We Run: The UK's Local Running Coach Opiniões 306

The whole experience has been amazing . Working with Siobhan has been excellent. She’s such a great coach and was always there for me during the highs and lows of marathon prep . I got injured in January through a gym injury and really struggled for a while . From there she reset the plan and really helped me to get to the starting line and to then complete the marathon . Awesome coach . Also training was really varied and fun but also manageable as a novice marathoner . I’ll be back later in the summer for another block as I go for a 1/2 marathon PB .

I had been running for about a year before I signed up to being coached by Jan. With a few Parkruns and a 5k race under my belt, I was a complete newbie. I had signed up to 5k and 10k races as I wanted to gain experience in these shorter distances, but I had no idea how to train. I had completed an online training plan, but I wasn’t getting any faster. I loved running, but as someone who was newly diagnosed as neurodivergent, I did not enjoy the crowds at Parkrun and racing events and my performance was significantly affected by my overwhelm.

I had gained weight over the last 10 years, following the birth of my two children, and I believed that my weight gain was an inevitable consequence of growing older and hormonal changes. I became really disheartened when I could not lose the weight, even though I felt I was doing all the right things. I’d tried intermittent fasting, eating better for gut health, even an NHS weight management course, but nothing seemed to stick for me.

I was in a rut, and something had to change. I took the decision to sign up for running and nutrition coaching by Jan Lavis in June 2025. It was the best thing I have done for my health and wellbeing, and I have Jan to thank for that. She comes with so much experience and knowledge, and provides her sage advice and coaching with kindness, compassion and humour.

In just 8 months, I have achieved so much. I have lost 10 kg of weight. My body mass index (BMI) has gone from 26.9 (placing me in the obese category as a South Asian woman) to my current BMI of 23, and I am so close now to reaching my target weight and BMI. I have reduced my waist size and cardiovascular risk. And I am now aware of my nutritional needs and am adapting to a new, positive way of eating that will last me for the rest of my life. I am proud to say that there was no deprivation or faddy dieting involved. I learned to make simple, sustainable changes, acquired through the structured delivery of evidence-based nutritional advice, and weekly supportive video calls with Jan. Having Jan guide and work with me has been invaluable; having her guiding presence has been motivating and has kept me accountable for my progress.

Being neurodivergent, executive functioning and planning is not one of my strong points, and I really struggle with meal planning and food prep. Jan has worked with me to help me be more creative in putting together easy and nutritious meals and navigate the pressures of feeding a family whilst hitting my own nutritional goals.

My running has improved so much; at 41 I am the fittest I have ever been. Thanks to a bespoke and varied training plan devised by Jan, it prioritises rest as much as running, and I’ve been able to make training adaptations and remain injury- and pain-free. I have a better understanding of the functions of different training sessions. Workouts are written up to two weeks ahead, and that allows for greater flexibility and responsiveness to the demands of life. I get feedback from Jan after every training session, and this motivates me more than anything.

My big win is overcoming my fear of racing and running with other people. Working with Jan, I am learning how better to prepare for an event, which, funnily enough, requires a lot more than just turning up on the start line! I used to get overwhelmed at these events, but I am learning how to make it work for me. As a result, I have seen huge improvements in my running. I have completed five 10k races and two 5k races, and in the last four events I have reached Personal Bests each time, showing my steady improvement. My most recent event was the London Winter Run 10k in February 2026 where I achieved a PB of 1:04:33, despite the freezing wet conditions.

I am still very much at the beginning of my running journey. There is and always will be a long way to go with running. I have a 10-mile race soon and am training for the Newmarket Half-Marathon in May 2026, fundraising for the National Autistic Society, and I’m looking forward to taking on these next challenges!

I had a really positive experience during my running MOT session. My coach, Graeme took the time to understand my individual needs, including my current fitness level and any past or ongoing injuries, which made the session feel very tailored and relevant to me.

Everything was explained clearly and in a way that was easy to understand, helping me feel confident about what I was doing and why. Graeme was also very friendly and approachable, creating a relaxed environment where I felt comfortable asking questions.

Overall, it was a highly valuable session that gave me practical insights I can apply to improve my running safely and effectively.

Kate has been fantastic throughout my training, thorough and adaptable to my many changes in shifts.

The 1-1 catch ups have been excellent and I would recommend her to anyone looking to train regardless of the distance or experience.

I will be going back to her for future training!

Coach Kate helped me go from a casual half-marathoner to running my first marathon last June and my second in February, setting a 5-minute PR in the process. Thanks to her training plans (both for running and strength training) and nutritional guidance, I completed both marathons without injury. What's more, I've never felt stronger. I couldn't recommend working with Kate more to anyone looking to push themselves in their running journeys!

I have been a client of Alexa's for over 6 years now, she has taken a reluctant non runner who thought running a marathon would be easy, to my soon to be 9th marathon and Alexa has been there every step of the way, she has always tailored my plan according to where I have been in my life be it coming back from injury, lacking in motivation during a global pandemic or striving for a pb. She is the font of knowledge for all things running and nutrition who always knows the right thing to say. I could not recommend her highly enough.

The experience and expertise from Rob was first class. He is extremely knowledgeable and very understanding of your needs as a runner. Rob gave me a marathon training plan with constant support and advice which resulted in me achieving a PB. 10/10 and worth every penny!

90 minutes MOT session with Angela..
Came out of the session very happy .,
Thank you Angela 👏

We Run has been a great value way to get access to real, expert coaching expertise (no AI involved) to make the most of the time I have available to train. Highly recommend.

Had my first session with coach Caroline who was welcoming, friendly and professional. A good structured session to discuss my history and work out the basics of what I could improve about my running. Will be organising another session soon.

Coach Wayne was really nice guy, session was comfortable, informative and enjoyable from start to finish.

Definitely learned alot and would recommend to others in future.

Nick is very knowledgable easy to work with and very respectful, always has good answers to questions and is very supportive

Adam has been great. The training he’s set for me has been pitched at the right level, so I’m really enjoying it! He’s been very responsive to questions and encouraging. Very positive experience so far.

My coach was Alexa Duckworth-Briggs. I found Alexa to be really friendly and helpful from day 1. Alexa listened to my goals and concerns for the upcoming marathon and created a training plan that helped manage both.
We covered a lot in our monthly calls and I always felt I could be really honest, without the risk of any judgement.
The training plan was tailored to suit my running level and life schedule, holiday plans etc.
I got a lot out of the WeRun app Pilates and strength training sessions, some of the yoga sessions were a bit repetitive but on the whole the app was a great addition.
Due to external circumstances, marathon day didn't go quite as planned, but I completed the run in a really respectable time - and so much of that was down to Alexa's information, support and guidance. It was the first time I'd used a run coach and I highly recommend Alexa!

Totally transformed my performance…. when I joined I just wanted to finish a marathon without feeling like I was about to keel over and not only have I taken my times to levels I never thought achievable, I practically skipped over the finish line at New York marathon on Sunday. Accountability without pressure and structured without being all absorbing- highly recommend 💫

Coach Greig was fantastic. He helped me with drills, form, warm ups and answered all my questions. He is knowledgeable, approachable and working with him gave me confidence in my running.

Having Kate as my running coach this year has ensured I not only achieved my goals but exceeded my own expectations. She knew what I was capable of and created plans and training to maximise my potential. The running schedule was designed to fit into my busy life while ensuring continued progress and limiting injury aggravation. The guidance and support from Kate kept me pushing hard to achieve my goals! Thank you Kate

A comprehensive assessment of my current form leading to a range of suggestions to improve core strength, balance and altering gait to improve efficiency. A solid investment to aid my goals.

Excellent service. Easy to fill in details, matched with coach easily. Process of booking coach was very straight forward. I had an amazing coach who was completely fantastic and who I will use again in the future. Would highly recommend.

Alexa has always been very helpful - providing clear and well considered advice.