Suddenly Juli Benson is having a moment

Right? 2010 called and asked for its coach back.

I think one part of Benson's appeal is she isn't restricted to coaching athletes from only one shoe brand.

I also think Benson landing a big name like Hiltz caused other runners to consider her. In the description to this podcast, it says Benson got "a flurry of attention" after that announcement was made in February.

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Fast People

Sarah Lorge Butler

Episódio de podcast · Fast People · 31/03/2025 · 41 min

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Hiltz does her own thing that’s why Smith had enough. Benson is a former coach who coaches online. How not exciting

I think Jenny Simpson did well with Benson while she still had the strength from Wetmore's coaching. When it wore off, she went back to Wetmore and had a great career.

She’s a histrionic. It won’t last long. How long until her next fall out like Georgetown, U Penn, Air Force… **Deleted as off topic derailing coment**

Is she still in Philadelphia and married to Penn's Defensive Coordinator?

its all remote coaching. coaches need to be there during practices, make sure their athletes are performing correctly, stretching properly, not training hard enough or training too hard, knowing when to stop a workout if volume is too high. all the little things Smith did to make sure Nikki was at optimal health are now gone. Juli's only been with Nikki a few months and already Nikki got hurt before Philly GP.

maybe it's nothing but am curious how this works out. seems to be the latest trend as other runners are following Nikkis lead.

Nah she’s a good coach, has a long resume of athletes that have done very well.

people can hate all the want but ultimately the athletes chose to work with her.

And coaches don’t need to be there every single second. I actually think that hurts the athlete. This set up forces the athletes to take more ownership and learn/ listen to their bodies (which shoot both have been super successful, I think they know what is needed training wise)

She also coached Chris Lukezic for a time until he retired.

Juli also mentors JaneHednengren

jane said it herself on running effect podcast

"coached"

I’ve coached numerous Olympic Trials qualifying athletes, though none at Nikki’s level. However, I can’t imagine coaching any of my athletes I worked with remotely. I feel like 90% of what made things click in our training was because of the relationship I built with the athletes by seeing them on a daily basis, and being able to become so in sync that I knew exactly what was needed from one day to another and could make adjustments on the fly. The other 10% was a combination of their independent characteristics that made them great, along with a little luck :)

I wish them all nothing but success, but can’t fathom being a world class athlete with so many options at my fingertips, and choosing to have such a disconnect with my coaching and training situation. How can I have confidence in someone that checks in with me a couple times a week through a screen and I can’t even talk with them during workouts to get feedback?

She's just a cover-up coach, no different from Grant Fisher and his high school coach. You remember how Smith used to lose sight with Nikki, right? The lack of discipline, the refusal to listen, it drove him nuts. But Nikki's slick, Nikki rather pick a coach who doesn't hold her accountable. All Nikki wanted was a figurehead who stays the hell out of her way and doesn't really tell her what to do.

Not all athletes need a coach. Some are better by themselves

You are just old. The times they are a-changin'

All of her gigs are not actually coaching gigs. Shes just a female coach to associate with but no real coaching going on