“My favourite thing about coaching runners is knowing I am helping in some way on their running journey, whether it’s completing their first 5k, getting a new PB, or even just helping to stay injury free.”
MEET COACH WILL
How did you get into running?
“I first got into running about 7 years ago. I was struggling at the time with the loss of my Mum and was suffering with depression. My doctor mentioned that exercise can help with depression and that I should maybe give running a try to help clear my head. I remember she had a London Marathon medal proudly on display which I thought looked great; I’d always watched the London Marathon on TV, and seeing what people overcame to complete it I thought I’d take the doctor’s advice and give running a go. Now I have my own London Marathon medal sitting proudly at home!”
What’s your coaching history?
“I wanted to do my Leadership in Running Fitness course (LIRF) as I knew first hand how much running can change your life, and I wanted to give something back to the local community. Soon after completing this course I got involved with a council run scheme to put on Couch to 5k courses locally, and I’ve been leading these ever since. I then wanted to develop my knowledge further and understand the reasons behind certain training ideas and injury prevention and so went on to complete UK Athletics’ Coach in Running Fitness qualification (CIRF) and I also completed my Level 3 Personal Trainer qualification.”
What’s your proudest coaching achievement?
“Hard to pick because I find coaching as a whole so rewarding. I was very proud early this year when some runners I had coached ran the Bristol 10k. For some it was their first 10k, and there were also a few PB’s, so some very happy runners!”
Coach Will coaches runners of all ability levels, and is available across Bristol and the surrounding areas.
What do runners commonly neglect?
“One thing I find runners commonly neglect is any form of strength training. Even simple body weight work is usually enough, but being runners we typically just want to be enjoying the outdoors, not stuck inside getting hot and sweaty! In the long run though, mixing up a bit of strength training during the week can be very worthwhile and can benefit everyone’s training.”
What’s your favourite thing to eat after a run?
“Usually on a long run something pops into my head and it will be all I can think about, and sometimes that helps me get through the run; knowing how much I’m going to enjoy it when get home! It’s usually something like malt loaf, chocolate milkshake or a banana smoothie to name a few.”