Online Running Coach for Marathon & Half Marathon Runners

Online running coach Chris Knighton at the Boston Marathon

Hi, I’m Coach Chris!

Hi, I’m Chris Knighton, a USATF-certified online running coach and founder of Knighton Runs Marathon Coaching. I help marathon and half marathon runners train with confidence, get expert feedback, and pursue ambitious goals with a personalized plan built around their lives.

Knighton Runs is based in Providence, Rhode Island, and I provide personalized 1:1 online running coaching to committed runners across the United States and beyond.

Since 2019, I’ve helped more than 100 athletes run faster, train more consistently, and pursue goals ranging from new personal bests to Boston Marathon qualifiers.

Let’s team up and work toward your running goals together!

Watch My Introduction Video

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

The application takes about three minutes. I’ll personally review your goals and respond within two business days.


80+ Five-Star Google Reviews

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81 reviews
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Cheryl m profile picture
Cheryl m
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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!
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Damian M profile picture
Damian M
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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.
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Frank M profile picture
Frank M
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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.
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Robert C profile picture
Robert C
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Coach Chris is awesome and would highly recommend him to anyone! He is very friendly, knowledgable, helpful, responsive.
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S C profile picture
S C
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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.
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Amanda L profile picture
Amanda L
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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!
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Mariana A profile picture
Mariana A
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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
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Jordan A profile picture
Jordan A
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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!
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Kathryn H profile picture
Kathryn H
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Chris is GREAT. So responsive, non-judgmental and motivating - which is what I was hoping for in a coach. Couldn’t recommend him more!
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Allyson T profile picture
Allyson T
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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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What’s Included in 1:1 Online Running Coaching

Your coaching is built around your current fitness, training history, goals, schedule, and response to training. For marathon and half marathon runners, that means your plan can evolve throughout the training cycle rather than forcing you to follow a generic schedule.

Knighton Runs Marathon Coaching logo

Personalized 1:1 Run Coaching

$275 / month

Personalized running training delivered through Final Surge

Supplemental strength and mobility training

Direct communication with Coach Chris throughout the week for workout feedback, questions, and training adjustments as life and recovery demand

Knighton Lions team racing singlet

Exclusive access to my athlete community

Trusted by more than 100 athletes since 2019


How Your Online Training Plan Will Look


Frequently Asked Questions About Online Running Coaching

Is there a minimum commitment?

No. Coaching works best as a long-term relationship, but it is billed monthly and there is no long-term contract.

How often will we communicate?

I work full time as a running coach and pride myself on being professional and responsive. I review your training and communicate with you multiple times throughout the week, and I generally respond to comments and questions within one business day.

Can my plan change if I get sick, injured, or busy?

Yes. I’ll review and adjust your training plan as needed—week to week or even day to day. One of the greatest benefits of working with an online running coach is receiving personalized support when life or training doesn’t go according to plan.

Do you specialize in online marathon coaching?

Yes. Most of the athletes I work with are training for the marathon or half marathon. My online marathon coaching combines a personalized training plan with ongoing feedback, accountability, and adjustments throughout the training cycle. I also coach runners competing at shorter distances and ultramarathons and encourage athletes to race across a variety of distances.

What experience levels do you coach?

My coaching is best suited for runners who have some experience with training or racing and are ready to take their development more seriously. My athletes want to do the little things well, improve their performance, and stay healthy while pursuing long-term progress, regardless of how fast they are.


Knighton Runs 30-day satisfaction guarantee

30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee

I want you to be completely satisfied with your run coaching experience.

If you don’t feel that coaching is the right fit, email me within 30 days of joining for a full refund.

— Coach Chris

The application takes about three minutes. I’ll personally review your goals and respond within two business days.