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Michael Crouch

@michael_crouch88

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🎗Running Coach @mckirdytrained
✝️ Glory to Jesus Our King!
🏃PR's 5k-13:40 Marathon-2:19
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ONE RACE DOES NOT DEFINE YOU!

A month ago, Brandt stepped off the course at the Mckirdy Micro Marathon with a DNF after his hamstring gave out. He was frustrated, and questioning whether he had what it took to run a PR marathon.

<<Fast forward one month>>

On a much hillier Pittsburgh course — tougher than the marathon he didn’t finish — Brandt came back and ran a 6 minute PR.

But the biggest win wasn’t just the time.

The biggest win was that we didn’t panic after the setback. We stayed patient and focused on the areas that had held him back in previous marathons.

In the past, Brandt would fade hard late in races. The fitness was there, but the fueling and nutrition strategy wasn’t supporting the effort over 26.2 miles.

So this cycle, we changed it.

✅ Better daily nutrition
✅ Better overall race prep
✅ A completely different fueling strategy during the marathon
➡️ 30g of carbs every 25–30 minutes

And the difference was night and day!

For the first time, there was no major crash at the end of the marathon. No survival mode. No massive slowdown over the final miles.

He stayed strong all the way through the finish line.

That’s what growth looks like.

Not avoiding failure.
Not pretending setbacks don’t hurt.
But learning from them, adjusting, and coming back stronger.

I’m Proud of you Brandt! Proud of the way you responded after disappointment, trusted the process, and put together the best marathon of your life.

If this feels like you—stuck, frustrated, and not sure how to take the next step—send me a message and let’s figure it out together.

@brandt_runs

#mckirdytrained #marathonrunner
#runcoach #parunner #runnerslife taken in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by @michael_crouch88

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5 months ago

Sometimes it’s not about building something new—it’s about uncovering what’s already there. Like a fire that’s been burning quietly, just waiting for the right conditions to grow, this was about giving @jackcoulsonfitness the space and consistency to finally take off.

This is what happens when you stop chasing what everyone else is doing and start leaning into what actually works for you.

Progress like this comes from showing up day after day and doing what’s actually right for you—not what looks impressive on paper, not what someone else is doing, but what you can stay consistent with and build on week after week. For Jack, that’s meant being willing to adjust when needed and not overdo it. He may not be running as much mileage as everyone else, but man, he's running faster!

Proud of you, man. This is just the start.

Big things ahead in London 🇬🇧 taken in Prague, Czech Republic by @michael_crouch88

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6 months ago

👀 With a fresh off the press, 1 minute Half-Marathon PR, Chris is looking to take down his 2:43 marathon PR in London. This is the fastest he has even been in a tune-up race and the momentum is building!

The big question is, does he go sub 2:40? No doubt, the opportunity will be there. And if there is anything I have learned about Chris's racing, it's that he is consistent.

Proud of you for all your hard work Chris! Plus, your race kit is on point buddy! 🙂

@c_gazellez

#mckirdytrained #houstonrunner #texasrunner #proudcoach #runningcoach taken in The Woodlands, Texas by @michael_crouch88

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7 months ago

The compound effect is real! If you put in the work, week after week and keep showing up, eventually the results start to stack up.

That’s exactly what Juan Peña has been doing.

Year after year he’s kept building—training consistently, trusting the process, and staying patient. . At the Seville Marathon, it all came together and he did it in a spectacular way with a big negative split and a huge 5-minute PR, crossing the line in 2:41:09.

Big breakthroughs rarely happen overnight. They’re built through hundreds of boring and normal days that most people never see. Juan shows what happens when someone locks in and attacks what they love with passion every single day.

I'm Proud of the work you put in and the belief you kept in yourself along the way brother!. It’s pretty cool to see a runner from Mexico City travel across the globe and throw down a huge performance on the roads of Spain.

The compound effect at work. 📈

Putting in the work is never a guarantee, but what could happen if you stay consistent long enough to find out? 💥

@jdirunner

#mckirdytrained #runfast #sevillemarathon #mexicorunners #proudcoach taken in Mexico City, Mexico by @michael_crouch88

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7 months ago

One of the hardest parts about being a coach is encouraging someone to keep going when they are starting to think their fastest racing days are behind them. With Jen, I could see that there was still more room for improvement—we just needed the right day for it to happen. From bad weather, to GI issues, to just plain old off days, it had been 5 years since our last PR, so it’s understandable to start wondering if that breakthrough will ever come.

Over the past couple of years, we kept knocking on the door. Race after race we were close…within 1–3 minutes of that PR. Close enough to believe it was possible, but far enough to make you question whether it was truly going to happen.

That’s what made this one so special!

Jen didn’t just sneak under her old best—she claimed it with authority. She went after it from the gun and ran amazingly. Of course, we had our typical GI issues, but this time we managed them well and she kept pushing. The patience, the consistency, the willingness to keep showing up when the result hadn’t come yet…that’s what made the difference.

Sometimes progress isn’t about finding something new. It’s about having the courage to keep believing there’s still more there.

Proud of you, Dr. Jarvis 😉. This one was well deserved and earned through years of scorching sun and buckets of sweat. That Arizona heat is no joke!

@jen_lynn_23

#proudcoach #mckirdytrained #runcoach #arizonarunners #marathontraining taken in Mesa, Arizona by @michael_crouch88

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7 months ago

I honestly didn’t know if I’d ever post about my own running again.

In the last six years, I’d only done one race—and that was to win a free year of Chick-fil-A gift cards 😉. Kids, work, and life took priority, and racing fell way down the list. Still, it always bothered me that I’d never raced a major marathon, especially after coaching so many athletes to them.

So 10 weeks ago, I made a big decision: train for a local Alabama marathon and run it just fast enough to get a BQ—with a solid buffer. And when I say I was out of shape, I mean out of shape. Maybe 10–15 miles a week on a good week. Building endurance that fast was going to be hard… but why not try?

Training was far from perfect, but I knew it was possible. Then came race morning. The real-feel at the start was 6 degrees—by far the coldest race I’d ever run. I love the cold, but this still had me nervous. But, there was no backing out now 😬.

Everything hurt. Calves, hamstring—you name it. More than once I thought I wouldn’t finish. The only thing I could do was take it one mile at a time and hope that when I finally had to drop out, someone nearby would have a warm car.

Luckily, nothing got worse.

Then at mile 17, the unexpected happened: the 2:50 pacer I was running with ducked into the bathroom, handed us the pacing sign, and said, “I’ll catch up.”

Famous last words!

By mile 19, the guy holding the sign was over it and handed it to me—and suddenly I had a new mission. I was going to be the best pseudo-pacer this race had ever seen 😂. We have to find motivation somehow right?!?! I had a little time banked, and I knew brutal headwinds were coming, so I locked in.

By mile 25, I was over this weather. Freezing, wrecked, and now staring into a 30-mph headwind that made it feel like single digits again; my vision started to blur, and due to the fear of passing out in the cold, I decided to ease off until I was out of this wind!

Once I turned into mile 26, things were fine again, I got back on pace and hit that finish line with 7 seconds to spare! I hit my goal of sub 2:50 and officially got my BQ!

See you in Boston in 2027 friends!

#mckirdytrained #rocketcitymarathon #bostonqualified taken in Huntsville, Alabama by @michael_crouch88

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10 months ago

A few years ago, when Jorge @jmanueco and I first started working together, his half marathon PR was 1:34. If someone told you that in a few years you’d be able to double that distance and run a marathon at the same pace — or even a little faster — most people would say that’s not possible.

And yet… here we are; Jorge did that and more!

I always say there are three pillars to becoming a better, faster runner:
consistency, proper fueling, and proper coaching. Jorge is the definition of what happens when an athlete fully buys in, commits to the process, and shows up day after day ready to work.

Last weekend at CIM, it all paid off.

Not only did he run a huge PR, but he negatively split the marathon — something that’s incredibly difficult to execute. That takes patience, discipline, and complete trust in the plan. Jorge did exactly that.

I couldn’t be more proud of you, Jorge. This result was earned, and it’s only the beginning. We’ll knock another 25 seconds off and lock in that BQ next time 😉

#mckirdytrained #runningcoach #marathontraining taken in Sacramento, California by @michael_crouch88

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10 months ago

Some stories can’t be told by a race photo or results on a sheet—they’re only a small picture of the sacrifice, and of what it means to hold on to a piece of yourself even when other priorities take precedence.

Shelby Wolff was an incredible high school runner who paused her dreams to start a family. She poured herself into raising two kids, and for years, running took a back seat. She ran when she could, raced when she could—but she never lost that fire. She knew the talent was still there, but the question was always whether she could have the best of both worlds: a full family life and competitive running. This weekend, she proved to herself that she can.

Training for CIM meant balancing long days of family life with practical limits—one of the biggest being that we couldn’t train more than 60 miles per week. That meant every mile had to count. We struck the right balance, and on an incredible weather day, Shelby ran 2:48:11 for an 11-minute PR, showing that heart, consistency, and determination can take you farther than you ever imagined.

As a father, a coach, and a runner, I couldn’t be prouder of Shelby’s balance, dedication, and perseverance. Her journey is a reminder that it’s never too late to chase your dreams, even when life is full.

#runningmom #runnermom #mckirdytrained #runningcoach #proudcoach #cim #marathonmom taken in Sacramento, California by @michael_crouch88

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10 months ago

There’s nothing more rewarding than watching a runner fully commit to their growth — not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Adam Marinik did exactly that at the L.A. Marathon, running a massive personal best of 4:32, smashing his previous best by 40 minutes (5:12). But it didn't stop there, in the build up, we also ran a 22 minute half PR of 1:56!

Talent can get someone out the door, but it only takes you so far — at some point, you have to want it, and Adam made that choice every single day. He trained with purpose, dialed in his nutrition, refined his running form, and prioritized consistency. Becoming your best self takes work, sacrifice, and belief — and Adam showed up for all of it. It also helps that he is easy to work with and we have a great coaching relationship :).

I’m incredibly proud of how far Adam has come, and I’m beyond excited for what’s next. We’re already looking ahead to CIM with a clear goal in mind: break 4 hours! The momentum is strong, the mindset is there, and with continued commitment to smart training and fine-tuning the details, I have no doubt he’s just getting started. I'm proud of you Adam! Big things ahead my friend!

#lamarathon #runnersofinstagram #runningcoach #runfast #marathontraining by @michael_crouch88

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a year ago

1:46:43!!!!! 6 years of ups and downs and the day has finally come! As they say, the journey isn't always linear. Life happens and running ebbs and flows, but one thing is for sure, it's never too late to run your best! It might be a small PR, but one that has a massive sense of accomplishment!

Caroline has fought many battles, and could have hung up her shoes at any moment, but finally, her best running days are back in the present.

I'm so proud of you Caroline and the 7 years of work we have put in together. I truly believe we have bigger things coming, and much sooner, I promise 😀

#mckirdytrained #ctrunners #happyrunners #halfmarathonprep #runningcoach by @michael_crouch88

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2 years ago

It's been a while in the making, but I am so proud of my friend and athlete @alexsaieh for leaving it all out there at the Berlin marathon. His official time is 3:20:00 so I know he's a little bitter he didn't get that one second 😅, but nonetheless I know he can't be happier achieving a 15 minute PR!

Alex is one of the hardest workers I have ever met in my 8 years of coaching. With constantly traveling out of country for work, to dealing with the extreme summer heat in Miami, Alex NEVER makes up excuses and is always putting on his shoes and heading out the door, rain or shine.

Alex, thanks for grinding it out through this summer heat and believing in me and your training. It paid dividends, and I think we have a lot more to go! I can't wait to see you in person again someday my friend!

#miamirunner #mckirdytrained #marathontraining #berlinmarathon #floridarunner #runcoach by @michael_crouch88

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2 years ago

Huge shoutout to Casey Herrman for a 3:25 ----> 3:16 PR!

The Berlin Marathon never disappoints! This year's race was special being the 50th anniversary and the weather decided to allow for a great celebration. With a 50 degree start coming off a hot summer training block, the paces were destined to be fast, and they were!

For Casey, she had the dream build with most everything going right. She was dialed in with her paces, her recovery and her positivity and it paid off on race day! She got off to a hot start and never looked back, finishing well below our 3:20 goal and getting her BQ!

I'm proud of you Casey for all your hard work, and now we can enjoy the electric experience of the NYC Marathon!

#mckirdytrained #runcoach #runnersofinstagram #nycrunning #runningcoach by @michael_crouch88

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2 years ago