Discussion: coaching help

Why is that? What have you done better to improve so much?

I hear the answer is fewer biscuits and more miles

If I had the answers I'd be bottling and selling them.. My training (bar a few gaps) is all on here. I don't do anything particularly special, but I think I've progressed fairly steadily and been good at building consistency. And yes, my diet has been fairly horrible at times. I have a huge sweet tooth and can put on weight quite easily. I try to get myself a bit more on the rails around major races.

I think buying some spikes was the turning-point in your career

So gotta update my spikes, eat healthy and add some miles? Gotcha!

I like chocolate a lot so I got that sweet tooth too. But I think consistency might be the key for me as I've not had a full year of training in the last 4 years. Thank you for your insights!

Do you put any of it down to a change in mental approach? Must help the confidence to know you *can* break those barriers. I've had a huge headache breaking 18 mins, despite being miles fitter, and running relatively faster times at other distances. Admittedly, am lacking a bit of that long-term consistency in training, and only started running at 27 (now 30).

Consistency is key - it takes months/years to build fitness.

Regarding the mental approach, I think it is very important but sometimes difficult to develop. Confidence is huge, when you are running well it seems like all other problems fade away, but I find that confidence can be very specific and short-lived.

Consistency is key
It is the basis for confidence

that and the fact that you can achieve more than you believe is possible.

John L. Parker Jr. knows his running

Apart from the 60*400 session for a miler.

You do get to eat whatever you want though on the Cassidy program as long as the furnace is hot enough. Solves the sweet tooth problem.

The penny only just dropped that consistency is where you build confidence. My running literature doesn't extend much further than the other KJ's "Run or Die". So I'll take a look at Once a Runner. Thanks!

Cassidy is great, but he does overlook things like stress fractures a bit... Though 'Once in a moonboot' probably wouldn't be as thrilling

Kris, How important has been being in Edinburgh helped with your improvements and success?

Hey Mike, Kris isn't in Edinburgh, he's just over an hour away in St Andrews. (correct me if I'm wrong Kris!)

Kris owes everything he has to Edinburgh

I heard Kris lives in a small town near Glasgow

It was all Standard Rivelin; the loop of champions