Recently, I lost a long-standing client. Every freelancer knows that stinging feeling. What’s worse, I lost this client to ChatGPT, which also sucks in its own special way.
On the bright side, it made me wonder about what I want to do with my life going forward. Do I look for short-term gigs? Do I sign up for training? Do I get a part-time job *gasps in horror* in person?
turning yet another hobby into a career
And I think I have my answer. I decided I want to advance from being a runner to becoming a coach. It’s not a “make a wish and snap your fingers” solution, but it’s one I feel content with.
I hadn’t considered it previously because I always thought of myself as a person who runs for fun rather than speed. A person who runs to prove something to myself rather than setting records.
Surely I’m not the only one. Surely people who run for fun want a coach who will teach them to plan ahead, run sustainably, get ready for races and avoid injuries. Right?
I can be that coach. I will be that coach.
coaching foundations
I already have certain advantages. Teaching yoga (and all the training that comes with it) gave me a great understanding of human anatomy, movement, breathwork, and energy.
My background as a rock climbing instructor was also incredibly valuable in terms of understanding movement and tweaking things to someone’s strengths and anatomical characteristics.
Both yoga and climbing had me working with people of all ages, both individually and in groups. I’m going to toot my horn for a second and admit that I know what I’m doing.
insert something about loving your job
Another factor that predicts success is that I adore the sport of running. I understand the itch and I also understand the grind.
Unironically, running saved me. I am not sure if my mental health would have held up over the last couple of years, and running helped immensely. It’s also how I found a community of inspiring and supportive people across the globe, and there’s nothing more nourishing than that.
next steps
I shared my thoughts with a couple of close friends and none of them tried to dissuade me. Trust me, these are friends who would call me out on delusion.
It’s going to take a little time to get to a place where I am competent and confident. I’ve done it before, and I’m more than ready to do it again. For the sake of accountability, here’s my to-do list:
- Save up for training
- Complete training
- Form a run club focused on mindfulness and joy
- Find people who need the kind of coaching I offer
- Practice what I preach (apply new knowledge to my own running)
I am most excited about training, naturally. I love learning and intertwining my knowledge form different disciplines! This decision could be life-changing, and I hope that it is.
Then it’s a matter of finding the type of people who want to feel the joy of running and not see it as punishment. I’d love to set up