Ai Vee is 28 and loves to run.
She also works, has a family, a social life, and a genuine commitment to getting eight hours of sleep.
Before coaching
Before coaching, motivation was never the issue. Direction was.
Most runs were based on how she felt.
When her energy was high, she pushed harder. When time was available, she ran longer.
She assumed more miles or faster running would eventually lead to improvement. It felt active and committed. It just didn't feel like it was going anywhere.
She loved running, but training was random. Advice came from everywhere. Other runners, social media, bits and pieces that made her question everything.
She enjoyed her training, but she just wasn't confident that it was leading to the results she wanted.
With her first marathon on the horizon, winging it no longer felt okay. She respected the distance and wanted to know the time she was putting into training actually mattered.
The shift
When we started working together, the structure we set up changed things quickly.
She started focusing on areas she had been skipping. Intervals, hills, strength and fuelling.
Effort was guided by heart rate and pace zones that supported her gut feel.
It took some getting used to.
Long runs were slower than she expected, and aerobic running took up more of the week.
She had to trust the process that slowing down wasn't falling behind; it was part of getting faster.
She stopped overthinking everything. The structure was handled. Her job was to show up, train with intention, and give her best in each session.
Strength training became an integrated part of her training. Not an add-on. A core part of staying healthy and handling the training load.
Random hard sessions disappeared, and every session had a clear purpose.
After coaching
The results followed.
She ran 1:35 at the 2XU Half Marathon. Completed her first marathon on the Gold Coast in 3:30, then ran a Boston qualifier in Seoul.
All times she once thought were out of reach.
But just as important as the numbers: clarity replaced doubt. Confidence replaced guessing, and consistency replaced chaos.
She learned to enjoy the process, not just tick off outcomes.
The lesson
Ai Vee's biggest lesson is a simple one.
When you train with purpose, you start believing in what your body can do.
