About Steve Barbour - Running & Triathlon Coach, UK
Endurance coaching built on how people actually perform - not how they perform in ideal conditions.
Introduction
I'm Steve Barbour, a UK-based endurance coach and human factors specialist working with runners and triathletes who want to train with clarity, consistency, and purpose.
My coaching is built around a simple belief: most performance problems aren't about fitness. They're about decision-making, fatigue management, training structure, and the ability to execute consistently when life gets complicated.
That perspective comes from my background in aviation human factors - a field that studies how people perform under pressure, manage risk, and make decisions in high-stakes environments. The same principles that make aviation safer also make athletes better.
Why I Coach the Way I Do
I train and compete as an endurance athlete while working full-time - the same reality most of my athletes live in. I know what it means to fit a quality session into a busy Tuesday, to manage a niggle without derailing a training block, and to arrive at the start line knowing the preparation has been done properly.
That experience shapes everything about how I coach. Plans are built around your life, not an idealised training week. Adjustments are made proactively, not reactively. And every decision is explained, so you understand what you're doing and why.
Qualifications & Experience
I hold a British Triathlon Federation Foundation Coach qualification and am a UESCA qualified running coach. My endurance background spans running, cycling, and triathlon, and my professional background in aviation human factors informs how I approach performance, decision-making, and fatigue management in sport.
I coach athletes online using TrainingPeaks, working with runners from 5K to marathon and triathletes from sprint distance through to Ironman.
How I Work
Coaching here is not a generic plan with occasional email contact. It is a structured, personalised process with regular communication, data-informed adjustments, and a clear focus on long-term development.
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Training plans built around your schedule, your goals, and your current fitness
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Weekly check-ins and proactive adjustments when life intervenes
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Clear explanations of what you're doing and why
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Coaching for athletes who want to learn, not just be told what to do
This Coaching May Not Be Right For You If…
You're looking for a low-cost generic plan, you want to be pushed hard without understanding the rationale, or you're not willing to be consistent.
Good coaching requires both parties to be invested. If that's not where you are right now, that's fine - the blog and free tools on Endurance Toolkit are a good starting point.