Personalized Running Coaching

Get stronger. Run faster. Stay healthy.

Welcome!

As a runner, you’ve probably done the following to avoid injury and run faster in races:

-       Found general training plans online that guarantee you running your fastest 5k yet

-       Gone to the gym day in and day out, doing all of the strength exercises that you’ve heard are great for runners

-       Combed through a mountain of info and slowly figured out what’s relevant to you and what’s not

And yet – Your times STILL aren’t improving.

You’ve experienced frustration while calculating your workout paces over and over again, yet still unsure if you did the math right.

You’ve cheered on friends to new personal bests while you’ve been sidelined due to an injury.

You’ve spent dozens of hours listening to podcasts and reading books of so-called experts on how to avoid injuries and run faster… Yet you can’t help but notice all of the conflicting information.

In an age where we drown in info-overload, it’s never been more important to have a trustworthy and well-informed professional guiding your training.

If you want to run faster than ever and avoid injury so your family and friends can cheer YOU on across the finish line, there are a few things that you absolutely MUST do:

-       Have a personalized racing/training plan that is specific to you and your goals

-       Develop an effective strength training and injury prevention plan

-       Know the latest and most accurate running info out there

But you don’t have the time to sift through all of the information out there, figure out what’s true or not, create your own training and injury prevention plans, and tackle all of the other things on your to-do list!

Thankfully, I know just the person to solve this problem…

Hi! I’m Dr. Natala Balla, DPT. I am a licensed Physical Therapist and a certified running coach. I’m also an avid runner myself, currently in training for the Chicago Marathon.

As your running coach, I create individualized training plans that progress you towards your goals, keep you injury-free, and have you running stronger than ever.

You won’t have to worry and waste time over calculating your paces.

You’ll save precious training time (and money!) since you won’t constantly be rehabbing yourself from injuries and dropping out of races.

Best of all, you won’t have to question my knowledge and skillset for a second– I’ve spent years studying the human body and running through both formal education and personal experience (feel free to ask about my degrees and certifications, I’d love to show you all of my expensive pieces of paper!).

Runners that invest in coaches have more success in their races, stay healthier, progress appropriately, and get over injuries much more quickly when they do pop up.

Are you ready to run & recover with me? Contact me for a consultation!

Now, you may be saying to yourself, “Hm, I don’t know. Natala makes a good point. But is making her my running coach really worth it?”

To which I say, yes. Absolutely.

When you invest in both yourself, and me, a professional that prides herself in deeply understanding the human body and running, all of your hard work - the early morning runs, late night strength training, all of the hours learning from others - can finally begin to shine through as you cross those finish lines stronger, faster, and more confident in your abilities than ever.

Meet Francesca, the First Run & Recover Lady

Before training with me, Francesca was running about 3-5 miles per week, with no goals and no direction. She was struggling with staying consistent in her running and knowing how to increase her mileage safely (it’s a vicious cycle, ladies, as you know– if you aren’t consistent with your running, you won’t be able to increase your miles safely, and if you can’t increase your miles safely, you won’t be consistent!).

So, after spinning through this cycle far more than she’d like to admit, Francesca decided to finally get serious about her running.

No more “I’ll start tomorrow”.

No more “It’s too cold out”.

No more “But… there are breakfast sandwiches that need to be eaten!”.

She knew excuses like those weren’t going to cut it anymore. She also knew that she needed to find someone who would hold her accountable for this decision and help her get back on track with a training plan designed just for her.

When Francesca was on the hunt for running coaches, she scoured all over the internet. Google, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn (I know, weird choice). After exhausting all options, a friend recommended Run & Recover to her and the rest is history!

I did ask Francesca why she ended up choosing to work with me instead of all the other running coaches out there. She told me this:

“Not only do you have years of experience with running yourself, but you also have tons of experience with racing. That’s important to me because I want to be competitive in the races I sign up for. You have the inside knowledge on how to do that. Plus, you are so supportive, and being a physical therapist is a HUGE bonus, too!”

(Trust me– those are all her words, not mine!! Most times, I think I’m a hassle with all this knowledge. I get word vomit and won’t. stop. talking.)

Francesca has seen incredible progress and results with her training. She has goals and a direction with running now. She doesn’t make excuses anymore (all of the breakfast sandwiches are now eaten after her runs).

In fact, she asked me to share some of her success with you:

“I completed my first half-marathon in March 2022. I quickly caught the running bug and was able to complete my next goal… to finish the Chicago Marathon in October 2023. At the beginning of my running journey, I said I would never run a full marathon… but Natala’s help, I was able to successfully complete my first marathon.”

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Boston Marathon Qualifier 2024
DeSales University - Doctor of Physical Therapy Graduate DPT
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Testimonials

  • "Natala has completely transformed my running habits. She provides weekly training schedules, prehab and rehab exercises, and is always a message away to answer questions. Highly recommend working with Natala to reach your running goals! "

    Megan Z.

  • "Natala's deep knowledge and understanding of the body blends seamlessly with her supportive and caring nature. She truly wants you to succeed and she'll do whatever she can to make sure you do! I've been making my slow comeback from an injury, and Natala has been guiding me every step of the way. So glad I found Run & Recover!"

    Gabriella B.

  • "Natala is the BEST trainer. She uploads my workouts each week which has given me the motivation I need to be the best runner I can be. I have gotten more confident in my running & I feel better overall especially with her prehab and rehab exercises which is an added bonus."

    Jess H.

  • Victoria R.

    "Natala is a very understanding coach. She checks in with me periodically regarding how training is going and adjusts workouts depending on how I feel. As a coach, Natala is reliable and one to fully invest in her client’s running goals. I have truly enjoyed running again because of Natala's help."

    Victoria R.

  • "Natala built a running plan personalized to me and was quick to modify if my schedule got too busy or if I just needed a day off. She is also very responsive to answer my questions about nutrition or training gear."

    Chuck P.

  • "Working with Natala is one of the best choices I’ve made toward bettering my running. I’ve learned so much because of her programming which includes prehab, stretching, and a variety of runs and I can say I’m a more confident and competent runner. "

    Dana B.

Services & Pricing

  • Have you ever felt like you were just another face in the crowd?

    Even worse– have you ever felt that way despite working so hard to be seen as the go-getter that you are? It’s one of the worst feelings!

    That’s why 1-on-1 coaching is such a priority to me.

    You’ll never feel like another face in the crowd, going unrecognized day in and day out, with Run & Recover.

    You will be seen, invested in, and supported every step of the way.

  • Name one thing that’s better when it’s NOT personalized. I’ll wait…

    One thing that I can confidently say won’t make the list is running.

    There’s so much that needs to be calculated in a training plan: paces, rest times, workout distances, end goals. And calculated correctly, might I add (if not, you’ll realize mid-run and regret it immediately!).

    With me, you won’t have to worry about that at all - Calculating is my job. Showing up is yours.

  • Squats, push-ups, lunges… OH MY!

    Where do you even start when there are so many exercises to choose from? And once you do choose, how do you know if you’re doing them right?

    Well, rest assured.

    When you work with me, you will lift with confidence.

    Confidence in knowing that you are getting stronger with professionally-picked exercises that support you and your running goals.

  • Now, I know you must have been searching all over my site to find the pricing.

    Wondering if you can find some way to make it work.

    Perhaps thinking about those dreams that you have of crossing the finish line of your first marathon... running your PR in the 5k... or feeling the strongest you ever have been in your runs.

    I want you to have the opportunity to reach those dreams and goals.

    I want you to reach them with a personalized training plan that is high-quality and full of value.

    I pour my heart into my runners and do my best to offer competitive, yet affordable, prices. So that’s why I am offering my services for $100/month currently.

    I’m not sure how long these prices will last, so contact me while you can!

About

Hi ladies! As you may have guessed – I’m Natala. I’m a certified running coach, licensed Physical Therapist, and a massive running enthusiast.

My running journey began in middle school. It was then that I decided to run in the iconic 10-mile Broad Street Run in Philadelphia with my school’s running club. After that, the fire within me for running was lit.

I still carry that passion with me today thanks, in large part, to all the coaches that shaped my running at each unique stage.

You see, coaches do more than help a runner reach a new PR or a new race distance. Coaches, especially the great ones, have a profound impact on their runner’s life as a whole.

 

They keep adding kindling to that fire burning within their athletes.

 

And so, for me, I aim to set myself apart from other coaches by focusing on the fire in each of my athletes.

 

I give my athletes guidance and a plan moving forward so they can reach their greatest potential.

 

I share all the knowledge and skill sets that I have.

 

I am the biggest cheerleader for all my runners.

 

Ultimately, I help you cross those finish lines stronger, faster, and more confident than ever!

 Contact us.

Are you ready to get serious about your running and get all the straight facts about success? Grab your sneaks and let’s go!

During our initial consultation, we will chat in-depth about the following:

Your goals – Do you want to run faster? Longer? Stay injury-free? Are there any upcoming races you will be racing in?

Your running experience – How long have you been running? How many races have you run in (if any)?

Your strength training routine – Do you lift weights? If so, how often and what exercises?

Current/Recent injuries – Do you have any injuries currently? If not, when was your last injury, and what was it? Do you have any reoccurring injuries?

 

And, most importantly… How I can guide you to your goals!

 So go on, girl – Ditch the self-guided training plans and confusing pace calculators, and finally get yourself a real, knowledgeable coach that’s truly invested in YOU and YOUR SUCCESS!