What does it take to go from running a few casual miles around Hereford to chasing a sub 2 hour 40 minute marathon?

In this episode of Smarter Than Yesterday, Alex sits down with local runner Ryan to dive into his running journey, from his first charity half marathon inspired by his grandfather, to becoming one of the region’s quickest distance runners.

Ryan shares the lessons he’s learned through years of consistent training, setbacks, injury, marathon racing and pushing himself against some of the UK’s toughest competition. Together they explore why having purpose matters, how discipline beats motivation, and why becoming a better athlete often comes from becoming a smarter one.

Whether you’re training for your first 5K, your next marathon, or simply looking for inspiration to stay consistent, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest conversation.

In this episode you’ll hear about:
• How Ryan first got into running through fundraising for St Michael’s Hospice
• Building consistency and developing a competitive mindset
• Why goals give your training purpose
• Lessons learned from marathon racing
• Recovering from a broken ankle and returning stronger
• The importance of cross training during injury
• Ryan’s marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K personal bests
• Training for Berlin Marathon and chasing a sub 2:40 finish
• Why London Marathon stands above every other race
• Quick fire questions including favourite shoes, hardest sessions and post race food

If you enjoy this episode, please like, subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit from it.

For coaching, training plans and our running community visit:

🌐 www.smartperformancecoaching.co.uk

Remember… Be Smarter Than Yesterday.

00:00 Introduction and welcoming Ryan
01:20 Ryan’s background and life outside running
05:35 How running became his passion
10:55 Competing beyond your comfort zone
13:10 Balancing work, training and consistency
19:20 Personal bests and favourite race distances
24:15 Marathon lessons and racing smarter
26:00 Injury, recovery and coming back stronger
32:35 London Marathon, favourite races and Man vs Horse
43:55 Berlin Marathon goals, sub 2:40 and future ambitions
48:55 Quick fire questions and key takeaways

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