TOGETHER WE ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE CANNOT ACHIEVE ALONE
Learn from our certified coaches, achieve your goals, and perform at your best with our running and fitness programs
Our Mission, Philosophy and Strategy
Mission Statement
At SFC Running, our mission is to empower individuals to achieve their fitness goals through running and fitness programs. We believe that fitness should be accessible to everyone, regardless of fitness level, experience or age.
Philosophy
We embrace a long-term approach to fitness training. Our programs gradually and carefully increase the body's endurance levels, leading to significant improvements in aerobic and muscular strength while minimizing the risk of injury. Designed to maximize physiological benefits with minimal effort, our workouts are both enjoyable and effective, ensuring sustainable and long-lasting results.
Strategy - The 5 Cornerstone of Racing Excellence
The five cornerstones of road racing excellence provide the foundation for building a successful racing season. These cornerstones comprise of training programs for runners, strength training, stretching, nutrition, and race day strategy. Each cornerstone plays a crucial role in strengthening the runner for the demands of road racing and ensuring optimal performance on race day. We believe the mastering of the 5 cornerstones will improve performance for even the most accomplished athletes.
“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” – John Bingham
Our Story
Beginning 30 years ago, we competed in running and triathlon races without any prior racing or training experience. As we immersed ourselves in endurance sports, we joined running and triathlon clubs and expanded our network of fitness experts. We began training with professional coaches using progressive, periodized training programs resulting in ongoing success on the New York Metropolitan area racing circuit.
Even today, 30 years later, we are still getting faster and stronger and we have become top age-group athletes. We believe that our success story can become your success story.
Our Method
Individualized Training
Individualized Training
At SFC Running, we combine training with end-of-program races for enhanced focus and motivation, ensuring a comprehensive and engaging experience that maximizes results.
Our method keeps athletes engaged and motivated, helping them achieve both immediate goals and fostering a lifelong commitment to fitness.
Programs include up to 5 weekly
At SFC Running, we combine training with end-of-program races for enhanced focus and motivation, ensuring a comprehensive and engaging experience that maximizes results.
Our method keeps athletes engaged and motivated, helping them achieve both immediate goals and fostering a lifelong commitment to fitness.
Programs include up to 5 weekly run/walk workouts via the V.02 app, with email and app coaching support. Group training features a weekly in-person session.
Each program covers “The 5 Cornerstones of Race Excellence”, ensuring successful racing and providing valuable lessons in strength training, stretching, and nutrition, benefiting overall health and fitness.
Individualized Training
Individualized Training
Individualized Training
Individualized Training offers unique advantages that enhance both the personal and focused aspects of fitness:
- Personalized Focus and Motivation: Working one-on-one with a dedicated coach helps you stay focused and motivated, with every session tailored to your specific goals. Individual attention provides the extra drive to push beyond
Individualized Training offers unique advantages that enhance both the personal and focused aspects of fitness:
- Personalized Focus and Motivation: Working one-on-one with a dedicated coach helps you stay focused and motivated, with every session tailored to your specific goals. Individual attention provides the extra drive to push beyond personal limits in a supportive, encouraging setting.
- Customized Program Design: Individual training allows for a fully customized fitness plan based on your needs, fitness level, and preferences. Each workout is structured around your progress and goals, ensuring that every session is meaningful and aligned with your path to success.
- Flexibility and Convenience: Scheduling individual sessions offers the freedom to choose times that work best for you. This flexibility makes it easier to stay consistent with your training, accommodating your lifestyle and other commitments.
- Accountability and Progress Tracking: Working closely with a coach helps keep you accountable to your goals. With regular progress checks and personalized feedback, your coach ensures that you’re steadily moving toward your objectives, making any necessary adjustments along the way.
Group Training
End of Program Racing
End of Program Racing
Group training offers numerous advantages that enhance both the physical and social aspects of fitness:
- Enhanced Focus and Motivation: Training in a group setting helps athletes stay focused and motivated. The collective energy and shared goals of the group create a supportive environment where individuals push each other to achieve more
Group training offers numerous advantages that enhance both the physical and social aspects of fitness:
- Enhanced Focus and Motivation: Training in a group setting helps athletes stay focused and motivated. The collective energy and shared goals of the group create a supportive environment where individuals push each other to achieve more.
- Community and Camaraderie: Group training fosters a sense of community and camaraderie. Participants build friendships and support networks that make training sessions more enjoyable and less isolating.
- Accountability: Being part of a group holds each member accountable. Knowing that others are counting on you can provide the extra push needed to stay committed to the training plan.
- Diverse Workouts: Group training sessions incorporate a variety of workouts that cater to different fitness levels and goals. This variety keeps training interesting and prevents monotony.
End of Program Racing
End of Program Racing
End of Program Racing
Training for a specific race provides several key benefits:
- Goal Setting: Training for an end-of-program race gives athletes a clear, tangible goal to work towards. This goal-setting enhances focus and provides a sense of purpose throughout the training program.
- Performance Measurement: Races serve as benchmarks to measure progress. They a
Training for a specific race provides several key benefits:
- Goal Setting: Training for an end-of-program race gives athletes a clear, tangible goal to work towards. This goal-setting enhances focus and provides a sense of purpose throughout the training program.
- Performance Measurement: Races serve as benchmarks to measure progress. They allow athletes to see how far they’ve come and identify areas that need improvement.
- Mental Preparation: Participating in races helps athletes build mental toughness and develop race-day strategies. This experience reduces anxiety and boosts confidence, preparing them for future races.
- Celebration of Achievement: Completing a race is a significant accomplishment that provides a sense of achievement and boosts self-esteem. It’s a celebration of the hard work and dedication put into the training.
- Motivation for Future Goals: Successfully completing an end-of-program race can inspire athletes to set new goals and continue their fitness journey. It reinforces the idea that with commitment and perseverance, they can achieve anything.
Our Team
Coach Neil Tipograph - Head Coach and Owner
Coach Neil Tipograph - Head Coach and Owner
Our team of certified coaches is passionate about fitness and dedicated to helping you reach your goals. Whether you are aiming to participate in a local 5K race or a major world marathon, our experts have the knowledge and experience to guide you to the finish line.
Coach Neil Tipograph - Head Coach and Owner
Coach Neil Tipograph - Head Coach and Owner
Coach Neil Tipograph - Head Coach and Owner
Coach Neil brings extensive experience as a race director, athletic coach, and student of running, spanning over 30 years. Having recently retired from the accounting profession, he has made fitness his full-time career. He is a Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach and a V.02 Certified Distance Running Coach. Additionally, Neil
Coach Neil brings extensive experience as a race director, athletic coach, and student of running, spanning over 30 years. Having recently retired from the accounting profession, he has made fitness his full-time career. He is a Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach and a V.02 Certified Distance Running Coach. Additionally, Neil is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and a Senior Fitness Specialist.
Coach Neil works for the New York Road Runners (NYRR), the premier running organization in the United States. He trains runners and active seniors through the NYRR Group Training and Strider programs.
Coach Neil has completed 22 marathons, 50 half marathons, and numerous other road races. In his spare time, he has also trained for and completed three full Ironman triathlons, along with many other triathlons. He trains and races with the New York Flyers running club and the Wildwood Warriors Triathlon Team.
Through his participation in training programs and his understanding of periodized training and recovery, Coach Neil has achieved significant success on the racing circuit. This includes being the top age group finisher at the Long Island and Suffolk County marathons, as well as qualifying multiple times for the Boston Marathon.
Coach Neil is certified as a Long Distance All American, having exceeded the USA Track and Field Masters Men's Standards in nine separate distances, as reported in the April/May 2024 publication of National Master News.
Coach Neil is currently competing in the Abbott World Marathon Majors 6 Star series. He is ranked in the top 200 in his USA age group and has completed four stars, including as a 11-time finisher of the NYC Marathon.
Coach Neil believes that success in running is attainable for every athlete who commits to the process. His primary aim is to infuse each runner with a sense of possibility and motivation, ensuring they recognize that their hard work will pave the way to their achievements.
Coach Staci Blanket
Coach Neil Tipograph - Head Coach and Owner
Coach Staci Blanket
Coach Staci Blanket is the owner of Positive Plates Nutrition, where she offers comprehensive sports and wellness nutrition planning, coaching, and consulting services, including:
- One-on-One Nutrition Consulting: Individualized nutrition consulting, evaluating, planning, and implementing weekly nutrition plans to meet clients’ goals.
- Group
Coach Staci Blanket is the owner of Positive Plates Nutrition, where she offers comprehensive sports and wellness nutrition planning, coaching, and consulting services, including:
- One-on-One Nutrition Consulting: Individualized nutrition consulting, evaluating, planning, and implementing weekly nutrition plans to meet clients’ goals.
- Group Nutrition Programs: Coaching like-minded individuals in a group setting to achieve their nutrition and wellness objectives.
- Athlete Criteria and Metrics Analysis: Creating optimal personalized training and race day nutrition plans based on detailed athlete criteria and metrics.
Coach Staci is an RRCA Certified Run Coach Level 1 and offers a unique Run Specific Nutrition Coaching Model through Positive Plates and Gaits, Nutrition & Run Coaching. She is also an experienced lecturer and presenter, addressing key nutrition topics.
Staci has been a Certified Fitness Professional since 1986, coaching both studio group fitness classes, one-on-one training, and triathlon group training sessions.
As an accomplished endurance athlete, Coach Staci has been a podium age group athlete since 2010. Her achievements include completing six marathons (including two NYC Marathons and two Boston Marathons), two Ironman Lake Placid events, and sixteen Ironman 70.3 races.