Back to pain-free miles.
Without it coming back.
Strength coaching for runners stuck in the cycle of injury, rest, return, re-injure. The thing physio rarely has time for, the load-tolerance rebuild, is what stops the niggle coming back. Two sessions a week of 45 minutes is what closes the gap.
Outcomes runners train for.
First milestone. Most clients hit a comfortable pain-free 5k inside 6-8 weeks even when they started unable to run a mile.
Most runners back to previous weekly mileage within 12-16 weeks. The gating factor is tissue tolerance, which we build directly.
ITBS, runner's knee and Achilles niggles tend to come back without strength work. The whole point of the rebuild is that the third comeback isn't another comeback.
Running is a single-leg sport. Most runners have a 20-40% asymmetry that nobody screens for. We close it, deliberately.
Glute strength is where most runners' power leaks. Once it returns, the calves and Achilles stop carrying weight they were never meant to.
Whatever the goal distance, the strength base is what holds form together in the back half. Most marathon clients PR in the block where strength gets added.
The gap physio doesn't fill.
The typical client finds me 6-12 weeks into the third comeback. Physio has settled the acute injury twice now. The niggle keeps coming back because the tissue can't take the load they're asking it to take. The fix is more capacity, not more rest.
Two strength sessions a week of 45 minutes. Heavy hip hinges, single-leg work, eccentric calf loading, anti-rotation core. Heavy enough that adaptation actually happens. Slow enough that nothing aggravates. Programmed around your running week, not against it.
For chronic niggles we usually keep you running on reduced mileage from week one. For acute stuff (stress fracture, severe Achilles, post-surgery) the gym is the whole programme until the return-to-run protocol kicks in around week 6-10.
Every session in ProgramGrid. Every run you log inside it too. The app spots when load is climbing faster than your tissue can handle and flags it before the niggle returns. The work, the recovery and the rebuild all in one place.
Return-to-running coaching. Questions answered.
+I've already seen a physio. Why do I also need strength training?
Physio gets the acute injury settled. The thing that stops it coming back is the strength and conditioning the physio doesn't have time to programme. Runners' injuries are almost always load-tolerance problems. The tissue can't handle the demand. Strength training fixes the demand-tolerance mismatch; physio fixes the acute insult. They're complementary, not competing.
+Can I keep running while we train, or do I have to stop?
Depends on the injury. For most chronic niggles (runner's knee, ITBS, mild Achilles) we taper to manageable mileage and keep you running. For acute stuff (stress fractures, severe plantar) you'll need a real break and the rebuild happens fully in the gym before any return-to-run programme.
+How long does the rebuild usually take?
8-16 weeks from first session to running pain-free at previous mileage. Faster for chronic niggles with no actual tissue damage. Slower for stress fractures, post-surgery returns or runners with multiple previous injuries on the same tissue.
+I'm training for a marathon. Will this fit around my plan?
Yes. The strength block is two sessions a week of 45 minutes, designed to complement marathon training, not compete with it. Most marathon runners I work with PR in the same block where we add strength work. Fresher legs in the back half, fewer late-week aches.
+Do you actually run?
I lift more than I run, but I've worked with enough club runners and marathoners to know the demands of the sport. The strength side is what I bring; you bring the running.
+What injuries do you most commonly help runners through?
Runner's knee (PFPS), ITBS, Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, hip flexor strains, calf strains, and post-stress-fracture returns. All have one thing in common: a tissue that's being asked to do more than it's been trained for.
Book a free
consultation.
A free first session at the gym, or a phone call. We work out the plan together. If I'm not the right coach for you, I'll tell you so on the day.