If I were to describe David Welch as a yoga pose, I would say he’s the humble warrior. Having trained and raced alongside him, he possesses the ability to bury himself deep into the suffering of an endurance event. David is incredibly strong, but, on the flip side, he bows in humility. The consummate research scientist, he is never one to shut down any line of thinking, as he is always searching for more of the truth. This yin balanced with yang approach in his line of thinking is what makes him an amazing coach, and he is a genuinely caring and kind person that has much to share with the world.
Tom Stott
Co-Founder of Elevation Running, Physical Therapist Assistant, Certified Personal Trainer, and Running Coach
David began coaching me a little over a year ago after a fellow runner connected us. I am fairly new to the ultra-running scene, so having someone give me a plan & guidance was appealing, and I was curious to see what else I could do.
After getting through the first weeks of my training plan, I really began to enjoy the new & varied workouts & runs David gave me. I also began to see & feel a difference in my running as well as my body. David challenges me, giving me workouts that push me & sets the bar just above where I’m at. And I love that challenge!
David is also really great about reading/listening to my run plan notes, asking questions, offering advice & feedback, making adjustments. I’ve also learned to be honest with him if something isn’t working for me & he’s understanding if I’ve not completely followed my plan.
I’ve only run with David a handful of times, so most of the planning & talking is through email or spreadsheet, yet I still feel connected & that he is truly invested in me. Along with all of this, David is an inspiration as a runner & I am grateful for the time he has invested in me.
Crystal Achuo
1st overall 2018 Miner's Lady 8-hour, 2nd 2018 Catoctin 50K
I am a mother of three and my running has always been on again off again – usually due to an injury, boredom, or just not making “me” a priority. When David started training me for my first half marathon, the longest race I’d done was a 10k. David’s combination of workouts, stretches, and motivation has kept me inspired and pushing myself when I thought I couldn’t do it. His training has made me stronger and has made running fun and challenging for me!
Bridget Moody
Recreational runner
I have loved working with David and recommend him highly as a coach and running motivator. I have been a runner for 15 years but working with David changed my running for the better in many notable ways. I have always been somewhat of a lone runner — occasionally welcoming a friend along on my jogs, but mainly just enjoying my time out on the trails and streets as my personal time. I rarely ever wore a watch and barely kept track of anything other than how I felt during and after my runs. My goals with David were to have more structure so I could track my progress but to still have the space to have fun and truly savor my running time. Rather than overtraining or running too many long runs in a row, David coached me in how to vary my running with lower and higher intensity days and shorter and longer runs. The training runs with hills and different time intervals at first felt intimidating but quickly felt fun and exhilarating. The variation truly dramatically increased my running abilities. Living at 7000+ feet above sea level and running up and down mountain trails I felt like a deer and a mountain lion at once! We kept correspondence through a spreadsheet and David was very motivating, encouraging and helpful with his advice consistently. I am also a vegan and really love working with someone who understands the meaning of my lifestyle and how to thrive as a vegan athlete. David is awesome and truly an incredible coach and person!
Margaret Madrone
Recreational runner