COACHING RUNNERS 
TESTIMONIALS
Real stories from runners who’ve grown, strengthened, and achieved ambitious performance goals with Pace of Me.
The most meaningful part of our work is the transformation we witness in the runners we support. Our testimonials highlight the experiences of athletes across all backgrounds, runners building consistency, returning from injury, chasing new goals, rediscovering joy in their training, and those pursuing high-level performance with focused, intentional coaching.
THESE STORIES REFLECT
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The impact of personalized, whole-person coaching.
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The confidence built through progressive strength and structured training.
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The support and connection found in our community.
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The breakthroughs that happen when runners feel seen, supported, and guided.
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The excitement of runners achieving aggressive performance goals and reaching levels they once thought were out of reach.
Testimonials offer an honest look at what it feels like to train with Pace of Me, grounded, encouraged, and capable of more than you imagined!
PACE OF THE TRIANGLE
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My running has improved immensely since I started working with Coach Jess in spring 2022. She is the most supportive, inspiring, and amazing coach!! I love Team POM because everyone is so positive and encouraging, and we are all rooting for each other!! 💜
Vanessa V.
Coach Jess is not only an expert in her field , she is an amazing inspiration and the most supportive coach a runner could ask for !! She has helped me continue running smart and with gratitude as I age . She has even coached me to new PRs in the half and full marathons along the way. Simply magic!! I POM .
Beth M.
Jess has an incredible ability to connect with her runners beyond just their running goals. She’s supportive, understanding, and flexible while still challenging you to build your fitness. She focuses on the whole athlete beyond the physical aspects and helps build the inner strength and motivation in her athletes. She is an amazing coach and friend.
Brenna L.
I came to Coach Jess as an experienced runner who knew I could do more but wasn’t sure how to approach my improvement. Coach Jess took the time to learn who I was as a runner and how I approached training. Through her guidance I have become a better distance runner and dramatically improved my times in just a few months. So excited to see what 2020 brings!
Paul L.
Coach Maddie gave me the structure, motivation and encouragement that I needed to achieve my half marathon goal. She tailors the plan with care and an eye for my goals; she offers an ear for those tough times and she bubbles over with joy when we’ve met my goals. I couldn’t have asked for a better coach – Maddie helped me make running something I can’t get enough of doing!
Jessica K.
I started working with Jess earlier this year and now I can’t imagine running without her as my coach! At first, I didn’t think that I would gain very much from having a coach but I was SO wrong. On our first intro call, we clicked instantly and I felt like we could’ve talked for hours. Jess truly cares about all of her athletes and I love chatting with her about my good runs, my bad runs and just about life in general. Jess is amazing!
Kelli H.
Steph is the perfect balance of friend and coach! She has improved more than just my running. My nutrition and my mental game are leaps and bounds ahead of where they used to be! Through working with her, I have learned how to fuel, run slower to run faster, and believe in myself. From a 5k or to Boylston St., Steph can get you there! I’m grateful for our friendship and shared love of running! I look forward to continuing to grow as her athlete and friend!
Kim K.
Working with Jess has truly been a game-changer. Over the past 5 years I’ve grown into a stronger, more resilient and overall happier runner. Investing in coaching was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for myself. Jess holds me accountable, challenges me to run faster and stronger, and just as importantly, reminds me to keep balance and joy at the center of it all. She helps me chase PRs while keeping me grounded in the bigger picture: running is meant to be fun.
Katie Y.
Running with Michelle and Pace of Me has been an incredible support system I didn’t even realize I needed until I joined. I went from one solid training cycle to another that brought a whole new set of challenges – and honestly having Michelle there to guide me through it all is probably the only reason I made it to the marathon. Having a coach isn’t just about chasing PRs. The moral and mental support they provide becomes absolutely critical – something you don’t truly appreciate until you’re deep in it.
Stephanie T.
Stephanie has been instrumental in helping me run strong and improve into my 40s. I truly didn’t start running until I was in my mid thirties and didn’t know much about running or racing. From the moment I met Stephanie, she proved to be a wonderful mentor and coach. She has helped me navigate safely through injury and has personally tailored my training plans based on my race schedule and whatever obstacle life throws down. She has been wonderful and I look forward to many more successful years of running under her guidance.
Kelly W.
Pace of Me Coaching is a really amazing group of ladies who love to run and love to help people achieve their best in running! I have been working with Coach Steph for a little over a year and she is my biggest cheerleader. Steph gets more excited over my runs than I do sometimes! She is full of knowledge and provides me a lot of support in my running. As a runner toward the back of the pack, working with Pace of Me keeps this master runner accountable and healthy so I can continue running for a long time! Her strength programs are great too!
Laura R.
I met Jess when I was about to begin training for my first marathon. I was overwhelmed by the prospect, but as someone who does run/walk intervals at a slower pace, I wondered whether I was the type of runner who needs a coach. 100% yes!! Jess creates training plans that are right for me and push me to find my potential. Even more important than the workouts, Jess has guided me through the ups and downs of my running journey. I am so grateful for her positivity and perspective. Jess has helped me become a stronger, more confident, and happier runner.
Laura L.
I work full time and have four kids so it can be challenging at times for me to get my workouts in. Jess truly individualizes my training plans and will adjust when necessary without ever making me feel anxious about obtaining my goals. Within the first year of working with Jess I achieved my goal of Boston Qualifying in Richmond 2015! Jess was even there to cheer me on in Boston 2017. She has always been very supportive and understanding of my goals. She has helped me become a more efficient runner and reminds me to always honor and listen to my body. I highly recommend working with Jess.
Valerie W.
Coach Michelle is the perfect balance of encouragement and accountability – after many years off of consistent training, she helped me train for my first half marathon that resulted in a PB of ~15 mins! She was more than accommodating of how life gets in the way of planning and I appreciated how encouraging and understanding she is too. I would happily recommend her to anyone who is considering coaching as I think both her thoughtfulness in planning workouts as well as ability to engage with any questions I had (Zone 2, anyone??) was more than worth it. Beyond the PB, I always felt like Coach Michelle and the Pace of Me Community was very supportive and that’s important to me as an athlete.
Tushar K.
Working with Pace of Me over the last year and a half has not only improved my running but it’s also introduced me to a community of folks who support each other. There’s no way I’d have been able to not only start racing in 2024 but complete my first trail race, half and full marathon if not for the coaching and empowerment of Pace of Me. Coach Maddie was my cheerleader all through my training last year and helped me achieve my goal of getting into and running NYC Marathon this year. She gave me the tools to learn how to run, fuel and hydrate properly. Pace of Me isn’t one-size-fits-all training, it’s tailored to the runner and truly gives each athlete what they need to achieve any running goal. I wouldn’t be the athlete I am without them.
Mary J.
I started working with Steph when I was cleared to workout postpartum. I had 2 babies in under 2 years and was excited to finally chase some big running goals. However I quickly found out that it was easier said than done. There were sleepless newborn nights and early morning toddler wakeups that cancelled my runs. Oh and debilitating postpartum anxiety. Steph just “got it”. She helped me rearrange my workouts and scale back on mileage while I worked through new motherhood. And yet. She very gently encouraged me to set tangible goals to lace up more consistently and gradually added mileage. It’s been six months working with Steph and I’m running faster and more consistently as a 35 year old mama than I did in my 20s. She knows her stuff, sets the “just right” challenge, is responsive and so incredibly upbeat and encouraging. I can’t wait to see where we can go from here!” — Shannon B
Shannon B.
My running game has changed exponentially! Paces I once thought were near to impossible are now my possible. I’m able to run a strong marathon and feel good beginning to end. I’m the healthiest (physically) I’ve been while running. Since I’ve started running smarter, I’m able to avoid some of the physical injuries that accompany common running mistakes. Bottom line, I am faster, I am stronger, I am a smarter runner and I owe you! You “dig” the scientific information and you apply what you learn to my training plans. You’re a wealth of knowledge when it comes to running! I love that you make sure my daily life (group fitness) and running complement each other. You aren’t scared to challenge me. I love that you understand my OCD tendencies and you know when to work around that or when to feed it. There’s so much I love about working with you, but I love how you invest in me and my goals. I know you have other clients, but you make me feel like I’m the only person you’re training. I’m sure you make others feel the same way.
Amy P.
I met Jessica in November 2013 just after I completed my 5th Marine Corps Marathon. I had been following her on social media for a while and really found her to be inspiring. When I met her in person it was as if I had known her for much longer. She was so inviting and engaging – I immediately shared with her that I had running goals in mind but was not sure how to achieve them. My goal – break a 2 hour half marathon. Jessica immediately lit up and said that she could definitely help me and so we started my training plan. Although I do not live near her, through phone calls, texts and weekly emails I felt as if I was supported throughout the entire training cycle…(although I do wish that we were closer!) When race day came I felt very prepared and was so happy with my result! I broke the 2 hour half! 1:57!!!! Since then she has helped me also train for 2 marathons – I felt completely prepared for race day and I did not feel overwhelmed with my training plan! What I really enjoyed about training with Jessica was that she took the time to get to know me and that she was probably more excited for me than I was for myself. That is contagious and it allowed me to believe. I am glad that she was my coach and now my friend!
Melissa M.
My entire life I have been involved in sports, relying on the guidance and support from coaches. Historically my favorite coaches were the ones who really believed in the craft, who put in the work, and really understood what it meant to be an athlete. They brought personal experience because they had been there, in the trenches, thriving through the grind of intense training. They encouraged with a kind heart and spirit, and they believed in me, oftentimes more than I believed in myself. I had found myself, a few years out of my collegiate running days, without a team and without a coach. I was just running with my heart and soul, but without the cheers of encouragement from a fellow runner or coach, and I really missed that. That’s when I began considering enlisting the help of a personal coach. I was ready to tackle a few more goals; achieve race times that I knew I was fully capable of because the data, the science and my experience as a life-long runner indicated that my dreams and goals were absolutely realistic. Before I started working with Jess, I was feeling a little lost in my running. I had already achieved big goals like qualifying for Boston and running a sub 3:30 marathon. I knew what I needed to break that 3:20 marathon barrier and that sub 1:30 half marathon was someone to challenge me with scary speed workouts, someone to hold me accountable to a training plan, and someone to listen to me when I had concerns. Someone who understood that life sometimes gets in the way of our ultimate goals, and that’s okay. I needed a coach that was excited for me when I achieved my dreams and also empathized and encouraged me when I didn’t quite hit my goal. I wanted someone who truly cared about me as a person first and a runner second. Under Jess’ guidance, I was able to find my roar; I achieved those big lofty goals like a 3:18 marathon and a 1:29 half marathon. I broke the 20:00 barrier in the 5K more than once. And I did it all with a smile on my face, and a gratitude in my heart. If you are looking for a coach that will encourage you, challenge you, and most importantly, be your biggest cheerleader, then Jess is the coach for you!