Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Sandler.
Rachel, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was a math major in college and upon graduation, moved to Manhattan to sit behind a desk, crunching numbers in Excel and perfecting PowerPoint presentations. I worked around the clock and cried at my desk a lot. After job hopping through this corporate rut, I decided to take a step back to truly figure out what I wanted to do. With the help of a book called Wishcraft, and with the unwavering support of my husband, I decided to become a Cross Country and Track & Field coach! Bryn Mawr College was hiring; I had run for Haverford, so I was very familiar with the surroundings. I coached at Bryn Mawr – told myself I had finally found my dream job – for four years until my first son was born. We may need a whole separate article on why I “had” to leave, but I left when he was 1. I spent the next few years caring for my son, who, born with a clubfoot, hypotonia, and other developmental delays, had lots of appointments and needs. After my second son was born 4 years later (with similar delays and hypotonia), I got the idea for The Efficient Runner. I have since then been able to coach runners AND care for my sons! Since launching The Efficient Runner 8 years ago, I have coached 35 clients with varying ability levels and interests: Boston Marathon qualifications and huge PRs to those who just started running, whether they had never run before or were coming back from hiatus/injury. I currently have a mix right now! A New York City marathon bound client as well as someone who ran cross country over a decade ago and hasn’t run since.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest struggle in the beginning was getting clients. I’m not terribly into social media, but I did create an Instagram page to try and promote my business. After a couple of years of “forced” posting (thinking I needed to do things like hashtag Workout Wednesday), I stopped. I just didn’t feel genuine and honest when posting! Now I get most of my clients through word of mouth or through the in-person group that I coach called Philly Surge Running.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a running coach! Unlike ChatGPT, I am a human that my clients can connect with. Anyone (human or robot) can spit out a training plan for a 5k or a marathon, but not everyone has the people skills that I have, and this I pride myself on. One of my clients once called me his running therapist, and I definitely feel this way. I love to connect with people, help them achieve their goals, and talk with them through race strategy and mental obstacles. I’m an empath who has also been through a lot of injury and mental hurdles myself as a runner, so I bring a wide variety of experience to the table.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Summer camp! I went to Southhampton Day Camp from when I was 5 until age 13 and I loved it. Athletics, swimming, being outside, Color War, bug juice…wish I could go back 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theefficientrunner.com
- Instagram: theefficientrunner
- Facebook: The Efficient Runner
- LinkedIn: The Efficient Runner
- Twitter: @RunEfficiently
Image Credits
Mayor’s Cup and Walter Boyle Photography
