Run With Holly Reviews

I started park run in 2019, and started running 10k in Epping forest during lock-down.
I have cycled recreationally for some years but have never raced.
Inspired by a cycling partner who has run several marathons I entered the 2024 London Marathon ballot. I was a bit surprised to get a place on my first application.
I had never run a marathon before, and have never been a member of a running club. I am 62 years old, 1:65m and weigh about 58 Kg.
I started a Garmin half marathon training plan, but found running consecutive days too much.
I had been trying to run slower and further using heart rate. On a bike I knew I could ride and eat for 100 miles if I mostly keep my heart rate under 150 bpm, and used the same approach to my long runs.
I gradually increased my weekly mileage and by Christmas 2023 was doing about 20 miles a week, consisting of a 10 mile on Mondays, a 10k on Thursday, and a 5k at Park run on Saturday.
My longest run at that time was 15 miles in 2 hours 33 min.
I realised at this point I needed help. I found Holy via a google search and saw that she had previously coached people for the London Marathon and seemed local.
I was quite surprised how dramatically my running improved over the next 12 weeks, setting personal bests at 5k, 10k and half marathon distances during the process without really trying. It was a startling transformation.
I had not been doing much in the way of core strength and stretching/conditioning exercises and realise now I would have run into problems as the volume of running ramped up without this guidance.
I found the accountability of having someone else involved in the training process useful and the reassurance that the process would lead to results, motivating.
Also the tips on running form helped.
My goal was a sub 41/2 hour, not really based on any evidence of form but that my friend was pacing his race at this time.
On the day we came in at 4:36. I finished in good shape and never felt in trouble at any point. I think I could have achieved a sub 4:30, but chose instead to stay with my friend who felt he couldn’t increase the pace.
We had a great day, the London Marathon is quite an experience. I don’t think I could have got there without Holy’s help.
I now begin to wonder if I should get a cycling coach.

Holly was a great support for my London Marathon training and perfectly tailored my plan to suit my aims and personal life. She was really motivating during our catch up calls and never judged if I missed the odd session, but worked with me to set the plan right for me. I would definitely go back to Holly if I ever get to do the marathon again and can highly recommend her help.

I worked with Holly towards my first Marathon. It was brilliant to have a structured training plan tailored to me and my goals, and to have someone to talk to about how it was going and get advice from.

Holly has been a wonderful coach for me during the last six months when I was training for my 2nd London Marathon. She made every month a detailed (but flexible) training plan for me based on my goals and my schedule, with long runs on weekends and different types of runs on weekdays. She guided me and listened to me along the way, and this gave me confidence and kept me motivated. I finished the Marathon with a personal best (40 mins faster even though I was 5 years older) and without any big injuries. Highly recommended!

Holly is a fantastic, knowledgeable and patient coach, who developed a bespoke six month training plan for an ultra marathon and London marathon. The plan was tailored to my goals and also my schedule (for example, helping me to fit sessions around, or including, childcare) and, when injury struck, Holly was fantastic in updating the plan to get me back running. She also had invaluable tips for race day. I couldn't recommend her more!

Great, thoughtful running coach who patiently answered all my questions and wrote a great one month training plan that was tailored to my schedule and goals. I learned a lot of useful tips that will help my running even beyond the month of coaching with Holly. Thank you!

This lady is very strange I emailed her not to long ago about her services she never got back to me then when I contacted her again she informs me she does not offer training anymore but on her reviews there are recent ones thanking her for her amazing work very confusing either they are fake or she just does not want to train me I hope she gets be to me so we can all see what her reason is ??

Holly has been the most incredible support for me whilst training for (two!) London marathons - last summer and earlier this year. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, I injured myself the week before the October marathon but did manage to defer to April. I contacted Holly again in Feb, a bit nervous about my injury and running, but she brilliantly reassured me that it was possible and came up with an adapted plan that ensured I’d get to the start line and complete the race - which I did! Both training plans that Holly produced for me were brilliant, taking into account my goals and working alongside my busy lifestyle. I would 100% recommend Holly to anyone wanting a structured training plan and excellent advice, especially if you’re new to distance running.

Holly helped me return to running after a long break because of an ankle injury and also helped me train for my first marathon. She prepared a tailored detailed plan that worked me. During our regular catch-ups she listened to my needs and adapted the plan to make sure I stayed injury free. I even got a 6 minute half marathon PB during a tune up race! Can’t wait to keep working together.

Holly was incredibly helpful with her detailed training plan, knowledge and advice with regular catch ups that really helped me during my training period - culminating in achieving a 20 minute PB at the Valencia Marathon! Can’t recommend her highly enough

I worked with Holly to train for my 11th marathon over 6 months. Each month Holly listened to how I was feeling and how my body was responding to the training, looked over my stats, and created a plan that took both into account. She answered any questions I had and explained her approach. I loved working with Holly. Highly recommend!

My husband and I are just joggers, but we didn't want to get into bad habits or cause injuries when we run, so we had a video call with Holly.

She was friendly and not at all patronising, and it was refreshing to hear her impartial advice on everything from trainers to local hills. She watched videos of us running and slowed them down to show us how our posture could be improved to prevent injury. And she sent us comprehensive notes afterwards, with links to videos illustrating what she'd said.

It was great to be able to ask our questions to a real person with real expertise and nothing to sell. I'd definitely recommend working with Holly to make sure your running is as good for you as it can be.

Holly coached me to running 50k, and was brilliant. Her monthly catch ups kept me going, and she was able to create a plan that was adapted to the time I had available and had me running further than I have in a decade.

Holly built a clear and focused training plan for me to shed time off my 3:12 marathon PB. The plan was complete with varied pace training with different focuses each month as well as SAM excersizes. Holly used my Strava data and monthly check ins to build the plan so it was personalised to my agenda and ability! Ultimately the proof is in the pudding and I completed Amsterdam Marathon in 3:05! Thank you Holly, wouldn't have been possible without you!

Holly was great - a really clear, structured plan which made training enjoyable!

In February, I contacted Holly, having just completed my first half-marathon, and with 15 weeks to go until my first marathon.

I felt like I had a mountain to climb in too short a time frame, but with calm confidence, Holly put together and talked through a plan to improve my distance and pace, incorporating additional training elements to reduce the chances of injury.

We had ongoing communication throughout the training period interspersed with zoom-chats, talking about distance improvement, pace, fueling, race-day routine.

Despite tripping and rolling my ankle badly four weeks before race-day, which took me out of training for 10 days, with continued communication, and minor tweaks to the plan, I boarded the flight to Edinburgh with confidence I could complete the race.

Thanks so much Holly, I will be in touch soon when I decide what next 😊

Without Holly's fantastic coaching and mentoring there is no way I would of achieved my marathon time. Our phone calls were so valuable in setting out what I needed and was able to do regarding training, and when complications came up in my personal life she was happy to re arrange the schedule.
The training was tough but with enough recovery that I felt confident and well rested going into the race, knowing I'd done all the hard work. If you're looking for someone to take you to the next level, Holly is the one!

I highly recommend 'Run with Holly'.The bespoke running plan Holly made works perfectly. With the monthly catch up phone calls, I'm sure everyone can achieve what you plan to achieve. Myself has run the marathon slightly better than the plan which I am very happy with. Looking forward to achieve another PB soon.

I couldn’t recommend Holly more highly! Holly became my coach in November 2019, and, over the course of the last few years, she has taken me from just about finishing a 10km race to running 65+ mile ultramarathons. Holly’s structured approach worked well for me, the training plans building my fitness and endurance gradually in-line with my race goals (half-marathon at first, then marathon, then upwards). Holly has been a great source of running wisdom, always available to help – with core/strengthening exercises to remove my knee pain, helping plan my strategy, including nutrition and hydration, for longer races, as well as all the other little queries (particularly the day before a race!). Having that structure that a coach provides has really benefitted me, and I certainly wouldn’t be anywhere near the same level without her.

I asked Holly to devise a training plan for my first marathon, without a time in my mind, but with the aim of finishing feeling strong. I've been running for over 30 years, but I learned so much from her. With Holly I developed a marathon race pace, and so a target time, and a very clear idea of what running a marathon would be like. The mental preparation was brilliant, and so was the physical, with a 16-week training plan designed just for me, which gave me confidence. It was varied - I never got bored - and I could do it, although it did challenge me, so I improved. It included advice on running form, and strength and mobility exercises that kept me injury-free throughout.

Holly answered my emailed questions promptly, with thoughtful responses that showed she'd understood my concerns. I didn't opt for a supported training plan, but I still felt so much more confident than if I'd just used a plan from a book, probably aimed at younger runners! I trusted Holly's training to get me round those miles on race day, which it did. I ran my marathon, and of course it was a PB!