Holistic Approach to Running and Fitness

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I believe true fitness is built on integration, and not isolation. My approach combines structured online running and strength plans with practical nutrition guidance and recovery strategies to support long-term performance and wellbeing. Every element is grounded in science and adapted to real-world demands, helping individuals train smarter, recover successfully, and move with purpose.

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🏃While the importance of warming up has never really been under question, the best method and why certainly has.

🥵The purpose is very much what it says on the tin. It is to increase the body temperature through increased heart rate and blood flow.

Essentially, it's priming the body for exercise.

🧐 This study took 13 endurance trained athletes and tested their performance of 5000m following a high intensity warm up and a low intensity warm up.

Each athlete had 72hrs rest between the 2 time trials for recovery. The warm ups were finished 18mins before the time trials and we're followed by passive and active recovery (running drills).

📓 Both warm ups started with a 500m at 70% intensity of their Cooper Test. The high intensity warm up followed with 3x250m at 100% with 2mins passive warm up. The low intensity followed with 3x250m at 70% with 2mins passive recovery.

🕐 The results showed a 6.4secs improvement in the 5000m following the high intensity warm up.

🤔 This study encroaches into the evidence of VO2 kinetics and puts it into a position where it is ready for the appropriate intensity. Yes, it has drawbacks. There are 13 people and they are trained. However, there is a growing amount of research to support the idea of being more specific in your warm up.

✅ If you can comfortably cover 5-7k and you are currently running close to your PB, then this approach to your warm up may just help get you across that PB line at your next parkrun

#RunningScience #WarmUpMatters #EnduranceTraining #ParkrunPB #HighIntensityWarmUp #RunningTips #PerformanceBoost #ScienceOfRunning #TrainSmart #RunStrong #PBChaser #RunningCoach #RunnersOfInstagram #5kTraining #PreRaceRoutine #RunningCommunity #EvidenceBasedTraining #RunBetter #RaceDayReady

I'm doing a bit of gearing up before the business officially launches soon. So far, that's involved some research (fine, I've been doom scrolling on Instagram).

One thing I've noticed is how many people are pushing silver bullet solutions for achieving goals. If you do this session you will achieve a sub 12 min 5k by tomorrow night!!! Maybe not that extreme but it's not far off. The Norwegian 4x4 seems to be the flavour of the month just now.

Subsequently, others are vanishing certain approaches. Zone 2 running must have really upset someone.

The truth is running isn't sexy and there's rarely (never) a quick fix. Norwegian 4x4s and Zone 2 (and the majority of others) are decent approaches if they are appropriate and they are applied at the right time for the individual and their goals.

For example, the 4x4 session will help improve your VO2 Max making your body more effective in it's uptake of oxygen. With other training (like threshold and tempo running) it could allow you to run faster for longer.

Zone 2 running (yes, there's a lot of issues with correct heart rate zones) creates more mitochondria in your body improving cellular respiration and it helps your body become more efficient in using fat as a fuel source. It can also be fantastic for someone not wanting to get faster or further and just wants to run for their mental wellbeing.

If you want to improve your running, your plan should be specific to you and your needs. It should include hard efforts and easy effort. The most important things:
✅ Consistency
✅ Progressively overloading your body
✅ Every run should have a purpose

#NoSilverBullets #SmartTrainingWins #PurposefulRunning #TrainWithIntent #RunningWisdom #CoachingNotClickbait #VO2MaxTraining #Zone2Running #EnduranceScience #MitochondriaMatters #FatAdaptation #CellularRespiration #NorwegianMethod #4x4Intervals #Zone2Debate #RunningMyths #InstagramRunningTips #RunYourWay #MentalHealthMiles #ConsistencyIsKey #ProgressNotPerfection #RunningForLife

A day late with this one but...

Should You Switch footstrike?

You’ve heard the hype. Minimalist shoes. Born to Run. Tarahumara tribes. Midfoot strike = better, right? But is it??

Let’s clear the air on foot strike…

🔍 Heel vs. Midfoot: What’s the difference?

👟 Midfoot Strike:
✅ Less impact on joints (knees, hips, back)
❌ More load on calves, Achilles, soleus
⚠️ Needs time to adapt — injuries can happen if rushed

👟 Heel Strike:
✅ Natural at slower speeds (like ultrarunning)
❌ More impact on skeletal system
⚠️ Not inherently wrong or inefficient and does not cause a "braking" effect (that's more to do with over striding and one for another day...)

🧐 THE MAIN POINT:

There’s no one-size-fits-all strike. Midfoot isn’t “better.” Heel isn’t “bad.”

It depends on the runner, the pace, the terrain, TLthe distance and the goals. For example, ultra runners tend to move at a slower pace over a variety of terrain. This increases the likelihood of a shorter stride length and more of a heel strike.

The main point is - if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

🔁 Thinking of switching?
Here’s what to know if you do:

🧠 Expect a learning curve
💥 Initial drop in efficiency
⚙️ Consider biomechanics, not just footstrike
⏳ Gradual adaptation is key. Don’t rush it
🛠 Use drills like hill runs or resistance sprints to ease in
🏁 Key coaching points:

Before changing your stride, ask why.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! If you're chasing performance, there are far more bigger things to focus on than foot strike alone.

📖 References:
In the comments

#RunSmart #MidfootStrike #HeelStrike #MinimalistRunning #BornToRun #Ultrarunning #RunningForm #FootstrikeFacts #RunningTips #MarathonTraining #InjuryPrevention #RunCoach

Enjoying a wee bit of research reading recently. This one links slightly with the weight theme from last week with an understanding of where our energy goes while we run.

An overview of the studies found through experimental work partitioning running’s metabolic cost showed roughly 50% goes to supporting body weight and 40% to forward propulsion, requiring >90% of the energy demand. Arm swing cuts cost by about 4%; balance was ~2% on a treadmill and will be higher on uneven ground.

Coaching takeaway: focus training where the biggest returns are — reduce unnecessary load. This could be body weight but it could be the kit you are carrying etc. Also consider building propulsion strength and power, keep arm swing natural, and add stability work, especially for trail runners.

RunningEconomy #RunningScience #RunSmart #EnduranceCoach #PerformanceCoaching #Ultrarunning #RunBetter

Let's get this coaching malarkey going a wee bit more...

Food for thought... Pun absolutely intended

People starting running for various different reasons. Challenge, weight loss, fitness goals so let's start to unpick some of the information out there.

Weight loss, I admit it is why I started running but...

🧠 Running for weight loss. Does running slower burn more fat? 🏃‍♂️🔥

📚 A classic study by Romijn et al. (1993) showed how our bodies fuel exercise at different intensities in well trained athletes. This is what they found:

✅ Low-intensity running (~25% VO₂ max) taps into fat stores most efficiently and uses it as a primary source of energy.

✅ As intensity rises, carbs take over—muscle glycogen and blood glucose become the primary fuel.

✅ At moderate intensity (~65% VO₂ max), fat oxidation is still strong, but fat (triglycerides) join the mix.

❌ At high intensity (~85% VO₂ max), fat use drops sharply and carbs dominate.

💡 So should you always run slow to lose fat?

Not quite. While slower runs burn a higher percentage of fat, total caloric burn matters more for fat loss.

🔥 Example: (numbers are for the example)

A 30-min slow run might burn 300 kcal with 60% from fat = 180 kcal from fat.

A 30-min faster run might burn 500 kcal with 40% from fat = 200 kcal from fat.

👉 Higher intensity = more total calories burned, even if the fat percentage is lower.

🧐 Now there are limitations to this study. For example, there are only 5 participants in the study and they are all "well trained". Consideration for coaching should always be to tailor the approach to the individual and their circumstances but the underlying points stand.

🎯 Smart strategy:

- Use slower runs to build endurance and help prioritise fat utilisation.

- Use faster runs to boost overall energy expenditure and fitness.

- Mix both for sustainable fat loss and performance gains.

#FatLossRunning #RunSmart #EnduranceTraining #MetabolicFlexibility #RomijnStudy #RunningCoachTips #TrainWithScience #CaloricBurnMatters

Massive good luck to everyone taking part in the Great Scottish Run 10k and Half Marathon tomorrow.

Looking forward to sitting this one on the side and shouting at passing @newton_road_runners who will undoubtedly do amazing!

Special good luck to Adam, Bryan, Charlotte, David, Lyndsay and Neil. A massive amount of hard graft has gone into the most recent training blocks. There's been joy, laughs, tears, snotters, tantrums, foul and abusive language... but that's enough about me 😁. The work is done, go out and enjoy it guys!

Oh... Good luck to @j.watson87 as well... Not so much for the race, which I'm sure will be fine, but rather getting me home from the pub after I'm celebrating the rest of the guys SMASHING IT!

Having not looked at Facebook in about 10years, I went looking for a few photos and stumbled across that belter on the left. A pre-race snap of a 5k back in March 2016 in Glasgow Green. This was my first run since leaving college in 2005.

No surprise that I'm wearing 47 layers but I can remember going out far too quickly and absolutely hating it the last km and remembering why I didn't like running. That said I also remember being proud of raising money for a great cause and finishing the race. In all honesty I think I swore I didn't want to run again and I ended up patching it for another 5years.

Weirdly I found the photo very serendipitous given I had just finished a 100 mile ultra and it is the first time I've genuinely felt proud of something I have completed and the work I put in to achieve it in a long time.

I've never been the best runner. I'm barely the best runner in my house but I know people can achieve amazing things. Generally, you just need to have clear goals, have a plan of how to achieve them and be willing to work hard for it.

It's amazing what running can do physically and mentally. It's been a canny journey and there's still plenty more to go.

If I can do it then anyone can.

Ahhh the annual rejection email is in! Congratulations to those who have managed to get a place.

If we're counting double chances and club ballots, I have now been rejected over 30 times consecutive for major marathons. As amazing as it would be to do them, there are hundreds of great races out there that are amazing but just don't get the coverage of London. I've had the pleasure of running Manchester, Valencia and Amsterdam which hold a special place for me and I would recommend them to anyone. Specifically not getting into London opened the door for me to take part in the Devil O' the Highlands and train for the The Wall, which have been 2 of the best running experiences of my life.

If you got the knock back notice then don't let the ballot get you down. Look for the next opportunity. It's unlikely you took up running just to do London but if you did and your heart is set on it then there're hundreds of great charities that could use your help.

📊 RUN TYPES EXPLAINED 🏃‍♀️

Easy?! Tempo?! Recovery? It can all seem a bit complicated! To make it worse, a lot of running terminology can differ from coach to coach so it's always worth seeking clarity beforehand if you are working with one.

But what is important is that not all runs are created equal — and each one has a purpose! Whether you're training for a race or just want to run smarter, here’s a simple and generalised quick guide to the 5 main types of runs to help you get some clarity:

1️⃣ Recovery Run

🧘‍♀️ Purpose: Boost blood flow & aid recovery.

🐢 Pace: Very easy — you should be able to hold a full convo. This should be less than 60% of your Max HR. These runs are often done too fast!

📅 When: After hard sessions or races.

2️⃣ Easy Run

🌿 Purpose: Build aerobic base & improve endurance.

💬 Pace: Comfortable, relaxed — talking pace. This should be between 60-80% of your Max HR.

🗓️ When: Most of your weekly mileage in the majority of cases.

3️⃣ Steady Run

⚙️ Purpose: Bridge between easy & tempo; builds stamina.

🏃‍♂️ Pace: Slightly faster than easy, but still controlled. This should be around 80-90% of your Max HR.

🎯 When: Midweek mileage or long run variations.

4️⃣ Tempo Run (some coaches interchange the term threshold runs. Personally I see threshold in the top end of tempos and more interval based but more on that another day)

🔥 Purpose: Improve lactate threshold & mental toughness.

😅 Pace: "Comfortably hard" — can’t say more than a sentence. This should be around 90-95% of your Max HR.

🕒 When: 20–50 mins or prolonged intervals

5️⃣ Interval Run (sometimes called Repetition Run)

🚀 Purpose: Increase speed, power & running economy.

💥 Pace: Fast (e.g., 5K or faster), high effort with full or partial rest between sets. This should be around 95%+ of your Max HR.

📏 When: Track days or speed sessions.

🎽 Mix these run types into your week to train smarter, not just harder!

#RunningTips #RunSmart #TrainingTuesday #MarathonTraining #RunnersOfInstagram #TempoRun #IntervalTraining #RunRecovery #SteadyRun

Another appreciation post! If there were conditions designed to humble runners it was yesterday. The crazy heat in both Manchester and London made it very difficult out there, quickly turning goals from time to resilience. I'm massively proud of all these guys and their efforts yesterday!

Whether that was putting out amazing times, finishing their first marathon or even just getting to the start line after a big injury. All of your hard work over the last 3-4 months has paid off and that's before we mention the amazing amount of money raised for incredible charities and the stories behind them. Seeing all of you achieve what you have is the reason I got into coaching, so thank you!

Well done to everyone who took part in either race yesterday. You should all be massively proud, now rest up.

Today is the day! London and Manchester marathons!

Over the last 4-5 months I've had the absolute pleasure of working with 10 amazing, hard working and inspirational people who are taking on these races today.

This is an appreciation post to wish them all the best of luck and a thank you for allowing me to be a small part of their journey. Some of them are their first marathon, some it's their first major and some have time goals in their sights. Regardless, they should all be massively proud of the work they have put in. Go smash it team!

With just over a week to London and Manchester (and 2 days until Boston) there's chance nerves, or maranoia, are probably starting to set in.

Whether it's your first or fiftieth, it is completely normal to get to this stage and to start picking holes or feeling the temptation to change things. Over the last week or two I've heard 'i feel like I should have had more long runs', 'my legs feel tired and I can't run those paces', 'i don't feel great about it. I just want it done' and 'i have 3 runs the week of the marathon, is that too much?'... And that's ok! Firstly, if you've done the work then trust the process!

Secondly, there's no denying a marathon is a difficult feat regardless of aims and expectations. It's going to take a lot but some anxiety can be a good thing (see the Yerkes-Dowson law if you're interested). However it's important to point those nerves in the right direction. If you are a worrier, then ask yourself what is within your control and focus on that. Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

For example, there's no point worrying if it's sunny or rainy on the day... You have zero control but you have control over your plan so finalise your kit, refine your nutrition plan (don't add new stuff at this stage!!!) and review the water stations on the course.

But what if you don't achieve your goal?!

What is the worst case... You don't achieve a time you want or even maybe you don't finish? Thats ok, the best runners in the world have not finished races. Just take the learning, recover and go again. The great thing about family, friends and the true running community is they love to see you do well and are still proud of you when you don't.

The perfect marathon is rare. Just go and try to enjoy it. You'll soon have achieved something 99% of the global population have never achieved!

If you're a runner you've probably been told a thousand times, particularly when you're injured, that you should be doing strength training or jumping on a bike to continue your work. You may have even been told the complete opposite. Something along the lines of "you need to run more to be a better runner". So which is it?

To an extent they are both true but its the role and application of the exercise that is the important part.

All exercises can play a role in our training but how much of a role depends on the goal we are trying to achieve. Once we have set our goal, then all exercise can be classified in relation to that goal.

UK athletics use the Exercise Classification Hierarchy (ECH) which is an adaptation of Dr Antoly Bondarchuk's model of classifying exercises by their specificity to the goal or event. For example, running 600m-1k reps is very specific to an 800m runner due to transferrable technical and physiological nature but swimming 200m freestyle has a low transfer other than a cross over in the energy systems being used.

In the ECH, exercises are classed in 4 categories:
- Competitive Exercise - things that are identical or nearly identical to the event
- Specific Development Exercises - Exercises that repeat separate parts of the specific event
- Specific Preparatory Exercises - Exercises that do not imitate the event but use the same muscle groups or energy systems as the event.
- General Preparatory Exercise - Exercises that do not imitate the event but use the same muscle groups or energy systems.

There are a number of different approaches to their application and even more considerations when planning. For example, the biological age of the athlete, the time and period of the training block, the training age of the athlete, injury record, time to event etc. It is the role of the coach to assess the athlete they are working with and effectively plan to meet the needs for the individual. Equally, it is important for the athlete to know why they are doing something they have been planned in to do. For instance, doing strength training because you've been told it's good for runners isn't the best approach and can lead to problems.

This question popped up recently... Does walking in a marathon take the shine off it?!

Short answer.... No!
Longer answer... Does it shite!

The marathon is an incredible achievement. Not just the race, but the dedication to training, the injuries, the time commitment etc. In fact I'd argue the race is easiest bit of it all. To complete it is a phenomenal experience.

If you have to have spells of walking then that is fine. I have completed 3 official marathon races and I have walked at some point in all 3. Once for a drink where there was a queue and the other 2 due to injury (one expected and one not). I can guarantee it takes nothing away from the experience or achievement. While I have concerns about some social media perception that it's normal to not train for a marathon and just turn up (one for another post!), walking can help people to achieve their marathon goals.

If you put in the hard work during the training block then you can hold your head up high and enjoy the best runners high you'll ever experience when you cross the line regardless of walking or not. If you didn't put the hard work in then you know where the first area of focus is for the next time. 💛🖤

I've spent a bit of time... okay too much time... looking through the black hole of Instagram running recently. While there's a lot of good advice out there (as well as a lot of very bad advice), I can't help but feel there's a bit of a gap particularly for beginners.

We know social media loves extreme views. It catches attention, likes and follows something even monetary gains but this can easily lead to confusion. For example, we know weight training is good but when person A tells you to do plyos and person b tells you to do maximal lifts then there's a risk of doing the wrong thing for you. That is the key part... 'for you'.

The vast majority of the contents have an element of truth to them but if you're just starting out in your running journey and you're worried about eating the right grams of protein and carbs per body weight, whether you're a cadence or stride runner or which carbon supershoe is the best then you're approaching it completely wrong.

The gap i noticed was there were very few posts telling people just to go out, enjoy it and be consistent. It's not sexy or ground breaking but if you're just starting out or you're a person who isn't running 2-3 times a week regularly then this is the best place to focus. Start simple.

Couldn't have picked a better week for my first weekly run down (terrible pun absolutely intended!).

Amazing time with the @newton_road_runners team at 20 Along the Forth. Tough route but definitely a confidence builder for those about to take on a spring marathon.

After 9 months of hamstring trouble I'm finally starting to see some progress. I've managed to hit my highest weekly mileage in well over 6 months (highest weekly elevation as well) and a session with a sub 4 min km in it and with no major pain!! A massive thanks to @nkphysio for playing a big part with the shockwave therapy and rehab work. Can't recommend them highly enough.

And best of all... the progress made by everyone across the plans in the last week has been remarkable. We're getting to the business end of a lot of the plans and it's incredible to see how well everyone is doing whether its across distance, paces or recovery. One or two have had to make some difficult decisions around goals due to injuries. Unfortunately it happens but I have no doubt they will be back stronger.

A really positive week all around! Massively proud 🖤💛

Should you include sprinting/short intervals into your marathon training?

Yup, it's a pretty good idea and here's why...

While there are significant differences in between sprinting and long distance endurance running, there is also a substantial amount of transfer between the 2 and this could help make you more efficient at running.

Unlike sprinting, endurance running isn't as ridged in its technique but if you look at the majority (there's always a few which break the mould) of world class athletes you can see the similarities between them.

Images 2 and 3 show two of the greatest to ever grace athletics, Bolt and Kipchoge, with their events almost as far apart as you can get.

Although the sprint mechanics are more exaggerated, both athletes have notable similarities. Here are some examples, higher knee lift on the flexed leg, heel of the flexing leg coming up to the glutes (more clear in Bolt's picture), the triple extension of the standing leg (hip, knee and ankle), dorsiflexion (toes to shins) of the ankle on the flexed leg to increase energy return, shoulders away from their ears (ie relaxed). Other things which aren't so easy to pick up from the 2 images included foot landing position, tendon/muscle potential energy return, arm swing, level hips and tall, relaxed posture.

Sprinting and endurance also tend to use different energy systems within the body. Training both could be the difference between a podium place or a PB on that sprint finish! (Who doesn't love a sprint finish! Even if you look like a bag of spanners! Image 4).

This doesn't necessarily mean you need to do a session of 10x100m or 200m every single week. It could be as simple as incorporating strides at the end of your runs (6x30secs) or drills such as A skips or B skips at the start as part of the warm up, particularly if this is new to you. Just make sure you're practicing the right technique!! Practice makes permanent.

A couple of good sessions I've included into plans are 4s and 2s (mix of 400m and 200m reps), Pyramids and easy runs with strides or hill sprints at the end.

Top day for @newton_road_runners at Alloa, Callander and Rome.

Nice wee run out at the Callander 10k on the back of 16miles yesterday and no bad hamstring pain on a hill(ish) course. Always a pleasure to represent team_alexis_rose. Shout out to @my5kleapyear for the PB.

Cracking work at Alloa from some of the marathon squad using it as a training run and PB central for the club. 👏

And finally, a MASSIVE well done to Kieran who smashed his marathon PB by nearly 25mins in Rome. A lot of hard graft over the last 4months and it's paid off in a big way. Well done, big man

Massive good luck to Kieran who is taking on the Rome Marathon tomorrow! The lad has smashed his training, not phased by anything I've thrown his way... Including a 5k time trial at the end of a 17miler! The man is a machine 👌👌👌

It's happening!!... Well, it will be soon.

The idea of a coaching business is something I've toyed with for well over a year. To be honest, it's been that long because it's something which scares the living sh!t out of me.

However, this is the first step to making that dream happen. Over the last 12-18months I have been lucky enough to coach some amazing people, seeing them achieve some amazing goals from ambitious time targets to completing their distance goals (5k's to ultra marathons). This experience has been the catalyst to me taking the first step.

My aim is to provide a holistic coaching experience which not only gets results but allows you to develop sustainable habits in the process. All going well, it is my ambition that this will be available later in 2025.

Unfortunately, before then I need to 'walk the walk' and recover from an ongoing injury ahead of an ultra marathon in the Summer.

You're more than welcome to follow the rehab, race and business journey over the next few months.

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Holistic Approach to Running and Fitness

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Holistic Approach to Running and Fitness

The Journey Ahead

Subscribe for monthly training advice, offers and blog updates

Clients Say

Latest Insights

A Love Letter to Canada: Finding a Lost Love of Two Decades

Highland Fling or Highland Hobble? A Journey to Limp Glory

Don't call it a come back... just in case I don't!

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