John initially found running to try and get out of his brother’s shadow when he was a youngster. When doing sports, his brother was always the one that dominated, that won everything, the one who was ‘talented’. John on the other hand was the one who always tried hard, but never made it towards the front of anything.
Somehow, John randomly found himself entering the Great South Run 10-mile road race, and as a 16-year-old with no formal running training ran a time of 59 minutes 35 seconds, finishing 75th out of the 10,000 runners. That was it… He immediately become hooked. To cut a very long story short, 20 years of many ups and downs later running has been his life. Highs of representing England at the Commonwealth Games, finishing in the top 20 of the London Marathon, and winning a gold medal at the European Cross-Country Championship. As well lows of horrible injuries, giving everything then missing targets, or being wheelchaired away from his first marathon – it’s safe to say John has been through it all.
After turning passion into profession and becoming a full-time coach in 2016, John (and his Move Better Run Better team) have coached hundreds of runners around the world to smash PBs, avoid and reduce injuries, and achieve things they previously thought beyond them. Whether that be good for age, championship qualifying, sub-3, or sub-4, one of the best feelings John now is seeing everything come together for people when it really matters.
Qualifications
- UKA athletics coach
- Level 3 personal training
- Holistic Coach (Level 5)
- Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector (PTLLS)
- Law Degree (University of Southampton)
- Masters Degree in Business Administration (University of Tulsa)
Athletic Achievements
- Great Britain & England international endurance runner since 2007 at track, cross country and road running.
- Competing at events such as the Commonwealth Games, World & European XC Championships and European Cup.
- NCAA All-American & Academic All-American – University of Tulsa
- Personal best times: 5k: 13.42. 10k: 28.32. 1/2 marathon: 64.48. Marathon: 2:16.38
- Breaking 30 minutes for 10k every year since 2008
Coaching Achievements
- Coached dozens of athletes to PB’s from 5k – Marathon from 2016-2021 inclusive
- UK Athletics AASE program – Mentor to young elite athletes
- England Athletics – ‘Club Run Program’ expert endurance coach
- Speaker at National Running Show 2020, and 2021
- Articles featured in Fast Running Magazine
- Bassetlaw Dragons Den competition winner – 2019, 1st prize being £5000 investment
- North Notts Business Awards, finalist 2020 and winner 2021