THE RYPB STORY
Two Coaches. 13 Years.
1,000+ Personal Bests
Virtual coaching doesn't mean we're not there. The RYPB family at Boston, 2025.
170+
Reviews, 4.9 Average
1,000+
Personal Bests
100+
Boston Qualifiers
2013
Year Founded
HOW IT STARTED
He was done with running Running wasn't done with him
Cory Smith didn't plan on becoming a coach. After nine years of competitive running — earning All-American honors and a full scholarship at Villanova, Cory graduated in 2001 and walked away from running completely.
Five years later, a local 5K reignited the fire. By 2009, he was coaching recreational runners in Philadelphia and discovered it lit him up in a way competing never had.
Over the next few years, as demand grew, he launched Run Your Personal Best in 2013, a side project while coaching college cross-country and track. RYPB was never supposed to be full-time. But the more runners he worked with, the more it grew.
Today, Cory and Coach Brandon Birdsong — a 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier — have helped over a thousand runners worldwide, guided by one belief: the right coach, paying real attention, can unlock years of improvement in any runner willing to show up.
Coach Cory running at Villanova. It's blurry because digital cameras weren't a thing yet.
Coach Brandon and his best training partner after a long run in the Colorado mountains. Guess who's faster?
OUR APPROACH
The coaching approach
Behind the results
Elite training, built for real life
We take elite-level principles and adapt them for adults with jobs, families, and full lives.
Data means nothing without context
Pace and heart rate tell part of the story. How you felt tells the rest — something an algorithm will never understand.
Build and maintain
Focus on one or two things, build them up, and move on. Maintain what you've earned. Repeat.
Gradual. Intentional. Sustainable.
We increase your training load a little at a time, enough to grow — never enough to break you, keeping 80% easy.
IN THE MEDIA
WHY WORK WITH US
Running isn't your whole life.
But it's deeply important.
Life is unpredictable. Training shouldn't fall apart because of it.
Work travel, family demands, shift work, overnights — whatever life throws at you, we adjust your plan, so progress never gets derailed.
We don't choose between fast and healthy. We do both.
Smart progression, injury awareness, and performance all live in the same plan. That's how PRs happen.
We coach the whole runner, not just the workouts.
We help with fueling, carb loading, recovery, strength work, and race-day strategy — because the details between runs matter just as much.
This isn't our side gig.
Coaching is our life's work.
Cory and Brandon coach full-time. This isn’t a side project — it’s a career built over 20+ years of competing, studying, and coaching.
MEET COACH CORY
Cory Smith
Head Coach & Founder | Runner and Coach for 25+ Years
Cory has spent over 25 years in the sport — first as a nationally ranked runner, now as a coach dedicated to helping everyday athletes reach their potential. He ran on a full scholarship at Villanova, qualifying twice for the NCAA Division I National Championships, and still competes at a high level into his 40s.
After coaching at the collegiate level as Head Cross-Country and Track Coach at Penn State Brandywine, Cory founded Run Your Personal Best in 2013. Since then, he's coached over 100 Boston Marathon qualifiers and worked with first-time racers to seasoned ultramarathoners.
A USA Track & Field Level 1 & 2 Endurance Certified coach, Cory's training approach was shaped by a mentorship with four-time Olympian Marcus O'Sullivan. He's a regular contributor to Outside Magazine and Runner's World, where he writes about training, gear, and the science behind running faster.
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What athletes say about Coach Cory:
“Cory took my marathon from 3:30 to 2:43 across two training blocks. He’s professional, responsive, and the programs he builds are next level.” — Michael K.
“He took my marathon from 4:18 to 3:22. He believed in my goal when I wasn’t sure I could do it.” — Sarah B.
“Within 18 weeks I dropped my marathon PR by 33 minutes and achieved a Boston qualifying time.” — Brianna M.
MEET COACH BRANDON
Brandon Birdsong
Coach & Ultra Specialist | Runner and Coach for 20+ Years
Brandon brings over 20 years of elite-level running and coaching experience to RYPB. He holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology and was mentored by Damon Martin, a 30-time National Coach of the Year winner. As an athlete, Brandon is a two-time NCAA DII All-American and a 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier.
His coaching goes far beyond writing workouts; it takes a holistic approach that accounts for the whole person, not just the runner. Brandon specializes in training design, race strategy, and athlete development. He's coached multiple Olympic Marathon Trials qualifiers and guided runners through everything from first marathons to post-pregnancy comebacks to massive PRs at every distance.
Brandon has been featured in Runner's World, USA Today, and the Daily Mail.
What athletes say about Coach Brandon:
“Brandon helped me get my marathon from 3:24 to 3:00:52 and my 10K from 38:40 to 36:13.” — Geoffrey N.
“He coached me from a couch potato to a competitive 4:20 miler in four months. His training has a magic touch.” — Keegan C.
“He’s trained me through my first marathon, pregnancy, and postpartum—all while balancing a full-time job and being a parent.” — Samantha W.
TALK TO A COACH
Let's see if we're a good fit.
Cory or Brandon, not a bot, not a salesperson, will talk through your goals, schedule, and the right coaching approach for you.