Alan Ladd

I'm a qualified running coach and nutritionist, 2:44 marathoner and founder of ‘The Running Rules’. I help middle of the pack marathoners transform their training, nail their nutrition and master their mindset so they can run marathons faster, stronger and more confidently.

In 2003 my Mum, herself a runner, persuaded me to train for and run the Belfast marathon. I loved that first experience of crossing the marathon finish line but did not back that up with regular and structured training.

She passed away from cancer in 2014 and I took up running again in her memory and for my mental health. My racing return in the Belfast half marathon and 2015 Belfast marathon were shaky and I found I had a lot to learn.

I took up coaching in 2015 and started to learn about proper training and fuelling. In 2018 I ran my first sub 3 marathon in Dublin and started focusing on the world major marathons. To date I have completed London, Berlin, Boston, Chicago and New York.

After qualifying as a nutritionist I started The Running Rules coaching in 2020 and a weekly podcast followed in 2023 to help and inspire more people running marathons.

In 2024 I was diagnosed with the auto-immune condition type 1 diabetes which makes fuelling and controlling blood sugar levels much more difficult. Despite this, I have run my 2 fastest marathons since diagnosis and also represented Northern Ireland masters.