AJ Running Coach

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AJ Running Coaching
Specialised in 10K/Half Marathon coaching

I offer custom training programs that will be created for the individual taking in to account their personal goals

Busy runners can make a very respectable-looking mistake.They hide in easy volume.The week looks sensible.The mileage ti...
18/06/2026

Busy runners can make a very respectable-looking mistake.

They hide in easy volume.

The week looks sensible.
The mileage ticks over.
Nothing looks reckless.

But the quality work that would actually move the goal keeps getting softened, shortened, or treated too cautiously.

That is not always smart restraint.

Sometimes it is just avoidance wearing a mature face.

Easy running matters.

It just is not there to replace the work that helps you race faster.

DM me “QUALITY” if your weeks feel neat but not especially effective.

AJ
www.AJRunningCoach.com

80/20 makes more sense for some goals than others.That is the bit a lot of runners skip.A marathon build and a sharper 1...
17/06/2026

80/20 makes more sense for some goals than others.

That is the bit a lot of runners skip.

A marathon build and a sharper 10K build do not need to look identical.

If you are training for shorter road races, the answer is not automatically “just keep more of it easy.”

Sometimes the week needs a bit more well-controlled quality than internet rules would have you believe.

The mistake is using one broad principle like it should cover every distance in exactly the same way.

Better runners match the week to the event.

Comment “10K” if you want me to break this down by race distance.

AJ
www.AJRunningCoach.com

One reason runners misuse 80/20 so badly?They reduce the whole week to “hard” and “easy” like nothing else matters.But s...
16/06/2026

One reason runners misuse 80/20 so badly?

They reduce the whole week to “hard” and “easy” like nothing else matters.

But session cost is more nuanced than that.

A short threshold set is not the same as a brutal VO2 session.

A long run with pace changes is not the same as steady mileage.

That is why a perfect-looking ratio can still produce a poor week.

The label matters less than the cost.

Good training is not built by counting marbles.

It is built by understanding what each session takes out of you and what it gives back.

DM me “COST” if your training looks good on paper but rarely feels right in reality.

AJ
www.AJRunningCoach.com

80/20 is useful.It is not a religion.A lot of runners have taken a good principle and turned it into a rigid rulebook.If...
15/06/2026

80/20 is useful.

It is not a religion.

A lot of runners have taken a good principle and turned it into a rigid rulebook.

If the week does not look perfectly balanced on paper, they panic.

If the ratio shifts a bit, they think the block has gone wrong.

That is not smart training.

The real point is simple.

Most of your running should support aerobic development and recovery.

A smaller amount should create the quality that actually moves performance.

How that looks can vary.

Comment “8020” if you want the smarter version instead of the internet version.

AJ
www.AJRunningCoach.com

Most ambitious runners do not need to choose between getting fitter and moving better.They need both.Good running still ...
14/06/2026

Most ambitious runners do not need to choose between getting fitter and moving better.

They need both.

Good running still sits at the centre.

Threshold work still matters.
Long runs still matter.
Easy mileage still matters.

But a little well-placed elastic work can help all of it land better.

That is the point.

Not random extra fatigue.
Not trying to become a sprinter.

Just building a stride that keeps giving you something back.

Comment “SYSTEM” if you want the sort of setup I would use for a busy performance-focused runner.

AJ
www.AJRunningCoach.com

Busy runners do not need another massive session to feel guilty about missing.That is one reason plyometric work can be ...
13/06/2026

Busy runners do not need another massive session to feel guilty about missing.

That is one reason plyometric work can be so useful when it is done well.

You do not need loads of it.

Five to ten minutes.
A few crisp contacts.
Consistent enough to matter.

That is often plenty.

The bigger skill is placement.

It needs to support the running week, not quietly turn every “easy” day into more stress than you can absorb.

Small and smart usually beats big and random.

DM me “MICRO” if you want a simple way to fit plyos into a busy week.

AJ
www.AJRunningCoach.com

If your stride gets louder when you get tired, pay attention.That is often the body telling you something useful.Heavy c...
12/06/2026

If your stride gets louder when you get tired, pay attention.

That is often the body telling you something useful.

Heavy contacts.
Messier rhythm.
Less snap off the ground.

Those are not just cosmetic issues.
They usually mean the cost of running is climbing.

That matters because pace often starts getting more expensive before it visibly starts dropping.

Good runners get better at noticing those small signals.

And good coaching often starts there too.

Comment “CONTACT” if you want more of the coach’s-eye signs I watch for.

AJ
www.AJRunningCoach.com

12/06/2026

Enjoying the in-between 👊

45 mins easy today — 6.10 miles at 7:22/mi, avg HR 133.

After a rest day yesterday, it felt good to get back out there. Even if the wind had other ideas 🌬️😅

Today’s run was one of those sessions where I didn’t care about pace, splits or performance. I just enjoyed being outside, getting some fresh air and letting the legs tick over.

It’s a strange feeling being between training blocks.

For months you’re focused on a goal, chasing sessions, building fitness and preparing for race day. Then suddenly there’s no immediate target and the pressure disappears.

A few years ago I would have struggled with that.

Now I’ve learned to enjoy it.

These periods are a chance to reset mentally, work on the little things and remember why I started running in the first place.

Before long I’ll be locking into another marathon block and chasing the next big goal.

For now, I’m happy just enjoying the miles.

Overall a really nice session and another reminder that not every run needs a purpose beyond simply enjoying it.

AJ
www.AJRunningCoach.com

A lot of late-race running problems start lower down than runners realise.Calves.Ankles.Feet.When that whole system stop...
11/06/2026

A lot of late-race running problems start lower down than runners realise.

Calves.
Ankles.
Feet.

When that whole system stops doing its job well, the stride gets sloppier and the cost of holding pace rises fast.

That is one reason some runners fade without really understanding why.

They assume it is just fitness.

Sometimes part of it is that they are no longer recycling force efficiently enough to keep moving well.

That is why calf strength and elastic work matter so much for serious runners.

DM me “CALVES” if late-race form always seems to go first.

AJ
www.AJRunningCoach.com

Pogo hops look simple.That is probably why some runners dismiss them.Big mistake.Small, controlled jumping work can do a...
10/06/2026

Pogo hops look simple.

That is probably why some runners dismiss them.

Big mistake.

Small, controlled jumping work can do a lot for rhythm, stiffness, and how well you get force back out of the ground.

That matters when you want your stride to stay efficient instead of getting heavier every time fatigue builds.

The key is not turning them into a sufferfest.

Plyos should sharpen you.

Not leave you crawling around proud of yourself.

Keep them crisp.
Keep them controlled.
Leave a bit in hand.

Comment “POGO” if you want simple runner-friendly plyo options.

AJ
www.AJRunningCoach.com

Address

34 Poplar Way
Chippenham
SN148PR

Opening Hours

Monday 5pm - 11pm
Tuesday 5pm - 11pm
Wednesday 5pm - 11pm
Thursday 5pm - 11pm
Friday 5pm - 11pm
Saturday 8am - 10pm
Sunday 8am - 9pm

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