Noah Daum - Cross Country & Track Coach | RRCA Certified Running Coach

About Me

I’m an RRCA Certified Running Coach based in Carlinville, Illinois. I work with runners at many different stages of their journey. Whether you are preparing for your first 5K, working toward a half marathon or marathon, coming back after time away, or chasing a new PR, I want to help make training feel clear, realistic, and sustainable.

Coaching

I believe in consistency over perfection. You do not need every single run to be perfect or every week to go 100% as planned in order to make progress. My coaching focuses on building aerobic fitness over time, progressing patiently, recovering well, and finding a routine that fits into your real life. That includes work schedules, family, travel, weather, busy weeks, and the occasional run that just does not go how you hoped.
My training philosophy draws from a mix of classic and modern coaching influences, creating a valuable toolkit that I can tailor to different types of runners. I value purposeful easy running, workouts with a clear reason behind them, strength and mobility work, and race-specific preparation when the time is right. I also want my athletes to understand their training, not just follow a list of workouts. Knowing why you are doing something helps build confidence and makes the process more enjoyable.

In my full-time role, I serve as the Head Coach of Cross Country and Track at Blackburn College. Coaching college athletes has reinforced how important it is to meet people where they are while still helping them see what is possible through steady work. Every runner has a different background, schedule, and goal, so I do not believe in forcing everyone into the same plan.

My goal as a private running coach is to help you become a better runner while enjoying the process along the way. I will encourage you when it is time to push, help you ease up when recovery matters more, and keep the bigger picture and periodization in view when training gets challenging. Running mirrors life. There are good days and hard days in both, and neither one is defined by a single setback, missed opportunity, or rough mile. Progress comes from showing up, learning from the days that do not go as planned, and continuing to bring your best with the circumstances in front of you. I believe that when we do that consistently, we create more good days, more confidence, and a stronger foundation in running AND in life.