Couch→ 5K→ Half
Quote from a runner who started with RHWB as a beginner goes here.
Runner nameSeasons · Home state or country
A running community since 2019
Couch to Boston.
Volunteer RRCA-certified coaches write a plan for your goal, then a few thousand friends help you finish it. Your first 5K or your Boston qualifier, you train with the same crew.
Where are you starting?
RHWB in numbers
3,000+RunnersTrained with RHWB since 2019
40CoachesAll volunteers, all RRCA-certified
35US statesOne team, many time zones
15CountriesRunners training together worldwide
Pick your start line
Every goal gets a coach.
Tell us where you are today. Your coach builds the plan from there and adjusts it every week.
Your first 5K
For runners starting from zero. You’ll build up with run/walk intervals until 3.1 miles feels easy.
- Three short sessions a week
- Run/walk intervals that grow each week
- A coach who checks in on every run log
- A finish line with your group cheering
How a season works
Four steps to race day.
Step 1
Register
Tell us your goal race, your current weekly miles and how many days you can run.
Step 2
Meet your coach
You’re matched with a volunteer RRCA-certified coach and a small group at your level.
Step 3
Train together
Follow a personal plan, log your runs, and get feedback from your coach every week.
Step 4
Finish proud
Race with teammates cheering on the course and hundreds more following along online.
Sixteen seasons, one shirt each
It started with twelve neighbors.
In 2019 Coach Bala got a few neighbors off the couch. Every season since has had its own shirt, its own hashtag and more runners than the last.
Season 1 · 201912runners. Team RTGS, #WeAreFamily
Season 228runners. #TogetherWeRunFar
Season 10805runners. Miles of Xcitement
Season 16 · now3,000+runners all-time, in 15 countries
More than miles
Your body, your head, your people.
Every runner gets more than a training plan.
Doctors@RHWB
Physicians in the club who answer runners’ health questions.
Mental health supportA helpline and people who have been there.
Yoga for runnersMobility sessions built around your training week.
Nutrition & recipesFuel for long runs, from runners who cook.
Coach CornerWeekly tips on pacing, injuries and race strategy.
RHWB podcastConversations with coaches and runners on Spotify.
Miles to SmilesTurning training miles into support for causes we care about.
Doggies@RHWBMeet the four-legged pacers who show up every weekend.
The coaches
Forty volunteers. Zero salaries.
Every RHWB coach has run multiple marathons and earned RRCA certification. Their one focus is building a community of runners from every background.
- Founder
- Bala Sankaran, head coach
- Certified
- Road Runners Club of America (RRCA)
- Support
- Doctors, yoga instructors and a tech team, all volunteers
Runner stories
In their words.
Placeholder cards. Each one pairs a runner’s photo and a two-line quote with their distance journey.
Half→ First marathon
Quote from a first-time marathoner goes here.
Runner nameSeasons · Home state or country
Marathon→ BQ
Quote from a runner who qualified for Boston goes here.
Runner nameSeasons · Home state or country
Members save 10% at Road Runner Sports, on top of existing sales, in store and online. Your code is in your registration email.
Visit Road Runner Sports →I’ve never run before. Is this for me?
Yes. Many RHWB runners started from the couch. Coaches build beginner plans around run/walk intervals, and the Ekalavya program is designed for brand-new runners.
Do I need to live near other members?
No. Runners train from 35 US states and 15 countries. You run on your own schedule and meet your group online, with local meetups where there are enough of us.
Who are the coaches?
Forty volunteers, each RRCA-certified and each an experienced marathoner. Coach Bala Sankaran founded the club in 2019.
When does the next season start?
Check the Season 16 calendar for dates. If registration is closed, join the interest list and we’ll email you when the next season opens.
Season 16 · Registration open
Your start line is here.
Pick a goal, tell us who you are, and a coach will reach out before week one.