but kept at it and eventually figured it out completing my first Grandmas Marathon in 2011. I was immediately hooked and started to figure out how this running thing worked and how to improve. Ive since completed 23 marathons (16 under 3 hours)and every distance from 5k up to 26.2.
I have been coaching for at least 6 years and have coached many runners from middle school cross country to adults (men and women) pushing the limits of the 100k, qualifying for the Boston Marathon, breaking the 3 hour mark in the marathon and crushing their previous personal best.
Some of my favorite races include Boston, Twin Cities, Chicago, Grandmas and Eau Claire. Everyone of these races present not only a great challenge but great crowd support and camaraderie with other runners.
Favorite part of running & training: The best part about training is finding balance with running and the pace of life. Im a dad of two kiddos, a husband, and work a full time job so finding a balance for my runners is essential. To be successful we need to have find our center and be the best version of ourselves by finding what we think are our limits and breaking through them. I have no doubt most people havent even scratched the surface of what theyre capable of physically or mentally, I look forward to working with you on that journey.
Fun Fact: I love teaching middle school and eating candy!!!
$20-$25 / week depending on coaching duration
Necessary
18+ years old
Not currently injured
Phone, Email, Computer access
Helpful, but not necessary
Google Drive
Online training logs
Heart rate & GPS data - Garmin Connect, Strava, etc
Initial athlete survey & informational form (see above)
Initial on-boarding interview
Personalized daily training log shared with your coach
In-person conference, phone call, or video chat capabilities
Email correspondence
Strength, flexibility, and conditioning resources
Prices are agreed upon with each coach depending on the amount of care & contact frequency. Typically plans start around ~$10-20 per week with coaching plans lasting between 8 and 18 weeks.
Our coaching programs are meant to give one full specified block of training leading up to a specified goal. Depending upon the person, too little time won’t be enough specific training while too big of a training window often becomes convoluted with multiple A-goals and too much can change along the way. Need more time? We’ll renew at the end of your term!
We are not medical doctors, physical therapists, podiatrists, dietitians, or provide services for such. We certainly DO have a large network of professionals that we know & trust that we can refer you to for more precise care if needed. Many have experience in endurance sports and are athletes themselves including (but not limited to):
Trail Transformation - La Crosse, WI - More excellent coaches! Physical Therapists, Dietitian, and more!
Dr. Curt Riley - Altoona, WI - PT, DPT, OCS, TPS
Dr. Podolak - Altroona, WI - PT, DPT, TPS
Dr. Andrew Pankratz - Eau Claire, WI - Doctor of Podiatry
Dr. Adam Atkins - Eau Claire, WI - Sports Medicine Doctor