Inside the Mind of Coach Joan Hunter: From Loudoun Valley to Tinman Elite | The HAX Show Ep.4

We're excited to welcome Joan Hunter onto the show this week. Joan is a longtime coach, national championship team builder, and current head coach of Tinman Elite -- not to mention a mom of 9 and grandma of 4. In this episode, you'll get an in-depth look at her evolution from grassroots coaching, to winning back-to-back NXN team championships at Loudoun Valley High School, to now leading a professional running team.Joan shares how she first got into coaching, the mentors who guided her early on, and what it was like starting her career in a male-dominated sport. She recounts meeting her husband, Marc Hunter, through coaching, and how the two worked together to build a national championship program at Loudoun Valley while raising a family.We'll also discuss Joan's transition into the professional ranks — from dealing with imposter syndrome to learning to coach the marathon and adapting training to different athlete profiles. She talks about her coaching philosophy based on curiosity and continuous learning, explains concepts like double threshold training and different training cycles, and reflects on how her approach has changed over time.Joan also shares the challenges and rewards of coaching her son, Drew, the differences between coaching pros and high school athletes, and her goals for the future of Tinman Elite.Give this episode a listen to learn more on the mindset behind successful coaching at any level and what it takes to guide athletes to success.About Hammer & Axe TrainingHammer & Axe was born out of a vision shared by a handful of elite distance runners. We found, in our own training, that we ran our best when we committed to training our speed and strength equally. A focus on strength made us durable, strong, and prepared for the adversity that racing brings—we were reliable like a hammer. A focus on speed made us confident, efficient, and ready to move when the right moment arrived—we were sharp like an axe. We wanted to bring this feeling of speed and strength to as many runners as possible.Our mission is to empower and guide runners to their loftiest goals through effective training and meaningful relationships.⚒️ Meet Our Coaches: https://www.hammer-and-axe.com/find-a-coach⚒️ Grab A Training Plan: https://app.rundna.com/hammer-and-axe/program-categories⚒️ Follow For Free Daily Training Content: https://www.instagram.com/hammerandaxetraining/