Reaching Your Max Potential As An Everyday Athlete

Written By Stevie Lyn Smith

In an era where you can generate a 16-week marathon plan with a single prompt on ChatGPT or other platform, it’s easy to think that human coaching is becoming a thing of the past. But as Michaela Robertson—nurse, run coach, and co-founder of Strides for Strength—explained on episode 52 of Real Fuel with SLS, the "human" in human performance is something AI simply cannot replicate.

From navigating high-stress nursing shifts to surviving less than ideal weather on on race day, Michaela and Stevie dive into why a training plan is only as good as the relationship behind it.

The Human Connection in Running vs. The Spreadsheet

AI can give you numbers, but it can’t give you context. Michaela highlights that many athletes come to her after "AI-based" plans lead to burnout or injury. Why? She says it’s because an app doesn't know you had a 12-hour night shift, a family emergency, or extreme stress at work this week. One of her core beliefs as a coach is that "your training plan should fit your life. You shouldn't be trying to shove your life into a training plan."

What does this look like? A real coach provides a feedback dialogue. They help you understand the why behind a stimulus, rather than you just checking a box because the plan "said so." It takes in account that you are so much more as a runner than what fits into algorithim.

The Danger of "Shiny Object Syndrome"

We’ve all been there: the lottery for a World Marathon Major opens, the "runner's high" and FOMO kicks in, or maybe your last race didn’t go as planned and you panic register for another one. Then suddenly you’ve committed to a marathon you aren't ready for.

As a coach with a ‘whole athlete’ approach, Michaela advocates for expectation management. Here are some questions she asks herself and her athletes:

  • Personal Capacity: Does this race fit your current season of life? Or are you going to be pushing yourself close to burnout?

  • Layering Success: You don't have to learn it all at once. One season might be for focusing on dialing in running nutrition, the next for strength training, and the next for a PR.

  • The "Major" Reality Check: Big races like Chicago or NYC are beautiful, but they come with massive sensory overload and logistics. Sometimes, a "small-town" marathon is exactly what your mental health needs. Make sure you are choosing what will best support you!

Training for the "Uncontrollables" in a Race

AI trains you for a distance; a coach trains you for variables. Whether it's 90% humidity or a flooded course, a coach can help an athlete gain the skills to know how to pivot. Here are some things Michaela and Stevie discuss as tools to become better at navigating race day:

  • Use Biofeedback: Learning to feel "marathon pace" without staring at a watch.

  • Build Mental Resilience: Understanding that Mother Nature doesn't care about your sub-4:00 goal and some days just won’t be your day.

  • Learning to Pivot in Real-Time: Using heart rate and internal RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) to help you decide when to push and when to pull back.

Nursing, Running, and the "Whole Athlete" Approach

As an oncology nurse, Michaela sees the direct link between how we show up for ourselves and how we pour into others. We discuss more about what the “whole athlete” approach really means. Here are a few things she considers when supporting runners:

  • The Stress Bucket: Your body doesn't distinguish between "running stress" and "work stress."

  • The Metaphor of the Run: Running is a mirror for personal growth. The moments when it’s "you vs. you" on a lonely back-half of a course are where the real work happens.

Top Takeaways

  • AI Training Plans Lack Education: A bot can tell you to run "5K pace," but a coach teaches a beginner how to find that pace and what it should feel like in their lungs.

  • The Power of the "Why": Understanding the stimulus of a workout makes an athlete more empowered and less likely to blindly follow a plan into an injury.

  • Seasonality is Key: It’s okay to realize a season isn't right for a marathon. Choosing not to race can be just as empowering as crossing the finish line.

  • Small Wins, Big Foundation: Success is built by stacking "bricks"—consistency, strength, and recovery—over years, not just one 18-week block.

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Stevie Lyn Smith
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