Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Starting well is where a coach makes the biggest difference. We begin with your history, your diary and how you move, then build your running up gradually alongside simple strength work, so your body adapts before the distance grows. As a guide, the NHS Couch to 5K plan takes nine weeks; your plan is shaped around you rather than a template, and adjusted every week. Between sessions I'm on WhatsApp for the questions every new runner has. Not ready for coaching yet? Associate Runner membership and my ebook Your First Half Marathon are a gentle place to begin.

Yes, and it's one of the most rewarding things I coach. I've finished 90 marathons and 47 ultras, so I know the distance from the inside. Your plan is built backwards from race day: long runs that grow steadily, strength work to protect you, fuelling practised in training rather than tried on the day, and a taper that brings you to the start line fresh. Where it helps, I run the long ones alongside you. Most first marathon plans run for 16 to 20 weeks from a base of regular running. My ebook Your First Marathon: The Checklist covers the 25 things to tick off on the way.

We start from the race and work back. The course, the climate, the start time, your target and the weeks available set the shape of the plan, and every block has a job: building endurance, sharpening pace, rehearsing race day, then tapering. I've run three of the Marathon Majors and earned a bronze medal at Comrades, the 87 km ultra in South Africa, so I coach from experience of the event as well as the plan. If your race is abroad, we plan travel, sleep and fuelling for the trip too. My ebook The Ultimate Human Race tells my Comrades story and is free in the shop.

Plateaus usually come from repeating the same week, running too much at the same middling effort, or recovery that can't keep up. We look at your training data, running form and strength together to find the real limiter, then change what matters: more genuinely easy running, sharper quality sessions, strength and plyometrics, and proper recovery. Every session is reviewed and the plan moves with your results week by week. I won the Long Beach Marathon in 2018, so I know what the last few per cent feel like and what they ask of you.

Gently, and with a plan. We start where you are now, not where you were: a conversation about what happened, a look at how you move today and, after injury or illness, your physio's or GP's guidance where that applies. Then we rebuild in small steps, mixing walking and running where needed, adding strength around the areas that let you down, and only increasing the load when your body says yes. Coming back can be more frustrating than starting, so I stay in close touch on WhatsApp and adjust the plan whenever life or your body asks for it.

Yes. Your calendar is the starting point, not the obstacle. Your plan is built around the meetings, flights and family commitments you already have, and rewritten when they change, so a missed day never becomes a missed week. Sessions fit early mornings, hotel gyms and unfamiliar cities, and I'm on WhatsApp wherever you are. For selected clients I can travel with you. I spent more than 20 years in business leadership, most recently as a Chief Revenue Officer, so I understand the pressure and plan for it. Everything stays confidential, and I'm happy to sign an NDA.

Yes. Plenty of runners, especially those who started later, set personal bests in their forties and fifties, and running well for decades is a goal in its own right. What changes is how you train: more recovery between hard sessions, strength and mobility every week to look after muscles, tendons and bones, and closer attention to sleep, fuelling and the early warning signs your body gives. Your plan reflects your age, your history and the races you love. I raced as a Midlands Masters runner for five years, so I coach this as someone who has lived it.

Bespoke coaching is built entirely around you, with as much of my time as your goal needs. It goes beyond the four coached tiers and can include more sessions together, coaching on your estate or at your gym, travel with you to races and training abroad, and optional specialist input on sleep, breathwork, genetic insights and blood testing. It suits ambitious runners chasing a big goal, and people whose lives need more flexibility than a standard plan allows. Bespoke services are agreed individually after an interview, and as with every coached place, I take a maximum of six clients at any one time.

Depending on your membership tier, we meet between once a month and twice a week, for at least 60 minutes each time, with sessions often extending beyond this where useful. Each session combines focused conversation, movement analysis, and personalised programming. We explore not just your training, but your energy, recovery, mindset, and how running fits into your wider life. Between sessions, you have ongoing support via your check-in with Ian and messaging so we can adapt, refine, and respond in real time as your week unfolds.

Depending on your location, sessions are primarily conducted face to face and/or online via video call, making it accessible regardless of location.

From one coached session a month on Bronze to two a week on Platinum, plus your own running in between. I build the plan around your schedule so it creates sustainable habits rather than adding stress.

All coaching packages start with a one off joining fee of £1,200 and range from £295 to £2,335 per month depending on the service provided. A minimum commitment is 12 months. A discount is available for those members who wish to pay up front. Bespoke services are agreed separately. We will discuss options during our discovery call to find what works for you.

The joining fee reflects the upfront investment in understanding you deeply, including goal setting, movement assessment, training history review, and the creation of a bespoke coaching framework tailored to your needs. It also ensures a committed, high quality coaching relationship from the outset.

Associate membership is the open door into runwithian for runners who do not need, or are not yet ready for, a coached place. There is no interview, no waiting list and no cap on numbers. Associate members receive member webinars and a quarterly newsletter from Ian on training, recovery, nutrition and mindset, get the runwithian ebooks and recipe collection, and are invited to runwithian events. It is also a natural first step for anyone considering coached membership later, with no obligation to go further. Open to all, and you can join online in a few minutes.

Yes, where appropriate. For local clients, I can conduct sessions on your estate or preferred training environment, ensuring coaching is integrated seamlessly into your lifestyle and surroundings.

I am experienced in working with private individuals in sensitive environments and adhere to strict standards of confidentiality, discretion, and professional conduct at all times.

I work with a small, carefully selected group of private clients, from ambitious business professionals and experienced endurance athletes, celebrities and influencers to motivated recreational runners, all united by a commitment to growth, consistency, and doing things properly.

Your coaching adapts with you. If your health, injury status, or life circumstances change, we adjust your plan accordingly, prioritising your wellbeing while keeping you engaged with your goals. Runwithian is a small business and whilst we make every effort to recontract with you based on a change of circumstances, regrettably this is not always possible.

Where appropriate, yes. I can support you remotely wherever you are, and for selected clients, in person travel support can be arranged by agreement.

Yes. Every run is intentionally designed around your goals, current capacity, and environment, whether that is structured sessions, exploratory routes, or mindful easy running.

Absolutely. You are free to share routes, plans, or live location with your team, family, or security detail as you see fit.

Yes. I am fully prepared to sign NDAs and complete appropriate background checks to ensure discretion, professionalism, and peace of mind for you and your team.

A personal trainer and nutritionist typically optimise strength, body composition, and fuel. I focus specifically on running as a system, including technique, endurance, load management, mindset, recovery, and how training fits into your life. I also work collaboratively with your existing team to ensure everything is aligned around your goals.

Yes, where appropriate. For local clients, I can join you at your gym to observe movement patterns, integrate running specific work, and ensure your strength training complements your running.

Your plan is designed to flex with your life. If meetings, travel, or personal commitments shift, we adjust your training accordingly so you stay consistent without unnecessary pressure. Fees apply for cancellations less than 48 hours in advance.

Yes, subject to availability and alignment of goals. I take a supportive, gradual approach focused on building confidence, safe progression, and sustainable habits rather than intensity or pressure.

In many cases, yes. I work conservatively and collaboratively, adapting training to your energy levels, flare patterns, and medical guidance. I will always encourage alignment with your medical team where appropriate.

I was a firefighter for many years which includes first aid training. I regularly update my knowledge in safety, risk awareness, and emergency response.