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The Planted Runner

Coach Claire has helped hundreds of real runners chase their dreams and conquer what they never thought possible. Her coaching philosophy combines science-based training, plant-based running nutrition, and proven mindset techniques to unlock every runner's true potential. She's a certified vegan running coach, sports nutrition specialist, mom, and borderline obsessive plant lover. As an athlete herself, she went from a 4:02 first marathon all the way to a 2:58 finishing time at the age of 42, entirely plant-based. She coaches vegan, plant-based, and plant-curious runners to achieve the same dramatic success, from those on a walk-run program, general fitness, up to high-level athletes

Featured Post

happy about the 53rd percentile? 😐

This week in my gym, we are testing our one-rep max. To be clear, this is not something you need to do to be a better runner, but I've been working hard for the last 18 months on getting really strong (for me). So today, when I managed one back squat at 140 pounds (63.5 kg), I was pretty darn pround of myself. Until, that is, I looked up whether that was any good or not. Turns out, that puts me in the 53rd percentile of female lifters of my age and weight. Barely intermediate. Average. (To...

Last week, made a silly Instagram reel about AI training plans. It got over 50,000 views and 150 shares. It also got its share of critics. Coach ChatGPT gave me a PR👀 AI has revolutionised my running To be clear, I am not anti-AI at all. I use it every day as a brainstorming and production tool. (I am 100% writing this on my own, btw!) And I'm not so naive to think that you couldn't ask AI to write a training plan that will actually work for you, provided that you are experienced enough in...

It's that time of year again. And no, I'm not talking about pumpkin spice. It's fall racing season! By now, most of the hot, sweaty training runs of the summer are behind you. (Or the cold winter runs if you're down under). Even though you've been following your training plan for months, if you are like most runners, this is the time the doubt sets in. Did I do enough? Can I really run my goal race pace? What should I be thinking about that I don't even know I should be thinking about? For...

I've got something personal to share with you. I'm dating an omnivore. ❤️ Now, if you've been following me for a while, you'll know that even though I'm 100% committed to a plant-based lifestyle, I'm not preachy or judgmental about it. If your diet works for you and your training, awesome. We listen, we don't judge. So when I starting dating again, I wanted to be sure to keep an open mind. I also didn't want any preconceived ideas of "vegan" to get in the way. That's why I'd casually suggest...

One of the marathoners I coach is a professor. Before working with me, he ran a very fast first marathon. But his second one was significantly slower. And then he got injured. Now he is healthy and training well, but his confidence in his ability is still shaken. "I never trust my training and lack confidence to know when good is good. I face this race ahead and I am fearful, hopeful, and mostly confused." He wants to test his training with a hard tune up race, so he can evaluate his...

I hope I'm not getting ahead of myself. I mean, it's still August, after all. We've had our first few nights in the 50sF (10C) and I'm already mourning the loss of summer. Yes, I know summer running is hot and sticky and most runners can't wait until fall. But I'm not one of them. That's because for the life of me, I can't figure out how to dress myself for colder runs. I'm usually overdressed, then too hot, then I need to circle back to the house to drop a layer. (can you relate?) That's why...

It seems like everyone on the internet is trying to sell you some kind of supplement. This supplement makes you faster! This one grows your hair and nails! And this one makes you better looking and more emotionally available! At the same time, the whole-food purists out there claim that you need nothing other than what nature can give you in food. The truth is, many if not most, runners should be supplementing with the basics for performance, health, and longevity. This could be as simple as...

By mid-August, most fall marathoners are in the thick of training. Longer long runs and more intense miles. But now is the perfect time to start thinking ahead if you want to PR this fall. There's one training strategy that has been shown to shave an average of 5 minutes off your marathon time. I know, I know, it sounds like some click-baity internet hack, right? It's not really a "hack," but it's something that up to 64% of recreational marathoners aren't doing. Ooh, so now it's a...

One of the most confusing terms we runners have is "tempo." Tempo can be anything from 5k pace to half marathon pace and can feel anywhere from a medium effort to just about all-out. With a pace and effort range like that, no wonder runners are confused! In the simplest terms, a tempo isn't a race pace. It's used to describe the pace you need to run to cross the line from medium to hard effort over a certain period of time. At first, it's not so hard. But by the end, it's really tough....

running pacing

To get better at running, the first thing you need to do is run. Sounds obvious, right? Start with running a little more often, then run a little bit longer. But even when you find the perfect amount of running for you, there are 5 non-running things that are critical to running your best. At any age. read more (6 minutes) TEAM SPONSOR Liquid IV Make Liquid I.V. your new hydration ritual this year. Just one stick + 16 oz. of water hydrates better than water alone. You also get eight vitamins...