Episode 135: Coach Denise Sauriol, the Marathon Whisperer, on Marathon Training, Coaching, and Community

Coach/Athlete/Motivational Speaker- Denise Sauriol Coach Denise, aka, the Marathon Whisperer™ has been coaching runners of all abilities since 2010.   She started coaching after surviving a near fatal car accident. It was her way of giving back to running for what it has given and continues to give to her.  She is a certified running coach through USATF & Road Runners Club of America. Denise has been running since the 4th grade and is still best friends with the sport. Back in 1994, she ran her first marathon. That finish line turned the “I Can’t!” into “What else can I do?!” It led her to do other things that she was SCITED (Scared + Excited) about. This includes but is not limited to completing 2 Ironman races when she is still deathly afraid of open water, skydiving and bungee jumping even though she is afraid of heights, taking improv classes to get over her fear of public speaking and most recently, she left her 26-year career in accounting to coach full-time. This life-igniting feeling generated from doing something she did not think she could do is what she aims to share with runners and future runners.  Helping someone do something that they did not think they could do ignites her soul! To date, she has run 118 Marathons (including 12 Boston Marathons), Back to Back Comrades, 2 Ironman and 2 100-milers. She has completed the Abbott World Marathon Majors twice.  After completing the Mt. Everest Marathon and the Patagonia Marathon in 2019, Denise became a member of the Seven Continents Club. In 2018, she published her first book, “Me, You & 26.2 – Coach Denise’s Guide to Get YOU to YOUR first marathon”  Personal Achievements: 25 X Chicago Marathon Finisher 118 X Marathon Finisher (First Marathon 4:28, Personal Best 3:15) 32 X Boston Marathon Qualifier 2008 Chicago Marathon Woman's Illinois Masters Champion 2008 Antarctica Marathon - 3rd Place Female Co-Founder Girls on the Run Chicago Grand Canyon Rim2Rim2Rim Finisher Completed 300+ road races to date Comrades Back to Back Finisher Connect with Denise: Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.run-for-change.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marathonwhisperer/ Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/runforchangechicago/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1819736768312025/?epa=SEARCH_BOX