ALGARVE SPRING RUNNING CAMP, FALESIA, PORTUGAL 

MIKE GRATTON

Mike has been organizing training camps on the Algarve since 1984. That was the year after he won the London Marathon in 2:09:43, a time that has become synonymous with the travel company he founded some years later. Mike is still a director of 2:09 Events but now spends more timing running his own coaching business where he works with a range of runners from absolute beginners through to seasoned internationals. He will be working as one of the primary coaches under head coach, Mara Yamauchi.

MARA YAMAUCHI

Mara has been the lead coach on our training camp since 2018. Her running pedigree needs little introduction: she is the UK’s second fastest female marathon runner of all time with her 2.23 second-place finish at the London Marathon in 2012 which followed her 6^th place in the Beijing Olympics. Mara now coaches a wide range of runners and works in the media, both as a commentator and spokesperson on a variety of topics. Mara will lead all the running sessions assisted by the two Mikes and Jenny. 

MIKE BANNISTER

Mike took up running when he was 30 when he joined Brighton and Hove Athletics Cub. He now owns and manages RunBrighton (www.runbrighton.com) an online resource for runners in the Brighton and Hove area, which generally sends a number of participants on the training camp. Mike is a qualified England Athletics coach and works with a range of athletes from those new to the sport to elite performers. His personal running journey is chronicled in the book Running for the B-team, his humorous account of trying to run a sub-three hour marathon. Mike will be assisting the other coaches on one of the weeks. 

In addition to this core coaching team we will also have a hard-working physio or masseur on both weeks of the camp to treat any niggles or minor injuries that might prevent your full participation on the camp. There will also be additional 2:09 Events staff helping with airport transfers or general logistics.