Our Coach

My name is Jesse West.  I have been running for over 25 years and have six years of coaching experience across youth sports.  I am now branching out into individual run and endurance coaching.

My own journey is the reason I became a running coach and why I feel I can relate to those across all spectrums of running.  I began running long distance in middle school, and I did it because I was good at it.  I had fast times in the mile during gym, and believed running was a good fit.  In high school I joined the cross-country team and ran at the state meet as a junior in 2004.  But my senior year I was heavier and slower, and running lost its luster for me when I wasn't as good as I used to be.  

After high school I ran on and off, but I never had any fun, and I was wildly inconsistent.  At age 27, I was 230 pounds and made a decision: I wanted to run consistently, but my motivations again were not where they are now: I just wanted to burn calories fast.  I ran rather consistently, and in 2015 I did my first 1,000 mile year (almost entirely indoors on treadmills).  I set a goal in 2016 to race a marathon and ran the Eugene Marathon in 4:16 that April.  After that, I focused on the 10k and got my time down to 44:13.  I was very proud of that, but still something was off.  From 2017-2021, I ran somewhat inconsistently, averaging 500 miles and 135 runs a year.  Basically, I was running 3 miles every other day.  Something was off.  

Because my motivation was wrong, I didn't love running.  I looked forward to my off days more than my runs. Even when I was training for a race and running 4-5 times a week, I only looked forward to the off days.  'Even if I do this race, my upper limit is 44 minutes' type of self-talk had me going through the motions.  It was easy to skip a day

But once I figured it out, it changed my whole perspective: running should feel good.  Every run should have a purpose.  There are multiple pieces to the puzzle, and each piece has a different size and shape.  I went from running every other day to running six days a week, and I love it.  I want to share it with others.  I want other runners to enjoy the process and get results that make them proud.  

Our training focuses on getting you to the same place: a mindset that the process is enjoyable, and enjoying the process will get you the best results.  I provide personalized training plans based on your goals, abilities, availability (to train), and your attention to detail, and modify them based on your body's adaptations to the plans.  I provide in person coaching, am available digitally, and am here to hold you accountable and get you over any plateaus. 

Whether you're new to running and are just looking for guidance on how to get started, want a professional's input on your mechanics/gear/racing/pacing/etc, or need a full coaching experience, I'm here to help along the way.  Contact me today!