About Knighton Runs Marathon Coaching

Knighton Runs Marathon Coaching was founded in 2019 by Coach Chris and Erica Knighton.

We help committed marathon runners train with confidence, get expert feedback, and pursue their next PR or Boston-qualifying time with a plan built around their lives.

Knighton Runs Marathon Coaching is based in Providence, Rhode Island. We coach committed runners throughout Rhode Island, New England, and across the country through personalized 1:1 online running coaching.

We’ve helped over 100 athletes run faster and be more consistent than ever before.

Additionally, Coach Erica offers private running lessons for youth in Rhode Island and private running lessons for adults in Rhode Island.

100+ Athletes Coached • USATF-Certified • Featured in Runner’s World

Coach Chris Knighton

Chris is the Head Coach at Knighton Runs and the author of Run Faster Marathons: The Proven Path to PR. He is a trusted running coach and competitive distance runner based in Providence, Rhode Island.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Chris did not begin running until his late twenties, but he quickly developed into a consistent top-10 finisher at road and trail races throughout New England. He has been a vegan athlete throughout his adult life and credits much of his athletic success to healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices.

In 2014, Chris left a soul-crushing job to pursue his dreams. That summer, he thru-hiked the 2,180-mile Appalachian Trail. The journey showed him that he possessed the courage and capacity to take on any challenge.

Chris brings that same mentality to his running and coaching. He believes the skills and confidence developed through marathon training extend far beyond running, helping athletes overcome personal and professional challenges. He empowers his athletes to embrace the work required to pursue ambitious goals and move confidently in the direction of their dreams.

Chris earned his USATF Level 1 coaching certification in 2019. From 2021 to 2025, he also served as a track and field and cross-country coach at St. Mary Academy – Bay View in Riverside, Rhode Island.

Coach Chris Knighton after finishing the Newport Rhode Island Marathon

Personal Bests

1500m: 4:19
1-Mile: 4:42
5K: 16:40
10K: 34:41
Half Marathon: 1:14
Marathon: 2:46

Running Achievements

1st at 2024 USATF-NE Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships 3000m
2:46 at 2023 Chicago Marathon
1st at 2023 USATF-NE Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships 800m
2:53 at 2022 Boston Marathon
1st at 2022 Super Sunday 5K
1st at 2021 Pomham Rocks 10K Road Race
1:14 at 2019 Mohawk Hudson Hannaford Half Marathon

Coach Erica Knighton

Erica is the Assistant Coach at Knighton Runs. She helps runners become faster, believe in themselves, and develop discipline through running. A competitive runner in high school and college, Erica has more than 25 years of experience training and racing at a high level.

Erica is passionate about helping youth and high school athletes reach their full potential. During her time as Head Coach at St. Mary Academy – Bay View in Riverside, Rhode Island, she guided four athletes to All-State honors and coached two State Champions. She now coaches at Moses Brown School in Providence.

Erica also works privately with youth and high school athletes to help them make the most of their summer and winter off-seasons. During the track and cross-country seasons, she provides additional private support with permission from each athlete’s school coach.

Erica holds coaching certification from the NFHS and is certified in CPR/AED.

Learn more about private running lessons for youth and high school athletes in Rhode Island.

Proudest Race Achievement

In 2024, Coach Erica completed the Philadelphia Marathon in 3:07:05

80+ Five-Star Google Reviews

Read what Knighton Runs athletes say about their coaching experience:

    EXCELLENT  
  81 reviews
 
 
        Posted on Google  
   
   Cheryl m 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  My daughter Jackie has been training with Knighton Runs since her freshman year and I can’t say enough good things about them. Erica and Chris have provided amazing mentorship, showing immense patience with her while still knowing exactly how to push her to reach her full potential. They balance encouragement with excellent training and we couldn’t be happier with her progress and growth as both an athlete and person. Highly recommend them to any parent! Thank you both for everything!
  
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Damian M 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  I’ve been working with Chris and Erica for the past 3 years. As a strength and conditioning coach to young athletes, I’ve been impressed with the attention to detail they bring to their coaching plans and communication. I can confidently say that the athletes who work with the Knighton’s not only improve as runners but also build confidence. I would recommend Knighton Runs to any athlete looking for a running coach.
  
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Frank M 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  We have been working with Chris and Erica for over 5 years, she been coaching our daughter Jackie  as a distance runner in indoor and outdoor track as well as Cross Country. They are both very attentive to the individual skills that our daughter possessed and have worked with her to achieve many Personal Records over the years. My greatest compliment in their coaching performance was getting our daughter to get a scholarship to run D1 at a great college.
  
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Robert C 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  Coach Chris is awesome and would highly recommend him to anyone! He is very friendly, knowledgable, helpful, responsive.
  
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   S C 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  Chris is phenomenal. In the short time we’ve been working together he’s already coached me to two PRs. He tells me exactly what to do, which takes all the guesswork out of training. I’m no longer second-guessing whether I’m doing what I should be doing.  I can now just focus on running the miles and executing the plan. Chris also does an excellent job tailoring my running plan to fit my life. It’s obvious he’s thinking about my schedule, responsibilities, and constraints when he's building my schedule. If you’re looking for a coach who delivers results, removes the mental clutter, and actually understands how to fit training into a real life, Chris is it.
  
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Amanda L 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  Chris is very knowledgeable and gives quality planning and guidance through all the training phases including mental and physical readiness. He is responsive to questions and can quickly adapt plans when life happens while keeping you on track with your goals. This is not something you could replace with any AI algorithm or app. Whether you’re training for your first 5k or ultramarathon, Chris is a highly recommended resource!
  
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Mariana A 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  I love working with coach Chris. He is super competent, nice and efficient. After I started being coached by him I PRed 16 minutes on my marathon. His training plan pushes me exactly the amount I need. It's been a pleasure and I saw clear results improvements on my running
  
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jordan A 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  I had a great experience with the Knighton Runs team, I appreciated the personalized runs which were developed on a weekly basis and adjusted as needed depending on how I did, and also the education, motivation, and accountability along the way. It is great knowing that there is a coach that will be reviewing each run, commenting and supporting and providing strategy for race day. Highly recommend!
  
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Kathryn H 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  Chris is GREAT. So responsive, non-judgmental and motivating - which is what I was hoping for in a coach. Couldn’t recommend him more!
  
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Allyson T 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.  Coach Chris Knighton and the Knighton Runs program earn my highest recommendation! I’ve been a fan of Coach Chris for years after discovering him through various podcasts and reading his book, Run Faster Marathons: The Proven Path to PR. I first started with one of his training plans, which helped me achieve a PR in a race I’d been training for. This year, I took it a step further and began one-on-one coaching and I’ve set a PR in every distance I’ve raced since! More importantly, Coach Chris is helping me push my limits while making sure I stay healthy and injury-free. If you're reading this, you're probably searching for a great run coach. Look no further, Coach Chris truly knows his stuff and will make you a faster, smarter, and more confident runner.
  
 
 
  
 
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