Testimonials
In a world with endless resources via the internet, choosing a coach can be difficult. What really drew me to Mary was her strength both on and off the roads, and that she prioritized her strength training to complement her running. I started working with Mary almost 8 months ago with a primary goal of getting stronger!
Mary personalized a strength plan for me to get my whole body stronger. The novice in me hated it at first, but Mary was always at the ready to answer questions or provide tips to help me get more accustomed to incorporating strength into my running.
I can honestly say that I've grown to love my lifting days, because I can feel my body getting stronger. I never expected to enjoy it so much! Mary has incorporated such a variety of exercises into my plans that I would never think to do myself; exercises that use my entire body, not just isolation, which is so important for runners. Mary also included exercises that work multidimensional planes, making me work with lateral movements, and balance to counteract the repetitive single-dimension action of running.
A few months ago I would be shaking through my workouts, and I could not even make it through my prescribed 6 push-ups. Now, I am proud to say I'm 100% stronger than I was then, and I have a feeling I'm just getting started!
I was lucky enough to find Rochelle after just having my first son. I was so eager to get back into running - so much so that I signed up for a full marathon! However, I knew I needed to have a plan. Having a baby definitely changed my body so I knew I needed to train smart. Rochelle knew just what to do and created a plan that not only accommodated having to run with my baby most days, but also how to keep my knee pain free (I had surgery about three years ago). The workouts are full of variety and push me to my limits - but in a good way. Rochelle has done an amazing job preparing me mentally, physically and logistically for my first marathon post baby this October! She is truly invested in helping her athletes and I would highly recommend her to help meet your running goals and dreams!
I was hit with an injury earlier this year -- never what you want to hear as a runner -- and thought 6 weeks of no running was effectively signing up to be bored and out of shape by the time I was allowed to run again. Luckily I had Mary to help me through it. She developed a strength training program personalized for me that was challenging and effective, and added new movements every 2 - 3 weeks so that I was never bored (and even started looking forward to the lifts!)
The strength work helped fix some imbalances and develop weak muscle groups so that my return from injury has been seamless. My doctor (who is a runner himself) was impressed when I showed him Mary's strength workouts, and told me to trust her through my recovery -- something I was more than happy to do. I've been back running for 3 months and have been very pleasantly surprised at how quickly my speed has come back, which I know is directly related to the strength work.
I'm now much stronger than I was before, and I'm excited to chase down some PRs this fall!
I hired Mary as my coach after being injured and essentially side-lined from the sport for close to 9 months. Despite being a distance runner for almost 20 years and having completed 19 marathons and races of every distance from the 5k to the 50 miler, this injury was a first for me. I looked to Mary not only to help me regain my fitness, but also my strength and most importantly my confidence.
Mary's approach to working with me has been very thoughtful. Taking into careful consideration both where I've been and where I'm at now (in my running and in my life), she has applied her extensive knowledge and expertise to craft my training in such a way that will help me reach my full potential without sacrificing my health. A crucial component to that has been the customized strength work Mary has me do. Each of the exercises she gives me serves a very specific purpose in making my body as strong and efficient as possible - helping me correct my body's imbalances, strengthening areas of relative weakness and activating muscles that might not be firing properly.
She is always there for me if and when I have questions, and enthusiastically cheers me on with her unwavering faith in me. She pushes me to be my best and believes in me. I am so grateful that she is my coach!
Since I have been working with Rochelle I have PR’ed (by over minutes in each) over every distance: 5k, 10k, 10 miler, 20k, half, and full marathon. Workouts are challenging, but not so that I feel defeated and run down, or that the paces are unachievable. There's a natural progression between workouts so I'm not overtaxed from one week to the next but come away feeling stronger than the previous week. She is flexible, if I need to change something due to family, it is changed immediately with no problem. But most of all I love the fact that you are so supportive and are as excited about runs as I am - that encouragement and support means a lot!!
As a lifelong runner, I've consistently faced muscle imbalances, weak arms, and no core... Inevitably, I kept getting injured. I started working with Mary in July 2016 and it has been absolutely amazing!! Her plans are individualized to my strengths and weaknesses, and really work on areas where I've had consistent injuries. In 15 years of running, I can't recall a time I've ever looked forward to lifting until now. I not only look (yay!) and feel stronger, but I am motivated to do the plan from start to finish because it makes sense for what I need. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to supplement their running. It will make you a stronger runner!