Why NFLR is Different

Wednesday, March 09, 2016 · Mike Davis

Good morning! Grab your coffee and pull up a chair. So today in Portsmouth New Hampshire and the surrounding towns we welcome summer in! The temperature will climb to nearly 70 degree around the local area and thoughts of winter will be a past memory. Reality is that March is a frustrating month that in one moment teases us with spring only to remind us that winter is not completely over. I have learned to enjoy the moment and not trust that tomorrow’s weather will be the same. I have been a New Hampshire running coach for many years now, specifically coaching groups and individuals in and around the seacoast of New Hampshire and Maine. I introduced No Finish Line Running to New Hampshire over 5 years ago and continued to develop a running coach business the centered on helping runners of all levels to run stronger and just as important with a greater enjoyment. Through my relationship with Runners Alley I gained considerable experience with beginners and from there I educated myself both formally and through individual study. As NFLR grew I realized that I needed to add additional coaches to help with the growing business. Today we have a team of certified coaches and 3 more who will be certified soon. We now have NFLR-NH that is centered in Dover New Hampshire where we have a unique resource center that offers runners multiple resources to help their running. The NFLR Center offers runners running specific strength training and Pilates, New Hampshire’s only professional gait analysis and other group and individual coaching resources. All the resources under one roof that I have always felt were needed for runners of all levels to improve their running or become better-rounded physically. Today running is much more main stream than it was when I started coaching runners. I actually remember looking for a certified running coach to come chat to the first group of Runners Alley when I first worked with a running group and the closest certified one was in Boston, miles away. I am not sure if that was the reason I choose to get certified but, it definitely was a need for southern New Hampshire and Maine. Today with the explosion of running and now Tri-Athlons coaches are popping up in amazing numbers and the playing field has definitely expanded. Sometimes I wonder if a coaching business that focuses more on helping an individual find greater joy in their running versus marketing to competitive runners can compete. Do not get me wrong, NFLR has knowledge, experience and technology to help talented runners improve their running. However, at the core of our philosophy is helping runners develop a healthy joy for running that will insure they are running as long as they live. Unfortunately I am seeing other coaches that are now populating the landscape promoting a philosophy that is aimed to appeal only to “qualifying” without regard to intelligent healthy running. I have avoided and will continue to attacking other coaches but, I my passion for helping runners will continue to drive NFLR to differentiate us from other coaches. We are firmly entrenched in our philosophy of developing strong, healthy runners that also find a spiritual enjoyment as well. Helping runners for a lifetime is far more important to us than a “qualifying time.” While we can help with goals, we will not sacrifice helping a runner’s future. We are beginning plans for our spring/summer Dover training group that will go from mid-April till the end of July. If you want to be a part of a great training group that will be led by a team of certified coaches, this is a great opportunity! More information to come soon! Time to head out. Looking forward to running tonight in my summer clothing! See you on the road! God Bless! Mike