Marathons and Book Coaches

why marathons? why book coaches?

Sunday, I ran my sixth marathon (my eldest daughter ran the half and PRd!). In this picture, they are basically holding me up just after I crossed the line. At least I’m smiling/grimacing, they both said I looked pissed in the last 200 meters.

I had a goal time that I felt I trained for the but the marathon is a tricky beast and things didn’t go as planned. I missed my goal, missed a PR (personal record), but finished and feel good about that. If you age-grade my time (because yes, I am that old now), I crushed my goal time but I want to earn that with my own body. If that’s possible.

While running a marathon there is a lot (a LOT) of time to think. I wondered why on earth I do this. I wondered why would I stop doing this. I wondered what it would feel like to have a running coach. I wondered why someone my age and pace would ever wonder what it would be like to have a running coach. I wondered why shouldn’t someone my age and pace wonder about having a running coach. I wondered why the ground is so hard and why Gatorade plus my stomach = port-a-potty trips and why port-a-potties were floating (answer to that: I was dizzy).

I know a lot about running. I read about it, engage in running social media groups, have run for 17 years now, listen to podcasts, watch documentaries, and have published dozens of articles about it.

But I’m pretty average, for a runner, when it comes to speed. Why would an average runner hire a coach?

Then I transferred all that wondering to writing, another thing I love and am passionate about.

Should average writers who are passionate about their hobby or who want to move it from a hobby to a profession hire a coach? Absolutely!

I thought about all the people I know who want to write a book but aren’t sure they can, should, will. Want to improve, want to challenge themselves, want to see what it takes, feel pretty average but also really care about writing and want to hold a finished manuscript or a published book in their hands.

Why shouldn’t someone like that work with a writing coach?

What would a running coach offer me, if I chose to hire one? A training plan customized to my pace and age and available time to train and goals. A nutritional guide and consultation. Accountability, community, confidence. Hiring a coach would imply I take my running seriously, even as a hobby. That I am invested in it, that I think it is worthwhile, that I am worth investing in.

I have not hired a running coach but last year I did hire a swim coach for four lessons. I loved it. I loved not only the coaching, but that feeling of investing in myself to improve at something I found interesting.

Why not hire a coach?

Why do we think the only people who should hire a coach are elites?

I hired a business coach last year while I was launching Rachel Pieh Jones, LLC. It was easily the best decision I made.

Do you want to write a book?

Hire a book coach. Heck, hire me as your book coach!

You are worth it. Your dream, whether it be to write as a hobby or to write as a professional career, matters. Investing in yourself is a wise choice.

What does a book coach offer?

Writing exercises tailored to your skills, interests, focus, goals, topic, style. Accountability. Encouragement. Community. Perspective. Personalized input and feedback and tips and suggestions and so much more. One-on-one calls and emergency SOS help.

What might be holding you back from investing in your dream whether it is running or writing or launching a business?

A running coach could get me to that finish line faster and with more confidence. In the same way, a book coach will get you to that THE END of your manuscript and help build your writing skills!

Book a free discovery call with me today to see if a book coach is the right decision for you!

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