Sole Runners Marathon and Half Marathon Training Program

I’d attended a one day ChiRunning seminar with Danny Dreyer and met Steve Mackel, who was assisting with the class. We’d broken up into groups and been assigned to different teaching assistants. Though I was not in Steve’s group, he found a moment during the seminar to give me some quick pointers on relaxing my ankles. It was a helpful bit of information and I appreciated, at a large seminar where it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle, to receive some specific feedback from one of the instructors.
Afterwards I spoke briefly with Steve, expressing my thanks to him for reaching out. He offered to send me his seminar notes as well as give me a discounted follow-​up session to help dial-​in the principles we’d covered. I was happy to take his information and contacted him shortly after to stay in communication.
I became a free member on his SoCalRunning web site and enjoyed getting his five part «Improve Your Running» coaching series that he sends when you join. After about a couple weeks I arranged to meet him at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for a $ 60, 1 hr. follow up session.
Not always the most prompt person, I was about 5 mins late, but Steve didn’t seem to stress and we got right to work. The first thing we did was review my posture. I was surprised to find what I thought was a good ChiRunning posture, wasn’t quite right. Steve helped me make some adjustments and the first of a series of Aha! moments began to occur.
2 hours and a little over 5 miles later we ended back at the parking lot where we’d started. I found it interesting how relaxed I felt having just completed a run. Though we’d stopped and started quite a bit, there was an effortlessness to it that I’d not felt before. So much of what I’d been reading about, watched in videos & heard in the seminar, was clicking into place. I’d made great improvements to my running style on my own, and helped minimize injury, but there was such great value in having someone work directly with me, specifically addressing my issues and driving the ChiRunning principles home.
The session was only supposed to last 1 hr, but Steve was incredibly generous with his time. I didn’t expect that from him, but I’ll tell you it was not lost on me. In addition to dialing in the basic principles, we covered hills & trails, something that Danny hadn’t gotten into in his workshop. I enjoy running trails and this information was super important for me.
There’s just really something to be said to working 1-​on-​1 with someone on this material. And not just anyone. I’ve done a group New Balance Good Form Running workshop and a private session with a Vivobarefoot certified Barefoot Running coach, but working with Steve has had the greatest value so far, helping me start to click all the pieces into place. I look forward to more sessions with Steve, staying dialed-​in and continuing to improve my form.
If you’ve got an affinity for the ChiRunning approach, I highly recommend you check Steve out. He’s certainly helped me on my journey to effortless, injury free running.

Steve Mackel is the coach at Sole Runners and he goes above and beyond the call of duty. I have called, texted, emailed, and even im’d him, and he always gets back to me. Sole Runners is for anyone who wants to set a personal best or just wants to start running. Anyone who asks me about training programs I always tell them about Steve and the Soleful ones! Happy running!

I never thought of myself as a runner. As a matter of fact, I HATED to run before I met Coach Steve Mackel!
This is an amazing group to train with. There are lots of people at all different levels of running ability. From the super fast «Boston Qualifiers» to the «I’m just shuffling along!» The mentors are a great group of runners who bring so much experience, encouragement and fun to every session.
(Cant believe I said fun and run in the same sentence!?!)
I drive all the way from South Pasadena every Saturday morning to run with Solerunners. Coach Steve has put together a fantastic system to take you from zero to marathon or half marathon finisher in one session! Since I’ve started running with the group, about 4 years, I have run 10 half marathons, and counting, all safely and injury free!
Plus, there is free yoga after the run, hosted by certified yoga instructors. Tuesday track workouts, Thursday trial runs, and many small groups that get together through out the week to run and share some tacos!
Solerunners is a wonderful community of people and Coach Steve is the best!!!
Come run with us!

First question — Are you nuts!!!
That’s what i asked our friend when she asked us to join this group last year. I’ve run 5ks a few times and that’s about it. ½ marathons are completely out of the question.
Second question — Is there a 10k program???
Really. I do not need to run a ½ or full. Just a few 5ks and ultimately a 10k. With this mindset, we joined the group, basically just to hang out and to get into shape if anything.
First week, ran for 40 minutes, basically a 5k. Well there you go, I can still run/​jog a 5k. Right off the bat, I knew we were over our heads.
There was a lesson in Chi-​Running which is the whole basis of this group. Basically, running properly to ensure you expend as little energy and impact as possible to prolong your running career. Everything made so much sense, it was scary. It’s just putting it in motion that was the hard part. The 2 trainers Gary and Steve are great and the group of mentors are all so friendly and helpful. They also have side impromptu runs/​yoga during the week if you feel the need.
There is a Yoga class after each run on Saturday that is taught by both teachers, depending on if you’re training for a ½ or full. Free hour yoga class? Great!
This is around a 24 week program that slowly puts you in the condition you need to be in to finish your goal race. You increment your long run each Saturday by 15 or ½ hour, depending on your group. You then add a couple of runs during the week to keep you in shape and to work on speed and habits.
Basically, after 3 – 4 weeks, we were running 10ks already and we were amazed at how easy it seemed. We dove right in and signed up for a ½ marathon scheduled 2 months away. Why not? If anything, we can walk if we can’t hang. Ended up running most of it and felt like I won a gold medal after crossing that finish line. What a feeling.
If you fancy a few new friends and a chance to get into running shape, come on out. They run in in Long Beach and San Pedro depending on the season. The current season is in Long Beach and they meet in Marina Vista Park. It starts in a few weeks so come on out. Tell them i sent you and maybe they’ll give you a discount (or charge you more) haha. Got sole?

I’ve been interested in ChiRunning for years. Before I even started running, I purchased the ChiRunning book by Danny Dreyer. For those of you who are not familiar with ChiRunning, it’s a technique of running that is supposed to minimize impact on your body and prevent injury.
I was thrilled to discover the Sole Runners Marathon and Half Marathon Training Program featured not only ChiRunning but yoga. I’ve always heard nothing but good things about running and yoga but I’ve never been able to get into yoga.
Steve Mackel, CHt, is the Sole Runners’ Head Coach and Program Director and Gary Smith is the Sole Runners’ Coach.
I really like the Sole Runners group because the coaches and mentors really take the time to work with as many runners as possible to help us with our techniques. I believe that one-​on-​one attention really makes a big difference. This group is great for beginning runners, experienced runners, and all the runners in between. I love group’s positive energy. Everyone is unbelievably encouraging and supportive.
The mentors also offer free runs during the week so you can get your weekday miles in.
The other thing I really like about Sole Runners is how we run for time NOT distance. With other groups I’ve run with, you all run the same distance so the fast runners are always heading back from the turnaround point while I’m moving along as fast as I can go. With Sole Runners, everyone sets their watch and you run out as far as you can within that time and then when your watch beeps, you turn around and head back.