Faith-based running coaching for beginner and intermediate runners in Dayton and online.
I’m Coach Gerald Collins. I grew up in Southwest Ohio near Dayton, and I coach runners across the Dayton area and online. If running has been the thing that holds you together, or the thing you keep starting and stopping, I can help you build something that lasts.
I started running in 2012 to work through grief after my mother died from breast cancer. After my wife gave me a well-needed ultimatum, running became how I got through hard seasons. It’s why I coach the way I do. I’m a running coach, not a therapist. I coach the runner, and I care about the whole person.
Local Coaching, Real Support
I know what it’s like to run these roads. The Great Miami River Trail. The Five Rivers MetroParks. Early mornings when the rest of Dayton is still asleep and it’s just you and whatever you’re carrying.
Running in Dayton is accessible. But running through hard seasons is something else. That’s where coaching comes in.
Who I work with best
I work best with runners in Dayton who are beginner to intermediate, navigating grief, depression, or a difficult season of life, looking for accountability without judgment, and open to faith being part of the conversation when it’s helpful.
If any of that sounds like you, we’re probably a good fit.
What coaching looks like
- Free discovery call. A 30 minute Zoom call with me. You tell me where you are, I tell you plainly if coaching is a fit.
- Strategy call, $97. One focused session to map your next steps.
- Custom training plan, $150. A one-time, 16-week plan built around your life.
- 1:1 coaching. Ongoing coaching with regular check-ins and a plan that adjusts with you.
Every coaching relationship runs through 5 pillars: Faith, Mental Health, Community, Mindset, and Race Readiness. That framework is what makes this different from a standard running program.
Team RunRev for Dayton area runners
Team RunRev is an annual membership for runners who want community without full coaching. It’s $100 a year, with an $80 founding rate for the first 10 members. You run under the RunRev banner, join monthly Q&A calls, get a private community group, free athlete calls, team social events, and a $30 team gear credit. Join Team RunRev
Group runs near Dayton
My faith-based group runs meet in Germantown, in the Dayton area. Come as you are, at your pace. See group runs
“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 W. from Dayton, OH
Start with a free call
Not sure where to begin? Book a free 30 minute discovery call. No pitch, no pressure. Book your free discovery call
Also coaching runners in Cincinnati? See my Cincinnati running coach page.