Sergio Salgado – Golden Running Coach
$100.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
RRCA Certified running coach for first time runners, all the way to Boston Marathon qualifiers and beyond! For the athlete in everyone.
Description
Golden/Denver metro running coach Sergio Salgado is a coach for anyone running for the first time or getting back into the sport, all the way through the full Marathon distance and beyond. This includes 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, Full Marathon and even Ultras. Both for road and trail racing, but I do specialize more in the road running training. Even if its your first time trying to navigate the often intimidating world of running (social media affects us all), I create an environment of inclusion, but more importantly of belief in yourself and the athlete that is in everyone. I truly believe that.
LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Road, Track, Trail
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon
TRAINING PLATFORM: Final Surge
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited phone, unlimited text
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Golden, CO
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: Yes, within the Denver metro area. Reach out to Sergio first to discuss options. Sessions are purchased separately from online coaching.
SPECIALTIES
I specialize in the road marathon distance, but can train anywhere from a first timer getting into running, all the way to trail marathons, and every distance in between. In addition to the training plans, I am not a dietician, but I have all the research regarding fueling while training (carbs, electrolytes etc) and that includes gut training for race day. I also have vast knowledge of PT equipment that has supported my running journey along with a massive shoe knowledge to help get you the right shoe selection for training and race day. I am a NERD about the sport!
PHILOSOPHY
I am a believer that everyone’s running journey is as unique as them, so EVERY runner I coach truly gets a specialized running plan developed for them. There will be similar themes for everyone which are foundational for me as I have found great success with them. My top 3 philosophy items are Consistency, Easy Days Easy and Hard Days Hard, and Strength Training. Consistency above all else is key, so building a safe plan to get you to race day is crucial. On a similar point, most of the miles ran in a training block will be easy, and keeping those easy is of utmost importance so we can go HARD on the hard days which is where we see our fitness levels increase. Finally, from personal experience, strength training is must for me and my athletes. It not only helps prevent injuries, but it also allows you to be stronger, and not feel as fatigued during hard or long sessions.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
I have coached unofficially for around 2 years, but recently turned my passion for running but even greater passion for teaching people about running into a business (Surge Running). I coach adults currently, but I am planning out my USATF Level 1 course for 2026 so I can also support my local high schools by coaching distance events.
ABOUT ME
I am a husband and father of 2 young kiddos. My love of running has always been present in sports growing up. It wasn’t until 2020 that I reintroduced distance running in my workout routine, and fell back in love with the sport.
I have a current Marathon PR of 2:58:33 at the California International Marathon. I love running and chasing faster times, but what really brings me joy is seeing other people succeed with their personal running goals and discovering how incredible they are by achieving goals they didn’t think were possible.
I am a nerd about the sport, and am constantly reading, and researching about new techniques, recovery tools, PT exercises, injury prevention exercises, fueling, hydration, gear etc. I practice what I preach (I am coached myself), and you may see me running at 4am since that is what works for my schedule.
Whether you have never ran a day in your life, or are chasing Boston marathon qualifying times, I know what it takes to be successful in the running world, and would be honored to see you succeed in your goals!
Aside from running and my family, I am an engineer, avid snowboarder, musician (I play 5 different instruments), disc golfer, car enthusiast, and a intermediate crafter (I make my own running business merch). As you can see, I LOVE learning and doing many things since it keeps me active physically and mentally.
BIG INFLUENCES
Cunningham Running is a big influence for me (Coach Jeff and Adam in particular) since running by feel on the easy days is a staple for them, and that is something that so liberating that I have taken that style on myself as well. We are too tied to data at times, and especially on easy days when the paces don’t matter as much, it’s so freeing to just run by feel to what the body needs that day. Also, Pfitzinger/Fitzgerald is another influence of mine. Their plans are what I used in my first 2 marathon training blocks, and I have taken (with credit to them) some of their principles as well for my coaching.
RACING HISTORY
My first two marathons were COMPLETELY different experiences. My first ever marathon I ran a 3:22:03, but at the end of the race with the finish line in sight, my legs just stopped working and I had to walk. It was such a bizarre feeling telling my legs to run, but I knew if I did I would collapse. Fast forward 5 months, I finished my second marathon in 2:58:03 WITH a positive COVID test the week of race week. It was a 4 minute negative split as well. The two biggest learnings were that I trained more for the second marathon (more mileage and workouts in the long runs), but then I also ran without the weight of expectations on me. Since I got COVID the week of the race, I knew that hitting my A-goal was unlikely, so I decided to run the race simply to the best of my ability that day and maximize whatever my body gave me that day. Now, looking to my future races, I want to take that mentality of running free of my own expectations, and know that I put in the work leading up to race day, and to just enjoy running to my full potential that day. It sounds simple, but this mental shift I believe is what allowed me to enjoy my second marathon and finish STRONG. I look forward to sharing this knowledge to my future athletes.
PRs
- 5k: 19:01 (not a true PR being sick and 85 degrees, but its the only 5K I have ran)
- Half Marathon: 1:31:20 (technically ran a 1:26:33 the second half of my PR marathon, but this was my quickest official half marathon race…sick again)
- Marathon: 2:58:33 – CIM 2024
CERTIFICATIONS
- RRCA Certified Coach Level 1
- CPR/FA/AED Certified
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
- 3rd Place Men at Runapalooza Half Marathon Event – Arvada, CO 2024
CONTACT SERGIO
Finding a coach who is a great fit for you is really important. We encourage you to email your coach prior to signing up so you can connect, communicate, and ensure a good athlete/coach fit.
SOCIAL
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