I work full time and I love to run. I had run when in school but then gave it up, with intermittent returns to it. I had always wanted to run a marathon. Like all good decisions, in a pub about 20 years ago, I committed to running a marathon and haven’t looked back since. I cannot imagine my life without running in it. I started being coached by CoachPACT in 2018 and this was another rewarding decision. (This one was not made in a pub! 😊).

CoachPACT has a holistic approach to coaching which I like. Nutrition, mindset and overall health are all taken into account. It fits into my life and is an important part of how I live.

Accountability is a big part of the coaching which is great and although I love running and following a plan, I’ll be the first to admit that there are times when I don’t feel like it! I know that Joe will check in with me to see if everything is ok. So, I have a chat with myself and if my reason is just laziness, on go the runners!!   

One of the things I love most about being coached, is that I know the plan is specific to me. Life events (e.g. work, travel, family events etc), my stats (e.g. sleep, fatigue, heart rate, injuries etc), as well as my goals, are all taken into account when my training is being planned. The most that it is planned for, is a month ahead and sometimes less than this. We discuss the training at least once a month and I know that I can contact Joe at any time to discuss my training and the plan will be updated if needed.

Knowing that the plan is customised to me, means that I stand at a start line with the confidence and belief that I can achieve my goal. Has it always been an upward trajectory, far from it. I have had injuries, but having CoachPACT, has always meant that my training is adapted to take this into account. This has been great for both body & mind. I consider Joe as good friend, who always has my best interests at heart.

I know that the training that is planned is what is required, it is not excessive and there is no unnecessary training for the sake of it. The days I can train with available time are taken into account in the planning of my training.

I have completed many events while working with CoachPACT, both running and cycling, in Ireland and abroad. My first marathon almost 20 years ago, was 04:23! My PB before being coached by CoachPACT, was 03:38 in 2007. My first CoachPACT marathon in 2018 lowered my PB to 03:34:43 but this year I ran my 20th Marathon and my new PB is 03:30:29

Looking at some of my 2023 results alone, we have achieved the following:

 10 mile: 01:11:57 - PB

½ marathon: 01:38:44

(only 32 seconds off of a PB that I had set way back in 2007, when I was young(er)!)

¾ marathon: 02:37:16 – PB

 Marathon: 03:30:29 – PB