Our coaches

Brian White – Head Coach

Brian White
My membership goes back about 23-24 years and I have previously held the position of FVS Head Coach. My qualifications include: England Athletic Endurance Coach (L3); Biomechanics Coach (L3) and Strength and Conditioning Coach. A recent qualification may not be so useful but I am extremely well versed in pre- and post-hip replacement exercises! My focus is to allow the club to grow and mature and I will incorporate plans for both new starters and experienced athletes. Ideally, I would like FVS to be capable of attracting both new starters and experienced athletes. I feel quite strongly that the club can achieve success in both areas and if we can improve members overall fitness and win trophies then I feel the club has succeeded.

Favourite Distance: Half Marathon
Coaching Qualification: Senior Endurance Coach Level 3
Reason for Running: Fitness and Competition
What got you to start running?: Injury meant I had to stop playing football so running took over.

Pete Smith – Assistant Head Coach

Pete Smith
Running since 2008
Favourite distance: Probably HM, but keep going back for more marathons (every time I think “Never again!”)
Coaching Qualifications: CiRF and Athlefit add-on.
Reason for Running: I run to keep fit and for social reasons, but am always striving to get better.
What got you started? Prior to joining the club I used to run to keep fit for work. I joined the club when they moved to Marriotts as a base. I noticed the club runners meet, go out and then return while I sat watching my daughter at Gymnastics, so I thought I could make better use of my time.

Nickki Wilby

Nickki Wilby
Been in athletics since before 1998, and running with Spartans since 2008.
Favourite Distance: Half marathons and marathons.
Coaching Qualification: Level 2 (old money!!) jumps coach.
Reason for Running: As I’m not competitive anymore I just enjoy the social aspects of training and representing the club when I can.
What got you started running? I was a county level high jumper and pole vaulter until I snapped my Achilles’ tendon. Once I had recovered, I was offered a place in the London marathon – I was converted to endurance running and never looked back!

Kieran Feetham

Keiran Feetham
Favourite Distance: I like to run any distance.
Coaching qualification: CiRF
Reason for Running: I run to have fun with people, clear my head and get out and see the world.
What got you started running?When I joined the Spartans I wasn’t fit. I could barely run 100 meters without wanting to give up and die. I took the big scary decision and tried out a Spartan session. I was very nervous but I joined a track session and was made to feel welcome. I did what I could and was supported as I ran. I then tried the Starters group and met other people like myself, new runners.

Andy Prior

Andy Prior
Running since 2009.
Favourite distance: Half Marathon (you can just about get away with a half!)
Coaching Qualifications: CiRF & BSc (hons) in Sports Science & Coaching
Reason for Running: Its now about the social aspect and seeing my friends, races are great but it’s the people that make it
What got you started? I needed to improve my health, I was 40 and on a fast track to a heart attack, now I am a totally different person.

Michelle Reeves

Michelle Reeves
Running since 2012.
Favourite Distance: 10km (I think!) Cross Country is my favourite so non-round distances!
Coaching Qualification: LiRF
Reason for Running: To enjoy the great outdoors and the sense of challenge.
What got you started running? I wanted to keep fit and I’d enjoyed running when I was younger. Now I love being part of a great club and finding new and exciting events such as triathlon to challenge myself.

Dave Stephenson

Dave Stephenson
Running since 1995.
Favourite Distance: The shorter the better! Preferably 200/400m (5k on the road)
Coaching Qualification: Coaching Assistant and LIRF
Reason for Running: It’s made me feel better because I’m fitter and I also enjoy the social side. I especially love to be able to be competitive on the track rather than be one of the crowd on the road
What got you to start running? I got fed up with waiting for Tessa at races and being used as a bag holder by loads of Spartans!

Tessa Stephenson

Tessa Stephenson
Running Since 1974
Favourite Distance: 400m on the track (PB 56.8 seconds), 10 miles on the road (PB 65:02)
Coaching Qualifications: Level 2 Performance, also a Level 2 Track Official
Reason for Running: I love it! Keeping fit helps my blood pressure stay low.
What got you to start running?: My High Jump coach could no longer commit time to training sessions for my friends and I, so when he stopped coaching us, I asked to join the middle distance group.
I got into athletics because I won my schools High Jump. The school put me forward to the City schools championships and I won that too. My parents thought I had talent so they took me to the local athletics club Portsmouth Atalanta Athletic Club (PAAC). Now City of Portsmouth A. C. I joined on the Thursday evening and competed on the following Saturday at Reading!

Steven Dobner

Steve Dobner
Running since 2011.
Favourite distance: 10k
Coaching Qualification: LiRF
Reason for running: To get out and about into the fresh air, improving my fitness and socialising with friends.
What got you started? I saw an advert for the Spartans Starter Group and thought it looked like the ideal way to regain some of my long lost fitness.

Karen Smith

Karen Smith
Running since 2010
Favourite Distance: Half marathon
Coaching Qualifiaction: LiRF
Reason for running: For fun and company
What got you started? I followed my husband, but mainly want to keep fit

Steffan Ford

Steffan Ford
Running since 1990.
Favourite distance I know enjoy endurance events but was lucky to grace the track as a junior as a 1500m runner.
Coaching Qualifications: LiRF
Reason for running I use to swim competitively as a junior until I was forced to quit. I was welcomed by Cardiff AAC and raced until uni for them at track. I then took off time for uni and my career and returned to the sport. I joined Spartans back in 2013 as I wanted to train/race alongside runners who could push me to improve. I lead the group F runners. Come and say hello.
What got me started? A club that welcomed me (twice – Cardiff and Spartans). I’ll never forget Tanni Grey coming back to the club with her medals such a great inspiration.

Ada Urbonaite

Ada Urbonaite
Running since 2010
Favuorite Distance: Depends on the mood but enjoy 10 mile runs.
Coaching Qualification: LiRF
Reason for Running: I like doing something for myself, getting out of the house to clear my head, running with the club, in whatever the weather – no excuse! Banter with Spartan buddies.
What got you started running? I always watched the runners running with club and wished I was one of them. When the girls were 18months old I decided to do something for myself and joined FVS Starter group. Never looked back!

Dean Carpenter

Dean Carpenter
Running since 2002.
Favourite Distance: Half marathon
Coaching Qualification: LiRF
Reason for Running: Fitness to keep weight under control and enjoy social runs
What got you to start running? I wanted to set a good example to my daughter and encourage her to run the race for Life.

Sophie Cowan

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Running since 2012
Favourite Distance: Half marathon – for years I said that I would never run more than 10k, but I love a good half marathon.
Coaching Qualification: LiRF since October 2015
Reason for Running: Initially it was to lose weight and get fit, now it is to remain sane and catch up with friends.
What got you to start running? My son had started school and was wanting to ride his bike everywhere and run everywhere and I couldn’t keep up. I did the couch to 5k programme on my own and then joined the Spartans in 2012.

Ken Jude

Ken Jude
Running since 2013
Favourite Distance: Half Marathon.
Coaching Qualification: LiRF
Reason for Running: I really enjoy it, love the banter with my Spartans friends. Especially Tuesday nights which are the sessions which really moved my running on a notch after joining the club.
What got you to start running: I was a couple of years from the big five-oh, weighed 17 stones and decided if I didn’t do something about that before hitting 50 I probably never would. Downloaded a C25k app for the phone and went from there. After getting quicker at parkrun through 2014 just by chasing others and starting to beat people I hadn’t been able to beat a few weeks earlier, I worked out I was running for less time each week because I was getting faster. I worked up to 10k and met Andy Jay who invited me along to the Spartans.

James Kilroy

James Kilroy
Running since 2012
Favourite Distance:Half Marathon
Coaching qualification: LiRF
Reason for Running?Cake, biscuits, chocolate.
What Got you to start running? Cake, biscuits and chocolate = belly.

Tracy Pez

Tracy Pez
Has always run.
Favourite distance: Half Marathon
Coaching Qualifications: LiRF
Reason for Running: Have always loved running.
What got you started? Have been a Spartan since about 2000 I think, before that I ran on my own, but joined a club while living in South Africa to run safely, and found I loved it, so joined FVS when I got home.

Nick Witcombe

Nick Witcombe
Running since 2009.
Favourite distance: Half Marathon
Coaching Qualifications: LiRF
Reason for Running: To have banter with my friends and take selfies.
What got you started? I originally started just to lose some timber and improve my health.

Tim Robinson

Tim Robinson
Running since 1984.
Favourite distance: Marathon
Coaching Qualifications: LiRF
Reason for Running:To stay fit, clear the mind, have fun, relax, socialise and explore my limits.
What got you started?Started running while at school to supplement rugby and squash.

Hazel Smith

Hazel Smith
Running since 2015.
Favourite distance: Anything up to 100k
Coaching Qualifications: LiRF
Reason for Running: Fitness, fun, socialising and de-stressing. Nothing beats a social run with friends!
What got you started? I needed to get off the sofa and do something. My mum started running aged 55 and was a massive inspiration. Mum brought me to Spartans and I love it! I’ve met so many amazing friends, and with support from fellow club members I have achieved distances I never thought were possible.

Kerstin Weiner

Kerstin Weiner
Running since 2011.
Favourite distance: 10k
Coaching Qualifications: LiRF
Reason for Running: I love running for a variety of reasons, mainly the friendships and support that are part of being in the club and it keeps me fit and healthy.
What got you started? I started running when I signed up for my first Marathon. Nothing like jumping in at the deep end but it was to raise money for a charity close to my heart and to support my sister. I trained on my own for that first race and found I enjoyed it but would have enjoyed some company on the longer runs. So, when I moved to Stevenage in 2014 I got invited to run with the Spartans and have been with them ever since.

Andrew Patterson

Andrew Patterson
Been with the club since 2004.
Favourite distance: gives most distances a go from 1500m track running upwards and continues to pursue a faster marathon time.
Coaching Qualifications: LiRF
Reason for Running: I studied Sport Science at University and have been coaching a variety of sports since then. I coach the group F runners on a Tuesday night where we have a mix of short distance to endurance enthusiasts. We’re always keen for more members to take the step up in to our group, we all enjoy spurring each other on to improve whilst having a fun time too.
What got you started? After university I realised that a beer belly was not a good look on a tall, skinny guy!

John Nelms

John Nelms
Running since 2011.
Favourite distance Anything over a marathon
Coaching Qualifications: LiRF
Reason for running I just love the freedom it gives me. Any distance, any time – I enjoy the social aspect of chatting to fellow runners as much as going for PBs although the Adrenalin for running hard is still a great feeling
What got me started? I’d kept fit running up to 10k distance for years for my job but never further than that. In 2010 I failed the VLM ballot for 6th time and my wife said “ you haven’t even run a half yet so why are you trying to enter a full?” I though a half would be easy and entered Silverstone in 2011. It nearly killed me and I swore never again ! Then I did some reading on kit, training, fuelling etc and tried again in MK 4 months later and loved it – and I’ve not looked back. A friend tried to run a 100 mile ultra marathon in 2012 and I helped him with logistics on the day and was immediately hooked by the whole community who run and crew at ultra events – it’s is so inclusive and supportive and so running long distances is now my passion.
Joining the Spartans in 2015 was another great move – the opportunity to run with, lead and encourage others as they build up in distance and stamina is just thrilling.

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