At COACH London, overall wellbeing is at the forefront of our thoughts and all of our actions.

As individuals we are unique with individual needs, motivations, capabilities and levels of fitness. 

We recently read the truly fascinating article below featuring Jacqueline Millet, who following a health scare 10 years ago decided it was the right time to focus on her mental and physical wellbeing. From not being very sporty at all or feeling it wasn’t for her, she has now run over 205 marathons.

A true inspiration.

‘I have never been sporty. When my children were small, I’d take them to swimming and football, always thinking: “I Wish I had done this”. But I always felt it was too late for me.

A decade ago, I had a health scare – Doctors thought I had oesophageal cancer, because I was having trouble swallowing. It was all clear, but enough to make me think: “I should be looking after my body”.

So, I signed up to a local gym and found a professional trainer. He got me fit through a combination of strength and core, with sessions on the treadmill, and one day he said to me: “You seem to be OK at this, why not give running a try?”

He encouraged me to try running outside and from the moment my feet hit the pavement, I loved how free my legs felt and how good it was to be outside, moving my body.

I joined Richmond parkrun, which was a huge motivator because I didn’t feel judged or self-conscious and that got me into doing 10K races.

Then after watching the London Marathon for years and not thinking for one minute that I could do it, I tried the Edinburgh Marathon in 2010 and finished in 3: 48; a good time for a 57-year-old first timer. As soon as I crossed the finish line I thought: “I just want to do that again”.

So, I did. The second year I ran eight marathons and one year I ran 52. In 2010, in South Africa, I won my age category at 60, even though I tripped during it and had actually broken my shoulder, my ribs and my toes. I went back the following year, this time with my daughter, Camilla, who had also started running by then at 23. I have now completed 205 marathons – 147 of which were with Camilla, including last weekend’s virtual London Marathon. We hold the world record for the most marathons by parent and child together.

My Workout Week

Since lockdown I signed up with a coach specialising in older runners to improve times and have been on a strict programme. I’m only allowed to run four days a week, because the recovery is as important as the running as you get older.

As you get older you lose muscle, so adding strength work is key.

How I Eat

I am seeing a nutritionist now, but I don’t want a strict diet where I am not allowed to eat what I want, so I am only making a few tweaks.

For example, I used to eat huge plates of pasta before, and now I am trying to cut down on my carbs to favour lean proteins for muscle building, such as fish, as well as adding protein powder to my breakfast.

What I eat in a typical day

Breakfast: Porridge with protein powder or a bagel.

Lunch: Usually on the go – Tuna sandwich, some fruit or cheese and biscuits.

Dinner: Always home cooked meal such as prawn and sweet potato curry with rice.

Fuel during runs: Dried mango or cheesy biscuits.

Vital Statistics

Alcohol: I love red wine. I might avoid it the day before a race but have at least a glass with dinner most nights. Sleep: Four to five hours. I’ve always had insomnia. It’s a family joke that I am always awake. I do all the things you are not supposed to in sleep hygiene terms.
Caffeine: two cups in the morning. Two caffeine supplements before a race.
Mental Health Fix: Bring outdoors is so important. We ran the virtual London marathon in the torrential rain, crossing 16 London Bridges. It was so much fun jumping through puddles and getting soaked’.

Source: Jacqueline Millet, 67. Midlife Fitness Files – The Telegraph

COACH London has an integrated approach to health and wellbeing – never more important than now.

This approach is the same for everyone, but is individually tailored to your specific needs and goals. We look at how mind, body and lifestyle interact to affect performance and wellbeing plus we provide a safe environment to be, and to achieve your goals.

For more information or to arrange a visit, please contact us at coachlondon.uk or call +44 (0) 207 315 4260