Experience, dedication and results for every runner
Running might be a solo sport, but we know it takes a community. Whenever we finish a race, we think about everyone who helped us cross that finish line. As running coaches, we are grateful to be part of your running journey.
We started Run Farther and Faster because we want others to feel the joy the sport and the running community bring us.
We can’t wait to support you through the countless miles, strength training and lifestyle adjustments that will help you reach the finish line at your goal pace.
We draw lessons from 15 years of coaching thousands of runners and from the many experts who have helped shape our coaching and running plans.
What it’s like to train with us
As runners and coaches, we know your training doesn’t happen in a vacuum. That’s why when you set a running goal, our first question is how that goal fits into your daily life.
You’ll also benefit from our network of experts collaborating closely with us to support our runners. From sports rehab therapists and orthopedists to dietitians and cardiologists, we rely heavily on a trusted community of clinicians who join our podcast regularly and whose expertise has helped shape our coaching over the years.
In addition to discussing your training goals, you can expect us to regularly ask about what’s happening in your life. We know that stress, lack of sleep or even a cold can affect your running. We help you recalibrate your plan, so you’re prepared to meet your end goal.
Meet Coach Julie Sapper
Whether you’re learning to run for the first time, returning to racing after injury or trying to beat your best Boston Marathon time, Coach Julie has been there.
Julie started running in law school to stay fit and relieve stress. Since becoming a Level 2 Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) certified running coach and launching RFF with Lisa in 2010, Julie’s made her passion her purpose.
Today, Julie is an accomplished distance runner and was named the 2019 Masters Runner of the Year by the Montgomery County Road Runners Club.
Read More Fun Running Facts about Coach Julie
Favorite pre-run snack? Pop Tarts for a long run and dates and peanut butter for a shorter run
Best recovery food? Cottage cheese and fruit or a smoothie with Greek yogurt
Favorite way to carb load? Sushi!
Most embarrassing running mishap? Falling flat on my face during a group training run during the first mile.
Biggest race flop? Leading a race, going the wrong way, and then placing second as a result.
Favorite running playlist? Run Farther & Faster Marathon Playlist on Spotify
Favorite marathon ever? Boston Marathon
Favorite 5k/10K/half 5K: BAA 5K
Favorite 10K: Rockville 10K
Favorite 10 Miler: Annapolis 10 Miler
Favorite Half Marathon: Parks Half Marathon
Best time to run in the day? Whatever time works to remain consistent and motivated.
Julie is a Level 2 Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) certified running coach and accomplished distance runner. She particularly enjoys helping runners navigate setbacks, including injury, and successfully return to running.
Julie has been a competitive runner for over 25 years, loves racing all road distances and is a top ranked age group runner in the DC Metropolitan area. Julie has been a member of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club (MCRRC) Racing Team for over a decade, has completed over 25 marathons and is a 12-time Boston Marathon finisher.
In 2019, Julie was named the Masters Runner of the Year by the Montgomery County Road Runners Club. In her community, Julie served on the boards for Lawyers Have Heart and Just Tryan It, and currently supports multiple organizations associated with Montgomery County Public Schools and the D.C. area Jewish community. Julie is a graduate of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business and the American University Washington College of Law. She is also a proud mom of two.
Meet Coach Lisa Levin
Coach Lisa is passionate about helping others find the joy, serenity, community and sense of accomplishment that running has brought to her life. Always the girl picked last for team sports as a child, Lisa started running during law school and at last found an athletic endeavor where she could excel and enjoy. Running became Coach Lisa’s grounding through the ups and downs of life and her “me” time as a mom of twins plus one, born 19 months apart. She knows firsthand how to fit running into an otherwise demanding, busy life as well as the importance of fitting running into that life.
Lisa became a Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) certified running coach in 2009 and went on to start Run Farther & Faster with her BRF (Best Running Friend) Julie with a commitment to making running accessible to everyone.
Read More Fun Running Facts about Coach Lisa
Favorite pre-run snack? Peanut butter pretzels
Best recovery food? Bagel & lox
Favorite way to carb load? Sushi and candy
Biggest race flop? In a triathlon I forgot to take my cycling shoes out of my transition bag and ended up having to leave the transition area to run to get my shoes (still in the bag, about 1/3 mi away) before coming back to transition and starting the cycling leg, dead last out of the entire field.
Favorite marathon ever? BOSTON!
Favorite 5k/10K/half? Half: Philadelphia Distance Run (formerly Philly Rock N Roll, formerly Philly Distance Run!)
Favorite 5K: Kentlands/Lakelands 5K
Favorite 10K: Across the Bay 10K
Best time to run in the day? Before the sun rises, when it’s completely silent outside.
While growing Run Farther & Faster, Lisa challenged herself to new and big challenges, qualifying for and competing as a member of USA Triathlon’s Team USA in two World Duathlon championships, earning her the honor of being inducted into the Bender JCC of Greater Washington’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. More recently, Lisa earned a gold medal in the half marathon at the Pan American Maccabi Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina in January 2024, 20 years after winning the same event at the Pan American Maccabi Games in Santiago, Chile.
Lisa is a top-ranked age group runner in the DC Metropolitan area and has raced as an elite athlete at the ING New York City Marathon and the Suntrust National Marathon. She was named the 2015 Masters (40 and over) Female Runner of the Year by the Montgomery County Road Runners Club and was the Open (Under 40) Female Runner of the Year in 2010.
For runners preparing for the Boston Marathon, Lisa uses her knowledge and experience from her 21 Boston Marathon finishes to help prepare runners to soak in the excitement of the 26.2-mile journey from Hopkinton to Boston. She was named the 2015 Masters (40 and over) Female Runner of the Year by the Montgomery County Road Runners Club and was the Open (Under 40) Female Runner of the Year in 2010.
Lisa is active in the local running and cycling communities, serving on the Board of Rock Creek Velo, a local youth cycling team, a member of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club (MCRRC) Competitive Racing Team, Chair of the MCRRC Runner of the Year Committee, and Chair of the Greater Washington Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee. Lisa and Julie were proud to serve the community as Run Ambassadors for the Gaithersburg, Maryland lululemon. She is a graduate of Emory University and Duke University School of Law.