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Coach Scott Weber
"Nothing I like better than standing with one of my athletes at the Leadville 100 Finish Line!"
An athlete of average ability, I began my running career in high school in the late-1960's running cross-country in the Fall and the mile and two mile on the track in the Spring. During those high school years, I never ran much faster than 5 minutes in the mile and 10 minutes in the two mile - I typically finished off the back, but I loved the sport. In the summer before my senior year, at the age of 16, I ran my first official marathon - the 1969 Paavo Nurmi Marathon in Hurley, Wisconsin - I've long forgotten the exact time, but believe it was 3:21. In 1970, I entered Kent State University and ran on the cross-country and track teams. In 1972, I transferred to the University of Southwestern Louisiana and ran on its cross-country and track teams. During those college years, I improved a little, but never came close to excelling by anyone's standards - I was able to run close to 15 minutes flat for 3 miles, but never broke into the 14s; in the six mile, my best was just under 33 minutes on the track. As always, I loved the running and saw myself as a runner however far back my placing in races. During those college years, I also ran marathons, and to continue the above theme, ran close to, but never broke 3 hours - but, as always, loved running those miles.
After graduation from college in 1975, I primarily raced bicycles until the mid-1980's when, after an arm-busting accident in a criterium in Grand Junction, Colorado, I decided to take up a new sport - ultramarathon running. I jumped in with two feet and ran my first trail 50 miler in 1986 at a race starting near Crater Lake, Oregon - I finished terribly sore, practically in last place, but filled with pride, taking 12 hours to complete the distance. A month later, I attempted my first Leadville Trail 100. 'Attempted' is the operative word for Leadville '86 ... I got my ass kicked and got sent home with a DNF at 70 miles. It would take a couple more tries to earn that coveted Leadville 100 Finisher's Buckle. In 1987, I ran my first 100 miler - I went 102 miles on a 440 yard cinder track at Reb's Ultra Run in the shadow of Pike's Peak at Woodland Park, Colorado. In 1988, I finished the Leadville Trail 100. In July 1994, I finished my first of 13 Badwater 135 Mile Ultramarathons. In August 1994, I returned to Badwater to complete the first Triple Crossing of the Badwater to Mt. Whitney Summit Course with all but the final 50 miles done solo self-supported.
August 1994. Pushing my cart during the solo self-supported 438 Mile Triple Crossing of Badwater
Since then, I have competed in marathon and ultramarathon running races including the Western States 100 Mile Run, the Leadville Trail 100, the 106 Mile Pikes Peak Quadruple Marathon, Multiple Crossings of the 146 Mile Death Valley to Mount Whitney 'Lowest to Highest' Course, the 500 Kilometer Race Across Colorado, 24-Hour, 48-Hour, 6-Day races, as well as multi-day solo off-trail adventure runs through remote sections of the Grand Canyon. In all, I have completed over 100 ultramarathons with over 30 runs of 100 miles or longer since 1986. In July of 2009, I completed my 13th official finish of the 135 Mile Badwater Ultramarathon to gain second place on the all-time Badwater Ultramarathon official finisher's list. Adding my solos, I have 18 career crossings from Badwater to Whitney Portals (or the reverse).
I earned a Masters Degree in Education from Michigan State University in 1981.
Since 1986, I have been an ardent student of the sport of ultramarathon running. In those 24 years, I have honed my knowledge of ultramarathon training, racing, crewing and coaching through trial and error, success and failure, books and practical experience, and - most importantly - thousands upon thousands of hours of time on the feet 'walking (and running) the talk'. I have distilled that knowledge into unique programs, strategies and techniques that have helped hundreds of runners reach their goals whether it be completion of their first ultra-marathon or competing at the World Championships.
In addition to participating in ultramarathon races, I have been a race director. I organized my first race in 1969, when as a senior in high school, I created and race directed the Hinsdale Marathon in Illinois - an event that continued on under various race directors for many years. In 1993, I returned to race directing for another 10 years and produced over 50 endurance oriented, and some say infamous, running events. Of those 50 events I created and race-directed, the most extreme event was the Pikes Peak 106 Mile Quadruple Marathon, although some say it was the 1994 Death Valley Crossing - a 133 Mile South to North crossing of Death Valley in the full heat of the summer.
The program of ultramarathon training I offer my students is highly individualized, structured and goal-oriented. It emphasizes a gradual buildup of training volume, duration and intensity. My runners are trained in all aspects of the ultramarathon to include physical, emotional and mental conditioning.
While I have advised some of the top ultramarathoners in the world, I now focus my coaching on runners of average talent who strive to 'better their best' at the ultramarathon distances. Using email and phone conversations with my clients, I am able to work with athletes coast to coast and around the world from my home in California. Ultramarathon coaching is neither my 'job on the side' nor new-found interest. It is what I do. It is who I am. Because of this, I can promise my coaching students unparalleled support and knowledge.
I am available to travel to races across the country and around the world to provide support, crewing, pacing and coaching - this is not only an honor and a privilege for me to assist an athlete on race day, but can make a tremendous difference to the final result when we combine my 20 years of ultramarathon coaching experience with that athlete's determination and training. If you hire me to assist you at a race - whether it be your first 50 km or a run at the World Championships - you can expect that from packing for the race, through the crossing of the finish line, and all the way to the airport if need be, I will make your race less stressful, better managed, healthier, and more likely to result in a PR finish.
I continue to accept new clients for the 2011 and 2012 ultramarathon seasons. I offer both one-hour phone consultations and full-scale coaching services in-person and over the internet. Phone consultations are $60 per hour and are best for those wanting specific advice without the need for day-by-day coaching. For those seeking a higher level of support, I offer full service coaching. While rates can vary according to the needs of the client, typically I charge $275 per month. Always inquire to find out what I can offer you. My goal is to provide what you need and do so at a reasonable price.
More information about my coaching philosophy, services, techniques (and questionable sense of humor) is available at my Leadville 100 Coaching Page and Letters to the Coach Page. Feel free to contact me with your questions and let's see if we might make an effective coach - athlete team. I am always looking for athletes - or aspiring athletes - seeking to 'Better Their Best.'
And, while I consider myself 'retired' from ultramarathoning - at least anything over 50 km - as of my final finish at Badwater in 2009, I do still do some daily hiking. For those interested in how that's going here's my 2012 training log.
Coach Weber
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without end, meandering through pastoral valleys tinkling with bells, past temples and castles and poets’ towers into a dark primeval forest where tigers belch and monkeys howl, through miasmal and mysterious swamps and down into a desert of red rock, blue mesas, domes and pinnacles and grottos of endless stone, and down again into a deep vast ancient unknown chasm where bars of sunlight blaze on profiled cliffs, where deer walk across the white sand beaches, where storms come and go as lightning clangs upon the high crags, where something strange and more beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest dreams waits for you — beyond that next turning of the canyon walls.”
-Edward Abbey in Desert Solitaire
I encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content of the Coach Weber website.
Coach Weber
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