Running with Harmony

You know what stops most runners before a single muscle gives out?

Their own mind. EVERY.DAMN.TIME.

I've coached women who are physically capable of so much more than they ever attempt...strong legs, solid & consistent training, real running fitness progress, and yet they talk themselves off the course before they even get there. "I'm not fast enough." "Other women in my age group are way ahead of me." "I don't even know why I signed up for this." "I don't look like other runners." "I am older than these runners."

Girl... THAT VOICE IS A LIAR AND SHE IS LOUD.

Here's what I've learned working with runners in the past 9 years: self-doubt doesn't mean you're not ready. It means you care. It means this matters to you. And anything that matters is going to come with a little fear riding shotgun.
The goal isn't to silence that voice completely. The goal is to STOP LETTING HER DRIVE.
You will talk yourself out of more miles than your legs ever will. Read that again. Your body is more capable than your brain is willing to believe on the hard days, and the women who make it to that finish line aren't the ones who never doubted. They're the ones who ran anyway.

What's the voice in YOUR head saying today? Drop it in the comments. What happens between the ears is where the running starts.

Working with a coach matters. I believe that with my whole heart. Runners who have support, structure, and someone in their corner are so much more likely to actually hit their goals than those who go it alone. So if you've been thinking about it, yes, do it. Because I've had so many coaching requests come in this week and I am genuinely so grateful, and I also realized I need to clear something up before anyone goes further down the wrong path.

The 16-week cohort I've been sharing about? It's specifically for those who are running the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon in Louisville this October. Not just any 13.1 this fall, this particular race. This is also a program for runners who are focused on this one goal, their "A Goal, or maybe B Goal" this training cycle, not juggling a full race calendar.

The reason I can offer cohort pricing (3 months paid, 4th month on me) is because everyone in the group is training for the same race on the same day. That's what makes the community work, and that's what makes this the most accessible way to work with me. That pricing doesn't exist outside of this cohort.

If UBHM isn't your race, I still want to help you get there, wherever "there" is for you. That's what my 1:1 coaching is for.

Not sure which fits your situation? We'll figure it out together.
Submit your coaching request here
https://www.cognitoforms.com/RunningWithHarmony1/RunningWithHarmonyCoachingRequest

You know that feeling when running starts to feel like running again instead of just surviving? That's week 3.
Swipe for your post-race week 3 guide half and full marathon.
Follow along for the full 4-week series. Link in bio if you're ready to train with a coach.

Here's the thing about generic training plans: they don't know you, and they don't care.
They don't know that you work long hours on Thursdays. They don't know your left knee gets cranky after back-to-back days, or that you stubbed your toe stepping over your cat on the way up the stairs. They don't know that you need someone to tell you to slow down (or to push harder) because you've been doing the same thing for two years and calling it "training."

A coach does.

When I work with a runner, I'm not handing you a PDF. I'm building sessions around YOUR current fitness, YOUR life, and YOUR goals, and making adaptations as we go. That's what "personalized" actually means.

This cohort is built specifically around one race: the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon in Louisville. Not a general 13.1 training program, this race, this finish line, with a group of runners all heading to the same start line together on the same day. That shared destination is exactly what makes the community piece of this work, and it's also why I'm able to offer cohort pricing. 3 months paid, 4th month is complimentary. This pricing is only available to runners training specifically for Urban Bourbon. It's not offered for other goal races or through my 1:1 program.

If UBHM is your goal race this fall, or you've been looking for the right reason to make it one, the cohort opens June 29th. 10 spots.
If you're wondering what running with a real plan, one that was actually made for YOU — feels like, this is it.

🔗 Link in bio to apply here: https://www.runningwithharmony.com/16-week-program

The slump is real. I've watched it happen to some of the most dedicated runners I know...women who show up every single week, who love this sport deeply, and who still hit a stretch where the motivation just... disappears. The miles feel heavy. The alarm goes off and the bed wins. And then comes the guilt on top of the fatigue.
Here's what I want you to hear today: that is normal. That is not weakness. That is being human. We are humans first, runners second, third or other.
The slump doesn't mean you've lost your love for running. It means your body and your brain are asking for something. Perhaps rest, grace, a reset, or sometimes just a slower pace than your ego wants to allow.
What separates the runners who come out the other side stronger is not that they pushed through every single day. It's that they kept showing up in whatever way they could. A walk counts. A shorter route counts. Lacing up and sitting on the porch counts.
Showing up is the win.
This is Mindset Mondays! This is a space I'm creating for us to dig into the mental side of distance running every single week. Because the miles start in your head long before your feet hit the pavement.
Drop a 🙋‍♀️ below if you've been in the slump lately. You're not alone. I can guarantee it!

Can I ask you something honest? 🏃‍♀️
When was the last time you finished an easy run and actually felt... easy? If you're struggling to answer that, this post is for you.

The most common thing I see in runners who aren't progressing the way they hoped, is that their easy days aren't actually easy. Here's how I coach my athletes to check in on the run

📞 The Talk Test. Can you hold a full, comfortable conversation right now? If not, you're going too fast.

🌡The RPE Check.
Easy effort lives around a 4 or 5 out of 10. Present, comfortable, aware. A 6 or higher? That's not an easy run anymore and you're accidentally sabotaging your own work.

Now here's what I really want you to sit with 👇
Why do you run fast when you're not supposed to? Not as a criticism, but as a genuine question. Let's get curious.

Is it that slowing down feels like you're not doing enough? That your easy pace feels embarrassingly slow? That nobody ever taught you the difference between effort and pace? Your body is sending you signals every single run. The goal isn't to override them, it's to learn how to read them.

When you truly honor your easy effort zone, something shifts. Hard days are part of the training program, but not THE only part. Easy days allow recovery to happen. Progress starts to look like what you imagined.

So here's what I want you to reflect on ...
If you're consistently running faster than you should and you're not sure why, have you been trying to figure that out alone?
That's exactly what a run coach helps you untangle. Not just the what, but the WHY.

Follow for more coaching conversations like this. And if something here made you stop and think, my link in bio is a good next step.

17 years of running. Countless finish lines! ...and the lesson that took me the longest to learn?

What you do the weeks AFTER the race matters just as much as the training that got you there.

13.1 and 26.2 runners recover on completely different timelines, and treating them the same is one of the biggest mistakes I see. Even worse is when marathon recovery is treated like a 5k recovery for runners!
Big yikes!

Swipe to see what week 2 should look like for each distance, and follow along to see what Weeks 3 and 4 have in store for you!

Link in bio for coaching. 🏃‍♀️

The message that made me stop scrolling, came from a runner I coached through her first half marathon last year.

She didn't say anything about her time. She said: "I finally feel like a runner" while looking at her race pics.

Not the medal. Not the miles. The shift that happens when you stop wondering if you belong in the sport, and you just know.

That's what 16 weeks of intentional, structured training does. It's not magic. It's consistency with a plan that's actually built for you, and someone in your corner who gives a damn whether you show up.

I'm coaching a cohort of 10 runners for the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon this fall. We start June 29th. The investment in yourself saves you $150 off one-on-one personalized coaching.

If you've ever wanted to feel like that, like a runner, this is how we get there.

🔗 Link in bio to get on the list DM me "Urban Bourbon" and I'll answer every question.
*Registration for the race is sold separately
*Program is independently run and not affiliated with the race.
*This rate is exclusive to the Urban Bourbon cohort and it's not available through my standard 1:1 coaching program. At $150/month with your 4th month complimentary, this is the most accessible way to work with me, and it's only available because the cohort is running the same race.
https://www.runningwithharmony.com/16-week-program

The race is done. Now what?

Here's exactly what I tell my runners for the 4 weeks after a half or full marathon. swipe through for the full breakdown of how to manage this part of training.

Follow for more coaching tips, or find the link in my bio if you're ready to run with a personalized training plan.
Runningwithharmony.com

That “I should sign up for a race” feeling? Here’s your sign.

The Fix Em 5K is coming up on May 9 at Ashland Park in Clarksville, and we’ve got a deal for you: use code KCRS26 to register for just $25 (good through Sunday at midnight).

Whether you’re chasing a PR, shaking off the Derby legs, or just want a fun local 5K on the calendar, this is a good one to jump into.

Not racing? River City Races is also looking for volunteers to help make race morning happen.

Get signed up, save a few bucks, and we’ll see you at the start line.

Derby Day Run! Check it out!

Looking for a fun group run on Derby morning? Check out the details 👇! And don’t forget to bring used clothing to donate to the used clothing drive hosted by the Iroquois Hill Runners!