Off To a Running Start in 2025

Article written by: Barb Sawatsky

Published by: Metchosin Muse

Tanya Braun, ready to teach and ready to run.

Tanya Braun is a dynamic young woman who is enthusiastic about starting a running group in Metchosin where she has lived for the last seven years. As a certified running coach, her goal is to encourage and motivate runners of all levels by teaching people to “train smart,” emphasizing stretching, starting off slowly, watching form, and learning the fundamentals of injury prevention.

Dedicated to fitness, Tanya has been involved in the running community since she was a small child growing up in Nanaimo in a family that has always been involved in fitness. After the birth of her now 15-month old twins, she works at a full-time job and has a seven-year-old son and a nine-year-old “bonus daughter.” Asked how she manages to juggle so many commitments, she said, “when I feel overwhelmed, I go for a run.” Her personal schedule involves working out on the treadmill daily and running a half-marathon every Friday “either while the twins are napping and the older kids are at school, or once all the kids are asleep for the night.”

Her group, aptly named Mother Runner Coaching, has been meeting evenings at the Royal Bay School track where the neighbourhood has infant jogger-friendly, well-lit streets. In the new year she will also be offering a local run group in her home community of Metchosin. The aim is to begin in March when the weather starts to improve, so that runners can train on our roads and trails and not have to drive to Royal Bay.

Tanya offers on-line coaching, one-on-one drop-in sessions and beginner/learn to run and 5K clinics. Her most popular clinic is a six-week beginner program, which starts with run/walk intervals which involves running for 30 seconds to one minute then walking for one minute on repeat, gradually moving up the running time as the clinic progresses, and leading to a 5K goal. She also offers 45-minute drop-in group training clinics for $10 a session and custom one-on-one, 45-minute coaching sessions for $30.

Enjoying a beautiful trail during a running club outing.