I would recommend this running club to anyone looking for a well thought out training plan, friendly training groups and opportunities to socialize with other runners. read more

This club is one of the best commitments I've ever made. The group accepts every single person without judgement or attitude. Anyone who wants to get out there and put some miles under their feet are welcome here. The club offers several coaches, different pace groups, helpful seminars, daily support and great camaraderie. This group of people are A+ read more

I have been part of this group for 2 years now. I started out with the walker group and I am now running with my current pace group. This group offers something for any level of walking or running and you can bounce between groups with open arms! It is a great way to train for a race or just be with a great group of people to exercise with every Saturday. I love that there is no pressure to to do anything other than what is good for you and do it at your pace. I would encourage anybody who would like to start a walking or running program or just get out and put one foot in front of the other and move, to join! See you Saturday!!! read more

West Coast Road Runners - After one of our Saturday runs! - Trainers Near Me

When I decided to run my first half marathon four years ago, I researched training groups and programs. I quickly became a member of WCRR. I was planning to just run the one race, but WCRR coaches and members instilled a love of running that keeps me going to this day. The pace groups make it easy for people of all skill levels to participate, from walkers to elite runners. It's an upbeat, inclusive, welcoming group of people. The training is top notch, too! If you're looking for a group type training, WCRR fits the bill. read more

I have some physical challenges from a past severe spinal cord injury, and it took me years to get up the courage to join an "able bodied running group." My regret is that it took me so long to join! This group has brought me to the next level, as I am on track for over 2017 miles on foot in 2017! With their coaching and advice, I did my first 50K and 50 miler events this year. There is no way to overestimate how much their help made these accomplishments possible. The coaches and members are very friendly and supportive. Each week: you can choose your location throughout San Diego; you can choose the distance and pace you want to train! All of this for a cost that, for six months, is LESS THAN a typical marathon entry fee!! THANK YOU WEST COAST ROAD RUNNERS! :) read more

I've been running with West Coast Road Runners now for nearly 20 seasons, both Fall and Spring, over 10 years. Over this period, I've run multiple half-marathons, marathons, half-Ironmans and full Ironmans. I've qualified for, and successfully re-qualified at, the Boston Marathon seven consecutive years, and also attained USA Triathlon All American and Ironman All-World status. I've watched this club grow and improve while being voted "Best Run Club in the Pacific West Region" in the most recent survey of readers by Competitor magazine. This is a great club for attaining your running and fitness goals, regardless of your starting point or ability, with some of the best coaching in San Diego. It's also a great place to meet new friends and socialize with others who share similar interests. I like having trained, experienced and certified coaches for all different pace groups. read more

Just finished the rock and roll marathon and there is absolutely no way I could have done it without West Coast Road Runners. The definitley introduced me to a new lifestyle. Last December I decided I wanted to start running. Last Jan I joined WCRR and June 1st completed a marathon. definitely will be joining again next season. If you have any desire to run a marathon this is the way to do it. Lots of advice and lots of training and encouragement. All the coaches were on the side of the road throughout the whole race definitley made it encouraging to keep going. I agree about the coached not really knowing you. I do think they were making a strong effort near the end. With a group that big it is hard to get to know everyone. I would only suggest a social event every couple weeks. We had a pasta feed near the end and it really is weird to see people you have seen all year dressed as normal people and not sweaty and gross. Keep up the good work. Everyone should run a marathon once in their life. read more

WCRR took me from 2 miles to at least 17 halfs, 1 full and the best friends anyone could have! I am a slower paced runner and am sorry to see a negative post because I have NOT had that negative experience with the group. So come try us whatever the pace! read more

I was a member of WCRR for 4 seasons. I completed 6 half's and 1 full. The members are great and a few of the coaches are awesome. I would not recommend this group for those that run a slower pace than a 10min mile unless you don't care about being ignored by the head coach that you pay your money to. The head coach (coach Dan) doesn't seem to have the time for inexperienced runners. Dan and some of the "elite" coaches are far from helpful to anyone just starting out.many times there are not enough coaches for the lower pace groups 10:30 + and a lot of new people end up getting lost on the routes. What does WCRR care when they already have your money.the only reason I gave two stars is because of some close friends that I made when I was a member, otherwise it would have been 1 read more

WCRR is an awesome running group for all ages and abilities. Really! I tried several running groups over the years and never felt as welcome as I did on my very first day at WCRR. I didnt know anyone in the group at first but quickly made friends and after running 5 marathons on my own, my first race as a WCRR was a 10min PR. I have stuck with the group ever since then - even when I'm not training for a marathon. read more

I am a new member of WCRR and I am so glad I joined the group. The coaches are all very nice & helpful. I look forward to group runs on Saturdays with the experienced coaches and my running buddies as it helps keep me accountable and pushes me to do better. It is great being part of a team that doesn't judge and encourages and supports my efforts. All the members are really nice and I am enjoying meeting new running buddies. I look forward to learning more, running better and finishing my half marathons stronger than before I joined. read more

I ran my first half and full marathon with this group. I couldn't have done it without Coach Dan and his wonderful team of coaches. I run with a slower group, Catalina (10-12 min/mile) and everyone is always so friendly and motivating. I took a break and ran on my own for a while, but recently rejoined for 2 reasons. 1- It's nice to just show up and run without having to plan a route. That's taken care of by the group. Even if your miles vary from the group's, the route is very flexible. They're also very nice, scenic routes. 2- There's nothing like getting that long run out of the way first thing on Saturday morning. Meeting with the group forces you to do that. All-in-all, a great group and worth the very reasonable membership fee. read more

I have been a member for three seasons and I love WCRR!!! Although I trained for a marathon on my own before I realized I needed extra help an encouragement from experts. The coaches are great, they have helped me make it to the finish during some hard days. When you join these type of groups, it forces you to get up every weekend and enjoy life. I realized how little I enjoyed the outdoors prior to joining and how awesome it feels to get up early to do something productive. I love running at the beach, trails, and roads of San Diego. WCRR changes your life forever. It's not all fun and games but it is a great experience to try. I wish I would have tried joining WCRR in my twenties because I certainly would not have wasted all those years partying away. I love living healthy now! The only reason I gave them four stars is because the coaches don't remember my name. To me, it's not a social event but it would be nice if they would just remember my name after spending so much time together. But then again, the last thing I think about are other people's names when I am spending my entire energy getting ready for 18 mile runs...Anyway, I am just saying...it would be nice... read more

What a great experience!! It was everything as advertised and more. I have never been a runner in my life and as a 48 year old "geezer" I never so much as participated in a 5K let alone a Marathon!! I joined the group in January with the sole ambition to run the Rock and Roll Marathon. I worked my ass off and followed religiously the marathon training program, as well as the outstanding guidance provided by the West Coast Roadrunner coaches, and it paid off in spades. While surprising myself weekly by incrementally increasing my distance, strength, and endurance during our Saturday morning runs, I also gradually increased my confidence to the point where I was able to enter into this marathon knowing that I had done everything necessary to complete this amazing feat, and by God I pulled it off. I'd be lying if I were to say that I did not have a little doubt before doing it, but I was in just about the best shape of my life and I vowed that I would complete that bad boy if I had to crawl across the damned finish line. I also must say, seeing all of the coaches out there along the marathon route, cheering me on during the later miles, was absolutely awesome and I think very helpful as well, and I did finish in what I consider a respectable 4:39. I am very happy and extremely proud and so appreciative to West Coast Roadrunners for helping me to achieve this amazing goal. Thank you all so very much!! read more

I ran my first full marathon at 50 and there is no way I could have done it without WCRR! I was far from the fastest pace group but with the encouragement and support I finished and I wasn't last. You can't expect one on one coaching - you can expect a group of runners that will invite you to run with them, give you the support system you need and the guidance you need to make your dream a reality. You get out what you give - you follow the program and it works. I just recently finished a 100 mile ultra marathon - something I never thought I could do in my lifetime but the support of the club is amazing and club members came out to run extra miles with me to help me accomplish my goal! What is really great, is seeing other club members all over the world doing the same races and meeting up. WCRR is more than a running club; it is a family! read more

West Coast Road Runners is exactly what they claim. If you want a personal running coach, go hire one for thousands of dollars. WCRR provides you with schedules, volunteer coaches, and organized long runs on Saturdays (aid stations provided on longer long runs (16+ miles). Additionally you get some seminars that are great for newer runners (don't tell the coaches I now skip these). As any running type group training for a long distance race, some people drop out along the way for various reasons, but by the time you get towards the last 1/3 of your training cycles, your groups have stabilized and you become pretty good running buddies with the other members in your group whom you look forward to seeing each and every Saturday. If you are the kind of person who has run HM or Marathon in the past and and don't have a problem running 10/16+ miles all by yourself than WCRR might not be the best fit for you. For me, the benefit of doing these types of long runs with a group of like minded individual's alone is easily worth the price of admission. If I had to name one thing I don't like, it would be the meeting location for what is considered the central San Diego group (Mission Bay High School). I believe this is for permit reasons, but it would be way nicer to meet at another Mission Bay location, with grass, and facilities, etc. read more

I started running when I was 12 years old, I raced cross country and track all through high school and most of college. After quitting in college I became disillusioned with the sport and borderline hated it. After taking 4 years off I decided to get into long distance running, ran a few halfs and one full but wasn't seeing the results I knew I was capable of. I reached out to Dan and after 6 months of training with him and the team I got within 7 minutes of qualifying for Boston (a 40 minutes PR from my previous marathon)!! Morale of the story-doesn't matter if you're an experienced runner looking to get a new PR or BQ or you're just trying to finish your first half/marathon, this is the team for you! Joining the team ensures a few things 1. Comradery and the most encouraging coaches and teammates 2. Accountability and 3. RESULTS (if you put in the work and follow the plan your coach gives you). read more

A few years ago I had wanted to train for a marathon but had never run more than 5 or 6 miles before in my life. I was looking for a good local training program and while there are a few other groups in town, I am so glad that I chose WCRR. I have now trained with them almost every season since and would highly recommend their program. I found from the very beginning that Coach Dan and the other coaches are very accessible. Any time you have a question or concern they are there to help. You can't beat the price of the training either. Not only do they have weekly long runs where you get to run in different parts of the county, but there are also weekly track sessions and seminars after the long runs. It really helps keep you motivated knowing you have to meet up with the group every week. It would be almost impossible to do all on your own. If you want to run a marathon or just improve your fitness, give them a try! read more

one day i decided i wanted to run a marathon. (keeping in mind i had never run more than like 3 miles at once). thank god for west coast road runners. they get you marathon ready in about 4 months. they supply you with a schedule, and you run on your own during the week. then, you meet with this big ass group every saturday morning and run in new places all over san diego county (which are gorgeous). the ONLY reason that i didn't give 5 stars, is that you literally have to wake up at like 4am to get to some of the saturday runs. seriously. i consider that the middle of the night, not morning, so that was my biggest challenge. TOTALLY worth it though. the best part is that you don't have to beg your friends and family to help you raise money for a charity like some of the other training groups out there. i'm not into that. read more

This is my second season with West Coast Road Runners. My wife and daughter are also members of this great club and recommend this organization to all interested in running as a form of exercise and family activity. Last season I was a newbie to running at 59 years old and completed my first half marathon -what you don't know is I had a full hip replacement in 2016. Well- WCRR got me there. This season is another half marathon and god willing a full marathon at the San Diego rock and roll in 2018! read more

If I could rate this company 6 stars I would, the founder owner Dan is amazing. I met him offering me a half marathon pacer for a local race and I know a few members. He invited me to run with the group to try out the club and the club is excellent and top. First of all, not everyone runs the same paces so Dan made different groups based on speed i.e. Chicago group Sub 8, New York Group 8 pace, etc etc. So this basically puts everyone in their comfort level. The group has such different fun runs, and I did a run with them when we took the train to Oceanside and ran to Solana Beach! It was awesome! And the group amazingly had stations for hydration and food on the way. I usually carry my own hydration and GU but I was so impressed they had it. The love from the members is amazing, everyone is really nice and no one has that uncomfortable feel. Everyone is supportive and thats what makes a great group of people. This is the best running club in San Diego I'm sure of it and I'm blessed I met such an amazing group of people. read more

I've been with this group for multiple seasons. Coach Dan is energetic, a good leader, a good speaker, and very responsive to email. He's put together a great walking/running group. Everyone is quite upbeat and friendly. There are several coaches for each of the pace groups to ensure there is adequate coverage; in other words, they try hard to make sure you don't get dropped if you get hurt along the way or am having a slow day, which is great. I noticed this was an improvement made a couple of seasons ago, so maybe he read one of the previous reviews on here! He also staggers the start times so that everyone finishes at the same time to have a post-run talk. This means a really early start for slower runners/walkers, and a later start for faster runners. There is a substantial sized walking group, and I've noticed some very dedicated members who wake up ridiculously early to complete super long walks to prepare for the Rock n Roll marathon in June. Compared to other running groups, this group has the most variety in run routes - they typically start each Saturday run in a different location all over San Diego, which makes running a lot more fun by seeing new scenery. The only improvement I see would be to have water/aid stations at every Saturday run, instead of just the last few longest runs before the race. I would give them 5 stars otherwise. read more

Spent two seasons with WCRR and I ran 3 half marathons and 1 marathon. The cost of the season (about 6 months) is fairly reasonable (about $80 for new members and $70 for returning members. It may be a bit more the closer you get to the start of the season). What you get is a training schedule based on your pace. This training gets updated weekly and you can see up to two weeks at a time. You meet once a week on Saturday mornings for your long runs, and the rest of the week you train on your own. In a typical week, the schedule calls for you to run about 5 days a week. A few weeks after the start of the season, you also meet on Tuesday evenings for coached track workouts. The track workouts are not mandatory, but they'll help you in your development as a runner. I certainly noticed a drop in participants on Tuesdays compared to Saturdays. One of the plus sides, IMO, is that if I had a question via email, it was typically answered within a day. I thought that was very helpful. On the other hand, don't post your questions to their Facebook page. Either you won't get an answer or it'll be a long time before a coach answers. Regarding other people's comments that the coaches don't know your name, I'd say it depends. My pace coach and the head coach of my area certainly knew my name and asked how I was doing and answered my questions. The head coach of the whole program (Dan), I don't think he knew me, I hardly came across him, and when I did he didn't bother to ask my name, even though it was obvious he didn't recognize me. He pushes very hard (via email newsletters and the website) for you to wear the WCRR shirt. Obviously, it's your choice as to what you wear, but you shouldn't feel guilty for wearing what you like. In the end, I think WCRR is a decent program. Sure, it may have some deficiencies, but you get out of it what you put into it. In my particular case, I've decided to move on, but that doesn't prevent me from recommending WCRR to others. read more