Testimonials

Erika M. – Foxboro, MA

(2023)After my half marathon says it all!! I forgot my watch and without my training with you I would have been DEFEATED from the moment I realized that. The work we did over the last 12 weeks not only gave me the physical stamina base to run 13.1 miles., but it gave me all the tools to pace myself without my watch which was really incredible (for all 13 miles). I’m still in shock at my performance and excited to see where we go from here.(2024)After many attempts on my own, Coach Pat got me to the start AND finish line of a full marathon! I am so grateful for all the hard work put in since last summer/fall and to have this major accomplishment under my belt! The advice and accountability along the way was imperative to my success and I’m grateful I found this resource when I did! Thanks Pat!!

Alexa A. – Milton, MA

Coach Pat helped me stay motivated all summer to train for the cross country season, and it was the best training season I’ve ever had. My times from last year’s have substantially improved, and he changed my perspective on running by teaching me the science behind it during our sessions. I couldn’t have made varsity without his personally specified training plans. Thanks!

Mary Ann J. – Cohasset, MA

Working with Pat gave me the strength and confidence to run a BQ at the 2023 Boston Marathon. I ran a strong, consistent race and remained injury-free throughout the training program. In addition, Pat helped me identify issues with my form and foot strike that had caused problems for me in the past. He will help you reach your running goals if you have the dedication and drive to trust in the process and follow the plan.

Jennifer C. – Providence, RI

My son met with Coach Pat this morning to work on speed and sprinting. He was extremely knowledgeable and took the time to go over everything. In just that short amount of time he was able to make some adjustments to see benefits right away!! Great coach

Jill M. – Lexington, MA

Absolutely amazing! I can’t believe what a difference an hour made. My daughter, 10 year yo soccer player, is running so much better, it is really amazing. She had sort of gangly gait and really looks like a new person. Pat is great! Incredibly helpful

Becky M. – Weymouth, MA

Coach Pat has been incredible to work with! He tailors every session and workout to fit my needs on a week-by-week basis.

Danielle G. – Cambridge, MA

Coach Pat is incredible! I contacted many coaches in the area with my goals, and they all responded with one or two lines about how that would be easily doable. Coach Pat, however, responded with whole paragraphs about the type of work I would need to put in, the length of time it would likely take me to get there, and above all emphasized that it would not be easy. Honest and thorough training, with an individualized plan tailored to my specific goals, is the kind of coaching I wanted, and Coach Pat was the ONLY Coach in the area who offered that kind of involvement and individualized training. I highly recommend Coach Pat, and simply cannot say enough good things about his coaching!

Alyssa G. – Needham, MA

Coach Pat is a phenomenal coach. I’ve learned so much about running since working with him. Within just a year of his coaching I have earned a personal best in the 5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon. I really see running in a new and improved way, and am so thankful for all I’ve learned in working with Pat.

Amanda C. – Worcester, MA

I’d been trying unsuccessfully to get into running for years. This year, when I re-started a couch-to-5k program something finally clicked and I found myself actually wanting to run. Unfortunately my knees didn’t agree; they were in pain every time I ran and I couldn’t even think about running two days in a row. I decided to find a running coach to help me with my biomechanics and hopefully save my knees, which led me to Coach Pat at LunchTimeRunner.  I was skeptical at first because he insisted I would need to start running at least 4 days a week – which would mean the dreaded two days in a row.  I did the initial biomechanical evaluation and Coach Pat provided detailed advice on everything from footwear to form to strengthening/stretching. I tried out the sample training plan for about a month and my knee pain vanished nearly immediately despite running more miles on more days.  I then continued on with a Gold Plan training for my 1st ever 10k. I stayed nearly pain free throughout the entire 3 months. When I did get some minor knee pain, Coach Pat tweaked my training plan and it quickly resolved. In just a few months, I went from running a 5k in over 40 minutes to running a 10k in under an hour! More importantly I look forward to my runs and conquering my next challenge.

Shelley L. – Newton, MA

I came to Coach POC with the hopes of becoming a smarter and more efficient runner, and to find a plan that would cater to my life as a working mother of a toddler.  I had, had knee surgery a few years ago and then a baby shortly thereafter and had a long road of getting back into running.  I was also struggling to find time to run more than once or twice a week and was having constant pain in my hip post run.  I also only had one pace for all runs.  With Coach POC’s expert knowledge, constant communication, constructive criticism (which I need), and thought out training plans, I can now say that I am smarter and more efficient runner.  I have gone from a 23:40 5k (pre knee surgery and child) to a 22:11 5k.  I ran my first 10k and can honestly say I felt great while running it and even after, 12 weeks ago I could not have said that. I had good runs and bad runs throughout my training and Coach POC was always there with insight and words of wisdom.  I was definitely someone who used to think I didn’t need a running coach but I can’t say enough how happy I am that I reached out to Coach POC.

Jess A. – Hingham, MA

I signed on with Coach Pat to train for a marathon. The workouts and words of wisdom provided throughout his program left me feeling prepared and confident on race day, and smiling as I crossed the finish line. Coach Pat provides a structured training plan, which evolves depending on your personal progress, and he works with you to set clear goals along the way. He provides encouragement and constructive advice, with a healthy dose of humor when needed, and quickly addresses any issues that may arise. Although this was my second marathon, I learned lots of new tips and techniques – and trained harder, but smarter, than the first time around – resulting in a more positive experience overall.

Tim W. – Cambridge, MA

I came to Coach Pat last fall with a tricky problem. I’m a 66-year-old runner who has been entered in the Boston Marathon for 3 straight years, but had to withdraw each time due to injury. Pat put me on his program and kept me on the straight & narrow path with careful monitoring of my paces and distances. Results? I successfully ran the Boston Marathon this month and qualified to run again next year . . . with more than 8 minutes to spare.

Emma M. – Arlington, MA

Coach Pat is truly amazing! He genuinely cares about a runner’s success. His workouts are great. They push you as a runner, but not to the point of injury or over exhaustion. With Coach Pat’s help, I was able to take off over 10 seconds in the 1000 from the previous year, just with one season of his help. His coaching is far more than any high school coach, as he gives you individualized paced workouts, track workouts, and form instruction. I hope to continue working with him in the future to further improve my running!

Connor M. – Woburn/Lexington, MA

I became interested in running when I was little by participating in the Fun Runs in Woburn. As I got a older, I started running 5Ks, and really enjoying them. I wanted to learn more about running and what I could do to become a better runner.

I started working with Coach Pat O’Connor. He is very knowledgeable. He created a workout designed specifically for me, based on my ability, and progressed the workout as I improved. The program really worked. I learned a lot about running in general, about nutrition and hydration, and about the sport of cross country. He is a really great coach.

Ashley R. – Burlington, MA

Training with Coach POC this past outdoor season has not only lead me to multiple personal bests but also gave me
a new perspective and introduced an outstanding amount of new information for
me to carry along with me throughout my running career. Knowing Coach POC since
I was a sophomore in high school he has always been a knowledgeable person who
I’ve looked to for information and after training with him, I have nothing but
good things to say about his coaching and program. Coach POC is loyal to his
program and was extremely considerate to what I needed as an athlete which
helped me greatly in my last season of my high school career, moving forward
into my first year of college running I feel far more prepared than ever
before. I can’t thank you enough for the progression I’ve made on the track and
off – you’ve helped me so much this past year and I can’t thank you
enough!

Ron E. – Bedford, MA

I just realized it is the last week of the program! Thanks, it’s been great. After being off for 6 months with my back, I really just needed some structure to get back into the rhythm of things and try and get back into some semblance of shape! I ended up doing 8 200’s today in 39/38 and then 6 between 37-37.5 so I’ll call it a successful 12 weeks! I’m just going to train through the week and keep on cranking…The good news is that I feel like I am back at a decent base level that I can continue to build on. I really appreciate the help and the program, it gives me a great model to work from going forward.

Caitlin P. – Arlington, MA

I have had an amazing first season working with Coach Pat. As soon as I got my first phase of running with him, the excitement came back to running for me! I recently ran in the State meet for indoor track and with his amazing coaching skills I lowered my PR by 13 seconds! Now it is the break in between seasons and all I want to do is get back out and run. I have been running for as long as I can remember. I always just went out and ran, but I never knew there was a method to the madness, I never understood why I did pickups, or why I warmed up the way I did, I just did it. When Coach Pat started working with me he explained the reasons why everything was so important. Coach Pat is teaching me about timing patience, strategy as well as other running techniques that will help me perform the way I dream to. Thanks for everything Coach!

Brian H. – Springfield, MA

I had never been a distance runner before working with Coach Pat O, not even considered it. As a matter of fact, I thought two-mile runs after track practice in college were some form of cruel torture for us high jumpers. So, it was with grave reservation that I signed on as a Lunchtime runner, not ever thinking I would make it through the whole program. This thought was solidified when Coach Pat O requested I come by the track at Harvard for a mile time-trial.

Say what?

After careful coaxing and promising I would survive, I got through my time trial still standing. As promised, Coach Pat O sent me the first training phase that night, complete with track work-outs that had funny numbers on it, such as 4×1000. Again frightened by the scope and distance of such runs, Coach Pat O assured me I was capable of not only completing these, but dominating them. He has a way of spoon feeding his athletes the workouts and technique, thus staving off the fear that accompanies running repeats.

I know it is a tad cliché to say, “If I can do it, you can do it.” But really, if a 6’4’’, 200 pound former high jumper/400 meter runner can transition into a respectable road runner, anyone can. I went from running 9-minute miles to finishing a hilly 9.3 mile road race with a 7:20 minute-pace, all in the span of 3 months. Sure, I will not be challenging Haile Gebrselassie with that pace, but I never thought I was capable of dropping a full two minutes that quickly, or even at all. I even spilt 6:35 minute miles towards the end of the race, and felt great doing it!

If you are looking for a coach to get you fit, but also teach you why you are feeling the way you are, why you are running specific workouts, why you feel tired when you do, or why running a 10k on Saturday followed by a 5k on Sunday is not such a good idea, than give Coach Pat O a call. He knows the little details that most coaches over look and tailors each program to the specific runner. It really is a running experience, and one I couldn’t have found anywhere else, or from a nicer human being. Not only will you gain a trusted running guru, but a friend as well.

Steve T. – Arlington, MA

I wanted to let you know just how much we have appreciated all the time and effort you have put into helping our son over the past months. If you recall, when you and I first met by chance, I mentioned that Antony had really just taken up running and appeared both to enjoy it very much, and also had some talent at the sport. As we have had no serious runners in our immediate family before, we had no idea how to encourage him to improve and also how to help him manage his training so that it did not interfere with his schoolwork, and also how we could be sure that he did not try to run too hard and far and run the risk of hurting himself by doing too much.

At this time, you advised that your program was developed specifically to ensure that the work/life/training balance was maintained…and you suggested that you might meet with Antony to see if you might be able to work together to help him along the road.

From that very first meeting, Antony has been very comfortable taking heed of your advice. He has followed your training plans…in some instances he has followed your alternate plans.

The plans are certainly rigorous, and they have helped Antony discipline himself to adhere to his training program.

As you know, Antony has really thrived as a result of his hard work and under your guidance. He has had many successes during his short High School Track Career so far, and has had a few disappointments also.

You have celebrated his successes with him and with us, and have helped him through the disappointments, and shown him the way to learn from those experiences and towards turning those into the next successes.

Your encouragement, understanding of a young athletes needs and tolerance have been a major influence as our son has progressed from running at school meets, to State, then Regional and finally through to Nationally attended competitions.

From what I have seen and what I know of you, I believe that any athlete, no matter where they are in their athletic path towards improvement, can benefit from your help and advice.

I would be very pleased to share my thoughts and my experiences of working with LTR (and with you in particular) with anyone who might be considering working with you in the future.

Mike F. – Woburn

As A high school track coach, I work with athletes of many different abilities. Coach O’Connor’s techniques work for all of them. Beginning runners have taken 30 seconds off their mile times in under two months. Elite runners have also had success and have won state and New England titles. LunchTimeRunner methods are simple, and effective. I highly recommend LunchTimeRunner to anyone looking to learn about running or trying to reach their next personal goal.

Lyndsay P. – Boston

…I had a fabulous run in the BAA Half Marathon. I shaved 13 minutes of my last half marathon time. Thanks to LunchTimeRunner and Coach O’Connor for their assistance and rigorous training schedule. I look forward to working with them again when training for a marathon.

Bob P. – Boston

…Coach O’Connor contributes to the well-being of his community and its student-athletes…he is a gifted teacher and coach….

Elizabeth G. – Woburn

…Coach O’Connor has been a mentor for my son who has been running track since his freshman year. He is now a senior and has left soccer to run cross-country. I know Coach O’Connor was part of the reason for the switch. My son feels that Coach O’Connor is a very knowledgeable and caring coach. The student athletes all have tremendous respect for him.

Thomas W. – Watertown

Helping athletes in a sincere and professional manner is a credit to coach O’Connor’s character and good will. He is widely respected for his track knowledge but more importantly for his integrity.

Kevin A. – Melrose

Coach O’Connor treats his teams and athletes with both respect and discipline. But, at the same time he is fun and approachable. I think the athletes that he has coached were fortunate to have received his knowledge and guidance.

Richard B. – S. Yarmouth

Coach O’Connor is exuberant with his athletes when they do well and consoles them when they do not. He always treats athletes with the greatest respect. He has a great rapport with kids and adults and fellow coaches as well.

James F. – Worcester

We all think of coach when we run. He’ll never get too far away from us.

Brett S. – Woburn

…I am being coached by one of the best coaches in the country!!!

Tom S. – Woburn

Pat thanks again for all your support with Brett. As I watched Brett get the baton on Sunday I started screaming because I knew we were going to win. All the boys expressed thanks to you several times over the weekend, I know they love you and need you. I know you were the basis for all the fundamentals with these boys and they know it as well, all your teaching and encouragement paid off. You get my vote for coach of the year. The impact coach O’Connor has had on my son has been tremendous. Through running he has taught him accountability, self-discipline, goal setting, and respect that have made him a more confident person. I know these lessons will be part of my son’s life forever.

Amanda S. – Woburn

Coach Pat O’Connor taught me how to stay healthy and distinguish between an injury and a discomfort. He showed me that before all else, I must believe in myself in order to be a better runner.

David J. – Mashpee

Thank you for making me a runner! I came to “Lunch Time Runner,” because I read strong things about your program, and I wanted to compete in triathalons.

“LTR” met all my goals: to learn to run, and to run injury free. Fourteen weeks later my goals were successfully met! I completed the running portion of the triathlon in 9 minutes/mile, as planned!

Thanks Coach Pat, for teaching me a new skill, that I will be able to do for years to come. I look forward to coming back to “LTR” in preparation for my 1/2 iron-man competition.

Aron B., Ph.D

For the past three years I completed the Miami half marathon in 2:22 – 2:25. With Coach O’Connor’s help I successfully met my goal of a sub 2-hour event. Pat’s detailed training program kept me focused, and the structured workouts were awesome! Oh, and did I mention the 20lbs weight loss. What comes next for me and the LTR… can you say 1:45??? Thanks Coach!

Joelle B. – Woburn, MA

Coach O’Connor is a great coach. I completed the walk to run program and by the end of the program I was running 5 miles. I never thought I would be able to do it but with his coaching and encouragement I did do it. I hadn’t ran since track in high school which was a long time ago! My goal now is to run a 1/2 marathon and with Coach O’Connor’s training I know I will be running a 1/2 marathon. I would strongly recommend the walk to run program to anyone who wants to get back into running or who is interested in starting running.

Stan & Regina C. – Plymouth

(Coach O’Connor), we want to let you know how much we appreciate all that you do. Our son Todd became interested in running as a sixth grader. He was an average runner in both cross country and track, but he wanted to improve. His track coach was concerned about Todd’s running form, but didn’t know how to correct it. We inquired about a running coach for him, and were referred to you. Regina and I could not be happier with our decision to have you guide our son beginning in the summer after he finished sixth grade.

Every day you have provided workouts for Todd that he finds challenging, enjoyable, and most importantly achievable. Making yourself available once per week to meet with him and other runners, is something he looks forward to because you teach him something new every time he sees you. In just a few months we have seen Todd improve constantly. Whenever Todd has had a problem (his form, shin splints, etc.) you immediately have had the right answer. We can’t even imagine trying to oversee Todd’s running without your guidance.

Today, Todd absolutely loves to run. A big part of that has been your influence as his coach. You always have the right answer, great advice, and patience that is nothing less than amazing! Thank you so much, and we hope you will be available to be our son’s coach for years to come!

Bryce L. – Round Rock, TX

Coach O’Connor is the best motivator I have met. First, he has a sincere passion for track and field that is infectious. Second, he tailors his coaching style and training plan to meet individual needs – there is no cookie cutter plan. Third, he is able to clearly explain the purpose of each part of his training regimen so you approach it with the proper mindset to accomplish that purpose. Simply put, Pat is a coach in the true sense of that word. Under his training, I had 17 PRs in a single track season.

Tyler B. – Woburn, MA

Coach O’Connor…thank you for training me this summer. I can already sense this is going to be the start of a very successful year for me. You have taught me to become a more efficient runner both physically and mentally. I will be able to carry around with me, for life, the lessons and keys you have taught me in just one summer. A very paramount lesson you taught me was how to run with proper form. Tthis alone has changed my performance immensely. Another one of your lessons helped me both with running and real life situations – attention to detail. You also taught me that running is not all about skill, but more importantly focusing on the mental part. As a final note, I would like to say that you have been one of the greatest coaches I have ever been coached by. The way you motivated me tops any of the coaches I have had in the past. Once again, I cannot express how appreciative I am to you for helping me improve my running ability and my self-confidence as a result of your motivational coaching.

David S. – Woburn, MA

Pat’s training system is simply revolutionary. While most competitors are looking to run the most miles possible, Pat’s concept of quality of mileage being more important than quantity of mileage, you can stay healthier while getting better. I spent an entire summer training with Pat using this method, and the pay off was huge! Since then, I have been able to improve in each one of my races, from the 5K all the way down to the 400m.

What impressed me most about training with Pat was how he really is there every step of the way (no pun intended.) Every workout, every time trial, every road-race, and every time I had a random question, Pat was there to help with advice and usually a joke or two. He manages to keep every aspect of your training engaging and interesting while still keeping it fun. Running with Pat never seemed like work; it was always something enjoyable.

Now, I have to tell a personal story.

Around the time that I was training with Pat, he was just getting back into competitive running after a sixteen year long hiatus. Several months later, we were still keeping in touch, and realized that we had identical times in the mile, 5:02. That was when the fun began.

He ran in a masters’ meet and just got under five minutes. Knowing it was something I had been trying to accomplish for a while, he challenged me to beat his time. When I stepped onto the track for my next race, I was determined to do it for myself, for my coach (who just happens to be his dad!), and for Pat. Well, honestly, I did just want to one-up him, but he did challenge me to beat him, so I felt I had to. Little did I know that I would have the man whose time I was trying to beat would be standing on the side of the track yelling splits and advice at me. I did beat his time that day, and PB’d in the mile (4:52.77!) He was just as excited as I was. Above all, that occurrence shows just how dedicated to his runners Pat is.

All in all, my experience with Pat was great. He truly is an outstanding coach and a great friend, and I hope to be able to work with him again. Keep running!

Cris L. – Provo, Utah

Pat is the best running coach I have ever had. His training routines worked perfectly to get me in the best shape possible at exactly the right time. He has a fundamental understanding of the cumulative effect his workouts have on his athletes.This has an additional benefit in that while under Pat’s guidance, I never missed a day of running due to injury, fatigue or burnout. On the contrary, I never felt better.

David S. & Alicia R. – Arlington, MA

Just wanted to let you know how delighted we’ve been with the way your detailed interactions with our son, and your continual enthusiastic support of his efforts, have helped him become more disciplined and smart about running. Our hope has always been that some form of physical activity would become his thing, a lifelong pursuit he could be fired up about without getting burned out on. You’ve obviously figured out how to make that happen in your own life—it’s become clear to us that you not only talk about it to your young runners but, more importantly, show how it’s done—and we’ve been especially pleased to see Quentin catching on to the essential balance between avidity and patience (there’s that Emersonian idea).

He’s clearly learned a lot about setting goals and working diligently toward them, while you’ve been coaching him, and the remarkable gains in speed and endurance he’s achieved during the past six months have no doubt brought that home in a way that no amount of parental advice—or haranguing—ever could. In short, he hears you, and what he’s heard has done much to put him on a trajectory toward realizing his full potential both as a runner and as a self-confident, well-balanced person. who knows how to persevere and have fun at the same time.

Antony T. – Arlington, MA

Hi Coach, I know that progressing from high school running to college running, as it is for everyone else, is a massive change. A new coach, longer and less frequent racing, higher quantity in training, going from leading every races to getting your ass kicked by the experienced college runners, etc. I owe you thanks for the last year and and a half, not just for coaching me and bringing me to much success in high school (which is the reason I am a full ride athlete at a d1 program) but also, for preparing me for the more important college. You made me work hard and strive to achieve excellence, while never pushing me too far so that I’m burned out. With the exception of my foot stress fracture, I remained completely injury free throughout this time, and I owe that to you.

Meg M. – Woburn, MA

From the time my son was very young, he enjoyed Fun Runs. He advan ced to running local 5Ks, and his passion for the sport grew. When he began middle school last year, he joined the school’s cross country team. He was interested in learning more about running and the training to improve. I enjoy running casually myself, but I am a neophyte with respect to training.

We met with Coach Pat so that he could evaluate my son and understand his goals. He provided a program that would best prepare him for and coincide with the start of the fall cross-country season. It was a serious and comprehensive program that provided both science and perspective. My son and I are both better educated. Coach Pat’s primary purpose is to provide a regimen that will not over tax a developing runner, and more importantly, create a runner with a lifelong love of the sport.

Randall B. – Lexington, Ma

I canít say enough good things about the Coach Pat and the LTR program. In 12 weeks I took almost 3 minutes off my 5K time – from 26:30 to 23:44. More importantly than the big improvement in my results, I am a completely different runner now. I have dramatically better strength, endurance, speed, and confidence. I can’t thank LTR enough. Coach Pat really knows what he is doing, and makes sure that you do too.

Jennifer C., Cambridge, Ma

I contacted Pat because I wanted to train for a half marathon. I had run a half marathon a few years ago but did not train properly and ended up injuring myself. I had researched training programs in various books, but I wanted a more personalized plan. I wanted someone to tell me how fast I should be running and for how long. Pat was great. He met with me, reviewed my running style, and provided me a training program that was specific and attainable. He was always responsive to any questions and concerns I had and was an incredibly valuable resource. I am happy to report that I achieved my half-marathon goal—I finished with a great pace, with a smile on my face, and was injury free. Thanks, Pat!