Coach Ian

This is how I roll

I always say that running saved my life.  At the beginning of 2000 I did no exercise, weighed 15 stone and ate and drank way too much of all the wrong things.

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It was at a family BBQ that summer when I saw my 3 uncles laughing and joking as they compared the size of their heart bypass operation scars that I decided something needed to change.

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So I took stock of my life, made some permanent changes to my diet and joined a gym.

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2 years later and I'd lost 4 stone and learned to love exercise, and more importantly love myself.  Then when my flatmate asked me if I would run a 10km race with her in Kew Gardens, I thought why not.

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I crossed the finish line at that first race with a stitch and aching muscles I never thought I had, but knew immediately that I had just found what I had been looking for.

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12 months later I was crossing the finishing line at the London Marathon.

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Running became not only the reason to look after my body and mind, but I discovered goals to strive for and most importantly found a whole bunch of friends for life.

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Since then I have been a member of a number of running clubs as I moved around the country (Serpentine, Blackheath & Bromley Harriers and Romsey Road Runners), competed in numerous races around the world from 5km time-trials to 50-mile trail utra marathons and been an active run-leader and coach for my club.

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I not only love running, but love learning about running.  I've completed all my England Athletics coaching qualifications over the years and am a keen reader of other's theories and models of running training.  Not to copy, but to understand, unpick and use what I think works and fits with my own philosophy of training.

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I may never have won a race in my life, but that's not why 99% of us run is it?  It's for the love of it and for self-improvement.  And my hope is that with my love for this sport along with my experience of training and coaching, I can help you find the joy I have in just putting one foot in front of the other.