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Now’s the time to use an online coaching service

With limits placed on your training during COVID-19, it might be a good idea to try out an online coaching service

These days, training can get pretty tiring and monotonous because of restrictions put in place following the coronavirus outbreak. Trails, tracks and gyms are closed, and group runs have been put on hold indefinitely. We here at Canadian Running have been working to provide readers with at-home workouts and different ways to spice up training, but that’s all generalized, and sometimes you need a more specific and personalized plan to keep things interesting and to thrive as an athlete. If you feel like the last month of lockdowns and quarantines has sent you into a slump, using an online coaching service might be a way to get back to loving your workouts and crushing your training.

Finding a coach

Hiring a coach is a great way to take your training to the next level. Sure, you can get by on your own (you’ve done it in the past, after all), but let’s be honest, you probably don’t know as much as coaches do about training. Coaches have dedicated their lives to understanding the human body, how to build a customized training plan and so much more in the realm of fitness and running. Plus, many are successful runners themselves, so they know a thing or two about high performance from firsthand experience. 

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Most coaching services offer online coaching, which is absolutely necessary during COVID-19, but also convenient in regular life. You won’t always be able to make it out to set group workouts or meetings with a coach, so having an online training plan catered to you and your needs lets you fit runs in whenever you can.

There are a lot of coaches out there, and it can be daunting to try and figure out who’s the best fit for you. If you decide to hire a coach, feel free to look around until you find the right person and program. Think of it like buying a pair of shoes—you wouldn’t go to your local run shop, try on one pair and then feel obligated to buy them without trying any others on. It’s the same with coaches. Chat with a few, look around and make an informed decision once you’ve given it some thought.

RELATED: Coached training groups–a team effort

As you consider your options, remember this: a good coach will find out what your goals are, ask about any injuries you’ve sustained in the past or continue to deal with and simply get to know you as a person. They’ll want to find out as much about you as possible so they can create the perfect training plan for you. You deserve a coach who will personalize your training to help you become the best runner you can be.

The results are in

We asked the Canadian Running followers what Canadian coaching services they swear by, and we’ve attached that list below.

RELATED: How to support your local independent run shop during the COVID-19 pandemic

Each of these services offer online coaching, so you can sign up for any of them no matter how far away you live from the company base, but we still grouped them into their respective provinces below. This way, if you sign up for a coaching service nearby, you might be able to meet up with other members of the team for group workouts (once that’s allowed again, of course).

British Columbia

Mile2Marathon—Vancouver

PACE Sports Fitness—Kelowna

Coastline Endurance Coaching—Victoria

Ridgeline Athletics—North Vancouver & Squamish

Alberta

We Run the World Coaching—Calgary

Personal Peak Endurance Coaching—Calgary

Peak Run Performance—Canmore

Ontario

Stridewise—Toronto

Physi-KULT—Kingston

Healthy Results Training—Mono

Nova Scotia

Halifax Road Hammers—Halifax

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