TESTIMONIALS
“Anna Mae has been an awesome coach. I’ve been a professional skier for most of my adult life, but running has been my summer passion. Well, I wanted to chase some bigger running goals and I knew I could really benefit from help in doing so. I started working with Anna Mae as my coach in the spring of 2021 and ever since, it’s been an absolute pleasure and the benefits are coming through tenfold in my training. In 2021, she coached me to race IMTUF, my first ever 100-miler, with success. In 2022, I’m feeling the fittest I’ve ever been in my life. By leaning on Anna Mae for her coaching, experience, and expertise, I know that I’m getting the most out of my training and helping lower my injury risk. Words can’t do justice to what it’s meant to have her in my corner for chasing big, audacious goals.”
Drew
"Working with Ryan was easily the best thing I’ve done when it comes to my running. Before working with him I would run off and on with no real direction, never really getting better or stitching together any kind of consistency. I never realized how much I thrived with a coach until I started working with Ryan. The last 5 months working with him have given me so much hope for my running “career”. Running (mainly trails!) has become a part of my lifestyle at this point and training is such a highlight in my life. Ryan is an amazing human and just so kind and encouraging, he’s one of my biggest cheerleaders and helps me to believe in my capabilities as an athlete. He’s just as excited for my goals and my progress as I am. I have made such great strides in a short amount of time and I honestly owe it all to Ryan and his dedication to what he does"
Jessica
"I highly recommend Margaret! While working with her, I have seen tremendous growth not only in my weekly milage but my overall fitness. She's motivating, encouraging, and extremely knowledgeable. I have learned so much valuable information about how to safely build up mileage and strength; information that will benefit my running for years to come. She's constantly sharing the joy in running and helping her athletes find it too. My mindset around running has been transformed for the better. Absolutely love working with Margaret!!"
Laura
I've been kind of a casual, inconsistent marathoner for the better part of ten years - and last fall, after slogging to the finished of my first 50 milre, I felt like I was starting to plateau. Working with Anna Mae over the past four months has been so helpful in refocusing my entire approach to trail running. The accountability, discipline, planning, and consistency that Anna Mae has brought into my routine has given me so much more confidence.
Kyle
"Working with Anna Mae has given me so much confidence in not only my ability as a runner, but as a mountain athlete. Prior to working with Anna Mae, my self identity relied a lot on my running. This was fine when I was running strong and could fit hard/long workouts into my daily routine, but resulted in poor confidence and a bit of an identity crisis during times when I was injured or needed to back off on running. Anna Mae has helped me implement mountain activities (biking, skiing, climbing) I enjoy into my routine and I have enjoyed the transition of my identity from “runner” to “athlete.” She’s helped me incorporate more low impact strength training into my weeks and its resulted in running 9 months at high volumes injury-free. I could go on and on about how much more aerobically fit I am since I started working with Anna Mae, but the value of her coaching goes far beyond any physical fitness I’ve gained this year. She is a pillar of support. Her level of stoke is just as high when I tell her about shaving a minute off of rest during my core routine vs when I finish a 50k effort. I get consistent feedback from her. She’s understanding of when we need to be more flexible with my training plan. I appreciate the relationship I’ve built with her and my teammates and that has been invaluable. It’s just not something you can get from an “online training program.” It’s special. I’m so grateful to be on the Mountain Endurance Team and can’t wait for what’s to come.". - Laura L
"Margaret is an amazing coach! She truly understands running and the importance of caring for the whole self with mind and body. She is always willing to listen and is flexible with training and adapting the schedule to fit current running/life situations. I am always excited to see the activities Margaret has on tap for me throughout the week and her constant encouragement and enthusiasm is infectious! Can’t recommend her highly enough!" -Rose
"It's been fantastic having Margaret as a coach! She worked with me from the ground up, from simply developing the habit of getting out everyday, to incrementally challenging me to get stronger in a sustainable way. I’ve noticed a marked improvement in my overall well-being since starting her program, as someone who struggles to make the time for fitness and outdoor time on my own, despite the benefits. She/s always quick to respond to questions and very knowledgeable, and works with you right where you’re at. Thanks Margaret :) "- Jessica
"My goals for the season are to hopefully race the Speedgoat 50k in July and one more race in the fall. If not hopefully a 50 miler and then the trail marathon championship in Moab. I wold also like to try to aim for a faster effort on the WURL. If not this year then the next. I raced Way Too Cool 50k in March and got my 50km PR of 4:18 and got 4th female overall. I have placed top 5 female in a few 50k races and many shorter distance races as well. I have learned soooo much form Anna Mae, but most importantly to take the easy days easier so you can push i harder on the hard days and build volume. I have drastically increased my running volume working with Anna Mae and am finding “ active recovery” days of running are so possible and I am capable of so much more than I ever ever thought. Best decision I have made in a long time!!" - Jane
"If you have ever thought, "Should I hire a coach?", the answer is "Yes". I casually met Ryan on a training run and we shared a few minutes (he is too fast to keep up with! haha) together on the trail. I can thank Strava Flybys for the rest! We started following each other on Strava/Insta and I eventually came to realize that Ryan joined the Mountain Endurance Coaching team. I had thought of hiring a coach for a long time and realized that if I wanted to progress with running and avoid injury, that I needed a coach to get me there. After only a few months of coaching, I have seen dramatic improvements in my fitness level. The wide variety of workouts push me physically and mentally, but with plenty of easy running in the mix I have become faster and stronger without injury. Ryan is very easy to talk to, responds quickly to my questions, and adjusts my schedule based on the goals that I want to complete. I am excited to see where Ryan will take me with running and can't recommend him enough! "- Lindsey
"Over a year ago, with every race cancelled and the world basically in lockdown, faced with literally the unknown, I reached out
on a whim to Anna Mae about coaching. I was nervous and I wasn’t sure if it was even possible, given that we are on different
sides of the world. Yet, Anna Mae responded and was open to taking me on, despite the roughly 8,500 km distance and 8 hour
time zone difference. Over the last year, I switched from random runs and haphazardly “training” to following an actual plan,
pushing myself yet also ensuring my body rested and recovered. I learned the importance of slower miles, and ensuring
balance in my running program under Anna Mae's guidance. There was no specific race to prepare for; we focused instead on
me, and honestly, I fell back in love with running. We set goals and planed "Mountain Adventures", aka 50km runs though the
Alps, because why not? I was able to train, and improve my times and overall fitness. In the last year and a half, I have been r
running stronger, farther, and more consistently than ever before, and more surprising to me, enjoying it more than I can ever
recall. I am enjoying my sport again. Anna Mae has been instrumental in this process; from early morning (for her) Zoom calls
to messaging me late into the evening to ensure all my questions and concerns before my 6am start were answered, or
recording the Athlete Zoom Chats and Discussions, so that I can still be included in the Mountain Endurance Coaching
discussions. Contacting Anna Mae back in 2019 was honestly one of the best decisions I've ever made and I'm thankful she
took a chance on a random runner in Germany." - Joel
I’ve been working with Anna Mae for little over a year now and I can honestly say that she’s turned my running around. Before MEC, I was a disorganized trail runner. I had vague goals and build ups that would almost certainly end up with burn out or injury. Through my experience with Anna Mae, I have not only successfully trained for my first trail marathon, but we’ve incorporated fun goals like summiting local mountains and conquering iconic trails. I went from struggling through a few miles to ascending Mount Tamalpais and Mount Diablo. As an athlete, I feel supported and heard by Anna Mae, and know that I can come to her when I’m feeling nervous, shaky, tired, or a little worn out. I know she’ll lead me towards the most sustainable and supportive path for my goals. Becoming an MEC athlete has been the best thing I’ve done for myself in recent history, I cannot recommend it enough. I am looking forward to tackling my first ultra distances in the coming months and can’t wait to see what I build with Anna Mae and MEC!- Monika
I've been fortunate enough to work with Anna Mae for just over a year now. It has been worth every penny. The consistency of her program is what sets it apart, in my opinion. She always has my workouts scheduled in advance. She comments and responds to EVERY workout upon completion. She is super supportive and has always worked to accommodate my schedule and running goals; often adjusting the week's workouts to ensure later success. I absolutely love the accountability that Anna Mae's program provides for me. Her workouts always feel well thought out and planned with purpose. While many of the workouts are tough, I've never done one of her prescribed workouts that felt incommensurate with the rest of the program. I would recommend MEC to anyone that is looking for that extra motivation to reach a specific running goal. - Paul
Anna Mae's coaching style is unique and definitely pays off. She is respectful of my goals at all times, yet she constantly pushes me to be a better athlete. When I first started working with her, just over a year ago, I was fairly new to ultra-running. I had never trained with a coach before and was training off the cuff. Since working with Anna Mae, I have learned a great deal about effective and safe training while pursuing my goals. One thing I truly appreciate is that she always explains the training plan and the "why" behind every workout. I have a better understanding as to why I am doing each workout which helps drive me to complete each one to the best of my ability. Further, she offers constant feedback on daily workouts and is readily available to answer questions, offer encouragement, or give support. She is remarkably flexible with individual athlete plans and will change workouts based on schedule, preference, and goals. For someone like me who has a very odd schedule (and who is constantly changing my own goals) this is invaluable. Working with Anna Mae has been a joy and I could not recommend the MEC team more. In working with her I have felt understood, respected, supported, and valued. She will always be the first to celebrate your achievements, validate your experiences, listen to concerns, and offer support in low moments. At this point, I cannot imagine working with anyone else. - Bekah