Why PT Courtney Fearon is swapping 100m sprints for a 5K PB – Runner’s World (UK)

Former professional sprinter and Nike PT Courtney Fearon is taking on the upcoming . His goal? Running it under 20 minutes.

PT and Nike trainer Courtney Fearon is a big fan of 100m and 200m sprints. He’s also a big fan of strength and conditioning. Something that’s not so in his comfort zone? A 5K run, which is considered long-distance for this track runner.

Still, it’s not going to stop him from lacing up for September’s Simplyhealth Great North Run 5K.

“I’m aiming to run the 5K in less than 20 minutes. That might not sound hard, but as a former sprinter, I’m used to running very short distances so this challenge is about pushing my body in a different way. My current PB is 21 minutes.”

For a man who often trains two (or sometimes even three) times a day, this is no mean feat. Here, Courtney explains why he’s doing it and why he believes strength and conditioning can help runners of any distance…

1. I want to challenge perceptions

“I’m trying to dispel the myth that a heavier person can’t run longer distances (I weigh around 100kg). As a coach, I really enjoy showing athletes how strength and conditioning can help in loads of areas of their fitness journeys.

“A lot of runners ignore this part of training, but if you’re strong and you move well, it really helps improve your cardio game.”



Ian Harrison

2. Finding joy in athletics again is important to me


“I’ve been sprinting since I was 12 years old and continued right through to college. It was only when I moved away to university to study sports science that I stopped – I injured my knee while playing football and couldn’t carry on.

“Because I didn’t do rehab properly, I fell off the bandwagon completely. When I finally returned to fitness, I found myself focusing on strength and conditioning instead. But I’ve really missed athletics.”



Ian Harrison

3. I want to do it right this time

“Ignoring my injury meant it didn’t heal properly and my return to running wasn’t smooth. I jumped back in and kept getting injured again.

“This time around, I’m following structured training and with the support of my plan from Simplyhealth, which helps cover the cost of a range of health treatments, I’ll be visiting a physiotherapist to treat a few niggles including a pulled hamstring and swollen ankle. That should help me to avoid further injury and stay in peak condition for my run.

“I’ll be incorporating two track sessions and a longer-distance run alongside my regular gym sessions. I’m also using the versa-climber and an aqua belt to ‘run’ in the pool for training without impact.”

4. I’m reaching for a dream

“My dream is to go to the World Masters Athletics Championship in Toronto in 2020.

“Having a goal like that is great for pushing me to give it my very best in training. The Simplyhealth race will help me reach that goal, too. I now do three track sessions a week (200m and 400m) which should play a part in improving on my 5K PB – it’s a win-win.”



Ian Harrison

5. …and proving strength is key


“I have clients that range from professional athletes to first-timers but I always make sure to give them a solid strength and conditioning base. The aim is to get them strong and powerful, and also moving well.

A strong body really is the foundation for everything

“If you do that, you can be good at whatever sport or fitness area you want. Running on concrete (particularly when you’re not a regular runner) is one of the most intense things you can do – it’s a lot harder than being in a controlled gym environment doing lunges, for example.

“A strong body really is the foundation for everything.”

Simplyhealth plans help cover the cost of a range of health treatments to support your fitness journey, including physiotherapy appointments and more. For more information visit simplyhealth.co.uk or call 0330 102 5465 to join and quote RW19