Trail Run West-Midlands

Three athletes.

Two 50Ks.

One 100K.

One of the hottest race days of the year.

100% finish rate.

Looking at the finish line, it’s easy to think success happened today.

It didn’t.

It happened over months of structured, periodised training. It happened during the strength sessions when motivation was low. During the long runs in the rain. Through honest conversations when plans needed adapting around work, family and life.

With the temperatures forecast, the focus this week wasn’t on running harder. It was on running smarter.

We adjusted expectations, rehearsed heat strategies, practised hydration and nutrition, discussed pacing, cooling methods and the warning signs of heat illness. The goal was simple: perform as well as possible and, above all, finish safely.

As a coach, that’s the part I’m most proud of.

My job isn’t to create people who can simply suffer. It’s to prepare people so they don’t have to rely on luck when conditions become difficult.

Today these three athletes showed resilience, discipline and trust in the process.

They earned every mile.

Congratulations to all three of you. Watching your months of commitment come together on one of the toughest race days imaginable was a privilege.

The medal is for one day.

The achievement is everything you did beforehand.

Absolutely fab session last night at HIIT the Trails, led by Leah, with some hares and hounds reps, bringing in some enjoyment during the work, then easing into some mobility work to help stretch off those aching muscles.

Well done guys.

Come and join us on a Wednesday evening for some fun on the trails, improve your fitness and join the community

Another amazing weekend for the TRWM coached athletes and HIIT the Trails attendees!!

Kate Turner took on her first Ultra, using our premium plan supported by Optimize Fitness Ltd for nutrition and Achieve Health for physio, she turned up on the start line ready to take on the Peak District 50k and had an amazing day out.

Tracey Limbrick took on the Coastal Rush 50k, achieving a PB at the distance.

Rebecca Maughan took on the local Timber Trails Bromsgrove having a great day out.

Great work everyone

How long should your long run be?

For years, runners have been told they must hit certain distances before race day, especially when training for a marathon, but what if one persons 20 miler takes 3hrs and another 4.5hrs, who has it benefited?

As a coach, I’ve moved away from thinking distance first and instead consider time on feet alongside distance.

Why?

Your body responds to time under load. The distance method holds a completely different training stimulus, recovery requirement and injury risk.

This is why, particularly in a periodised training plan, I’ll often prescribe sessions by time, especially for marathon and ultra runners.

It allows me to:
• Manage overall training load.
• Reduce unnecessary fatigue.
• Improve consistency.
• Build athletes towards race day while staying healthy.

The graph below is from one of my athletes preparing for a 100km ultra. You can see the volume being carefully reduced into the taper. The goal isn’t to cram in extra miles, it’s to arrive on the start line fit, fresh and ready to perform.

Even renowned exercise physiologist Dr Jack Daniels advocates using time rather than fixed distances for many long runs.

Distance still matters, especially when preparing for the specific demands of your event, but time on feet is one of the most valuable tools we have for managing training load.

Do you plan your long runs by miles… or by minutes?

Wow, a fab weekend for our coached athletes and HIIT the Trails athletes.

Dan Gardner, Kit Hemming and Rohit Behl took on the Stretton Summits round, an 18mile round with approx 4500ft climb, in an incredible 4hr 26min.

Rosie Williams and Jonny Jonson took on the Amazing Feet Running Club wyre forest 10k, coming 3rd and 2nd respectively, and amazing achievement.

Well done everyone

This is me

I help trail runners become stronger, faster and more resilient, whether you’re preparing for your first trail race or chasing your next ultra.

I’m Andrew, founder of Trail Run West Midlands.

My coaching is built on over two decades of experience where preparation, resilience and performance mattered.

* Former Parachute Regiment Corporal
* 18 years in the Police, 12 as a Police Fi****ms Officer & Tactical Advisor
* Dad to an amazing 6 year old daughter
* Level 4 Strength & Conditioning Coach
* UESCA Ultra Running Coach
* Trail, fell and ultra runner who still trains, races and keeps learning.

I don’t believe in generic training plans.

Every athlete is different, which is why I combine running coaching, strength & conditioning and honest feedback to help you train smarter, stay injury resilient and enjoy the process.

Whether we work together 1:1, at a workshop or on the trails, my aim is simple…

Help you become the strongest, most confident runner you’ve ever been.

If you’re ready to invest in your running, send me a DM and let’s chat.

Andy
Trail Run West Midlands

A fantastic weekend for TRWM coached athletes:

Carl Boland completed the Arrow Valley half marathon, in the heat ran very well to complete the distance, after a great few months of focused training.

Jennie Waters completed the Midsummer Mortimer Trail 50k, as a build up towards her 100 miler in July, finishing 3rd female overall and a 50k pb.

Daniel Woodall also completed the Midsummer Mortimer Trail 50k, building up to Race to the Stones, finishing 10th overall.

Awesome effort everyone