Welcome to my blog

Do you want to try something different?   As a matter of principle, I never accept Instagram freebies. But something about the offer from Ourea Sports and Great Lakeland 3 Day ignited a little fire of excitement. One that had been missing from my running for some...

The marathon runners and athletes I coach will be very familiar with this. The process of marathon training review I complete before every marathon. It helps me formulate some thoughts about how each person will run. It’s not an exact science. But it is based on...

How do you keep going when your legs are dying, your lungs are burning and the little voice inside your head is screaming at you to stop?   If you want to be the best, you have to train hard and run faster. This means being able to push yourself to your limits....

Is it all about cakes, calories or being competitive? Let’s celebrate women being competitive. Too often the female narrative in sport focuses solely on cakes and calories. As though that’s all the motivates us. With the exception of high-profile female athletes and a...

I am a former GB marathon runner who’s finished in the top 20 in the London Marathon Elite Women’s race. Now I am a full-time marathon coach. At this time of year my work revolves around predicting marathon times and devising race strategies. But how do you predict...

A Year In The Life Of An Aspiring Marathon Runner   Randomly looking back at 2007. Why 2007? Because the Chichester 10k came up in a conversation with another coach from that area. I couldn’t remember when I’d run there. He found the results: 7th place, 34:14....

How to Be Injured More Successfully   No one likes to be injured. The truth is most of us are terrible at being injured. Which is funny when you consider how much time as runners we spend being injured. Fortunately I am very happy to share my extensive experience with...

My name is Jo and I am a runner   Probably time for a training update: Current situation is there is no current training.   Like a junkie who thinks one little hit here and there can’t hurt, I ran a few little extra miles here and there. A bit further and a bit...

Progression is the foundation of any successful training plan. The secret is to know how and when to develop the progression in a session to get the most from your training programme.   I illustrate how to build progression in a session with one of my favourite...

Good coaching is about more than data – it’s about people. It’s about you. I am the biggest geek when it comes to running data. As a coach I love to spend hours analysing detailed breakdowns of running sessions. But I also know that the most important feedback is...

You’re never too old to laugh at the word “Fartlek”! The name for this fartlek family running session came from my 8-year-old daughter when I told her we were doing a fartlek this week. “Eat my farts!” combines both fun and good quality running training. It is based...

The Paarlauf Race is the perfect session for families to run together. It allows you to balance some serious interval training with taking your kids out for fresh air and exercise during lockdown.

Welcome to my lockdown Family Running Session! Trying to juggle your own running, taking the kids out for fresh air and exercise, and complying with the once-a-day exercise rule? You want to be a good, selfless parent. But you are still a runner, and human being, at...

Marathon training - What should you do next? – Part 3 Over the years my running mantra has always been “Don’t let the setbacks set you back”. Now it’s become a mantra for everyday life not just for running. But the big question is what should you do now? As an...

What should you do next in your marathon training? – Part 2 By now you’ve had a few days to let the dust settle on the news that your spring marathon has been postponed. Instead of being disappointed focus on the second chance and golden opportunities you’ve been...