Becoming Stronger Than the Struggle starts here.
I’m Coach Gerald. I didn’t start running to get faster. I started because grief was wrecking my life and I needed a way through it.
I am a Faith-Based Endurance Run coach who specializes in helping others find their way through the struggles of life using running as a means to find that joy and hope once again. Here are three things I want you to know about your running journey.
- You don’t have to be fast.
- You don’t have to feel ready.
- You just have to start.
I coach runners in Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio, and online across the country. If you’re carrying something heavy right now, running won’t fix it by itself. But it’s a place to start. And you don’t have to figure it out alone..
Not sure if I’m the coach for you? Here are some examples of people I help.
- You’re running to cope with something you haven’t quite figured out how to fully deal with yet.
- Grief, depression, or loss showed up in your life, and running is how you’re trying to carry it
- You want your faith to be a part of your running plan and not separate from it.
- You’ve never felt like a “real runner” and don’t know if you belong at the start line or even need a coach.
- You’ve started training before and quit when life got heavy. You wonder why this time would be any different.
You’re not the only one who’s felt this way. I’ve been there too. It’s why I can confidently say that I get you.
Even if you aren’t sure if I’m right for you. Book a free call and let’s talk about what might be right for you. I have multiple options that can fit in your plan.
Running Helps But it Doesn’t Fix Everything
Running gave me somewhere to put my grief. But it didn’t make the grief go away. I still had hard days. I still had to do the actual work of grieving, not just outrun it. I still had to find a method and plan to keep consistent.
That’s the part a lot of people miss. They think if they just run enough, the weight of grief, depression, and anxiety will magically lift on its own. Sometimes running does help. Sometimes it is just a part of an overall plan of prayer, counseling, and medication. If you’re carrying something heavy; you probably need more than miles. You need someone in it with you.
That’s what I’m here for.
Not Just a Running Coach. A Guide Through the Struggle.
Most running coaches focus solely on pace, mileage, and performance. I don’t forget or ignore those. Instead, they are incorporated into the plan that fits you and your life.
I focus on you as a whole person.
Through my 5 Pillars Framework—Faith, Mental Health, Community, Mindset, and Race Readiness, you’ll build more than endurance…
You’ll build resilience that carries over into every part of your life.
But what if…
“I’m not a good enough runner.”
Neither was I, when I started. I trained a month just to run one mile. Most of the people I coach start exactly there.
“I don’t know if this will actually help my mental health.”
Running by itself probably won’t. That’s why I don’t just hand you a training plan and walk away. We work through the faith, the mindset, and the actual life stuff alongside the miles.
“I’m worried about the cost.”
Fair. That’s why I start everyone with a free call first. No pressure, just a conversation to see if this is a fit before you spend a dime.
I’m Gerald Collins, founder of RunRev Coaching.
In May 2011, I lost my mother to breast cancer. The grief nearly cost me my marriage. A year later, my wife gave me an ultimatum, find a way to deal with it or she and my daughter were leaving.
I chose running. I spent a month just training to run one mile. Then I ran my first 5K. Then, in the fall of 2013, I ran my first marathon and dedicated it to my mother.
Running didn’t fix my grief. But it gave me a way through it, and it saved my marriage.
Now I help other people find that same thing, using running to work through grief, depression, and whatever else they’re carrying, with faith at the center of it.
I’m based in Southwest Ohio and coach runners in Dayton and Cincinnati in person, and athletes everywhere else online.
“Coach Gerald is a blessing. I thought I needed a drill sergeant, but his gentle accountability was exactly what I needed. He genuinely cared about my well being physically, mentally, and spiritually. He was abundantly gracious when I couldn’t pull it together. If you aren’t sure he’s right for you, at least have a conversation with him to find out.”
Heather, runner from Dayton, OH
“The workouts were fun and challenging and tailored to both push me and work within my schedule and realistic availability. Working with Gerald really met my expectations of resetting how I approach running.””The workouts were fun and challenging and tailored to both push me and work within my schedule and realistic availability. Working with Gerald really met my expectations of resetting how I approach running.”
Jen, trans. from marathons to shorter races, Dayton, OH
