Meet Coach Chris

Hi, I’m Chris Morgan.

Pronouns: He/Him/His

I provide running coaching and spiritual direction to individuals looking for ways to invite all aspects of themselves—mind, body, and soul— into a deeper relationship with God, themselves, and others through running and wilderness experiences.

As a running coach and spiritual director, I am passionate about providing ongoing spiritual care in settings that bring people to life.

I am passionate about opening a space for you to honor and engage all aspects of you.

I believe that your body isn’t simply a machine to fuel and maintain. You aren’t simply a machine. There are an untold number of factors that affect your running and spiritual life. I provide a safe space for you to not only respond to your body, but engage the spiritual and emotional elements of your running as well. 

You can expect that I will value you as a whole person–mind, body and spirit. Your training plan and our sessions together will respond to every part of you as you learn to nurture your true self and value the various parts of you.

I believe that developing a deep connection with your “why” safeguards you from burnout on your spiritual and running journey.

We maintain our disciplines because of the “why” behind them. Anything worth doing will include its challenges, but maintaining connection to your purpose will be the strongest factor for persevering.

Whether you have been running for years or are just beginning this journey, I am here to support you in adding depth and purpose to your running. I will provide a space for you to explore why you run and what that has to do with how you are responding to God’s action in your life. Running can be an opportunity for you to meet true parts of yourself out on your run or as you reflect on its role in your life. Your running can create a space for you to tune into God’s movements as you relate with God in a deeper, more embodied way.

I believe that mindful presence is crucial both in your running and spiritual life.

Our run coaching and spiritual direction sessions offer you a space for you to become mindfully present to yourself and God’s movement in your life. I am here to listen and respond to you in ways that honor your journey. You are the only one who knows what it’s like to be you, and I welcome you to show up as authentically as possible. As we continue working together, you will find yourself beginning to tune into your body and responding to yourself with compassion. You will begin to feel deeply connected to God and yourself.

I believe that each of us needs a full support team on our life journey.

Both in the running and spiritual life, receiving support from others is a crucial element to walking this journey well. I recognize that any relationship–whether it be with God, yourself, others, or your running– takes consistency and is benefited most with regular connection. There is no “get rich quick” scheme to your running goals or growing your relationship with God. I am here to walk with you and provide the consistent, ongoing support that helps you continue to deepen these relationships, pace yourself in a way that honors where you are at, and maintain your stoke.

How Pilgrim Endurance began

My work as a hospital chaplain became a launching point for the ongoing spiritual support I provide to my athletes at Pilgrim Endurance. 

One night in the hospital, a man's wife was dying, and he was clearly not used to having his emotions overflow. They had come from a multi-generation farm on the plains, and as the night chaplain I knew that if we could just go chop wood or stack hay, we could work through some of this, but it just wasn't going to happen sitting face to face in a small waiting room with no windows.

That experience planted a seed in me, which was a big part of creating Pilgrim Endurance. I provide ongoing spiritual care in settings that bring people alive. I started this business to create a space to support you in your endurance training and your relationship with God.

I earned the Master of Divinity degree in 2017 from Saint John's University in Collegeville, MN and became a board certified chaplain with the National Association of Catholic Chaplains in 2020. I began running in 2015, and have pursued it as a spiritual discipline since, encountering persistent injury and learning along the way through physical therapy, podcasts, and Training for the Uphill Athlete. Running has been a way for me to consistently return to myself and God. It has taught me to respond to myself in ways that make me a better friend, coworker, and husband. 

I completed the coaching certification through the United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy (UESCA) in 2021. I provide training plans for running, including strength and core work. In 2017, I created and instructed a study abroad course to walk the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain, including spiritual and physical preparation.

I'm not the running coach for the athlete simply looking to squeeze every drop of potential out of their body. I'm the spiritual running coach for the person who wants to go much deeper than this. I support people who seek fulfillment in long-term, consistent encounters with God through exercise, especially in nature. That's the pilgrim's journey.

My personal life and interests

Beyond my work with Pilgrim Endurance and hospital chaplaincy, I spend most of my time in places that bring me to life. What brings me alive is trail running, Nordic skiing, backpacking, hiking, and cycling. Over the past couple of summers, my wife and I have been section hiking the Colorado Trail and discovering the remote, hidden gems of this place we call home. My wife and I both share a passion for helping people connect more deeply with God, themselves and others through their body and wilderness experiences. We look forward to welcoming our twins into the world this October!

Credentials:

M.Div. from St John’s University

Board Certified Chaplain (BCC)