When did you join HRR and what prompted you to join?
I joined HRR in the summer of 2023 after moving to Oxford with my partner Sam Garforth. Having left our old club in Coventry we looked online to find a new club where we could get involved with training and make lots of friends. HRR seemed perfect so we tried out a few club runs and the rest is history!
When did you start running?
I started running almost 10 years ago after a friend introduced me to parkrun. For the first year of running I was content with only doing parkrun and nothing else, until somehow I was signed up to my first 10k and I figured that running twice a week would be a good idea. At this point I had no idea what I was doing and just increased this second run by a km at a time until I joined my university running club and learned how to train properly!
What inspired you to become a coach / leader?
Honestly I am not a naturally talented runner and have only progressed as far as I have because of the knowledge that coaches and leaders have provided me over the years. I want to give back to the running community and be there for both new and experienced runners in the same way that coaches and leaders have been there for me.
What group coaching / leading do you do at HRR?
Since the end of 2024 / start of 2025 I have led the Tuesday interval sessions (sub-46 10k groups and hill repeats) and some Thursday club runs.
What is your favourite training session?
I really enjoy Richard’s cross country training sessions on Saturdays. In terms of a road session, my favourite has to be something like 4x2 miles or 2x4 miles at marathon pace. I usually feel better as a session progresses so I enjoy a longer one more!
What is your favourite race or running route?
For the race, it has to be London Marathon. It has the best crowds in the world that I have never experienced anywhere else. For the running route, I have completed what I call the “Oxford Three Peaks” a few times – reaching the three highest points in the Oxford area within one run. They are located in Shotover, Wytham Woods and Boars Hill.
What has been your best coaching / leading moment?
When I notice the difference in everyone’s mood between the start and the end of every session. At the start, everyone is a bit tired and grumpy from work. At the end, everyone is tired but feeling more relaxed and satisfied after letting off some steam. Over the long term, I’m sure I will see a more significant difference in everyone’s progress!
Anything else you'd like to add?
Honestly I would recommend coaching and leading for anyone. It is really rewarding and you can still take part in the sessions. It is not too much work to get the qualification and in the process you learn many techniques to improve your own running and your public speaking skills too!
