I really started running regularly in 2016, and in 2018 told my husband I thought I could potentially BQ-two weeks later I found out I was pregnant. A few years, 2 babies, and a pandemic later I was ready to try again. At the recommendation of a friend, I got a run coach for NYC in 2022, which turned out to be less than desirable conditions. I felt confident after running Knoxville in April ‘23 that I could BQ with the RIGHT coach. **Enters Tessa** With my PR of 3:48:46, she didn’t laugh when I said I wanted to shoot for a sub 3:30. She wrote out the perfect plan for this FT working mom with a 2 & 4yo. She was encouraging and honest. In November I set a new PR of 3:28:31, 20:15 faster than my previous time and 6:29 faster than my BQ standard. Afterwards I told Tessa that I felt like I could’ve easily done a 3:25 that day. There is definitely a difference when you get the right coach that makes the adjustments to your plan that fit you, and I would absolutely recommend Tessa to anyone looking to reach a running goal, regardless as to what that is.

Rachael Carringer

I have been running for approximately 9 years, doing many races. The truth is that I was never very focused on achieving a certain time, but rather having fun, relaxing my mind and feeling active.  But something made me feel stuck, I trained my way and without a doubt that was not working. I decided to take action and do something else, something that would challenge me, that would make me believe in myself more, because I understood that a goal without a plan is just a wish and that is why I did not hesitate to look for Tessa; whom I have known and observed closely for many years, to create a personalized plan. A plan that would adapt to my daily life as a mother and working woman, and most importantly it kept me away from past injuries.  Her plan made me feel stronger every day and led me to aspire to a PR that I could not achieve 5 years ago and that of course I thought was very far from achieving. She trusted me and encouraged me to believe that I was going to make it.  Next year I will do my first marathon and guess what? Without a doubt, Tessa is in charge of helping me cross that goal once again.  Thank You Tessa for all your help.

Liz Pestana

I met Tessa while training with a Fleet Feet group for a Rock and Roll Half a few years ago, and when I decided I was ready to run my first marathon she was the first person I contacted. Beyond developing a training plan, she provided a sense of accountability, support, and encouragement to help me stick to the long marathon training program. She was always available as a sounding board for all of my questions. I suffered from a few injuries during training, and without her steady hand to guide me through them I doubt I would have made it to the starting line. In the end, I finished my marathon with a time faster than the goal I had set. I'm planning to work with her again to train for the 2023 NYC Marathon.

Phillip Paradise

"I've been a runner for as long as I can remember, but was never able to stay injury free long enough to complete a marathon. After moving to Savannah, I started running with the Fleet Feet Running Club and met Tessa. She is one of the most welcoming, positive, and motivating people I have ever met. When I decided to try and tackle the marathon once again, I reached out to her for a customized training plan and it was the best decision I ever made!! She provided the plan with goal times for each workout and adjusted the plan if I ever felt an injury coming on, allowing me to still complete all of my long runs without skipping a beat! She was always reachable by text throughout the training for any questions, and was the best cheerleader! I finally completed my first marathon and felt very strong while finishing under my goal time! I highly recommend hiring Tessa as a running coach to help you reach your running goals!!

Lauren Bamford

"Tessa is the amazing genius behind every step that I take towards my goals. I came to her with a desire to cross something huge off my bucketlist and was greeted with the most enthusiastic response. She has the encouraging words I need when I’m down, as well as the kick in the butt when I need to suck it up and get moving. If you have ANY running goals, Tessa and the amazing Craving Pavement community that she has created are exactly where you need to be!"

Sarah Pinson

"I am not a first time runner so I knew the basics of what I was doing, but I had a goal race and a lot of other commitments to work around. I wanted help figuring out how to “do it all” and not get hurt along the way. Tessa took my very long list of things that would make this training cycle a challenge and made it in to one cohesive training plan picture that was manageable and would get me where I needed to be. She helped me earn a 16 min PR in the marathon! I’m so glad that I reach out for help! I could not have put these puzzle pieces together myself. I’m so grateful for her expertise, time and energy."