Meet your coach.
My
Trail
Running
Journey
My little mountain town is surrounded by peaks, valleys, ravines and rocky ridges. I began running on the trails as a means to support a daily exercise routine. Nothing major, just 3 or 4 miles a few times a week. I had been athletic all my life playing mostly ball sports in high school and college, while competitively swimming for most of my childhood. My husband had been running on trails and racing for a few years at that point and had introduced me to brave souls who would go out in the mountains all times. I could not fathom being out in the wilderness in the dark or board daylight, but the thought of it definitely intrigued me.
Curiosity kept pulling me back to the trails, and each outing gave me a little more confidence. Soon, those few miles weren’t enough. I wanted to see what was farther up the mountain, and the peaks that once felt out of reach started looking like possibilities.
I became a student of the sport, reading, asking questions, and learning how training, recovery, and fueling fit together. Then I’d head out to the trails and put those lessons into practice. Understanding the why behind what I was doing became part of the fun, and that curiosity still shapes how I coach today. My confidence grew, my fitness followed, and I was HOOKED.
My feet have carried me through some amazing places, and those tens of thousands of miles have taught me plenty. I love sharing what I’ve learned about training, recovery, fueling, gear, unpredictable weather, fitting it all around family life, and even running with a dog!
Running doesn’t always come easily to me, and maybe you can relate. But a little curiosity, a willingness to learn, and finding some fun along the way can take you farther than you think.
Confidence Comes With Practice
When I first started trail running, a few miles on familiar trails felt like plenty. Going farther, running in the dark, or signing up for a mountain race brought plenty of questions—and some nerves.
What helped was taking one step at a time. I learned, practiced, made mistakes, and slowly built confidence. That experience still shapes how I coach.
You don’t have to show up knowing how to do all of this. We’ll start where you are, build toward what you want to accomplish, and make room to enjoy the process along the way.
Below is a link to an article I wrote about getting started for @trail_sisters.
Experience I Bring to Coaching
My experience racing 100 milers includes Hardrock, UTMB, Ouray, eight finishes at the Bear, and completing the Rocky Mountain Slam in 2024. I’ve also raced shorter ultras, including the San Juan Solstice, Scout Mountain, and Zane Grey 50 milers. Along the way, I’ve learned plenty about pacing, fueling, patience, and adapting when things don’t go as planned.
Your goals don’t have to look like mine. Whether you’re working toward a 50K, a 50 miler, another distance, or simply want to feel stronger and enjoy your time out running, I’d love to help. You don’t need a race on the calendar to have something worth working toward.
When I find myself getting “too caught up” in training for my next race, bored because a trail is closed or the weather has limited accessibility, or maybe somedays I just question what in the world I’m doing out there running around in a blizzard, the dark, or hot summer sun, I remember that I GET to do this. When you stop taking the joy out of what you’re doing and replace it with obligation, I believe you begin to lose focus on the real reason you’re out there. Being present is everything and the reason why I’ll always seek to Run My Own Trail.
— Tara Warren
OTM Adventures
