About Me

Hi, I’m Nathaniel

I am a competitive endurance runner. I have been running for over 15 years! That is fifteen years of early mornings, bad weather, painful races, and reaching personal bests I never thought were possible. Running has been the one constant in my life, no matter where I was or how I was feeling putting on my running shoes and getting out always managed to clear my head and make me feel relaxed in nature.

Running has changed from being a hobby into something I wanted to help other people fall in love with too.

That’s why I created Mile 01.

My Story

I didn’t start running as a naturally gifted athlete, far from it. I was often the last person to cross the finish line, but I didn’t really care. I was enjoying being around like-minded people and being able to push my body and mind further than I thought was possible.

To begin with I was just running and hoping I would magically improve. I ran too hard on easy days. I skipped recovery. I had no structure. I just ran, got tired, and wondered why I wasn’t getting faster.

It wasn’t until I studied Sports and Exercise Science at the University of Nottingham that everything started to click. Three years of learning the science behind how the body responds to training, adapts to stress, and performs under pressure completely changed how I approached running, and the results followed.

I went on from running 19 minute 5k to breaking the 17-minute barrier, I also achieved a 35-minute 10K, and a 78-minute half marathon. Not because I was running more. But because I was using my knowledge to understand what I needed to do to run and race smarter.

The frustrating thing is that most of what I learned isn’t complicated. It just isn’t explained clearly anywhere. Most running content is either aimed at complete beginners or serious club athletes. The runners in the middle, are largely ignored.

Mile 01 exists for those runners.

What Mile 01 Is About

This blog is for runners who can already run, maybe you’re comfortable at 5K, maybe you’re eyeing up your first 10K or half marathon, but feel like you’re missing something. You’re putting the miles in but not seeing the improvement you expected. You don’t really know what an easy run should feel like, what a tempo run is, or how to structure a training week.

That’s exactly where I was. And that’s exactly what this blog is here to fix.

At Mile 01 you will find:

  • Training advice that actually explains the why and how, not just the what
  • Simple breakdowns of concepts that online coaches make unnecessarily complicated
  • Honest gear reviews from someone who has worn out more running shoes than they’d like to count
  • Nutrition and recovery guidance built around real running, not elite athlete protocols
  • Race specific guides for every distance from 5K to marathon

Everything is written to be clear, practical, and useful whether you’re training for your first 10K or trying to finally crack that 5K personal best.

Why You Should Trust Me

I have spent 15 years running competitively and three years studying the science behind running at university level. I hold a degree in Sports and Exercise Science, which means when I write about why your heart rate is high, why easy runs should feel embarrassingly slow, or why you’re not improving despite training hard, there’s real physiology behind it, not just personal opinion.

I have also put that knowledge into practice coaching others. One runner I worked with took 4 minutes off their 5K time in just 3 months! Not by training harder, but by training smarter.

My personal bests:

  • 1 Mile: 4:53
  • 5K: 16:59
  • 10K: 35:31
  • 10 Mile: 58:47
  • Half Marathon: 1:18:33

I share these not to impress you, but to show you what is possible when you understand how training actually works. My goal has never been to be the fastest person in a race. It has always been to be faster than I was in my last one.

What You Will Get From This Blog

If you follow Mile 01 consistently, here is what changes:

You will stop wasting easy runs by running them too hard. You will understand what different sessions are actually doing for your fitness. You will know how to fuel, recover, and prepare for races properly. You will stop guessing and start training with a purpose. Most importantly, running will start to feel less like hard work and more like something you’re genuinely getting better at. That feeling is what keeps you going.

Start Here: Reader’s Favourites

Not sure where to begin? Here are some of the most popular posts to get you started:

Or head straight to the Training Hub to find content specific to your distance and goals.

Stay in Touch

If you want training advice, honest running content, and practical tips delivered directly to you, join the Mile 01 newsletter. No spam, no filler, just useful running content for runners who want to improve.

Sign up here — it’s free

If you ever have a question, want to share a personal best, or just want to talk running, you can reach me at …

Let’s run smarter together.

Nathaniel