Endurance Coaching with Paul Forrest

Paul Forrest is a UK endurance coach who works one to one with talented age group athletes and senior athletes preparing for IRONMAN triathlon, ultra distance running, the marathon and track endurance events from 800m to 10,000m. He is Head of Coaching at Brentwood Beagles Athletics Club in Essex, an England Athletics Performance Coach for Endurance, and a certified IRONMAN, ultra marathon and Jack Daniels VDOT coach.

Who is Paul Forrest?

Paul Forrest is an endurance coach based in Brentwood, Essex, coaching athletes in person and remotely across the UK and beyond. He co-founded Brentwood Beagles Athletics Club in 2022 and has led its coaching programme since. In that time he has coached athletes to more than 400 county, regional, national and international medals, including more than 20 international podiums at under 16 and under 18 level. The club was named England Athletics East Region Unsung Project of the Year.

He is also a racer. This site began as his own record of ultra marathons, trail races and the kit and training behind them, so the advice here comes from the start line as well as the coaching notebook.

Who does Paul coach?

Paul coaches two groups of athletes who need more than a generic plan.

• Talented age group athletes. Young endurance runners from under 13 to under 20 who are moving from club level to county, regional and national competition. Training is built around growth, school, exams and other sports, with the long term in view rather than this season alone.
• Senior and masters athletes. Adults who want a real improvement: a first IRONMAN finish or a faster one, an ultra marathon target, a marathon personal best or a championship standard on the track.

If you are self coached, stuck on the same times for a few seasons, or tired of following plans from magazines and apps, this is the coaching for you.

What events does Paul coach?

IRONMAN and long course triathlon coaching

As a certified IRONMAN coach, Paul plans full and 70.3 distance preparation across swim, bike and run, with a race specific pacing and fuelling plan. Training is periodised so the key long sessions land when they matter, and the run is protected so you can still run well off the bike.

Ultra marathon coaching

From a first 50K to 100 miles and multi stage races, ultra coaching covers time on feet, climbing and descending, back to back long runs, night running, kit, mandatory kit checks and race day nutrition. Paul has raced many of these events himself and writes about them in the race reports on this site.

Marathon coaching

Marathon plans are personalised and data driven, with paces set from your current fitness rather than a target you hope to reach. Sessions change through the block so training stays fresh and every phase has a clear job, from building aerobic base to sharpening for race pace.

Track and middle distance coaching

For 800m, 1500m, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m and 10,000m, Paul coaches the full mix of speed, specific endurance, threshold and VO2 max work, with the technique and racing tactics that win championship rounds. Cross country and road racing sit alongside the track season.

How does the coaching work?

1. Discovery call. A free conversation about your goals, history, injuries, available time and what has and has not worked before.
2. Assessment. Recent race results, training data and, where useful, testing such as blood lactate, threshold and VO2 max estimates, so training zones are set from evidence.
3. A periodised plan. Your season is mapped back from your target race into clear training blocks, each with a purpose, and written to fit your week.
4. Weekly review. Training is reviewed and adjusted each week using your feedback and data, including training load, so you build fitness without tipping into injury or overtraining.
5. Race preparation. Taper, pacing, fuelling and a race plan you have rehearsed in training, plus a debrief afterwards to shape the next block.

What makes this coaching different?

• Evidence led. Plans draw on exercise physiology, training load monitoring and lactate testing, not guesswork or one size fits all templates.
• Every session has a purpose. Threshold, VO2 max and race specific endurance are trained as distinct energy systems, and sessions rotate so you are not repeating the same workout every week.
• The whole athlete. Strength and conditioning, nutrition and fuelling, sleep, recovery and the mental side of racing are all part of the plan.
• Long term development for young athletes. Talented juniors are coached for the athlete they can become at 20 and beyond, with welfare and safeguarding at the centre.
• A coach who races. Paul knows what mile 80 of an ultra or the last 10K of an IRONMAN run feels like, and coaches with that in mind.

What qualifications does Paul hold?

• England Athletics Performance Coach in two event groups: Endurance, and Sprints and Hurdles.
• Completing the England Athletics Advanced Talent Coach Programme.
• Certified IRONMAN triathlon coach.
• Ultra Marathon Coach.
• Jack Daniels VDOT certified coach.
• ALTIS Endurance Coach.
• Licensed Coach in Running Fitness and licensed Athletics Coach.
• Licensed guide runner for visually impaired athletes.
• Diplomas in Sports Science and Therapy, Sports Psychology, and Strength and Conditioning.
• Completing a PhD in Elite Performance Coaching.
• Member of the British Milers Club (coach), the British Athletics Coaches Association, the European Athletics Coaches Association and the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
• Current DBS check.

What do athletes say?

‘Paul personalised a marathon plan for me which in that short time of following it I managed to complete Manchester in 3:28.’

Ross C., marathon personal best

‘He took me from 3.25 to 3.17 with ease.’

Tim M., 5K to ultra marathon personal bests

‘I felt like I had been gifted years of ultra running experience just from the wisdom you shared with me!’

Emma F., trail marathon and ultra marathon

More athlete feedback is on the Brentwood Beagles coaching page.

Coaching at Brentwood Beagles Athletics Club

Paul is Head of Coaching at Brentwood Beagles Athletics Club, an England Athletics affiliated club training at Brentwood School Athletics Track, Middleton Hall Lane, Brentwood CM15 8EE. Athletes in Essex and East London can combine one to one coaching with coached club sessions, track training and a squad to race with. Adults who join the club as first claim members can also have free blood lactate testing and a free, data driven plan for their main race, written with one of the club’s endurance coaches. See how to join the Beagles.

Frequently asked questions

Do you coach athletes outside Essex?

Yes. Coaching is delivered remotely through a training platform, video calls and messaging, so athletes anywhere in the UK and overseas can work with Paul. Athletes near Brentwood can also train in person at Brentwood Beagles.

Do you coach beginners?

Paul’s one to one coaching is aimed at committed age group and senior athletes with a clear performance goal. Newer runners are very welcome at Brentwood Beagles, where club sessions and coaches can help you build up.

How far ahead should I start coaching for an IRONMAN or ultra marathon?

Ideally six to nine months before an IRONMAN and four to six months before an ultra marathon, depending on your experience. That allows time for base building, specific preparation and a proper taper. Shorter lead times can work, and the plan is adjusted to match.

Can you coach a junior athlete?

Yes. Talented under 13 to under 20 endurance athletes are a core part of Paul’s coaching. Parents or guardians are involved from the start, training is matched to the athlete’s age and stage of development, and all coaching follows England Athletics safeguarding standards.

Do you use blood lactate testing?

Yes, where it helps. Lactate testing sets accurate threshold and training zones and tracks how fitness changes through a block. It is available to Brentwood Beagles members and to coached athletes.

How do I get started?

Get in touch through the contact page with your event, target race and recent results, and Paul will arrange a free discovery call.