About Coach the Run
Coach the Run helps midlife runners improve their performance and reach their goals through personalised advice and training plans.
Welcome to Coach the Run
We believe that you can improve and optimise your running practice no matter what stage of life you are at.
Our program is based on expert advice from our talented coach Mike Gratton, winner of the London Marathon in 1983, who has provided personalised running plans to help midlife runners reach their physical and mental health goals.
We want to inspire people with the positive aspects of running – from how it encourages connection between communities, to its beneficial effects for wellbeing and mental health. Our passion is helping every runner transform their journey by taking small steps towards achieving great things!
Our Values
Our Team
Bringing together two very different perspectives on running; an elite UK champion winner (Mike) and a midlife parent struggling to fulfil his desire to run (Stu), we have created a definitive resource on running, with quality content and emphasis on wellbeing at its core.
Mike Gratton
Head running coach
Mike Gratton started running in 1968 when he achieved second place in a junior 800-meter championship. He later won an English Schools title at 5,000m.
As an artist, Mike applied to art school but was not accepted due to colour blindness. Instead, he pursued a joint degree in Physical Education and Art teaching. While in college, he trained with renowned runners Steve Ovett and Rab Heron.
His training regimen, consisting of interval sessions and steady runs, eventually led him to win the London Marathon with a time of 2hrs 9mins in 1983.
Along the way, Mike faced challenges, including a serious injury caused by a truck accident. Despite setbacks, his perseverance paid off.
- 1970 – English schools 1,500m finalist
- 1974 – English schools 5,000 winner
- 1975-78 – racing mostly on the track but ran a couple of 10 mile road races in 49 minutes and started to think about longer races.
- 1979 – First Marathon – Essonne (France) 2.21.30
- 1979 – Polytechnic Marathon Windsor – 2.19
- 1980 – Olympic trails – 2.18
- 1981 – UK Championships (AAA) Rugby, 3rd 2.60.30
- 1982 – London Marathon, 3rd, 2.12.30
- 1982 – Commonwealth Games, Brisbane, Marathon, third 2.12.06
- 1983 – London Marathon, 1st, 2.09.43
- BEd degree in Physical Education 1977
- UK Qualified coach & lectured the level 2 coaching award in South of England
- Professional coaching: training camps in Portugal 1984-2023, Personal Coaching GB Internationals, delivered beginners classes for UK Charity runners
- Coaching editor for Runner’s World Magazine in 1990’s.
Stuart
Digital manager / part time runner
Just loves to run and dabbles in Triathlon occasionally.
Five marathons to date:
- Paris marathon
- Brighton marathon
- Pilgrams marathon
- London marathon
- Abingdon marathon
Stuart hopes to one day to complete the World Marathon Majors.