Coach Eric Lutton brings more than 15 years of coaching experience and a proven record of helping athletes at every level reach their goals. From junior high beginners to senior‑adult marathoners, Eric has guided runners through breakthrough seasons, major PRs, and milestone achievements that reshape what they believe is possible.
Eric is one of the region’s most comprehensively certified coaches, holding credentials from USA Track & Field in Endurance, Sprints/Hurdles/Relays, Youth Specialization, Cross Country, and Marathon training, along with certification from the Road Runners Club of America as an Adult Distance Running Coach. This broad expertise allows him to coach the full spectrum of events — from the 100m dash to the marathon — with precision and purpose.
His athletes’ results speak for themselves:
• Boston Marathon qualifiers
• Half‑marathoners dropping 45+ minutes
• Marathoners beating their goals by 15+ minutes
• High school teams & individuals: League Champions, District Advancement, Regional Qualifiers, State Qualifiers
• Middle school teams winning conference championships and placing at the state level
• Track athletes hitting elite marks in sprints, hurdles, mid‑distance, and distance events
As a competitive runner with more than 150 races completed, Eric understands the mental and physical journey athletes experience. He knows success isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all — it might be a personal best, a breakthrough race, rebuilding confidence, or simply getting into the best shape of your life.
Eric’s coaching philosophy is simple: meet athletes where they are, build them with science‑based training, and support them with genuine belief and accountability. When you train with Runner’s Grit, you’re not just following a plan — you’re partnering with a coach who is fully invested in your growth.
Athletes will perform better, soar higher, and get more from sport if they feel safe. SafeSport seeks to create a healthy, supportive environment for all participants. Through education, resources, and training, we help members of the sport community recognize, reduce, and respond to misconduct in sport.
For the safety of our athletes, particularly our youth athletes, USA Track & Field has committed to providing a safe environment in which our athletes compete and train. We believe this is paramount to the success of all our programs.
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has recommended USATF implement the program in 2014 and it will be required of all Olympic national governing bodies (NGB’s) by 2015. Coupled with our Coaches Registry, our goal is to gain awareness and protect the participants in our sport at all levels, but particularly those athletes who are 18-and-under.
USA Track & Field Level 2 Endurance, Sprints/Hurdles/Relays, and Youth Specialization Certifications – Each certification program provides an advanced, in-depth education in one event group and teaches the science behind the sport through advanced sport science concepts and training principles. The USATF Level 2 Program is certified by the National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE) and is guaranteed to challenge and advance the coach’s knowledge of the sport.