Online running coaching and personalised training plans
My adventures of running, training and life.
I’m Gareth Cooke — a running coach and personal trainer from Barnsley, and a member of Barnsley Athletic Club. I took myself from a 4:04 first marathon to a 2:24:35 personal best while working full time, and I’ve run every single day since 30 November 2015. That’s 3,931 days, and counting.
I coach runners online — from first-timers working towards a 5K to club runners chasing a Good For Age. Every plan is written around your week: the days you can actually train, at paces built from your own recent times, with the reasoning behind each session explained rather than just handed to you.
The title ‘therunningmaninblue’ came from choosing to wear the same blue top when racing before I joined a running club. I have previously run for Penistone Footpath Runners & Athletic Club; making the transfer to the blue side again in 2021.
Not sure which option fits, or want to talk something through before committing? Email me on gareth@therunningmaninblue.co.uk — I answer every message myself.
Want to see what I’ve been doing, check out the updates section.
Inspire, Motivate, Achieve
Day 3,931 — still running
Train with someone who hasn’t missed a day since 2015
I took myself from a 4:04 marathon to 2:24:35 while working full time — no altitude camps, no shortcuts. Whatever you’re chasing, I’ll build the training that gets you there.
2:24:35 marathon PB / Coaching & PT since 2010 / Barnsley AC / Streak since 30 Nov 2015
£80 / £120
Standard / Premium, per month
1-to-1 coaching
- Training written week by week, for you
- WhatsApp access — I’m a message away
- Race planning, pacing and taper
- Premium adds form analysis and a monthly call
£39
One-off payment
Personalised training plan
- 5K, 10K, half or full marathon
- Paces built from your own recent PB
- Every session named and explained
- Delivered as a branded PDF
£60
Running form analysis — send up to five twenty-second clips from your phone, filmed from behind and side on. You get back what your stride is actually doing, plus the corrective strength work aimed at the faults it finds.
Analyse my form£30
Strength & conditioning plan — a full progressive programme of runner-specific gym and bodyweight work to keep you injury-free and stronger over the closing miles.
Add S&CNot sure yet? Start with a free consultation — email, WhatsApp or a phone call, no obligation.
therunningmaninblue over on YouTube
In years gone by I took a proactive stance to writing up my racing and training reports with a lot of this moving over to a YouTube channel that I routinely update. If you’re interested in following and watching along check out my channel here.
Strength Training for Runners: What Actually Matters
Most runners either skip the gym entirely or do the wrong things in it. Here is what runner-specific strength work…
I Ran 15:40 for a 5K personal best — 13 Months After Surgery // Mid Cheshire 5k
Thirteen months ago I was on the other side of surgery, not really knowing if the runner I’d spent a…
The start of Mid Cheshire 5k and the first 5 minutes at 3.5km
Right, this one’s a bit of an odd clip but I thought it was worth sharing anyway. It’s the start…
From the athletes I coach
3:15:47 marathon
A six minute marathon personal best at 57 years old, and in the best shape he has ever been in. Start to finish of that block he went from strength to strength. Most importantly he says he enjoyed the process, which is half the battle.
Neil, coached athlete