A man with a beard and short brown hair smiling at the camera while sitting at a table outdoors, with trees and mountains in the background. He is wearing a white t-shirt with a logo on it, and there is a cup of coffee or tea in front of him.

I’m Sam Tosh. I've spent the last 25 years running and competing at fell, mountain and trail running races -  from the sub-15-minute efforts at Grasmere to two-day battles at the OMM.

Largely self-coached, I've won British and English Fell Running Championship titles, and raced extensively across the UK, Europe and New Zealand.

Alongside racing, I've always been drawn to training fundamentals - training theory, the methods used by past and present top performers, and the growing body of sports science research.

Studying at Loughborough University gave me first-hand access to world-class coaches and athletes, and it's shaped how I think about performance ever since.

I built all of this around a full-time career, so I understand first-hand the balancing act most runners face. You don't need to be a professional to train seriously and perform at a high level — you just need a plan that fits your life.

About Me

A group of runners participating in a race through a grassy outdoor area with trees and houses in the background.

Over the past two years I've coached athletes from different backgrounds and with different  performance goals. I have coached athletes competing at the World Mountain Running Championships and those working towards their first 5km. This has supported my belief that every athlete and individual should be treated as that, a unique person with different needs. I enjoy working with individuals to develop a training plan and structure that works for them.

Who I coach

With every athlete, it starts with the same question: what are you actually trying to achieve — this month, this season, and beyond? Goals might be process, performance or outcome-focused, and getting clarity here shapes everything that follows.

From there, we assess where you're starting from and build a structured plan to close the gap, giving you the best possible chance of achieving your goals.

There's no off-the-shelf template. I work from tried-and-tested training principles, but every plan is built around your strengths, your limiters, and the realities of your life outside running — including work and family commitments.

My Approach

Two men trail running on a grassy hillside in cloudy weather, with a small white dog near them and mountains in the background.

  • Bespoke, not generic. Plans are built around the individual.

  • Cross-training as a tool. Used strategically to build performance while managing life's constraints.

  • Terrain-challenged runners welcome! I've had strong results helping runners based in flat, ‘trail-less’ locations prepare for mountainous races.

  • Data and feedback, combined. Daily and weekly review draws on session data alongside your own written feedback, in person and online.

  • Beyond prescription. I monitor how you're actually responding to training — not just whether sessions were completed — and adapt plans as required

Methodology in practice