Membership: 1 to 1 Online Coaching
Name: Matt Tanner
Age: 41
From: London, England
Goals: Complete first 100 mile ultra and run 3:30 marathon
Coach: Tommy
I hadn’t run for 9-months after tearing my hip flexor. The injury and Covid led to an 9kg increase in weight. Then, one day while brushing my teeth I was fat shamed by 7-year old daughter ‘you know when you brush your teeth and your tummy wobbles, it doesn’t look very nice’. Brutal. It was time for a change. I had been gifted some running lessons with Tommy from my brother as a birthday present and I started to run again.
I hadn’t told Tommy this when we started, but I had an entry for the North Downs Way 100-mile race. The entry had been carried over from 2-years earlier because of the pandemic. I had done a bit of endurance cycling and running in the past, but nothing close to this and in truth, I only really entered after some banter and bravado with my mates. I dropped the bomb to Tommy that I wanted to run and finish the race, which was only 10 weeks away. Unfazed, but a little skeptical, Tommy set about training me, introducing strength and conditioning into my programme for the first time.
I’d never had a running coach before, but Tommy introduced structure, targets and accountability into my running. The training was more fun and doable as a result. I completed (almost!) every session. His flexibility around my job and family meant my volume increased massively. I completed my first 100-mile race 10 weeks later in 29 hrs.
The next surprise for Tommy was a late entry into the London Marathon with another unlikely surprise target of 3:30min, something I had never come close to. In 6 weeks, Tommy helped me increase my running speed and I finished in 3:30:27. Working with Tommy helped me achieve more with my running that I thought was possible. Without doubt he’s responsible for my two proudest achievements this year. And without injury. It’s also helped establish more habit and routine in my schedule which has been truly transformational and helping me lose 5kg. Tommy is an incredible running coach and I can’t recommend him highly enough. Until the next surprise Tommy. Speak soon.