Mark Wallace

I cannot say enough good things about Thad's running program and his approach to overall fitness and health. He has dramatically improved my running and and is a constant supportive voice in my training. I would recommend him to anyone that wants to become a better runner (or just become a runner) or to anyone that wants positive guidance in becoming a healthier person.

Martha Whitman

Thad is wonderful to work with. He listens to what you want & builds a program to fit your needs. I like how he's very encouraging, but is not all in your face yelling!!! Great as both a running coach & a fitness trainer. Would highly recommend to anyone!

Cindy Snider

Working with RunnerDude was one of the best decisions I have made with running and overall fitness! Thad is fantastic about working with individuals and their needs and goals which are specific to them. I was able to improve my running time significantly over a few months of consistent training with him.

Bert Fields

Thad McLaurin is one of those unique personal trainers who has both the disposition and the knowledge to work with runners and help them achieve success. About half of runners experience a significant injury yearly and 25% are injured at any given time. Careful training schedules and appropriate supplemental fitness training are keys to becoming one of those runners who does not experience injury. Thad has successfully trained many of my patients and helped them achieve running success. His clients seem dedicated and appreciative of his service. They become a group that supports each other in achieving their goals.  I have enjoyed my association with him and his clients and I can count on him to assist me in getting injured  runners back to their training.

Whit Whitsett

I had the good fortune of being told about the group of runners that get together on Wednesday nights at the Greenway on Cone and Battleground.  That fellowship and experience can really only be understood by folks that like to run, hang around with runners and talk runners shop.  Of course that group is led by Thad McLaurin and includes his team of Runner Dudes and Dudettes. Thad has runners from a cross section of experiences, gender, goals and skills.  Thad developed an 18 week training regimen for the January 2016 Charleston Marathon that we jointly executed and managed.  I say jointly as one must understand that race training has a mental aspect. As solid as Thad’s physical advice is, the support Thad provides from a mental training perspective was more valuable to me. On several occasions I consulted Thad on my preparation progress and he was available to hear me whine and then provided options to incorporate to get over some of my concerns.  End result I beat qualifying time for Boston by almost 11 minutes.  And leveraging my training fitness I PR’ed my half marathon time by 3 minutes three weeks after the Marathon. Recommendation:  No matter skills, experiences or goals it is a great plan to use the Runner Dude to make it happen.

Amy Pettitt

Thad has really helped me advance through positive motivation and reinforcement. He is a wonderful coach and mentor. His programs at Volvo took me from never running to training for a half marathon...this is something I could have never done on my own.

Jeff Mallet

A good coach is some of the best money you'll spend on a sport. You'll get faster, you'll stay more motivated, and you'll get a lot less injured. But you have to have a coach who knows what he's doing, and you have to have a coach who lis-tens and clicks with you. That's where Thad gets my endorsement, because he's a writer. And writers are, above all, professional listeners.

Dena Harris

Thad is an outstanding trainer. He knows when to push and when to encourage. He listens in order to understand each person's individual training goals and what they hope to accomplish. He sets ambitious yet obtainable goals. And most important, he is always ready with smiles, support, and motivation. I look forward to Thad's weekly e-mails that include tips and advice and his runnerdude blog is chock full of information. A great runner, great trainer, and great guy, I highly recommend Thad for anyone looking for a running coach or trainer.

Mary Vintinner

I love this program and am excited by the employee success stories. Many of the nominees for the HFL award (most improved health) and for the Culture of Health award (those that encourage others through their health success and support of programming) have participated in your groups.

Claire Raymer

Well, I started RunnerDude's Fitness in order to get into better shape for my upcoming cross-country and track seasons. I  was happy to find out that not only would we be doing traditional running exercises, but workouts for the core, legs, and upper body that would help with overall fitness. I've also learned a great deal about good running form, and racing techniques. I could see within weeks that I was feeling more energized and when my cross country season came around, I really started to see results. I dropped my PR for the 5k by 4 whole minutes and in indoor track, I finally met my goal of breaking 6 minutes for the mile. I hope to continue with RunnerDude's fitness in order to reach even more goals that I'm setting for myself and can't wait to see what I can do in the upcoming track season. This is the best shape I've ever been in and I feel great now when I go on long runs or go to a workout. Not only is RunnerDude's Fitness fun, friendly, and challenging, but it brings people together who have common goals and love the sport of running!

Suzanne Mercer

As I was approaching 50 last year, I decided to get fit and my husband persuaded me to join Thad's beginners running group. I was not convinced that running was for me, but it was one of the  best decisions I ever made. Thad was always very helpful and encouraging; we had a lot of fun in our group! Over a year later, I am glad to say that I am still running three times a week, and I owe it all to Thad! I did so well that our daughter joined this summer and has now progressed to the intermediate level. Thanks, Thad for helping my family on the road to fitness.