Note: This is a legacy post from the PFM archives, originally written in December 2021. It documents the early days of building the 'engine room' that still powers our coaching today.
Collecting coaching certifications is just the price of entry; the real work happens in the engine room where data meets the messy reality of human life. This is the story of how PFM Coaching moved beyond the classroom to build a system that actually supports runners in the wild.
TL;DR: Getting qualified with UKA and UESCA was the easy part. The real challenge was building the "engine room", the bespoke onboarding, iterative planning, and human-centric monitoring systems that ensure a training plan survives contact with a busy life.
The trap of the certificate
It’s easy to think that once you’ve got the piece of paper, you’re ready to go. You’ve sat the exams, done the practicals, and now you’re officially a "coach". But a certification is just a foundation, not the whole house.
When I set out to build PFM Coaching, I knew I needed the best education possible. I went through the UKA Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) course to understand the fundamentals of off-track endurance and the UESCA Ultra Running certification to dive deep into the specific physiological demands of racing beyond 26.2 miles. These gave me the science, the "how" of aerobic thresholds, neuromuscular adaptation, and periodisation.
But science doesn't account for a late night at the office, a child with the flu, or the mental fatigue of a fifty-hour work week. That’s where the "engine room" comes in.
Building the engine room
Since December 2021, I’ve been head-down, building the backend of what I do. It’s not flashy work. It’s spreadsheets, questionnaires, and systems. If the training plan is the car, the engine room is the workshop where we strip it down and rebuild it to make sure it’s fit for purpose.
I didn't want to be another coach who sends over a PDF and says, "See you in sixteen weeks." I wanted a system that was truly personalised and adaptive. To do that, I had to figure out how to capture the right data without burying the athlete in admin.
Onboarding: The deep dive
The process starts long before the first run is logged. I don’t believe in generic "one size fits all" templates. To build a plan that works, I need to know exactly who I’m working with.
1. The PAR-Q (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire)
Safety isn't optional. Every athlete starts with a PAR-Q. It’s a standard industry tool, but it’s the first gate. If there are niggles or health concerns, we address them before we even think about mileage. I’m interested in your long-term health, not just your next PB.
2. The Deep-Dive Athlete Questionnaire
This is where we get into the weeds. I ask about your fitness history, sure, but I also want to know about your motivation, your life schedule, and your recovery capacity.
- What does your typical Tuesday look like?
- How do you handle high-stress periods at work?
- What’s the "why" behind the goal?
If I don’t understand the context of your life, I can’t write a plan that survives it.
The Iterative Plan: Not a template
A PFM plan isn't a static document. It’s a layered, iterative process. When we start, the first version is a draft, a skeleton of what we think will work based on the deep-dive questionnaire.
We then go through several drafts together. We look at the load, the timing of the long runs (which, for some of my ultra athletes, might exceed 2.5 hours when paired with proper recovery), and how the sessions fit into the week. The plan adapts through feedback until we have something that feels sustainable. Even then, it’s never "finished." We are constantly adjusting based on how you respond to the load.
The human side of monitoring
Data is great, but Garmin stats only tell half the story. You can have a perfect "productive" status on your watch while feeling like you’re falling apart mentally.
Well, I figured out excel enough to create my own monitoring package so all the stats I ask my athletes for now get fed into it to help inform their training.
I track more than just pace and heart rate. We look at:
- Sleep quality: Are you actually recovering?
- Mood: Is the training load making you miserable?
- Fatigue levels: Is that "tiredness" normal or the start of burnout?
- Life stress: Are external pressures eating into your "adaptation budget"?
Training is a stressor. Life is a stressor. Your body doesn't distinguish between a hard interval session and a stressful board meeting. My job is to manage the total load so you can progress without breaking.
The roadmap for PFM Coaching
Right now, I’m in the "refinement" phase. I’ve been working with a group of test athletes to break these systems and find the gaps. We’re testing the communication loops, the feedback forms, and the spreadsheet integrations to ensure that by the time we hit April 2022, the service is seamless.
The goal is to provide a coaching experience that is genuinely human. You aren't just a row in a database; you're an athlete with a life, and your training should reflect that.
Key Takeaways
- Certifications are the floor, not the ceiling. UKA and UESCA provide the science, but coaching requires a human system.
- Safety and context come first. The PAR-Q and deep-dive questionnaire are essential for building a plan that won't cause burnout.
- Iterative planning is key. A training plan should be a living document that adapts through multiple drafts and ongoing feedback.
- Monitor the human, not just the runner. Sleep, mood, and stress are just as important as mileage when managing total load.
FAQ
Why do I need to fill out such a long questionnaire?
Because a generic plan is easy to find, but a plan that works for you requires detail. The more I know about your schedule and history, the better I can protect you from injury and burnout.
What is the difference between UKA and UESCA?
UKA (UK Athletics) provides the gold standard for coaching within the UK, focusing on endurance and fitness. UESCA is a specialist science-based academy that dives deep into the specific physiological and nutritional demands of ultra-running. I use both to provide a comprehensive service.
Do I need an expensive watch for this monitoring?
Not necessarily. While data helps, much of what I monitor: mood, fatigue, stress: is subjective and comes from you telling me how you feel. We use the tech to support the human feeling, not replace it.
If you’re ready to move past generic templates and want a system that actually accounts for your life, get in touch here to discuss how we can build your roadmap.
