Looking for an online running coach who understands performance-driven training? Online running coaching gives competitive runners access to structured planning, ongoing feedback, and informed decision-making without location constraints.
Unlike generic training plans, working with an online running coach means your training adapts as your fitness, fatigue, and race calendar evolve. For runners targeting specific performance goals, this approach provides clarity, consistency, and smarter execution over time.
On this page, I’ll explain how online running coaching works, who it’s best suited for, and what to look for when choosing an online running coach. And so can you. If you want to start right away, you can apply for online coaching here.
Why More Runners Are Turning to an Online Running Coach
The advent of GPS watches and their integration with software platforms like TrainingPeaks and FinalSurge make world-class coaching accessible to amateur runners at affordable rates.
Low-Cost Compared to In-Person
Depending on where you live, an in-person coaching session costs between $50 and $100 per hour. That can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars per month. While there are advantages to working with a coach in person, such as technique training, most of a coach’s work can be done online for a fraction of the cost.
Expertise that You Can’t Access Locally
Moreover, you’re not confined by geography in today’s globalized world. You can connect with the world’s best coaches, no matter where you live. Cast your net wide, and you will find a coach matching your needs in terms of qualifications, experience, and coaching philosophy. But more on that later.
Individualized Training
But isn’t a training plan good enough? It can be. However, there are certain advantages to having a coach individualize and analyze your training. There might be specific weaknesses you are unaware of or, on the flip side, specific innate strengths you haven’t capitalized on. You may also need more recovery time between hard sessions, or you may have past injuries that require training adjustments. Whatever it is, an online running coach will bring out the best for your type of runner.
A Flexible Schedule
A constantly updated training plan is another significant advantage of working with a coach. A standard training plan is a bet on the future, assuming everything goes as planned, only to find out life gets in the way, as it often will. An online running coach can intervene and keep you on track for your race goal.
Is TrainingPeaks or FinalSurge Better for Online Running Coaching?
There are numerous online training logs to choose from, but the two platforms that stand out are TrainingPeaks and FinalSurge. Both are free in their formidable basic versions and feature additional analytics for a small fee. Although these platforms differ in many aspects, both provide all the essential metrics for online coaching.
TrainingPeaks
The strength of TrainingPeaks is its extensive data analytics for runners and triathletes alike, but the learning curve here is naturally somewhat steeper. Once you get the hang of it, you will enjoy the plethora of metrics on your dashboard. Remember that many features are only available in the paid Pro version.
FinalSurge
The advantage of FinalSurge is its ease of use, beautiful desktop interface, and well-equipped free version with an inexpensive upgrade to the pro version. As a runner, you get all the data you need, provided your GPS watch records it. If you haven’t used an online training log yet, FinalSurge is an excellent place to start.
What Running Watches Are Ideal for Virtual Coaching?
You will need a GPS running watch to record and monitor your workouts. The most popular brands are Garmin, Apple Watch, Suunto, Polar, and Coros – all of which feature numerous models in different price ranges. The watch you ultimately choose depends on your preferences and your budget.
Essential Features
Every running watch should provide pace and heart rate. That’s all you need to follow an online-based training plan or the instructions from an online running coach. Those lower-end GPS watches are available from $250.
Optional Features
But if you are a nerd like me, you don’t stop there. Many higher-end GPS devices, such as the Garmin Fenix series, offer additional features, including cadence, ground contact time/balance, vertical oscillation, stride length, and vertical ratio. You can also track your sleep patterns, average resting heart rate, and heart rate variability to determine training readiness.
However, I don’t consider any of that essential. If you don’t act on the running dynamics data, it becomes useless, and, as far as training readiness is concerned, you can listen to your body just as reliably. In my view, a $800 premium smartwatch is a nice addition, but it’s not essential for proper training.
What to Look for in a Remote Running Coach
As if choosing the right running watch wasn’t already tricky enough, picking the right coach is even more challenging. Humans are infinitely more complex than technical devices. That said, it isn’t as consequential as choosing your life partner. Most coaches charge monthly with no long-term commitments. Therefore, you can move on quickly if the coach isn’t the right match for you. Nevertheless, here are four essential factors to consider when selecting the right coach:
Sports Coaching Qualifications
You wouldn’t visit a doctor without the necessary medical qualifications, and you shouldn’t hire a coach without a proper background in exercise science, either. A coach does have a significant influence on your health, after all. That doesn’t mean every coach needs a master’s degree in ‘Sports and Exercise Science’, but a coach should be certified by one of the following institutions:
- National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA)
- National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
- American Council on Exercise (ACE)
The Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (NSCA-CSCS) is the gold standard for improving athletic performance.
Coaching Experience
But coaching isn’t only a science; it’s also an art. Only experience and real-world feedback from athletes of different abilities and backgrounds can develop the necessary intuition to assign effective training programs. No two athletes are exactly the same, and a coach can only discern the needs of different runner types after years of experience.
Needless to say, a coach should also be an active, committed runner – or at least have a running background in the past – to empathize with your needs as a runner. In other words, a triathlete may not be your best option if you’re looking to improve your 5K race results.
Coaching Philosophy
All coaches respect the principles of exercise science, at least in a perfect world, but their methodologies differ. Some coaches swear by high mileage, while others emphasize intensity. The same goes for training progression, from linear to non-linear to acyclic periodization. While you should inquire about those things, it is more important to determine whether your coach has the mental flexibility to adapt the training concept to you rather than you to the training concept.
What is the Cost of an Online Running Coach?
Remote running coaching can range from $30 to $300+ per month. The differences in fees reflect the coach’s qualifications, experience, and popularity. However, another critical factor to consider is the service that comes with your subscription.
Entry-Level / Basic Plans: $30 – $75 per month
- Pre-made training plans
- Limited coach interaction
- Good for beginners
Mid-Tier / Personalized Coaching: $75 – $150 per month
- Month-by-month planning
- Limited plan adjustments
- Weekly communication
- Good for intermediates
Premium / High-Touch Coaching: $150 – $300+ per month
- Week-by-week planning
- Unlimited plan adjustments
- Deep data analysis
- Passive monitoring
- Best for advanced runners
My coaching services focus on competitive runners with constant coach-athlete and athlete-coach feedback. Learn more about my 1-on-1 online coaching here.
FAQs
What does an online running coach do?
An online running coach designs and adjusts your training based on performance data, feedback, and goals. Rather than following a fixed plan, your training evolves as your fitness and circumstances change.
Is online running coaching effective for competitive runners?
Yes. For competitive runners, online coaching offers the same strategic oversight as in-person coaching, with the added benefit of flexibility and continuous data-driven adjustment.
How is online running coaching different from a training plan?
A training plan is static. Online running coaching is dynamic. A coach interprets how your body responds to training and adjusts load, intensity, and timing accordingly.
What platform do online running coaches use?
Most online running coaches use platforms like FinalSurge or TrainingPeaks to deliver workouts, review training data, and communicate efficiently.
How do I know if an online running coach is right for me?
If you train consistently, target specific performance goals, and want informed guidance rather than guesswork, working with an online running coach is often the next step.
Summary
- Get a GPS running watch with a heart rate monitor
- Create a free account on TrainingPeaks or FinalSurge
- Look out for a qualified and experienced coach
- Don’t box yourself in with long-term commitments
