Our Current (November / December 2023) Training Sessions can be viewed here.

• Hot News 1: U20M Daniel Van Aardt (14-35) & U17M Jack Llewellyn (15-52) run personal bests at the Podium 5K Classic.
• Hot News 2: Pascal Bouttier-Butler runs a personal best 55-12 at the Derby 10M Road Race.
• Hot News 3: Gracie Rose Walters finishes 1st Senior Girl at the October meeting of the Leicestershire Schools XC League.
• (See below for further recent performances by group members)

** New: BHS Training Article: Is ‘Lactate Threshold Training’ the key to success?: BHS Training Article (Autumn 2023)

Beacon Hill Striders (Performance Running) – set up and led by former International Cross-Country runner – Alan Maddocks – offers talented and aspirational runners a ground breaking, performance-orientated, and highly effective training environment. Under careful management and guidance many group members have progressed to the highest levels. …Since 2012, 14 runners and/or triathletes have made their International debuts whilst members of our Training Group. … Group members have competed at World & European Championships (in Cross Country and Triathlon); whilst some have claimed National and National Schools’ titles. Area and County titles/medals have been claimed by our group members on a regular basis; and our runners have regularly topped the East Midlands rankings. … Whilst competing in the U17/U20 age groups, we have had: 6 athletes go under 2 minutes (at 800m); 6 athletes go under 4 Minutes (at 1500m); 12 athletes have broken 9 minutes (at 3000m); & at 5000m/5K 7 athletes have run inside 15 minutes, and another 10 have gone under 16 minutes. … NB: Some of the highlight performances and achievements by group members over the past few years are listed at the bottom of this page.

Our training programme is varied, challenging and effective. Training sessions – designed to develop speed, speed endurance, strength, and stamina – are creative, distinctive, and blended in a balanced way. …  Training sessions are conducted across a variety of locations within north Leicestershire. … A glimpse of how this training is structured across the year is available on request.

As a rule, runners should be capable of running 5K within 20 minutes to fully benefit from our programme. There is no minimum or maximum age though the vast majority of our group members are aged 16 or above. Each group member is offered individualised support and guidance, with training regularly monitored using training apps such as Strava. … Training with Beacon Hill Striders does not guarantee that you will succeed/progress, but it is more or less baked-in. … To find out how Beacon Hill Striders can advance your enjoyment and progression in running events, then please contact Alan ([email protected]) for more detailed information. 

In addition to fostering the development of talented runners, Beacon Hill Striders seeks to advance knowledge and understanding of run training theory and practice. From time to time, Alan publishes training related articles. … A small selection of these can be viewed here:

• BHS Training Article (Spring 2023) … The Mona-Fartlek
• BHS Training Article (October 2019) … Training: Week Zero!
• BHS Training Article (February 2018) … Training Density: Create Space to Flourish (Part 1)
• BHS Training Article (April 2018) … Training Density: Create Space to Flourish (Part 2)
• BHS Training Article (November 2017) … Interval Training Volume: Is Less More?
• BHS Training Article (October 2017) … In Praise of the Steady Run (The Anatomy of a Successful XC Season)

Recent key performances from Beacon Hill Striders Training Group members:

• Jack Llewellyn improves 5K best by a minute with a 16-30 clocking at Mallory Park. (October 2023)
• Jamie Short claims County Half-Marathon Silver at the Leicester Half-Marathon. (October 2023)
• Isobel Sykes is the 1st Woman finisher at the East Leake Sprint Triathlon. (September 2023)
• Daniel Van Aardt runs 5K best of 14-50 at the Podium 5K races. (August 2023)
• Daniel Van Aardt takes SM Bronze in a personal best 8-34.33 at the Midland Counties 3000m T&F Championships. (August 2023)
• Jack Llewellyn (9-32.17) claims Midland Counties U17M 3000m title. (August 2023)
• James Wardle records a 3000m personal best time of 8-27.63 at the Watford Open Graded Meeting. (June 2023)
• Midland Counties T&F Championships: James Wardle claims Senior Men 5000m Silver (clocking 15-05.86). (June 2023)
• Leicestershire & Rutland Schools’ XC Championships: Senior Boys: Charlie Neece (1st) & Daniel Van Aardt (2nd). (February 2023)
• Daniel Van Aardt claims U17M Gold at the Leicestershire & Rutland County XC Championships. (January 2023)
• Pascal Bouttier-Butler impresses with a 2-39.14 Marathon debut at the 2022 London Marathon. (October 2022)

For full details of our group runners’ earlier performances see: Latest News

Highlighted performances (2016-2022) by Training Group members:

• Daniel Van Aardt claims U17M Bronze at the Midland Counties XC Championships. (January 2023)
• Adam Barber represents Wales (at 3000m) at the Welsh U20 International. (August 2022)
• Daniel Van Aardt claims U17M 3000m Gold at the Midland Counties U17 T&F Championships. (August 2022)
• Ben Squire represents GB in the European Youth Orienteering Championships in Hungary (July 2022)
• Lizzy Edge represents GB Junior Women at the World Triathlon Sprint Championships in Canada. (June 2022)
• Tom Hattee represents GB Junior Men at the World Triathlon Sprint Championships in Canada. (June 2022)
• Lizzy Edge (representing GB) records a top 10 finish at the European Junior Triathlon Championships. (May 2022)
• Adam Barber (Wales) & James Wardle (England) represent their national U20M teams at the Inter-Area Cardiff 5K Road Race. (May 2022)
• Joseph O’Connell & Louis Buttrick  represent the Midland Counties’ U20M team at the Inter-Area Cardiff 5K Road Race. (May 2022)
• Lizzy Edge is the top GB finisher at the World Junior Sprint Triathlon Championships. (November 2021)
• Louis Buttrick wins 3000m Gold at the Midland Counties U17M Championships. (August 2021)
• Adam Barber secures Silver at the Welsh U20M 3000m Championships to secure an international vest at the Cardiff 5K. (August 2021)
• Tate Emery-Peters claims a Bronze medal at the England Athletics (U17M) Indoor T&F Championships. (February 2020)
• Ben Dijkstra takes individual Silver in the Midland Counties XC Senior Men’s Race. (January 2020)
• Ben Dijkstra claims double Gold (Individual & Mixed Relay) at the European U23 Triathlon Championships. (September 2019)
• Rosie Allen represents GB at the European Cup Triathlon in Latvia. (August 2019)
• Lizzy Edge places 10th at the European Youth Triathlon Championships on her Team GB debut (June 2019)
• Lizzy Edge captures English 5K (U15G) title at Sutton Park, Birmingham (April 2019)
• Sam Marsh records a top 10 finish at the English Schools XC Championships to secure International selection. (March 2019)
• Ben Dijkstra grabs Midlands U20M XC Championship title at Leamington. (January 2019)
• Xavi Salcedo takes Individual Silver at the UK School Games Triathlon. (September 2018)
• Fynn Batkin represents Great Britain at the European Youth Triathlon Championships. (September 2018) 
• Joseph Tuffin retains U20M Midland Counties 3000m title. (September 2018)
• James Wardle wins the England Athletics U15B 3000m title at the Bedford International Stadium. (August 2018) 
• Phillip Maddocks claims individual Silver in the Welsh National Sprint Duathlon Championships. (March 2018)
• Sam Stevens finishes as runner-up in the U20M race at an International XC event in Spain (December 2017)
• Ben Dijkstra represents Team GB at the European XC Championships (December 2017)
• Ben Dijkstra claims individual Bronze at the World Triathlon Championships. (September 2017) (See video)
• Joseph Tuffin takes Midland Counties U20M 3000m title. (August 2017)
• Libby Coleman represents Great Britain at the European Youth Triathlon Championships. (July 2017)
• Ben Dijkstra collects another national title at the England Athletics U20M T&F Championships (June 2017) (see: video)
• Sam Stevens leads GB runners home in the World XC Championships U20M race. (March 2017)
• Ben Dijkstra secures his seventh English Schools title with victory at the English Schools XC (Senior Boys) Championships. (March 2017)
• Joseph Tuffin makes a winning international debut representing England at the Welsh Athletics International. (March 2017)
• Libby Coleman wins the U17W title at the Midland Counties XC Championships. (January 2017)
• Sam Stevens represents Great Britain at the European XC Championships in France. (December 2016)
• Ben Dijkstra claims the Junior Men’s Bronze at the World Triathlon Championships. (September 2016)  see Video
• Sam Stevens secures the Senior Boys 3000m title at the 2016 English Schools T&F Championships. (July 2016) view race
• Alfie Thompson represents England at the European Youth Mountain Running Cup in the Czech Republic. (June 2016)
• Sam Stevens makes a successful international debut (representing England) at the Cardiff XC Challenge. (January 2016)