One of the reasons why you are here reading this article could be that you are trying to find a running coach, you are new to running, you feel the need to improve on your running and are wondering how much, or if, you should spend your money on a running coach. You are at the right place.
The cost of a running coach can vary depending on a variety of factors such as location, experience, and services offered. A runner who lives in New York City, for example, will obviously pay a higher price for a coach there than a runner in Iten, Kenya, would pay. This will be due to the living expenses in different places.
There is also a great difference in the pricing between an online coach and an onsite coach.
Running gadgets have advanced in technology these days, and a coach can be able to analyze data from their runners’ activities on their computers. That is why there is a rising trend in runners choosing to work with online running coaches who may live in countries outside of theirs but can still get to see all the information they need to know from their runners’ activities.
Why an Online Running Coach is a Cheaper Option
However, we are not yet close to an era where an online coach will completely substitute an onsite coach. A coach on site is able to see right away when a runner is running in the wrong posture, is overstraining, or needs to stop. An online running coach, on the other hand, will just wait till the runner is done uploading the workouts online.
That explains why an online running coach is much cheaper compared to one on-site.
A running coach on site is able to watch athletes closely in their training and give out instructions by word of mouth on what needs to be done in real time. They are usually paid monthly salaries. The average athletic coach’s salary, from different sources on the internet, is somewhere around $51,694 as of December 2023. It could be much higher, or much lower depending on the factors earlier mentioned.
On the other hand, an online running coach can cost an average of $50 to $200 per month, although it can be much lower or much higher than that, depending on many factors. My online coaching packages actually fall within this bracket.
Some online running coaches may offer additional package deals, such as unlimited time to call them daily, running gait analysis, shoe fitting, nutritional tips, running-related gifts, or discounted group training sessions.
All these could be different ways to attract more clients to join their online running coaching programs.
What else should runners consider besides the price?
It is important for any runner in search of a running coach to research and compare different coaches to find one that fits their budget and training needs.
Overall, the cost of a running coach will depend on your specific requirements and the coach’s rates.
Some runners, at times, cannot tell the difference between an online running coach and online running plans.
One-time training plans appear cheaper, but what will you do if you miss one day of training? Your plans are fixed, and they will not adapt to the usual life situations like falling sick, attending to work or family emergencies, and planned holidays, among others.
It is always good to have a coach you can talk to or write to in case of any questions you have regarding the way your body is responding to training. We are all made differently, and there is no one-size-fits-all training plan out there that can yield the same results for all runners.
While looking out for the best online running coach, it is important to note that while price should be a factor, sometimes, cheap is expensive. What I would give priority is the experience of a coach and their past involvement in running, preferably being runners themselves would be my first point to consider.
Besides the price, I would also consider the testimonials from the runners they have worked with. How many of them have hit their Boston Marathon qualification times?
Good luck as you find the right running coach for yourself.
