Run Namaste Eat

26/08/2026

Threshold training is useful. But more isn’t automatically better.
One of the things I often see runners struggle with is where threshold work actually fits.
Too easy and it may not provide the stimulus you intended.
Too hard and a session designed to be controlled turns into something much closer to a race effort.
And doing more threshold work isn’t necessarily better if it starts compromising the rest of the training week.
For endurance runners, I’m normally thinking about things like:
• what the session is actually trying to develop
• how hard the athlete is working
• how long they can sustain that effort
• how quickly they recover
• and where it sits alongside their longer and easier running
The aim isn’t simply to run hard.
It’s to create the right training stimulus and still be able to keep training well afterwards.
That’s one of the areas we’ll be exploring practically at the Threshold & Sustainable Speed Training Day on 5 September in Dorset.
If you want to find out more:
tompayn.com/training-days

25/08/2026

A training plan and coaching aren’t the same thing.
Writing the sessions is obviously part of what I do.
But for me, the more important part of coaching is everything that happens around the plan.
Understanding how someone responds to training.
Knowing when something needs changing.
Looking at how running fits around work, family and everything else going on.
Talking through good sessions and bad ones.
Helping someone understand why we’re doing something rather than simply telling them to do it.
And, over time, helping an athlete become more confident in making their own decisions.
That relationship is the part of coaching I enjoy most.
I currently have 3 places available for one-to-one marathon and ultra running coaching.
If you’re interested in finding out how I work:
tompayn.com/coaching

23/08/2026

A new home for Tom Payn Performance Coaching.
Over the last few years, what I do as a coach has developed a lot.
The fundamentals haven’t changed. I still believe good coaching starts with understanding the individual runner — their goals, their training, their life outside running, what motivates them and what they actually enjoy doing.
But TPPC has become much more than simply writing training plans.
It’s about communication, learning, adapting training when needed, understanding why we’re doing something and helping runners become more confident in their own training and decision making.
I wanted the website to reflect that properly.
So after quite a lot of work, the rebuilt Tom Payn Performance Coaching website is now live.
You’ll find:
• One-to-one marathon and ultra running coaching.
• Athlete stories and experiences.
• Training Days and the Winter Engine Weekend.
• More about how I coach and why.
• A new free Marathon & Ultra Runner’s Training Audit.
I currently also have 3 places available for one-to-one coaching.
Have a look around:
www.tompayn.com.
And if you know another runner who might find any of it useful, please send it their way.
Train with purpose, live with joy.
Tom 😊

07/07/2026

I came across H**e at a local 10km race last month and was really impressed.
First, the taste. Simple, light and easy to drink.
Second, what’s in it. Just 4 simple ingredients, designed to provide carbohydrate and electrolytes for endurance training.
Third, the thinking behind it. H**e are a local, sustainable company trying to create a quality fuelling product while also reducing the need for single-use plastics. Definitely a company I can get n board with.
I’ve started using it in training and it has been perfect in this hot weather, especially on runs where I want fuel and take on electrolytes without carrying gels or separate electrolyte drinks.
The powder format works really well, and the innovative scoop/funnel system makes it easy to measure accurately into 200ml soft flasks without wasting any of the product.
H**e have kindly given me a discount code to share:
“TOMPAYN”.
That gives you 15% off your first order at www.fuelhebe.com
Definitely worth a look if you’re trying to fuel your training better, especially through the summer.

23/06/2026

I recently took part in my first road 10km for at least 7 years at the Purbeck 10km. It was great to experience being back on a start line, getting in the mix with the leading runners and share some stories post race with the other competitors. Getting the win was a bonus as well! I’m hoping to jump in some more local races in the build up to some bigger races later this year and next year.
In another note I have just released the 2nd and 3rd Tom Payn Performance Coaching days down in Dorset. Details below. I still have some spaces for this Sunday if anyone would like to join.
Day 2.
Date/Venue: Saturday 5th September @ Avon Heath Country Park, Dorset.
Title: Threshold & Sustainable Speed.
Theme: Running faster for longer.
Learning Focus:
- LT1 vs LT2.
- Threshold training models.
- How elite runners structure tempo work.
- Why threshold improves race performance.
Practical session: Progressive threshold workout.
- Warm up + strides.
- 3 × 10 min @ threshold effort.
- 2 min float recovery.
Teaching Points:
- pacing by feel vs pace.
- breathing patterns.
- lactate accumulation sensations.
Takeaways:
- how to run threshold sessions correctly.
- when to include them in a training week.
Price: £85 per person.
Day 3.
Date/Venue: Saturday 3rd October @ Avon Heath Country Park, Dorset.
Title: Running Economy & Speed.
Theme: Becoming a more efficient runner.
Learning Focus:
- what running economy is.
- biomechanics and elastic energy.
- importance of strides, hills, and strength.
- common inefficiencies.
Practical Session: Drills + Hills.
- Warm up.
- movement drills.
- stride mechanics.
- short hill sprints.
Main set:
- 8–10 × 45 sec hill sprint.
full recovery.
Teaching Points:
- posture.
- arm mechanics.
- stiffness and ground contact.
Takeaways:
- drills athletes can include weekly.
- how to safely add speed.
Price: £85 per person.
Please get in contact at [email protected] to book or for more information. I can offer discounts for booking more than one day or group bookings 😊

11/06/2026

Are you over 18, have an ITRA score and 10 minutes to spare? Please click the link below to help me with my research into the psychology of ultra-marathon running performance . Thank you 🙏💛Rachel x

Understanding Ultra-Marathon Performance: The Roles of Dispositional Flow, Mindfulness, and Attentional Control

15/04/2026

I have finally secured a date and location for my first Tom Payn Performance Coaching Training Day in the UK. My plan is to make this a series of training days throughout the year, roughly once a month. Here are the details of the first training day. 
Day One – Building the Aerobic Engine.
Theme: Understanding endurance physiology
Learning Focus
* What the aerobic base actually means
* Understanding Zone 2 / LT1
* Why most runners train too hard
* How easy running builds mitochondria and capillaries.
Practical Session.
Aerobic efficiency run
* Warm-up including running drills
* 75 - 90 minute aerobic run
* Including HR drift / decoupling test
What you will learn
* Pacing control
* HR/RPE monitoring
* breathing awareness
Teaching Points During the Run
* conversational pace
* Fueling for longer runs
* cadence and relaxation.
Other.
* Biomechanical Analysis
* Data Analysis.
Date, Location and Price.
Date: Sunday, 17th May 2026
Time: 8:30 - 12:30.
Location: Avon Heath Country Park, Dorset.
Price = £85 per person.
I am securing and booking the dates for the full training series and will post the full information on what each day entails once everything is confirmed. Each training day will be limited to 10 athletes and is on a first come first served basis. 
Please get in touch at [email protected] if you would like to book or have any questions.

14/04/2026

I’ve been enjoying getting back into some good quality training recently, enjoying the process and seeing some progress!
I’ve recently started a new Strava Club which is open to the public (see link in my profile) where I am sharing my training journey, weekly coaching Q&A’s, sharing upcoming events and building a supportive community of runners. Please feel free to join.
I will also be sharing details of the first Tom Payn Performance Coaching Training Day later this week.