Today we’d like to introduce you to Bobby Holcombe
Hi Bobby , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In 1997 I decided to embrace the running world as a sport. At the time I was in the Marines Corp Reserves and working for Dagger Kayaks. I decided to leave my job and move to Knoxville to work at a running retail shop Runners Market. Working at RM aloud me to start training full time and train with George Watts and UT Track/Cross Country team 2001-2006. In 2006 I decided to focus on managing RM in Farragut and go for the Olympic Marathon Trials 2008. While working at RM, customers would come into the store and talk about how they are looking for an area coach to train for marathon, track events etc… Everyone that had a coach would state they are being trained by a personal trainer at a gym instead of an actual running coach or someone experience in the sport. In 2011 I started to build out the platform to offer coaching services for runners in the Metro Knoxville area. January 2012 is when we lunched the website. We started with 9 athletes then in a couple of months it bloomed to 40-50 athletes then we just simply took off. We offer 9 in person practice sessions a week for adults. We meet at my office gym at 2260 Sutherland Ave at 5AM and 8AM Monday – Thursday. We’ll usually average around 25 plus runners at each practice session.
The sport changed my life and gave something to be able to give back to the community. Our goal now is to start up fully event management and coaching. So that way we have races for our athletes we coach to attend locally.
When we started it was very rare to have running coaches offer services to the general community but roughly 5-6 years later you started to see online and group training popping up around the country.
Since lunching Knoxville Endurance we have produced the following under the KE umbrella.
700 + Boston Marathon qualifiers
3 Olympic Trials Qualifiers
5 Time Coach of the Year
4 Foot Locker cross-country finalists
35 high school athletes furthering running careers in college
3x Nike Team Nationals Team Coach
12 State cross country/track championship teams – Webb School of Knoxville
35 Individual State Champions in Cross Country/Track
2001 – 2014 Captain Runner’s Market Racing Team, Men and Women
2007 – Present Director – KYA Cross Country Summer Program
2008 – 2021 – KYA Cross Country Post Season Program
2008 – 2010 Coach – Farragut High School track and cross country
2013 – Present Program director for University of Tennessee Running Club
2014 -2024 Cross country coach at Webb School of Knoxville
2015 – 2024 Track coach for Webb School of Knoxville
2024 – Current Roane State cross country head coach
Coaches 270+ athletes per year with personalized attention
Program director for KE Kick Start – training program for first time runners and triathletes as well as corporate wellness programs for companies and their employees
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For the most part it was smooth because we did not have the pressure of overhead or living pay check to pay check. I held another job until we grew to be too big for two jobs. I left Runners Market April 2013 to focus on building Knoxville Endurance. This allow me to have more in person meetings and offer more practice times to work with athletes one on one. We now have 4 coaches on our staff that have wide range of knowledge in both running and triathlons.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve been a runner since 1997 averaging roughly 60 miles week. From 1999-2007 I was a semi pro runner training with olympic potential athletes and college teams. Working at Runners Market from 2001-2013 allowed me to have on job training, network with potential clients, read all kind of running related books, attend USATF and RRCA classes when I knew one day I would start coaching Student and Adult athletes.. I enjoy the one on one relationships and striving for personal goals.
Before taking the leap and going all in on running — my past life I was in the United States Marines, actually chased bond jumpers working for City Bonding in Knoxville 1995-1996. After City Bonding I worked a couple of jobs until finding Runners Market and becoming a full tine runner. The sport simply changed my entire lifestyle for the good and enjoy every step as an athlete and a coach.
One side note — Last 10 years I’ve Coached at Webb School of Knoxville where we have won 10 state cross country championships and 2 state track titles. My girls team the last two years ranked in the nation in the top 25. In DEC I’m not taking a position to be Roane State Cross Country Head Coach. This program is just now taking off. What’s unique this is the only college I’ve ever attended in 1992-1993 and at the time they did not have a Cross Country program. So it’s nice to go back to my school.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
The risk as of lately trying to do things to build the sport of running up. So I’ve invested in gym equipment, I have my own office and gym now for my coaching clients. During the pandemic I decided to purchase a timing system so I can now put on event like road races, track meets and triathlons. This is great because this is a great way to help promote our business but also provide more opportunity for anyone that is wanting to embrace the sport. The risk was a financial investment into a timing system and hoping we can also put on events. So far we’re doing well with a great future ahead.
Pricing:
- $150 a month for personal in person training
- 125 a month for online training
- $100 a month for our social package
Contact Info:
- Website: https://knoxvilleendurance.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knoxvilleendurance?igsh=NDNjOTl6bmI5OWEw&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100053634887628/posts/pfbid023SfJHWyZ1KsRV27ehcmwmXZrQWPAC2dLcG3NqKh3swFmP9zw8Ax2MLHGN1cZuutl/?
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@knoxvilleendurance856
