Case Studies of Athletes

I have coached Megan since she was a junior.  Megan is widely seen as a generational talent, the kind of athlete who doesn’t just win races but reshapes expectations of what’s possible. She has blossomed into a major international force in distance running known for major European and national successes on track and in cross country. She won the 2023 European U23 5,000 m title, earned 10,000 m bronze at the 2024 European Championships, and represented Great Britain at the 2024 Olympics and 2025 World Championships. A dominant cross-country performer, she won European U20 gold (2021), U23 silver (2022), and U23 gold with a record margin (2023) and recently European SW Silver (2025).  Megan also holds the British U23 5,000 m record, is the 2024 & 2025 British 10,000 m champion, and won major domestic races such as the Cardiff Cross Challenge & Night of the 10k PBs. Megan Keith’s is the 4th fastest in UK history in the women’s 10,000 m, with her personal best of 30:36.84, run in March 2024.  Earlier in her career, she excelled in orienteering, winning European and World Junior titles, and she has been recognised as Scotland’s Young Sportswoman of the Year.  Currently preselected to represent Scotland at the 2026 Commonwealth Games for the 10,000 m. Athletes like Megan come along perhaps once in a decade, and her trajectory suggests she’s only beginning to show how high her ceiling truly is.

I coached Mhairi as junior then she reconnected again and then coached her for the last five years.  She is a Scottish long-distance runner and multiple Scottish Cross Country Champion who also won the 2022 British Cross Country title and has represented Great Britain in international cross country and track competitions. She holds course records at the River Ness 10k and the Inverness Half Marathon, won the Scottish Half Marathon title, and made a standout marathon debut at the 2024 London Marathon, finishing as the first British woman in 2:29:15. MacLennan has personal bests of 32:58.42 for 10,000 m and 1:11:18 for the half marathon. Beyond competition, she is a prominent advocate for athlete welfare as co-founder of Kyniska Advocacy and serves on several national sport governance panels.

Andrew is a standout young athlete competing with Ross County Athletics and Inverness Harriers. He was selected for the Scotland team at the London Mini Marathon, highlighting his national recognition. In 2025 he won the Scottish Short Course Cross Country Championship and earlier claimed gold in the 1500 m steeplechase at the School International Athletic Board Track and Field Championships in Wales. He also won the UK School Games 1500 m steeplechase title and has benefited from regional athlete funding to support his training and competition travel.

Caitlyn is a promising long-distance runner from Muir of Ord competing with Inverness Harriers / Edinburgh University Hares & Hounds and previously Ross County Athletics Club. She has won multiple local titles including the River Ness 10k twice, Nairn 10k, and Forres 10k road races. Heggie was Scottish under-17 cross country champion and helped Scotland win team gold at the London Mini Marathon. In 2025 she was part of the Inverness Harriers teams that won the National Cross Country Relay Championship and the National Road Championship.

Charlotte is a dedicated young athlete from Inverness competing mainly in cross country, triathlon and orienteering with Inverness Harriers / Edinburgh University Hares & Hounds, Inverness Triathlon and Inverness Orienteering Club. She helped her club’s women’s team win the National Cross Country Relay Championship in 2025. Burton also won the East District U20 women’s race at the Scottish Athletics District Cross Country Championships, she has success in orienteering and received Highland Athlete Travel Award funding to support international competitions.