“The biggest challenge on the day itself was the weather, it more or less rained from start to finish and I wasn’t sure how I would cope with the conditions…”

 Jennifer Campbell, a busy surveyor from Campbeltown with a 15-year passion for running, joined Pyllon Coaching earlier this year and has gone on to do some special things this year. 

Ten years ago, Jennifer completed her first marathon on a club trip to Munich. She enjoyed the experience so much that she headed straight back to Germany to complete the Berlin marathon a year later. Three London marathons followed then it was back to the Frankfurt marathon in 2019.

“Running is a way of life for me” said Jennifer. She has a real passion for training and especially the feel-good factor she gets after completing challenging sessions. She always looks forward to training, and eagerly awaits the arrival of her monthly training plans. 

Last year Jennifer successfully completed her first ultra, the Kintyre Way Ultra, after entering at the last minute. This year Jennifer entered the Speyside Way Ultra but really struggled to find the ideal training plan to suit her specific level of experience and race goals, so made the decision to join the Pyllon LITE coaching program in May. 

Jennifer had not had a coach before, so was understandably nervous, especially about whether or not she would adapt to more structured training. She commented “in the months that I’ve been with Pyllon Coaching I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I wish I had joined sooner!”

In August 2021 Jennifer had a spectacular performance at the Speyside Way Ultra, exceeding her expectations, enjoying the overall race experience, getting lost and still finishing in an outstanding 5th place. 

Jennifer’s race ambitions didn’t stop there, she most recently completed the Glen Ogle 33, a race she has always wanted to do. Jennifer had a consistent and disciplined training block in the lead up to the November race and managed all her key training sessions. She recalls “the biggest challenge on race day itself was the weather, it more or less rained from start to finish and I wasn’t sure how I  would cope with these conditions, having done most of my long runs in dry weather!” However, it certainly didn’t spoil her race experience, Jennifer finished an impressive 4th and now knows that she is more than capable of performing in adverse race conditions. 

“The 33 mile route suited me perfectly with a mix of road, hilly forest trails and cycle paths. I learnt from my previous ultra, the Speyside Way in August, to pace myself better at the beginning of the race which paid off and I ended up finishing strong and feeling good. One area of improvement that I can take away to future races is to improve the time taken in the drop bag area... I spent far too much time faffing about!”

Training motivation is a big factor in athlete performance outcomes and Jennifer mentioned that “the coaching set-up and the varied training plans each month keeps my training interesting. It really suits me that I don’t have to plan my own training, I just need to follow my specific training schedule on Training Peaks. I also like the support and feedback from my coach each month.”

For the last year, Jennifer has been guided by Pyllon Coach, Kevin Banks, a successful business executive, coach, and ultra-endurance athlete. Kevin is passionate about helping people make the most of life and believes following a principle-led training journey better enables runners to fulfil that. 

“Jennifer brings an admirable work ethic, dedication and consistency to her training which is clearly evident in the progress she has made in the last 6 months. She shows up every single day and has a refreshing long-term view to her training” said Kevin

Prior to joining Pyllon Coaching, Jennifer had abandoned any kind of structure, her training lacked overall direction and her race performances were starting to suffer. She had stopped doing faster sessions and found it hard to be disciplined around proper rest days. Jennifer added that with Kevin’s support she “learnt a more effective and professional approach to my training and racing. It has been especially helpful to learn how to recover properly and rebuild my training after big races. I have also learnt the correct approach to incorporating mobility sessions into my training schedule, something I previously knew I should be doing but rarely did.”

Athlete wellbeing is at the heart of everything at Pyllon Coaching and we understand the importance of stretching our athletes comfort zones in a safe and secure environment. Jennifer’s biggest challenge this year has been overcoming her mental apprehension with faster, shorter interval sessions. “I just didn’t want to do them because I was too concerned about my pace and getting disheartened. However, since I’ve joined Pyllon Coaching, I’ve learnt that it’s effort that matters, not pace, particularly during a hard training block.” She said. “I have always enjoyed the challenge of completing my long runs, particularly on hilly off-road forestry and trail routes. However, I have surprised myself by actually enjoying the shorter interval sessions too! These sessions have pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I enjoy the feeling of running fast again.”

Following on from her amazing performance at Glen Ogle, Jennifer was actively searching for her next big challenge. Encouraged to try and run a longer distance, beyond the 36 miles she ran at the Speyside Way, and in typical ultra runner style, Jennifer challenged herself to run 50 miles on her 50th birthday. On 19th April 2022 Jennifer set off to completed a challenging 50mile loop around her hilly home town of Campbeltown. She finished in 8h44 and had a tough but amazing experience. 

Jennifer’s husband is also a successful marathon runner and has represented Scotland at Masters XC races. So he understands how much time and effort is needed for her to achieve her goals. “It’s also good to have someone I can talk to about my running on a daily basis!”

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