about

During my teenage years, I led a largely inactive lifestyle and struggled with unhealthy impulses, which ultimately led to hospitalisation. Shortly afterwards, a teacher suggested taking on a half marathon for charity. Out of 240 Sixth Form students, only four volunteered—myself included. I saw it as an opportunity to redirect my energy into something positive and regain health and happiness!

At that point, I had no sporting background or natural athletic ability. Nevertheless, I committed to the training and completed my first half marathon in 1:58. That experience marked a turning point and sparked a lasting interest in running.

The following year, I progressed to the marathon distance, raising money for Cancer Research and completing the Liverpool Marathon in 4:08. Soon after, I achieved a sub-4-hour marathon (3:59), which was a significant personal milestone.

As my understanding of training principles developed, I began to approach running with greater structure and intent. Through consistent and more effective training, I reduced my marathon time to 2:59, breaking the three-hour barrier. Since then, I have continued to improve, achieving a marathon personal best of 2:29:18, a half marathon best of 1:12:15 where my 1st 5k split was 16:37 then passing 10K in 33:34.

As a personal goal I will be aiming for sub 2:20 in the London marathon 2027.

What matters most to me is not only performance, but sustainability—maintaining a healthy body, enjoying the training process, and achieving long-term progress. In my experience, enjoyment and consistency are key drivers of success.

I also recognise the value of guidance and support. Having a coach or training partner can make a significant difference, both in maintaining motivation and in navigating the inevitable challenges of training.

With a background in nutrition and life sciences, alongside my qualification as a Certified Personal Trainer, I place strong emphasis on a holistic approach. Nutrition is often overlooked by recreational runners, yet it plays a fundamental role in both performance and overall wellbeing. I believe it should be considered alongside training volume and intensity.

Whether your goal is to complete your first 5K, improve your marathon time, or develop strength and body composition, I can help you structure your training in a way that is both effective and sustainable.

While performance goals such as personal bests are important, I place equal value on wellbeing and enjoyment throughout the process.

If you are interested in working together, please get in touch:

oliver@fuelbodyrun.com

Newport Marathon 2026 - 2:29:18