David Taylor – Glasgow UK Running Coach
$85.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
50% off 1st month! Busy? I specialise in creating bespoke coaching for the mind and body to achieve your ultra dreams, working with your personal life.
Description
Glasgow, UK running coach David Taylor specializes in trails and ultras for both beginner and intermediate runners, whether you’re just bumping up in distance or looking to improve your next trail race, David includes it all – training, nutrition, hydration, gear, etc. Reach out to David today to get started!
*** 50% off First Month for month-to-month Coaching – Coupon Code: 50%dtaylor ***
Contact David
LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate
TYPES: Road, Trail
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon Ultra
TRAINING PLATFORM: Steady State
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited text
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Irvine, Scotland
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: No, online coaching only
SPECIALTIES
My specialties include:
- Building up to and completing your first ultra – taking as long as is needed to hit your goal or;
- Improving your ultra performance when you want to get more from your ultras – they don’t have to be a grind.
- Building a bulletproof mindset that will get you through an ultra (and translate to the rest of your life).
- Building a personalised, flexible training plan that works with your life, not against it!
- Race strategy with nutrition, hydration and pacing built in
- Setting priorities for training with long-, medium- and short-term planning.
- Training integration with the rest of your busy life
- Advice on kit, shoes, nutrition
- Strength training advice, whether for home workouts or gym-based, all with the purpose of making your body more resilient
PHILOSOPHY
I want to be the coach that I needed when I started looking at moving into ultramarathons This means that I will be there for you to answer any and all of the questions you might have and that make your journey into this crazy ultramarathon world the way that it should be – a whole heap of fun.
Not only will I build a plan on realistic expectations of what you can achieve but I will make sure that we can work together to have the plan work for you, not create tension in the rest of your life. I am not only a running coach, I also work on mindset which is just as important in these big adventures we are about to go on.
Consistency is critical to the success in any plan – I want to work with you to make your training as consistent as possible – that is what is going to get you to your goals. I will be honest with you, whether it means saying no to things that are too much or pushing you beyond what you thought might be possible.
Everything we do will be geared towards you having the very best experience that ultrarunning can give you. That’s why I am in this coaching game – to give back and share my knowledge so that others can benefit.
As a UESCA certified coach I also use the latest science based thinking to inform the way that I coach.
I have a running podcast and this episode talks about my approach to training for an ultramarathon. It will give you a flavour of how I think about training (and also whether or not you will be able to understand my accent – I am Scottish).
COACHING EXPERIENCE
I have worked across a number of different sports from children to adults and have also worked as professional coach, delivering hundreds of hours of coaching to executives and senior leaders with a focus on wellbeing and mindset.
I have been a certified ultrarunning coach since early 2024 when I wanted to upskill my knowledge to a professional level so that I can pass this onto my athletes.
Everything that I do for my athletes has a purpose and is backed by the latest science AND I will be your biggest cheerleader (but not with a skirt).
ABOUT ME
I was always ‘into’ fitness but in the early days usually involved chasing a ball. I started running a bit more during my military service but went back to ball chasing after I left in 2008.
After major foot surgery in 2020 I decided to hang up my football boots (soccer cleats for those in the US). I wanted to do something hard that challenged me and got severely bitten by the ultra bug.
I geeked out on this, drawn to the community and found that like many other, I had found my ‘thing’ in my 40s. I progressed through the distances and am up to 100 milers now and unlikely to stop there.
I have disappeared down the rabbit hole and love everything about ultramarathons, from the romantic history of some races to the biochemistry behind the training. And yes, I can and do bore non-runners with my chat (although a lot of them are too polite to mention it).
I am still running and continuing to progress but at the same time I also want to use my coaching skills and to pass my knowledge and experience to others. This will help you get better, quicker and more consistently than you think you can while also maintaining a balance in your personal life.
BIG INFLUENCES
As a UESCA certified coach, Jason Koop has greatly influenced my thinking. I subscribe to his teachings and approach. While there are many fads in the fitness industry, what I like about the approach is that it is backed by science and tempered with experience.
The same also goes for Steve House and Scott Johnston where I learned a lot from their texts.
My business coaching practice has also allowed me to be a much better listener, really understanding what it is that people want and need.
RACING HISTORY
My ultra journey was quite rapid. After significant foot surgery in 2020 I completed a 50k trail race within a year (having never run more than a half marathon). I then progressed to a 100k and six months later I had completed a 97 mile race on the West Highland Way in Scotland.
All of my racing has been done in Scotland, where I am based and while I have noticed the time that it takes to build a suitable base, yet how it also feels quick when looking back.
I have completed the West highland Way Race and Challenge Race a year apart and took four hours off my time. If that’s what I can do in a year what else is possible???
I always have my eyes on what the biggest thing I can do, picking my ‘A’ races as ones that there is a chance that I could fail and making sure that I will have to put in the work if I have any chance of completing.
I live on the west coast of Scotland with my wife, two daughters and two dogs and work in the National Health Service, working in Organisational Development which includes time spent coaching busy professionals. I know what it is like to be busy and what needs to be done to be able to fit everything in and be able to achieve ultramarathon goals.
PRs
I’ve focused on ultras so some of these were a while ago but here goes:
- Edinburgh 10k 2005 41:50
- Gate to gate Half Marathon (Cyprus) 1:29
Then we get to my ultramarathons, where time becomes less relevant due to terrain and elevation. If I have done a race more than once I have just put the fastest attempt in.
- Run the Blades, 2024, 50k, 5:01:44
- West Highland Way Challenge Race, 2022, 97 miles, 30:50
- Cateran Trail, 2023, 55 Miles, 12:33
- West Highland Way Race, 2023, 97 miles, 27:13
- Glasgow to Edinburgh, 2023, 57 miles, 11:29
- Highland Fling, 2024, 53 miles 11:04
CERTIFICATIONS
- UESCA Ultrarunning Coach
- ICF Accreditation
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
- Stewarton Ultrarunner of the year 2022 and 2023 (local running club)
CONTACT DAVID
Finding a coach who is a great fit for you is really important. We encourage you to email your coach prior to signing up so you can connect, communicate, and ensure a good athlete/coach fit.
PUBLICATIONS
- 13 Valleys Ultra Race Report
- Is Running An Ultramarathon For Me?
- Glen Ogle 33 Race Report
- Lakeland 100 Race Report
- https://open.spotify.com/show/305MWKyBFE7URebebHhNNI?si=11617e954aaa4cfc
SOCIAL
Mohammed Uddin –
I recently completed my first Ultramarathon (Glasgow to Edinburgh) with the incredible support of my coach, David Taylor. Throughout my training journey, David was exceptionally understanding of my mental health challenges and carefully tailored a programme that worked best for me.
He shared valuable insights on fuelling for long-distance running and provided continuous encouragement—especially in the days leading up to race day, which I found truly motivating and reassuring.
If you’re considering taking on a long-distance running and want a coach who is passionate, caring, and genuinely committed to your success, I highly recommend David!
Fiona Conway –
I started training with David to prepare for my first ultramarathon (G2E), and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better coach. He’s incredibly knowledgeable and approachable, making it easy to ask questions and learn. David designs workouts that deliver real results, but he also understands the importance of balancing training with everyday life, which made the whole process sustainable and enjoyable.
I’ve learned so much beyond just running – from nutrition and hydration strategies to really tuning in and listening to my body. As a female runner, I really valued his understanding of how our body’s cycles can affect training and how to adapt around that. David strikes the perfect balance of being motivational while also keeping things real, which is exactly what I needed.
Thanks to his guidance, I feel stronger, more confident, and fully prepared for my race. I can’t recommend him highly enough!
Sheila Murray –
I started training with David in May 2025, with my first two ultra marathons not long under my belt, after realising that I would benefit from a coach to help me in my future endeavours. Now four months in, I’m really enjoying working with David. I like having a structured training plan and believe I’m training much smarter than before – perhaps similar time on feet but much more targeted towards my goals. I’ve also learnt loads about fuelling and hydration. I’m excited about my first big race under David in a few weeks’ time (Loch Ness marathon) and we’re already talking about my plans for next year. David is a great person to have supporting me. Highly recommend!
Bert –
As my goals have changed over the last few months, I needed to find a coach who had the experience to help me learn how to progress, in distance, time, and terrain. After a chat with David, we decided we would be a good fit for each other with his experience and my goals. I’ve just completed my first race, under his guidance- and I cannot think him enough! I completed 65k on a 7 hour time based loop course ! Smashing a marathon pb, and a 50k pb! Would never have thought this would have been possible at this early stage of training. The plan is written so well, and has even taken into account that due to work commitments I cannot long run on weekends so have based my program around my working week to take the hassle and stress out of what to do when!
Darren Parker –
David has been very supportive even when circumstances have stopped me following the plan fully. The plan he has written has been very good for my current standard and for achieving a spring Ultra finish . Would recommend David to anyone