📚 Reply Library
13 entries
Faq
nutrition
Original Email
Hi mate,
Thank you for al the information and details. It’s super helpful and I really appreciate it!
At Lisbon I got a 3:56:45 and I used High 5 and then a load that were given from the even itself.
For London I’m aiming for 3:30-3:45 final time. Read about having salt tablets? Are they good t...
Approved Reply
Hey Euan,
No worries at all. Really glad it was helpful.
I would absolutely be self-sufficient throughout race day and not rely on anything that's given out in the event. ]
So I don't suggest salt tablets specifically, but I would suggest playing about with electrolytes.
Now, electrolytes are ne...
Voice notes: Friendly, pragmatic coach who explains the 'why' behind recommendations. Uses informal British colloquialisms ('have a play with'). Emphasizes individual experimentation and self-reliance while remaining supportive. Personal and relatable, references his own experience naturally without being prescriptive.
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Faq
nutrition
Original Email
Hi,
That sounds good.
I’d mainly want to ask about what to eat in the week or so coming up, how frequent it , is carbo loading good for example?
Then about what’s good to eat/ fuel myself the day before and then day of.
Then also about gel intake and how best.
When I did Lisbon marathon in Oc...
Approved Reply
Hi Euan,
Yep that makes perfect sense — and it’s a really common reason people struggle late in the marathon. The aim is simple: turn up with a full tank, then keep topping it up early and regularly so you don’t end up chasing the energy drop.
Short version
Week before: eat normally, just be a bi...
Voice notes: Ben's voice is patient, practical, and permission-giving. He positions himself as someone who understands common race-day struggles and offers clear structure without rigidity. He builds confidence by explaining the 'why' behind recommendations and invites the client to test approaches during training. His tone is like a supportive mentor who has seen these issues before and wants to prevent them, rather than a strict authority figure.
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Motivation
Original Email
Hiii Ben
Thank you for the training plans so far!
I have not been very good at sticking to them, and although I've been doing short runs (up to 5k) consistently, I have slacked with longer runs and haven't followed the structure of the short/easy/etc runs as the plan dictates.
The furthest I've...
Approved Reply
Hi Kirsty,
Firstly, don’t beat yourself up here. The fact you’ve kept the short runs going is exactly what we want to see. Consistency is the foundation, and you’ve already proven you can show up. Now we just build from that, patiently and in a way that fits your life, rather than trying to “fix ev...
Voice notes: Ben's voice is calm, wise, and supportive with an underlying confidence that makes the athlete feel safe delegating responsibility to him. He uses first-person pronouns ('we,' 'me') to create partnership. His writing is conversational and direct, focusing on mindset shifts and permission-giving rather than cheerleading. He ends with a check-in question to ensure buy-in.
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Faq
long runs
Original Email
Hi Ben
Thanks for your email.
I am finding the plan really helpful and nice to have structure to my runs/weeks sessions.
My 5k time has improved as the first one was 27 mins and the 5k last week I did in 25.12 so really pleased with that.
I showed my plan to my sport massage therapist who also is...
Approved Reply
Hi Ness, really glad the plan is helpful and structure's working. Also very cool to see the 5K times come down. We don't need you to run 20+ miles.
We've successfully coached athletes to run marathons with just 13 miles as their longest run. For a first-timer, 3 hours (17–18 miles for you) is absol...
Voice notes: Ben is an experienced, confident coach who combines warmth with clarity. He's direct and educational without being condescending. He respects alternative viewpoints but stands firm on his expertise. His style is conversational and reassuring, designed to build trust and confidence in the client. He frames coaching decisions around the individual's needs rather than industry defaults.
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Faq
training sessions
Original Email
Hi Ben
Thank you for sending over the training plan
I do have a few questions because I want to make sure I’m understanding everything correctly.
For the workout that says.
10 minutes Warm Up, 6 x 5 minutes at Threshold effort with a 90 second recovery, 10 minutes Cool Down I’m not complet...
Approved Reply
Hey Wajid
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you
The warm-up and cool-down are easy, conversational running. The threshold efforts are "controlled discomfort" — you could speak 4–5 words if someone asked you a question, but you wouldn't want to have a chat. Recovery is a walk or very easy jo...
Voice notes: Conversational mentor who prioritizes clarity and understanding over brevity. Takes time to fully answer questions with multiple reference points (effort, heart rate, feel, physiology). Balances technical knowledge with empathy and accessibility. Uses personal touches ('You're asking all the right questions') to build confidence. The emoji at the end suggests approachability and enthusiasm. Friendly authority figure rather than distant expert.
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Faq
Running technique
Original Email
All seems fine,
I managed 60 mins to test last week, then 2 hours on Monday and intervals today as planned. One thing I’ve started to notice is that I find my fast pace (10 - 11 min miles) easier than my ‘easy run’ pace. I’m not sure if it’s stride length?
Any suggestions on this?
Thanks
Approved Reply
Hey Rosie,
It sounds like we can crack on with the plan as is. Is that your thinking? It’s probably not really stride length — it's likely about which energy system your body is tapping into. When you pick up the pace, you shift from burning predominantly fat (slow to access) to burning more carboh...
Voice notes: Ben's voice is patient and educational. He validates the athlete's experience, then uses clear physiological explanations to reframe misconceptions. He structures complex ideas into logical sections and addresses potential follow-up questions preemptively. He's conversational ('Is that your thinking?') while maintaining expertise. The tone is collaborative rather than prescriptive.
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Faq
race plan
Original Email
Hey Benjamin,
Hope all is well! Had a quick question for you about hill training/the London course.
Last year I ran the Boston marathon which has the notorious heart break hill. This became a big part of my training to make sure I was prepared to tackle the tough hill so late in the race.
For Lon...
Approved Reply
Hey Jack,
You're absolutely correct. London is a flat course. There are a couple of runs up and down the underpasses, but they are very, very minor, so you definitely don't need to be focusing on hills too much in training, especially not at the moment. I would keep the long runs on a fairly flat s...
Voice notes: Benjamin's voice is relaxed, matter-of-fact, and efficient. He validates the runner's existing knowledge, provides clear confirmation with minimal elaboration, and relates new information back to runner's prior experience (Boston). His brevity and lack of unnecessary enthusiasm convey confidence and experience—he says what needs to be said and trusts the runner to understand. First-name-only sign-off reinforces accessible, friendly coach persona.
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Original Email
Hi Ben,
Hope you’re well!
I did my half marathon race at the weekend. Ended up completing in 1:36:32.
I know my half marathon race in my plan was the week before but any advice now until the big day which deviates from your original plan you sent me?
Thanks,
Scott
Approved Reply
Hey Scott,
That is epic. Well done.
Nothing to change with the plan, other than you might want to move the interval session that's set for Wednesday of this week to the plan to Friday. And perhaps do the shorter interval session on Wednesday this week - or skip entirely - just to let your body ge...
Voice notes: Ben's voice is approachable and motivational. He leads with genuine praise, shows attentiveness to the athlete's needs by adapting the plan thoughtfully, and uses casual descriptive language ('tasty') to build enthusiasm. He's practical without being rigid, offering flexibility while maintaining clear direction. The overall effect is that of a friend and mentor rather than an authority figure.
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Original Email
Hi Benjamin
I'm just emailing as I think in all honesty I'm probably looking for reassurance more than anything.
I have london coming up in four weeks as you know, and I only began running in may last year so not the fastest or strongest.
Last week I ran the furthest I've ran doing 15 miles in 3 h...
Approved Reply
Hey Nat,
Absolutely, this is what we're here for. First off, amazing work getting those 15 miles in, and it is absolutely okay though. Your body is a little bit sore, as after all, this is the furthest you've ever run, and I'm not surprised it's got a few aches and pains.
The good news is that we...
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Faq
nutrition
Original Email
Hey Ben!
Training is going well for the London marathon.
Just looking for a few tips and tricks on pre and post run food.
To give me the energy and recover on the long runs
Approved Reply
Hey! Great to hear training’s going well.
**Short version:** keep it simple. **Carbs before and during** to protect the quality of the long run, then **carbs + protein after** to speed recovery.
### Pre‑run (2–3 hours before)
- Aim for a **carb‑based meal**: porridge + banana/honey, toast + jam, ...
Voice notes: The coach is practical and energetic, with a 'let's keep this real' mentality. Uses colloquial language ('gut‑trouble culprits', 'pale straw colour') to make nutrition advice relatable rather than clinical. Demonstrates genuine interest by requesting follow-up information to personalize guidance. The voice prioritizes clarity and actionability over comprehensiveness.
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Faq
Original Email
Hi, hope you’re managing to take advantage of the better weather!
Training going well, upped the S&C a bit and calf is fine.
My long run on Sunday was good - had to do some of the marathon pace on perceived effort as there was unexpected steep inclines but towards the end of the 90 mins of marath...
Approved Reply
Hey Katherine,
All well, thank you. Glad training is going well and the calf is fine. I think that the 18 and 2 run-walk intervals will be great for this Sunday's long run, marathon pace section. You could play about with some different ratios, but I think that that will work really nicely
Break t...
Voice notes: Ben's voice is that of an experienced, empathetic coach who combines practical specificity with motivational insight. He speaks directly to the runner's psychology and past mistakes, offering tactical solutions wrapped in encouragement. His writing is conversational and dynamic, using varied sentence length and structure to create emphasis. He's energetic without being patronizing, and he clearly enjoys the racing mentality—his final 'We go for it and see what happens!!' captures his adventurous, optimistic coaching philosophy.
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Faq
Original Email
Thanks Ben,
Any ideas what that would look like?
Cheers,
Tom
Approved Reply
Hi Thomas, I think you would like to go for a ratio like
- 4 minutes running and 1 minute walking
- 8 minutes running and 2 minutes walking
- 9 minutes running and 1 minute walking
The key to the work breaks is they need to be consistent from the start of the run. You can't walk when you are alre...
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Injury
Original Email
Hi Ben,
I wanted to flag an issue that’s been developing so I can manage it properly ahead of the marathon.
About a month ago, not long after a 14 mile run that actually felt really strong, I started to notice a niggle in my left groin area. Around the same time I switched into a new pair of train...
Approved Reply
Hi Emily,
Thanks for reaching out, and we can absolutely manage this as we move towards the marathon. That you've got to 14 miles is great. I agree that maybe something happened with the new shoes but it could also have been down to impact from the additional running. That happens and it is part of...
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