Most of the time when I open a conversation on running with people, the type of advice they ask for is like how often they should run, how far they should go or what exercises to do on the side, etc. What I like to tell them and find it hard to do so because it sounds unpleasant and sometimes shocking is if they know how to run correctly.
Did not saying that confuse you too? Everyone thinks they can run, that is true, but do they run efficiently? is their form prone to injury or not? These two questions lead the type of service I provide my clients with. I help them to

  1. Run faster and longer by spending less amount of resources
  2. Run with a form that is less prone to injury

A big part of my job is in fact running form correction. The way I do it is to teach clients some techniques to make changes at different phases of their running cycle. Form is the outcome of technique. For example, if someone actively pushes-off the ground using lower leg muscles, I would show the techniques for removing their back foot off the ground which results in their form having no active push-off.
Once you get your form sorted, you can start planning for your races. Spend a couple of weeks on form correction, do not worry about your race goal or anything. You gain a valuable asset for your whole running career … or maybe you do not do what I tell you to do and you will live happily ever after! Then go back on road and build up within your new form.