London Marathon coach. Built for negative-split execution.
London is one of the fastest marathon courses on earth — but only if you race it patiently. I coach runners targeting a Good For Age place, a sub-3, or a first London finish, with a build that punishes the urge to go out hot and rewards the runner who's still moving past the 21-mile mark on the Embankment.
London is fast. Not easy.
London has the World Marathon Majors' fastest average finish time for a reason: flat profile, big crowds, and elite pacing groups. But the course also has Tower Bridge bunching, the Canary Wharf u-turns, and a long, exposed Embankment finish that catches anyone who paced the first half on adrenaline.
Training for London means building the aerobic ceiling to run a fast marathon and the discipline to execute a negative split. We do both — and we rehearse the specific pacing problem London creates: how to handle a 5K split at mile 13 that's 30 seconds faster than goal.
How I coach this build
12–16 weeks of base before any marathon-pace work. London rewards the highest aerobic ceiling — that's what we build first.
Every long run in the peak block is split: easy first half, marathon-pace second. Your body learns to settle and surge in the right order.
One threshold session, one long run with race-pace work. Three hard days a week is how runners over 35 get hurt before April.
London in April can be 5°C or 22°C. We rehearse fuelling and clothing for both. Race day is not the day to figure it out.
Tower Bridge surge, Canary Wharf turns, Embankment headwind. Every mile of the course gets a pacing target before race week.
Three-week taper with sharpening intensity, big volume cut, mental rehearsal. You should feel restless on race week.
A sample peak-build week
Week 12 of a 16-week build for an athlete chasing a sub-3 London Marathon. Roughly 55 miles, two quality sessions, one long aerobic run with marathon-pace work.
Get the free London Pacing Guide.
The same race-day pacing framework I use with athletes targeting a sub-3 or GFA London finish. PDF, no fluff.
- Mile-by-mile pacing template at five goal times
- Fueling schedule synced to the London aid stations
- Tower Bridge / Canary Wharf / Embankment tactics
- Weather adjustment scenarios
Is this coaching right for you?
Coaching for this build runs from $250 every 4 weeks ($3,250 per year). Here is who it does and does not suit.
This is for you if
- You have a London place — ballot, championship or charity — and a time you want.
- You can hold 40 to 65 miles a week through a UK winter build.
- You want the crowded early miles, the cobbles at the Tower and the Embankment finish paced properly.
This is not for you if
- You are running for a charity and your goal is to finish and raise money. Take a self-guided plan and put the difference towards your fundraising target.
- You are still waiting on a ballot result. Wait for the place before you buy the block.
- You want a UK-based coach you can meet. Coaching here is remote from Boston, with calls scheduled around your time zone.
What happens after you book the call
Twenty minutes, free, and you leave with a recommendation in writing whether or not you buy anything.
Pick a time that suits you
Twenty minutes, video or phone, in English, Portugues or Espanol.
You get a confirmation email immediately
With the link and two short questions so the call is not spent on basics.
We talk about your goal, not my services
There is no pitch. If the honest answer is a $35 plan or Apex, that is the answer you get.
You leave with a recommendation in writing
A short follow-up email with what I would do next, whether or not you buy anything.
Refunds, cancellation and pausing
- Cancelling
- Cancel any time by email, with no notice period and no exit fee. Your current 4-week cycle finishes as normal and you are not billed again.
- Refunds
- Cycles already started are not refunded, because the plan for those weeks has already been written and delivered. If you cancel before the first session of a new cycle has been published, that cycle is refunded in full.
- Pausing
- You can pause for injury, illness, travel or life for up to 8 weeks a year at no cost, and your seat on the roster is held. Tell me before the next cycle bills. Beyond 8 weeks the seat goes to the waitlist and you rejoin when there is space.
- Price changes
- Your rate is fixed for as long as you stay coached continuously. Published prices only apply to new athletes.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Most of the roster is remote — you get the same plan, weekly review, and race-day calls regardless of where you live. Athletes in the UK occasionally meet on long-run weekends, but it's never required.
London is fast but not flat — Tower Bridge bunching, Canary Wharf turns, and the Embankment headwind all cost time if you don't pace conservatively in the first half. The fitness ceiling is Berlin-fast, but the race demands more discipline. We train for negative-split execution, not a hot start.
London Marathon GFA standards are tighter than Boston for younger age groups. We build to your specific standard with a 3–5 minute cushion, since GFA cut-offs are tightening every year.
London in April is unpredictable — 5°C and rainy or 22°C and sunny. We rehearse fuelling and clothing scenarios in your peak block so race day isn't your first test of either.
16–20 weeks before race day for a focused build. If you're chasing a sub-3 or sub-3:30 for the first time, start 12 months out with a base phase before the build.
Training plans start at $75 one-time. 1:1 coaching billed every 4 weeks: Essential $250, Performance $350, Elite $750 (capped at 4 athletes).