ROB YOUNGREN
RUN COACH / ROAD AND TRAIL / 5K-ULTRA DISTANCE
My name is Rob Youngren and I’ve been running since high school (1991) and running ultramarathons since 1995. I am a Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) certified running coach. I am originally from Sacramento, CA but went away to college in Virginia and somehow ended up Huntsville, AL. It wasn’t by chance though, I met my wife Kathy who is from northern Alabama (and also a Cadence Run Coach) at an ultramarathon in Tennessee. I’m have my Ph.D. in computer science and, not surprisingly, am a full time principal computer scientist – analyst. So, as you might imagine, run coaching isn’t my day job! However I LOVE helping runners, newer and experienced, achieve their running goals! Kathy and I decided to start run coaching back in late 2012. We’d long been helping friends prepare for specific events or lending race approach advice so it was a natural progression into getting the proper coach training and starting a business of it. We’ve both kept up semi-regular clients and a steady stream of new ones since that time
.
My Coaching Approach:
I’m most at home coaching ultramarathon and trail run specific training based on my deep ultra-marathoning experience. However I’ve helped coach runners with goals from their first 5km to seasoned marathoners looking to qualify for Boston. I believe that ALL runners, regardless of their goal distance or terrain type, need to incorporate regular speed work to maintain good leg cadence which has so many benefits with regard to overall fitness as well as enhanced ability to effectively tackle any type of terrain you might encounter.
In general my approach starts out with potential run clients completing a running questionnaire in order to assess their specific training or racing goals as well as gauge their past and current fitness, and any limitations (medical, physical, scheduling) that I need to be aware of. Then I’ll build up their entire training plan but only dispense it at two week intervals as this allows me to make modifications as time goes on due to life events, a training breakthrough, setbacks, etc… I’ve typically allowed almost unlimited communication as I understand experience levels vary wildly among clients and some have more questions than others. In the past I’ve had clients share their workouts with me however they were most comfortable. That typically was either sharing their workouts on Garmin Connect, Strava, TrainingPeaks or a simple e-mail or text message. With Cadence, we use the VDOTo2 training app that is free to the client and allows you to download and view your training plans.
My Running:
I started running off of a dare during the summer of 1991. A skate boarding friend of mine who was also on our high school cross-country team bet that I wouldn’t last two weeks on the team. So I walked on the team over the summer while they were practicing. I won’t lie, my friend almost won that bet. I hated running at first. I’d never been so sore and tired in all my life! That was saying a lot since I was a very active teenager, hiker, long back packing trips, soccer, etc… But soon I adapted to these new stresses and discovered my lifelong love of running! I went on to run competitively in cross-country and long distance track in high school and college. I was never very fast but good enough to make our travel squad and letter. I just knew that I had some natural running talent but wasn’t sure what outlet until I discovered ultra-marathons. Quit literally my first ultra was in 1995, it was a solo, self-supported, run of the entire 31+ mile American River Bike Trail near my home in Sacramento while home on break from college. It was an area I explored as a child by bike and whose trails I began to run in high school. I just had my dad drop me off at one end and several hours later pick me up at the other. I was hooked!
Since then I’ve slowly progressed through the world of ultramarathons amassing nearly 11,000 race miles among nearly 200 events including finishes of some of the most difficult in the world.
Personal Records:
Mile: 4:48
2 mile: 9:55
5km: 16:41
10km: 35:17
10 Mile: 58:03
Half-Marathon: 1:18:54
Marathon: 2:50:46
50km: 3:41:26
50 mile: 6:12:55
100km: 9:51:07
100 mile: 17:49:18
.
My Coaching Approach:
I’m most at home coaching ultramarathon and trail run specific training based on my deep ultra-marathoning experience. However I’ve helped coach runners with goals from their first 5km to seasoned marathoners looking to qualify for Boston. I believe that ALL runners, regardless of their goal distance or terrain type, need to incorporate regular speed work to maintain good leg cadence which has so many benefits with regard to overall fitness as well as enhanced ability to effectively tackle any type of terrain you might encounter.
In general my approach starts out with potential run clients completing a running questionnaire in order to assess their specific training or racing goals as well as gauge their past and current fitness, and any limitations (medical, physical, scheduling) that I need to be aware of. Then I’ll build up their entire training plan but only dispense it at two week intervals as this allows me to make modifications as time goes on due to life events, a training breakthrough, setbacks, etc… I’ve typically allowed almost unlimited communication as I understand experience levels vary wildly among clients and some have more questions than others. In the past I’ve had clients share their workouts with me however they were most comfortable. That typically was either sharing their workouts on Garmin Connect, Strava, TrainingPeaks or a simple e-mail or text message. With Cadence, we use the VDOTo2 training app that is free to the client and allows you to download and view your training plans.
My Running:
I started running off of a dare during the summer of 1991. A skate boarding friend of mine who was also on our high school cross-country team bet that I wouldn’t last two weeks on the team. So I walked on the team over the summer while they were practicing. I won’t lie, my friend almost won that bet. I hated running at first. I’d never been so sore and tired in all my life! That was saying a lot since I was a very active teenager, hiker, long back packing trips, soccer, etc… But soon I adapted to these new stresses and discovered my lifelong love of running! I went on to run competitively in cross-country and long distance track in high school and college. I was never very fast but good enough to make our travel squad and letter. I just knew that I had some natural running talent but wasn’t sure what outlet until I discovered ultra-marathons. Quit literally my first ultra was in 1995, it was a solo, self-supported, run of the entire 31+ mile American River Bike Trail near my home in Sacramento while home on break from college. It was an area I explored as a child by bike and whose trails I began to run in high school. I just had my dad drop me off at one end and several hours later pick me up at the other. I was hooked!
Since then I’ve slowly progressed through the world of ultramarathons amassing nearly 11,000 race miles among nearly 200 events including finishes of some of the most difficult in the world.
- Former Youngest finisher of the Original Grand Slam of Ultrarunning (Finishing the Four original US trail 100s within a 14 weeks: Old Dominion, Western States, Leadville, Wasatch Front)
- 5 time Hardrock 100 mile finisher (including Top Ten finish)
- 2 time Badwater 135 mile finisher (including Top Ten finish)
- 2 time Barkley Fun Run “finisher”
- Iditarod Trail Invitational 350 mile finisher
- Former Fastest Known Time of the 335 mile Pinhoti Trail
- VolState Road Race 314 mile finisher
- Spartathlon 250km finisher (Greece)
- Ultrabalaton 220km finisher (Hungary)
- Tuscobia Winter Ultra 160 mile finisher
Personal Records:
Mile: 4:48
2 mile: 9:55
5km: 16:41
10km: 35:17
10 Mile: 58:03
Half-Marathon: 1:18:54
Marathon: 2:50:46
50km: 3:41:26
50 mile: 6:12:55
100km: 9:51:07
100 mile: 17:49:18