Do you coach for single-stage ultras and trail races?

Yes. MDS and multi-stage racing are my specialisation, but I have extensive experience coaching athletes for single-stage ultras and trail races across a wide range of distances and environments. I have also run single-stage trail races ranging from 50km to over 200km.

Races I have coached for include Comrades, UTMB, TDS, CCC, OCC, Lavaredo Ultra-Trail, Tarawera Ultra-Trail, The Canyons Endurance Runs, Kodiak Ultra Marathons, Speedgoat 50km, Catalina Island 50 miles, Centurion South Downs Way 100 miles and 50 miles, Lakeland 50 miles, The Northern Traverse, Ultra-Trail Snowdonia, Chianti Ultra Trail, Chiang Mai Ultra Trail, Country to Capital, and others.

If you are preparing for a specific event not listed here, get in touch — the principles of intelligent preparation apply across all endurance formats.

What other multi-stage races do you coach for?

My personal multi-stage racing experience spans deserts, mountains, jungles, and extreme cold — you can find the full record on my About page.

Multi-stage races I have coached for include Racing the Planet Gobi March, Racing the Planet Atacama, Grand to Grand, The Coastal Challenge, Ultra-X Azores, Beyond the Ultimate Ice Ultra, Beyond the Ultimate Desert Ultra, Beyond the Ultimate Jungle Ultra, Cape Wrath Ultra, Marathon des Sables Atlantic Coast, Marathon des Sables Fuerteventura, Oman Desert Marathon, Trans Sahara Marathon, XNRG Pilgrims Challenge, Dragons Back, and others.

If you are preparing for a multi-stage race not listed here, get in touch.

I have never run an ultra. Can you still coach me for MDS?

Yes. Many of my clients have never run an ultra before starting with me. Some have run a marathon, some have run a half-marathon. Some have done none of those before.

MDS is often described as the toughest footrace on Earth, but its daily distances — apart from the long stage — are no greater than a marathon. With the right preparation window, the right training structure, and the right guidance on kit, nutrition, strategy, foot care, and heat, a committed runner or walker can prepare thoroughly for MDS.

What I would not recommend is a preparation window that is too short for your current level. If you have limited experience with running (or with long-distance walking if you are a walker), a longer preparation window gives your body and mind the time they need to adapt properly.

Do I need a coach for MDS?

Many people complete MDS without a coach. Some people love crafting their own training plan and diving into kit research for hours on end. It suits some, and not others.

Coaching is not about making the impossible possible — it is about making the possible significantly more likely, and the experience considerably better. That applies to the preparation period as much as to the event itself.

In the Marathon des Sables, the difference between a well-prepared participant and a poorly prepared one is not necessarily fitness or running speed, although those are important. It is usually the details that are inherent in a complex event like this, and that only become fully apparent once you have been there. These are things that can take several editions to learn and refine through trial and error. Coaching compresses that learning considerably, and has the potential to save you from making costly mistakes.

Can I use AI to write a training plan for the Marathon des Sables?

With thoughtfully crafted prompts, AI can produce a training plan for the Marathon des Sables. I know because I have tested this. It will probably develop your fitness to a reasonable level, and for people who prefer not to work with a human coach, it is a viable starting point.

Where AI falls short is everywhere beyond the training plan itself. I have tested AI-generated nutrition plans for MDS — they don't work. The nuances of fuelling for a multi-stage desert race, the individual variables, the specific demands of the environment — these require understanding that AI does not yet have.

AI also has no lived experience of the event. It cannot tell you what the long stage actually feels like at kilometre 60, or how your feet will behave on day four, or what the difference is between a sleeping bag that is merely adequate and one that is right. A coach who has been there — who has eaten sand both metaphorically and literally — can prepare you practically and emotionally in ways AI cannot.

Use AI for what it does well: race research, logistics planning, answering straightforward questions, and freeing up your time for training. Trust a human coach for the rest.

Which preparation window is right for me for the MDS?

Three factors tend to determine this: your available budget, how long you can sustain focus and structured preparation, and your running or walking background.

The five-month window suits athletes (runners or walkers) who have a base and do not begin from scratch. Starting from scratch would mean having very little experience of running or long-distance walking, or starting with an existing injury or other significant limitation. It suits people who are ready to prepare a little more intensely over a shorter period.

The six-month window allows for a more gradual progression and early base-building. This might be better if you are managing a demanding schedule alongside training, want a more gradual build, or know you have a higher risk of injury. It also allows some slack for the all-too-common winter flu and colds without adding undue pressure.

The nine-month window is the comprehensive option. If you prefer to settle many questions and equipment prep early on and allow yourself to progress through several interim goals during the training period, this is a meaningful choice. It can suit talented athletes with an ambitious target, as well as people who lack experience and are relatively new to running. Also, those who know that they want to lose weight and build a healthier lifestyle as part of the process can do so more sustainably than on a shorter time frame.

Why are the MDS preparation blocks non-refundable?

Meaningful preparation requires full commitment — from both of us.

When you commit to a preparation block, I commit to you: your plan is built, your resources are unlocked, and my attention and time are allocated to your preparation. That work begins immediately and cannot be reversed.

Experience has shown me that clients who are fully committed to their preparation achieve significantly better outcomes than those who remain undecided. I work with a limited number of people, and I want to allocate those places to people who are ready, not to people who registered while they are still deciding whether to do the race or defer.

The non-refundable structure is not a restriction — it is a condition that tends to produce better results. Because you take ownership by not transferring the financial risk to me.

If you have to defer or cancel your race entry for genuine reasons, I will offer to pause your coaching and return at a later date.

Why are the MDS preparation blocks more expensive per month than monthly coaching?

MDS is a uniquely complex event. Most single-stage ultras, however demanding, do not come close to the logistical and environmental challenges of a seven-day desert stage race.

Most people preparing for MDS start with questions — and quickly discover that answers are everywhere and agreement is rare. The large social media preparation groups generate enormous amounts of information, much of it contradictory, some of it wrong, and a significant portion of it shaped by the loudest voices rather than the most experienced ones. I have coached enough MDS athletes to know which advice holds and which doesn't. I help you sort through the noise if this is where you also choose to gather your information. If you prefer not to, I will be your one credible source, saving you significant time and confusion.

My MDS coaching includes access to a full resource library: a checklist, a comprehensive nutrition guide, a pre-recorded nutrition webinar, race food plan templates, foot care resources, and a detailed kit list template with weight guidance. These resources represent more than a decade of coaching and five editions of the race, and are not available separately. You also receive plenty of one-to-one call time and access to me on WhatsApp. Subject to individual consent, I also connect my clients with one another so you can find tent mates or get to know people before you travel.

These packages represent significantly more value than the fee alone suggests. This is because I genuinely wish to help people achieve this dream. I know how special this event is, and I want you to cross the finish line. I invest in you 100% and walk alongside you on this preparation journey.

How do I know if MDS coaching is worth it?

MDS is one of the most expensive races of its kind. By the time you account for race entry, travel, accommodation, and kit, most competitors have invested $9,000 to $10,000 or substantially more before training costs are even considered. Within that context, coaching is rarely the largest line item — and it is directly connected to the quality of your experience and outcome.

Coaching can actually save you expenses. A sleeping bag chosen incorrectly costs $300 to $500 to replace. Shoes that do not work in sand — and many do not — cost another $200 to $300. A pack that causes problems on day one is $200 to $400. Food that doesn't work in the desert can cost you your whole race. These are not hypothetical mistakes. They are the mistakes that unprepared competitors make every year, and that good coaching can eliminate before they happen.

The resource library included in every package — nutrition guide, pre-recorded nutrition webinar, race food plan templates, foot care resources, and a detailed kit list template with weight guidance down to the gram — represents more than a decade of coaching and five editions of the race. It is not available separately. I have invested in this race five times, and in many other similar desert and multi-stage events. I have studied what is optimal, experimented, and learnt from my own mistakes and from what worked well for clients of all abilities. I have been doing this for over a decade.

Beyond kit, good coaching saves time. MDS preparation generates an enormous amount of noise — social media groups, conflicting advice, self-proclaimed experts. A single credible source who knows what actually matters replaces weeks of research and second-guessing.

For most clients, avoided kit mistakes and saved research time alone offset a meaningful portion of the coaching fee. What the coaching builds beyond that — confidence, clarity, and preparation that holds when things get genuinely hard — is harder to put a number on.

The honest answer to whether it is worth it: most clients, when they cross the finish line, feel that it was the best decision they made.

How much of your time do I get when I sign up for MDS coaching?

A five-month MDS commitment typically includes seven or more one-to-one Zoom calls — a monthly call throughout the preparation block, an additional pre-race call, and a post-race check-in. More calls are available if needed.

Beyond calls, you have direct access via WhatsApp for questions and sense-checking throughout the engagement. Your training plan in TrainingPeaks is built and updated regularly, typically on a weekly basis, which I review and adapt as your preparation progresses. 

The time is not fixed, but varies by client. Some people are highly self-sufficient, and appreciate short and focused calls. Others have more questions or worries, benefit from more contact, and we adjust accordingly.

What does not vary is the attention — every client gets the same quality of thinking applied to their preparation. It has never happened that anybody required more time than I could offer, but should I determine that your needs cannot be met with a fair allocation of my time and energy, we will discuss this, and I reserve the right to charge you an additional amount.

Can I start month by month and convert to a Marathon des Sables training block later?

Yes. Monthly coaching begins at $475 per month with no upfront commitment. If you decide to commit to a set MDS preparation block at any point, you move onto the package structure from that point, and the full resource library and my specific MDS guidance unlock.

The difference is that monthly coaching clients do not have access to the resource library or call time specifically allocated to MDS questions until they commit to at least a five-month block. If you are considering MDS seriously, committing up front gives you those resources from day one.

Starting monthly might be a good choice when you want to build a base first, and are happy to wait with the MDS specifics for a while. This can also be a nice way of breaking up your training blocks and keeping something to look forward to after a few months of first increasing your fitness.

What is the Marathon des Sables Clarity Session and who is it for?

The Marathon des Sables Clarity Session is a focused 90-minute conversation for two primary groups: those preparing for MDS independently and seeking expert input on their most pressing questions, and those considering entering MDS and wanting a realistic picture of what it entails before committing. 

This call is not a training plan or a substitute for ongoing coaching. Think of it as a compass rather than a detailed map — it gives you clarity and direction on the questions that matter most to you, with direct reference to your specific circumstances and goals.

The session takes place via Zoom and includes a personal recording for your reference. If you decide to move to full MDS coaching within 30 days, the fee will be applied in full to your coaching package.