RUN A LOVELY MARATHON— PERFORMANCE THAT FEELS GOOD.

Marathon Coaching 

 
15+ years marathon running | 8x London Marathon finisher | Qualified coach | Former charity CEO.
 
I'm Sarah, The Lovely Marathon Coach.  I help people who want to run the marathon-  Especially if you are:
  • Running for charity. 
  • Running the London Marathon.
  • Running your first marathon.  
  • A busy professional with lots of commitments. 
  • An older runner or returning to running after a break. 

Training for a marathon takes blood, sweat, tears and an investment of time and money. Let's ensure it pays you back with a life-affirming experience from your first training run, all the way to the finish line.
 
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WHICH RUNNER ARE YOU? 

 

Running for a cause?

➡️ Charity Runner Package

You're nervous about raising the money, doing the training or quite possibly both.  This package provides  support with both your running and your fundraising.   

  • A beginners or improvers training plan.
  • Fundraising guidance to help you reach your target with minimal stress.
  • Supportive WhatsApp community with other charity runners.
  • Monthly expert workshops, recorded if you can't make them live.

 

Need more accountability?

➡️ Lovely Marathon Membership

 You’re serious about doing this properly and want consistent support from a qualified human.

  • Weekly group coaching calls.
  • Structured training plans via Training Peaks that sync with your watch. 
  • Ongoing support from a lovely experienced community. 
  • Quarterly 1:1 check-in.
  • Access to the Marathon Mindset Online Course and training back catalog.

 

Want a serious result? 

➡️ Private Coaching

 You don’t have time to get this wrong. You want expert guidance tailored to you. 

  • Fully personalised plan.
  • Direct access to your coach.
  • Weekly, Fortnightly or Monthly 1:1 calls.
  • Performance-focused approach.

    PLUS - everything in the Lovely Marathon Membership 

 

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  • Then it's especially important that you get the support with this.  Whilst it is possible to go from couch to marathon within a few months, having someone to guide you through the process will significantly reduce your risk of injury.   Plus you'll enjoy the experience so much more!

  •   Injury is the biggest worry for most of the people I work with. That’s why I believe it's so important to have access to a qualified human coach and not just a fancy app.  All my plans are carefully designed to increase the training load in a managed way.  And if you get ill or injured or life gets in the way, I'll help you to get back on track safely. 

    My goal is to get you to the start line healthy, strong and happy.

     I'll help you understand what listening to your body really means and how to do it. Having me in your corner will give you the confidence to make the decisions that are best for you. 

  • Then it's especially important that you spend the time you do have effectively!  I’ll help you cut out the guesswork, building a plan that works with your actual life so you can train properly (and fundraise) without it taking over everything else.

  •  It's much more of a conversation than people expect. There's no being put through your paces or judged on what you have or haven't done. We talk, I listen, I ask questions, and together we work out what you actually need. Most people tell me afterwards that they wish they'd done it sooner — not because it was intense, but because it was such a relief to have someone calm and knowledgeable in their corner. 

  • Asking for money can feel really 'icky'.  It puts so many people off running for charity!  But it really doesn't have to feel awkward.  You're raising money for an important cause and that matters. 

    I'll help you find a way to share your story that feels purposeful and sincere. You’ll get access to my custom AI tool to help take the stress out of writing your fundraising page and free 20 min fundraising review.

  • If you're a charity runner, you'll have access to a dedicated WhatsApp community.  You can choose whether to receive just the announcements, or join one of the chats to meet other runners from your charity and develop some fantastic peer support.  (These groups are kept fairly small and I check in regularly.)

     If you're a Lovely Marathon member, you'll have access to our private chat, with some very lovely experienced marathon runners!

     If you're a private coaching client, you get my personal number. If something comes up — a worry, a bad run, a question about a niggle — you can message me and you'll (normally) hear back the same day. Think of it as having a knowledgeable friend you can text, rather than waiting until your next appointment.

THE LOVELY MARATHON PHILOSOPHY
Training for a marathon is a significant challenge. It requires grit, commitment, and a willingness to do the hard things—but that is exactly what makes the finish line so rewarding.  However, "hard" should not mean "miserable." If you only care about a finish time that looks good on Strava, I am probably not the coach for you. I work with runners who want more than just a medal. I want to help you become a stronger, more resilient person and discover how the journey to 26.2 miles can change your life for the better. We train for a composed performance and a life-affirming experience, from the first tentative mile of training to the last joyous steps across the finish line.