coaching case studies
From new runners chasing their first sub-25 parkrun to masters athletes targeting Boston Qualifying times, these are the stories of runners who trusted the process and achieved their running goals.
Every athlete on this page started in the same place: with a goal they were not sure they could reach and a training approach that was not getting them there. That might be hitting a plateau, ready to take their training more seriously or perhaps seeing what a club mate achieved. We've helped them over come any issues they may have had, we've encouraged them to enjoy the journey and take the pressure off, whilst managing their training alongside work, family and anything else that crops up along the way!
Check out our social media for more examples of client success stories and how we can help you over come similar obstacles.
Athlete Results
A snapshot of the improvements our athletes have made across every distance. Click any card to read the full story.
Case Study 01
Coach: Jonny Mellor
The Journey
Phase 1
The first step was finding a better work-family-training balance and we achieved this by adjusting the overall volume and structuring the intense days better around work.
Phase 2
Longer term we've developed and pushed forward Anthony's LTP by using double threshold sessions to help push it forward over time.
Phase 3
A targeted block of training with a small amount of VO2max intervals sprinkled in at the right times as well as a clear plan around which races to target rather than a scattergun approach has worked really well.
Anthony joined the team back in 2017. Over the years Anthony alongside his impressive improvement over 5km, has improved his 10km to 31:40 from 36:57, half marathon to 69:51 from 76:13 and lowered his marathon time to 2:28:29 having come to the team with a best of 2:38:38.
One of the biggest challenges with Anthony is balancing working long hours along side running seriously impressive mileage. Sometimes it was a competition to see if he could actually run more miles per week than he ran. Which is impressive based on a traditional 40 hour week, but Anthony was regularly clocking 70 hour weeks. We've worked really hard to balance recovery around hard training to achieve the times he has and progress hasn't always been linear as a result, but the results speak for themselves and it's been an unbelievable journey to this day.
We have worked hard to give balance in training and have variation between easy and hard days to give his week a better structure. It was important to keep easy days easy, but one of Anthony's biggest qualities is his relentless work ethic, be that work or training so often the harder thing was learning that less is sometimes more. Giving him more time to recover between sessions and train more sustainable long term is reflected in the results.
In recent times we've started introducing double threshold to move Anthony on aerobically alongside a reduced workload. Consistency and working within the right zones has and always will be key.
"The results speak for themselves, I've enjoyed great success working with Jonny over the years and have gone from a club runner to a sub elite athlete all around working long hours and a busy family life. Progress isn't always linear but in terms of the numbers my mileage has increased and my personal bests have all come down working with JM Coaching"
Anthony Hatswell
Coached by Jonny Mellor
Case Study 02
Coach: Jonny Mellor
The Journey
Phase 1
Steve joined JM Coaching in the midst of a global pandemic. He had trained hard but unstructured and without consistency for years.
Phase 2
A 12-week block targeting consistency followed with weekly threshold sessions, and race tune-ups when races returned after the pandemic.
Phase 3
At the 2025 Great Easter Half Marathon Steve ran 1:19:53, taking over 10 minutes off his previous best. The result didn't come in year one, but following years of this approach.
Steve arrived at JM Coaching as a hard-working club runner who had made good initial progress but just needed to find consistency and belief. His mileage was inconsistent.
We kept things simple and went back to basics whilst navigating a global pandemic. Throughout the process we built a strong coaching relationship and both welcomed new family members (and dogs!) around the same time so could trade stories.
The half marathon PB may have come in 2025 having signed up in May 2020, but this was a result of continuous progression over the years and gradually chipping away at his personal bests lowering it to 1:22 and then 1:19 in 2025. We made changes to the plan along the way with different race targets and balancing work and travel around family time but it's the on going adjustments that made the difference alongside Steve's work ethic and trust in the process. That kind of flexibility and strong athlete - coach relationship is hard to replicate with a static plan.
"So proud of this today. Pretty much ran to feel and left it all out there! Thanks for all the help in making days like today possible and helping me believe I can run times like this."
Steve Bullock
Case Study 03
Coach: Jonny Mellor
The Journey
Year 1
Camille was a keen marathon runner but wanted to progress and get more structured training. Meeting at UTS Run Club in 2013, Jonny started coaching Camille in the same year.
Years 2-10
During the early days it was a huge learning curve for both as Jonny experienced coaching for the first time and Camille adapted to her new training plan.
Year 3+
Contrary to the common assumption that masters athletes simply decline, Camille has continued to improve year on year going on to run a marathon PB in 2025. Testament to the hard work Camille puts in to look after her body.
Camille is the first athlete through the doors at JM Coaching, back in 2013. It was a new journey for both of us and one that has gone on to form a strong coaching relationship to this day. There's been plenty of highs and lows along the way, but it's been a fantastic coaching journey and one we've very much enjoyed. Jonny was always keen to pass on his experience as an elite athlete and Camille was always curious to learn more and listen to insights of a shared love of marathon running.
Jonny built Camille a programme initially using PDF's emailed each week prior to transitioning over to TrainingPeaks. We have focused on long term progression and sustainability with our approach to training rather than looking for the quick wins. Together we've ran some of the biggest marathons in the world with Camille running her fastest ever marathon at Vienna in 2025 down to an incredible 3:11!
Race selection has also been key. Rather than chasing a marathon every six months, Camille targets one or two key races per year with supporting half marathons as benchmarks. This approach has helped build confidence and get Camille used to racing. This has helped us plan for proper periodisation and means that when she arrives at a marathon start line, she is fully prepared rather than partially recovered.
The lesson from Camille is that long-term coaching is not just about short-term PBs. It is about building a sustainable relationship with running that keeps you fit, healthy, and improving well into the decades where many runners assume the best is behind them.
"As always don't know what I'd do without Jonny, he is always right there and believes in me. I was nervous going into the Vienna Marathon with niggles with my knee and Jonny just put me right with my training... I got well and truly battered with some sessions and I hated him more than ever but when you do as your told and listen and recover it shows it works. Two PB's this year, can't believe it really and I think there's more still."
Camille Aryeetey
JM Coaching athlete — coached by Jonny Mellor
Case Study 07
Full case study in progress. Check back soon or get in touch to find out more about our coaching.
Case Study 07
Full case study in progress. Check back soon or get in touch to find out more about our coaching.
Case Study 07
Full case study in progress. Check back soon or get in touch to find out more about our coaching.
Case Study 07
Full case study in progress. Check back soon or get in touch to find out more about our coaching.
Got Questions?
Most athletes notice measurable improvement within 8 to 12 weeks. The first changes are typically in how sessions feel rather than in times: easy runs become genuinely easy, hard sessions become more controlled, and recovery improves. Race-day results usually follow in the second or third targeted race under coaching, which for most athletes is between 3 and 6 months in. The case studies on this page span 11 months to 3 years, reflecting the full spectrum of development timelines.
No. Our athletes range from runners targeting sub-25 parkruns for the first time to elites chasing sub-2:25 marathons. The principles are the same regardless of ability: structure, specificity, and consistency beat haphazard training at every level. If you are running regularly and want to improve, coaching will help. See our coaching options to find the right level of support for where you are now.
The athletes on this page have used a range of packages from Bronze Classic through to Gold Performance. The right package depends on how much one-to-one communication and real-time plan adjustment you need. Some athletes thrive with a structured monthly plan and WhatsApp access. Others benefit from weekly calls and continuous plan updates. You can compare all three tiers here.
Yes, and Camille Aryeetey's case study is a direct example. Masters athletes do not automatically decline year on year. What they need is training that accounts for longer recovery requirements, a higher priority on injury prevention, and race selection that allows proper periodisation. Many of our masters athletes are running their best times ever because for the first time they are training appropriately for their physiology rather than following a plan designed for a 30-year-old. You can read more on our masters running coaching page.
Every plan is built from scratch for the individual. There are no off-the-shelf templates. Your coach will consider your current fitness, injury history, training history, available time to train, target race, and goals before building a plan on TrainingPeaks. Plans are adjusted week by week based on how sessions go, how you are recovering, and any life factors that affect your training. This is particularly evident at Gold tier where plan adjustments happen in real time through weekly check-in calls.
The first step is to visit our services page and choose the coaching tier that fits your needs and budget. From there you will fill in an onboarding questionnaire about your training background and goals. Your coach will then design your first training block and set it up in TrainingPeaks before your first session begins. Most athletes are up and running within 48 hours of signing up. Any questions before you commit, get in touch here.
Every athlete on this page started with a conversation. Find the coaching plan that fits your goals and take the first step.
