Club Coaches
The running club is privileged to have a brilliant team of running and Tri coaches that volunteer their time throughout the year. You will find them coaching interval and track sessions, swimming sessions, junior running and Tri sessions, the Beginners Course and more.
Their profiles describe how they got into coaching and what motivates them to volunteer for the club. If you would like to know more about how to become a coach and what it involves, please speak to any of them or contact the Head Coach. Please click here to find out what our current priority vacancies are.
James Harvey
Head coach
I started coaching a few years ago shortly after my children joined the junior section of the running club. I said “yes” to helping on one sunny day. I then found myself completing the Assistant Coach and Athletic Coach qualifications. I was inspired to do more by the enthusiasm, care and commitment displayed by the other junior coaches and helpers. I regularly coach at the Saturday morning junior sessions and enjoy helping at the Beginners Course. I coach because it is a fun and satisfying thing to do, and I want those I coach to feel the same way about their running.
I am always happy to talk to anyone interested in what becoming a coach involves.
Adam Beaumont
Adam is a key member of our track coaching team and is a qualified Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF).
Adam Newman
I have been coaching with the club’s senior section since gaining my (Leader in Running Fitness) LiRF qualification in 2025. My primary focus has been coaching the Friday night interval sessions at Mark Hall running track…the best way to spend a Friday night!!
I am passionate about ensuring that every athlete who attends my sessions feels their time and effort have been well invested. I take pride in helping runners improve their efficiency through strong running form, offering feedback that is clear, practical, and easy to apply.
Above all, I aim to foster a genuine enjoyment of running in everyone I coach. Equally important is supporting injury prevention, which is why I place strong emphasis on thorough warm-ups and cool-downs as an integral part of every session. What matters most to me is that each person arrives ready to engage in a productive session…and, ideally, does so with a positive attitude and a smile.
Ben Howarth
I obtained my Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) certification in early 2026 and have since started taking groups with the club. I am a keen ultra runner, and I have competed in ultra distance races all over the UK since 2012 using a low heart rate approach in training.
My plan is to progress to Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) qualification with a view to coaching ultra distance runners, helping them to attain their long term goals, maximising their enjoyment and minimising the risk of injury.
Chris Forster
I started running in 2013 after being inspired by an old school friend who runs ultras. I joined the club with my wife on the Beginners Course in 2024 after a particularly awful London Winter Run and became a Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) in 2025. I enjoy coaching the Beginners Course, and can also be found taking Tuesday intervals, track sessions and helping with the club's juniors.
I get the most pleasure in seeing the speed that absolute novices can develop with the right training, then helping them stay focused and motivated in the long term.
Clare Gallagher
Clare is a key member of our intervals coaching team and is a qualified Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF).
David Broughton
Dave has been a Level 2 British Triathlon Coach since 2021, with a foundation as a junior coach and a strong background and experience coaching swimming, cycling, and running.
David Hammond
I'm Dave Hammond. I'm a Swim Bike Run Leader assisting with the coaching team at Bishops Stortford Junior Tri club. I joined the team with my partner Lucy as we both have an interest in triathlon and wanted to get involved in a community club where we can pass our knowledge and experience on.
I have completed many triathlons from sprint to Ironman distance and I have a love of cycling especially in the mountains of Europe. I now hope to progress to level 1 coaching in the coming year to further my involvement in the club.
Eilidh Malcom
My passion for running started when I was a junior in the running club and progressed onto athletics where I focused on the 400m. I have only recently moved over to distance running.
I mainly coach juniors and track sessions, which I find incredibly rewarding. I want every athlete I coach to work hard, feel proud of their effort, and most importantly, enjoy the sessions and leave feeling accomplished.
Feridun Kadir
I started running at age 58 in January 2022 by following the NHS couch to 5k app. Despite hating running at school, I found I now loved it.
While following the C25K I thought it would be good to join a club, and discovered the Beginners Course which I joined in April 2022 – one of the best things I’ve done in a long time. I’ve met a wonderful bunch of people who are very encouraging and inclusive.
I qualified as a Coaching Assistant in January 2024. I help with Juniors sessions and the Beginners Course.
Francesca Palmer
Francesca is a key member of the Tri coaching team and is a qualified Level 1 coach.
Gary Jones
I’ve been coaching with the club’s senior section since gaining my Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) qualification in 2020, and progressed to Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) in 2024. Since 2022, I’ve also worked closely with individual marathon runners, typically supporting two or three athletes through each spring marathon training block to help them meet or exceed their target times.
My focus is on giving runners clear structure, consistent support, and the confidence to train with purpose. I want every athlete I work with to understand their training, stay injury-free, and get the best possible result from the time they put in.
Jane Malone
I started coaching in 2023, when I completed the Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) qualification shortly after completing my first marathon. That experience gave me the confidence to realise that if I could achieve something I once found daunting, I could help others do the same with their own running goals — whether that means running for enjoyment, building confidence, or racing at any distance.
I regularly coach adult interval sessions at the club and particularly enjoy coaching on the Beginners Course where I love seeing runners grow in confidence, improve their fitness and develop their identity as runners.
I also enjoy running longer distances and especially enjoy working with marathon runners to guide and mentor them through the challenges of their marathon preparation.
John Dodsworth
I have been coaching with the club's senior section since gaining my Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) qualification in 2021. I principally help with the Tuesday evening intervals sessions.
My focus is on sessions being fun, varied and useful for runners of all ages and abilities. I want athletes to understand their training and the benefits they can get from it, to be injury-free, to feel supported and encouraged, to maximise the benefits from their sessions and to enjoy themselves.
Jonathan Haynes
I coach the Saturday interval sessions around once a month.
In 2010, I qualified as an Assistant Coach, then qualified as a Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) and Event Group Endurance Coach in 2016 and 2018 respectively.
I hope the athletes get the training stimulus from the session that matches their individual goal(s) and fits with their training plan.
Kirsty Reid
Kirsty is a key member of our juniors coaching team and is a qualified Athletics Coach.
Lara Wheeldon
My coaching journey began after the British Olympics through an initiative called Moving Mums, and I’ve now been coaching for more than 10 years. I hold Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF), Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) and Event Group Endurance Coach qualifications.
At BSRC, I coach approximately once a month at the Saturday adult interval sessions and occasionally join the Tuesday intervals. Alongside my club coaching, I also run my own weekly running groups, where I support runners of all abilities to build fitness, confidence and consistency.
What I enjoy most is seeing runners realise they’re capable of more than they thought — whether that’s completing their first 5k, finding joy in regular training, or taking on a bigger challenge.
Laurence Foote
I am one of the founding coaches for Stortford Junior Tri which was formed in 2019 and is now my main focus for Club coaching.
I started coaching in 2014 and have qualifications with British Tri up to Level 2 Diploma. I have broadened my coaching experience and knowledge with Leader in Running Fitness qualification from UK Athletics and regularly complete CPD modules including S&C, Sport Psychology, Young Athlete, Nutrition and Mental Health First Aid.
Outside of coaching junior athletes, my main focus is in Endurance and Ultra Endurance athletes looking to push their physical and mental limits, generally Ironman Triathlons but also 100km and 100mile runs, 15mile and multi day swim events and 100+mile cycles.
Lucy Cosgrove
My name is Lucy Cosgrove and I am a qualified Junior Tri coach. I've taken part in a number of distances over the years from sprint through to half Ironman, but my favourite disciplines are definitely cycling and swimming.
Our youngest daughter joined the junior triathlon community when she was 8 and at nearly 13 is still enjoying the sport! As a parent watching from the sidelines over the years, I have been amazed at the dedication of the junior coaching community and how fun and accessible they have made the sport. In turn this has inspired me to get involved and become part of the team.
I can't wait to get involved with my Junior Tri coaching colleagues to continue encouraging our young people into the sport, hopefully bringing with it confidence and pride at being part of such a wonderful club! You can usually find us at the run club HQ on a Saturday morning or at Grange Paddocks on a Sunday afternoon!
Mark Lawrence
I've been coaching with the club since 2017 and am qualified as an Endurance Coach with additional qualifications in Movement Skills.
Typically, I support the club with its adult interval sessions on a Tuesday/Saturday and have a passion for helping athletes with understanding the mechanics of running and how focussing on their form/movements can help them unlock additional performance.
Martin Pettitt
Martin started coaching triathletes within the club in 2017 and gained the BTF Level 2 Diploma in 2019. He oversees the triathlon coaching and is currently responsible for coaching adult swimming where he develops swimming technique, speed and stamina using a focused termly based programme.
He has coached individual triathletes with uniquely tailored training programmes for different events, from first fun triathlon to those wanting to complete their first half or full ironman events. His objective is to help triathletes to understand what needs to be done to enable them to take control of their own improvement.
Matthieu Militon
Running was far off my radar as a youngster. Instead, I was playing rugby as well as skiing and hiking. I took up running on and off in my 30s following 15 years of a pretty unhealthy lifestyle. It became a bit more serious after the birth of my first child in 2008.
I took part in my first races in 2010. My first London Marathon in 2014 cost me my running mojo and I took a four-year break.
I joined BSRC the first time in 2012 and then again in 2019 and was back running marathons in 2021. I really enjoyed the camaraderie, the group runs and the friendliness of people at the club.
I started coaching adults at the club, as well as beginners, in 2021. I am now a fully qualified coach and was even the club head coach for a time! Things can move pretty quickly around here…
Mike Grant
I am an EA Athletics Coach, and started coaching Juniors in 2011, coaching most Saturday mornings. I have led the organisation and delivery of the Beginners Course since 2014. I also coach individual marathon runners, focussing on ex-Beginners and middle-ability runners.
My coaching ethos is to make everyone feel valued and supported, whatever their age or ability, and I gain great joy in seeing the weakest runners run farther and faster than they ever believed possible.
Natalie Broughton
Natalie is a key member of our junior Tri coaching team and is a qualified Level 1 Tri coach.
Paula Beades
In 2020 I discovered the joy, accessibility, community, and inclusiveness of the triathlon club. I got a kick from seeing all types of people giving things a go, challenging themselves and making sport and the people they do it with an important part of their lives.
I encouraged my then 14-year-old daughter to join the juniors and they needed more coaches, so I got involved. I love to see the kids evolve from keen beans who run everywhere, to happy teens who use exercise to regulate their rhythms and have fun along the way.
I can mostly be found helping with the juniors but time permitting, I like to help with track sessions as well as organising regular social rides.
Paulina Surblyte
I am a Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) and I coach our adult interval sessions.
I had always hated running, but I joined the Beginners Course right after lock down in 2021 and it was the best thing that ever happened to me! I then wanted to give back to the club and inspire other people as I have been. I have helped every year since as a volunteer and seen many beginners become runners.
Sally House
I was a graduate of the Beginners Course in 2017 and, as a former teacher, was asked to become an Assistant Coach and work with the Junior section of the club. I have subsequently completed the Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) qualification and now focus on coaching the Beginners Course and Interval Sessions.
I am a slow runner and, because of a back condition, have a less than desirable running posture but my philosophy is that we all come to running from different perspectives and get different things from it. I believe running should be inclusive and enjoy working with people who are not natural athletes but want to challenge themselves.
Sam Worrell
I qualified as an Assistant Coach in early 2026. My main focuses are the Junior and Beginner sections.
Despite flirting with the sport previously, joining BSRC through the Beginners Course in 2024 is where I really caught the running bug. I want to help others find their own enjoyment from the sport too whilst continuing to develop my own coaching abilities. That could be with a game of bulldog to finish off a tough junior session or encouraging a beginner to go from “I could never do that” to completing their first parkrun or 10k! This really is a team sport!
Steven Parrott
I’ve been involved in triathlon for a number of years with my first race being back in 2011. I now volunteer as a coach at Bishops Stortford Junior Triathlon Club, where my 12-year-old son is also part of the team. I’m a qualified coach, but for me it’s really about giving something back and helping the kids enjoy the sport in a supportive, non-competitive environment.
You’ll usually find me coaching the run and bike sessions on Saturday mornings, and helping out with swimming on Sunday afternoons. It’s all about building confidence, having fun, and encouraging a love for triathlon.
I definitely buck the stereotype of the “Ironman tattoo” type – no ego here! I’m an accomplished triathlete, and I “shave my head to swim faster”… although the reality is I’m just bald 😄
Stuart Davenport
I qualified and started coaching as a Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) in 2016. In 2017, I progressed to qualify as a Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) and then in 2020 I qualified as an Event Group Endurance Coach.
I mainly coach the adult interval sessions on Tuesdays and Saturdays. I enjoy and support our members by helping them develop their form and writing training plans for individual desired.
I really enjoy running and developing all aspects of my knowledge to help my own development as a runner and a coach and to be able to support other runners in the best way possible with a smile on my face. As a coach there is nothing better than seeing someone build confidence have fun and progress and achieve individual targets and knowing that I have been a part of them getting there.