• UESCA Ultra running

• Ultrarunning

• Beginner
• Intermediate

I didn't come to ultra running the usual way, no marathon, no half, not much road at all. My first ultra was a 32-mile loop across the Seven Sisters, learned the hard way out on the trail. That's why I coach beginners: people with little running background who want to do something bigger than they've done before. I turn an intimidating goal into a clear, manageable plan built around time on feet and your real life, delivered through TrainingPeaks with regular check-ins. I'm still in it myself, training for a backyard ultra, so I coach from the trail, not the textbook.

My philosophy is simple: the start line is more achievable than most beginners think, and the best plan is the one you can actually stick to. I coach by time on feet rather than rigid mileage, chasing distance tempts you to push pace and break yourself, while building by time keeps training easy, sustainable and honest. Consistency beats heroics: the biggest risk for a beginner isn't being undertrained, it's doing too much too soon, so I build gradually and treat recovery as part of the work. Everything is personalised, no cookie-cutter programmes, no assumptions about where you "should" be. Your plan is built around your real life and goals, then adjusted as life happens. Miss a session or pick up a niggle? The plan flexes, it doesn't get abandoned. Coaching is a partnership, and through TrainingPeaks and regular check-ins, my job is simple: be the person in your corner.