Dana L.
Wow, where do I begin. I never thought I would have or need a coach but then Jason magically appeared in my life and now I can’t imagine not having him there guiding me through all my race builds. Jason has now coached me through two 100 mile races and lead me to some sweet marathon PR’s along the way. He had me feeling STRONG through mile 104.5 at Wild Goose, and helped me grab a 3 hour PR. He was there supporting all day Saturday, all night in the rain, and stayed until each of his athletes finished on Sunday. It’s rare you find someone so dedicated and proud of their athletes and friends.
I travel a ton for work, and Jason was always flexible and made sure my workouts were doable when on the road. His personalized plans, words of encouragement, and regular check-ins are priceless. He’s not only a run coach but a friend who has build a strong community of runners that now have each other to get long weekend runs in with, cheer each other on, and provide friendly competition when needed! Jason coached 3 people for Wild Goose 100; one placed in the top 10 overall finishers and both women placed 2nd (me!) and 3rd overall female, this alone speaks for itself. If you have been debating coaching, or coming to Monday night run club this is your sign to tie up those laces and join the FEAR Family!
Jean R.
Training for my first 100 miles with Jason was something I’ll always be grateful for. Going into this, I knew I was taking on something way outside my comfort zone, and there were definitely moments when I questioned myself and wondered if I was ready. Jason always knew when to push me and when to remind me to slow down and trust the process. He never made me feel like I had to prove anything in training he helped me build the confidence to know I had done the work. Looking back, the training prepared me not only for the physical challenge, but for all the highs and lows that came with running 100 miles. I truly don’t think I would have gotten to that finish line without his guidance, and I’m so grateful I had him in my corner for my first 100.
Mike R.
Hiring Jason to coach me for my first 100-miler was the best decision I made in my training. From day one, it was clear he wasn’t just writing a plan. He was invested in getting me to the finish line. Every workout had a purpose, and he adjusted things constantly based on how I was feeling, what my body was telling me, and what life was throwing at me.
What really sets Jason apart is that his support didn’t stop at race day. He paced me through some of the hardest miles, and having him beside me when things got dark made all the difference. He knew when to push, when to encourage, and when to just keep me moving. I’m not sure I would have finished without him.
Jason cares deeply about his athletes and genuinely wants to see them succeed. If you’re taking on a big goal and want a coach who will be in it with you, from the first training block to the final mile, I can’t recommend him enough.
Russ C.
I used Jason to train for a half marathon. At the time I started working with him, I had done a half marathon many years before and it had not been a good experience. While I ran fairly regularly, I didn’t do any significant distance. Jason’s training program was engaging, easy to follow, and led to significant improvement as a runner. It also was flexible enough to work around an unexpected injury and not allow that to derail my plans. I was able to take a half hour off my last half marathon time; Jason deserves much of the credit for that.
Connor K.
I used the FEAR training program for 14 weeks with Jason and I was able to gain running fitness and speed resulting in shaving off more than 10 minutes from my previous marathon PR time. I liked having the clear training regimen pre-loaded into my Garmin device so I didn’t have to do any guesswork, and he was able to make adjustments to my plan based on weather, illness, work travel and other life obligations without issue. He made good efforts to have clear and open communication the entire time and it was nice being able to talk to a human being about how things were going instead of using an opaque app. I would recommend using FEAR coaching to others.
Stefan V.
Still trying to find the words… 26.2 miles later, I’m overwhelmed with pride and gratitude. Running the Marine Corps Marathon for the second time was incredible — and I crushed my goal with a sub-4 finish (3:55:08), shaving 36 minutes off last year! COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT FEAR COACHING!!
Working with Jason was amazing. He was not only my coach but a friend first, he understood my goals, Jason was very flexible with my schedule. His priority was to keep me injury free, I will definitely be working with Fear Coaching again!
Nicole A.
I had such a great experience working with FEAR for my first marathon. Coach Jason was flexible with my schedule and was always willing to help any time I needed it. I was not only able to finish my marathon, but hit my goal time and remain injury free! I’ll be running with FEAR again, and I can’t recommend them enough!
Amber A.
I worked with Jason, who was an incredible coach and trainer. He fit my needs perfectly. He was encouraging on the days that I felt off, motivating for the days I needed it, and cheering me on for the days that I did not need it! I enjoyed his coaching style and would recommend him to absolutely anyone! I cannot wait to continue working with him and FEAR coaching to meet more of my race and running endeavors.
Jen G.
Jason, I’ve said it so many times over the course of this training cycle, but I will say it one last time: thank you! Thank you for the training plan, thank you for listening to me, thank you for always being available for my questions and concerns, and thank you for the overall amazing training I received. This training cycle was the most transformative training I have ever experienced, and it was due to the coaching. I was pushed to limits I did not know that I could endure let alone conquer, and I grew personally and as an athlete. Completing the 2024 Chicago Marathon was a huge accomplishment for me, and one that I could not have done without your coaching! Thank you!
Emily C.
I came to Jason in the fall of 2023, fresh off an injury and looking to break 2 hours in the half marathon. Even though I hadn’t run longer than five miles for months leading up to when I initially started working with Jason, he was supportive of my goals and outlined on our first call an overview of a plan that would get me there—and keep me healthy. Jason’s encouraging communication style and humor-laced positivity made me feel so encouraged throughout the training block, and even when the weather sucked and I was fussy, he was just a text away with words of wisdom that made me excited to get out the door. Virtual run coaches can be hit or miss when it comes to contact, and I appreciated Jason’s availability and support via weekly phone calls, pretty much daily texts, and weekly emails.
As far as the plan he built, the mix of speed work, long runs, and recovery was thoughtful and well-built; I’ve never had a plan that seemed more intentional and effective. I got to the start line of my goal race feeling strong and healthy, and smashed my goal—I’m a 1:47:53 half marathoner now, and I genuinely couldn’t have done it without Jason and FEAR.
Dylan L.
I’ve had many running coaches in my life; middle school and high school coaches, random blonde women in Wisconsin with training programs that I found on Instagram. In spite of that, as an adult runner, I plateaued time and again, and never felt I had adept support. I did not understand what I was doing wrong in my training and no one seemed willing to tell me.
I was lucky enough to begin training with Jason in February 2022. At that time, my half-marathon PR was 1:48 and my marathon PR was 4:12. I was immediately impressed within the first few weeks of working with Jason, as his coaching was not inefficacious like the plans I had been following for years. It was scientific and customized. Not just customized by a once done running time-trial, but customized to how you were feeling that week, if you were having a bad day, or if you needed a confidence boost workout.
Jason’s training is conditioned to you and your feedback – it is truly a plan written for you. Jason is a coach who believes in you long before you believe in yourself. He not only changed the way I run, but he changed how I view myself. He was able to make me faster by making me first self-assured. I ran 1:40 in my half-marathon, and 3:42 in my marathon. I am training currently for a 1:38 half and 3:27 marathon – times I never thought could be attached to my name and my athleticism.
Being coached by Jason is not just an investment in your training, but it’s an investment in friendship, camaraderie, and the real meaning of teamwork. Even without PRs, you will walk away from being coached by Jason better than when you started.
Eric V.
Where to begin? That’s not just the question I ask myself now as I write this testimonial and reflect on my experience, but is also the same question I asked myself when I dove “feet first” into the marathon distance. After my first marathon, I knew something was missing, and I sought out Jason as my coach. Together we talked about my goals, and we got to work. Jason analyzed my previous races and paces, and put together an aggressive plan to support my goals. The lessons and takeaways from Jason’s coaching were invaluable. Miles now have meaning, and every run had a purpose; he gave me the structure and confidence to believe in myself, and in what I could achieve.
I can say with confidence that I’m not only a better runner today because of Jason, but a smarter one. Jason’s passion for the sport and profound dedication to his protégés is epic. His anecdotes and words of support extended well beyond running and translated directly into every aspect of my life. If you’re looking for someone as dedicated to you, as you are to your goals then look no further; and to you Jason, thank you doesn’t scratch the surface but it’s a start. I look forward to continuing our work together.
Sarah F.
When I started with Jason, my goal of a sub-2 hour half marathon seemed years away. I’d had a few unsuccessful attempts, and was gearing up for yet another try when we started working together. For a long time I thought I was too slow or too inexperienced for a coach, when in reality it was exactly what I needed. A few months later, I smashed my race with a 15-minute PR (1:58!) with a smile on my face, and it was all thanks to him! Jason’s plan was effective, but more importantly, it was thoughtful. He took into account how I was feeling, my mental confidence, even my schedule to ensure that each week was going to help me progress.
Throughout it all he was an endless source of knowledge, encouragement, and advice to ensure I was equipped to take on the training. I was challenged but never pushed beyond my capabilities, and at the end of it all I had never felt stronger as an athlete.
Jason’s training and encouragement gave me the confidence to race on that day, but also helped me to believe in myself. He truly wanted to see me succeed, and I feel like that made the biggest difference of all. For him no goal is too big or too small – if you’re willing to put in the work, Jason will be with you the whole way.
David H.
When I was trying to figure out my plan to tackle the Boston Marathon, I really wanted to make sure that I took this race as seriously as possible and showed up to the starting line as prepared as possible. This is why I decided to go with Jason as my running coach for this cycle. It proved to be the best decision, as honestly I knew it would be. Jason is as invested in the race/goal as his runners, which comes through in his weekly training plans, communication and overall positive mindset.
Every week I was pushed hard and stepped outside my comfort zone- all with careful thought and consideration into every single mile. Jason’s kindness and personal approach to coaching makes you want to work harder and have the belief in yourself that you can do really difficult things, which you never thought possible. I could have gone with a random training plan or a book, but with Jason’s incredible coaching, I had a Boston specific plan that was build to fit me and my goals, not just any runner. The workouts were fun, unique, difficult and totally perfect for me.
As I was running the course in Boston, all the training came together. I was ready. I was strong and I’ve never felt happier with a race.
Angela Y.
I was nervous to sign up for my first marathon given my injury-prone history. Working with Jason not only helped me achieve my goal of completing my first marathon AND hitting my time goal, but Jason also made racing fun again! I genuinely looked forward to receiving Jason’s training plans each week and talking to him when workouts went well, and when they didn’t. Jason made sure the training plan was challenging, tailored for me, and modified it when necessary to accommodate how I was feeling and my life schedule.
Jason is extremely knowledgeable, passionate, and truly takes pride in helping others achieve their goals. Whatever your running goals may be, I highly highly recommend working with Jason – he will challenge you to reach those goals while making the process fun!
Rebekah B.
Jason is the best! He is such an inspiring coach. He gave me motivation to keep going with the support, enthusiasm, and tips in his schedule emails. He was very flexible with the scheduling as well, so if I needed to move a run to a different day I could, so there was no pressure when life happened! He kept in touch to make sure I was feeling comfortable with the plan he set up for me. When I started having an Achilles issue with increased mileage he helped me get through it with proper recovery and ways to prevent it from worsening while continuing my training.
I appreciated his healthful approach to running, and I run because I have joy in it and I can enjoy the challenge. Even on the tough days Jason kept me smiling. His perspective and training really encouraged me to get there. I conquered my first race and am looking forward to doing another!