Self-awareness is in part, being mindful of what you’re good at and what you are not good at.
As a running coach, my primary job is to work with training modulation. When an applicant fills out the client application I tell them that I do not work with people who cannot currently run due to injury or if they are suffering from a mental issue such as an eating disorder. In such cases like injury, a running coach may not be the best person to work with, but perhaps a physical therapist or athletic trainer to help rehab and heal the damaged area, or perhaps a nutritionist to discuss dietary issues that could cause an injury.
I wanted to share with you a few links to a few of these experts whom I follow. I hope you seek them out, let them know I recommended them, and learn from them!
Diet: Matt Fitzgerald – He’s not a registered dietitian, but over the years he has studied general nutrition and more importantly the nutrition of top athletes and is a true expert in the area of sports nutrition.
Research: Alex Hutchinson – Sweat Science is one of the best resources to keep up to date on the latest research. Whether he simply tweets a new study out or shares an entire article he writes on a subject, it’s fascinating stuff.
Strength & Mobility: James Dunne – A physical therapist out of the UK, he puts out so many strength and mobility routines that it seems a bit overwhelming. I’m a big fan the courses he offers, such as a 30-day knee/leg strengthening course that guides you through a progressive day by day strength and mobility routine.
More SAM: Steve Gonsor – and the team at Run Smart Online also touch base on many aspects of running form, runner-specific strength work, etc. A great account to follow for some cutting edge information.
Running Shoes & Foot Mechanics: Craig Payne – He’s basically the anti-Huffington Post clickbait headline. Craig really dives deep into the research on mechanics and footwear.
Of course, I’m always willing to speak with the individual because in so many cases it was an error with training modulation that caused the injury! Many people make the mistake of running too hard too often, running too much, not enough easy running, jumping into workouts that are too long or too hard. These are my areas of specialty!