About Us

Andrew, the owner of Run North West, started running 30 years ago after meeting his future wife Philippa who along with her Dad, Bill had competed from an early age. Bill, an elite level athlete, ran in the same Bolton running team as Ron Hill and ultimately they were reunited at the launch of the Run North West store opening. Philippa achieved many international vests in her teens and together they encouraged Andrew to join them in an era when running had a much lower level of participation.

Competing in his twenty’s for Buxton AC, Andrew tasted events organisation as the Race Director of the Buxton half for several years and grew the entries from 400 to 1000 by gaining editorial national coverage in Runners World magazine. Running in the Peak District cemented Andrews love of running.

After moving to Wilmslow in 2010, Andrew joined Wilmslow RC and having turned 40 decided to increase training under the guidance of coach Tony Hulme and training partner Rob Downs. Andrew broke all of his PBs at the age of 47 on the way into his first marathon. A 16.55 5k, 1.17 half and subsequently a 2.50 marathon and England masters representation followed.

In 2016 Andrew answered the demand for more high quality road races by launching Run North West and hosting both the Alderley Edge 5 mile and the Wilmslow Festive 10K. That first year 2000 runners took part and this has grown to over 20,000 annually.

After a long career in retail sales and multi site management, Andrew could see how often runners, old and new received patchy advise and service when investing in the all important running shoes. The opportunity to take over one of the UKs most famous running stores presented itself in 2016 and Run North West retail was born in Hyde from the store Ron Hill first opened in 1975 and so the loop from Andrews running inspiration, his father in law Bill, back to Ron, was complete.

Andrew continues to compete in local and national races, both road and cross country and is the proud captain of Wilmslow Running Club.

Andrews retail philosophy is that high mileage friendly runners are the best people to work in the business as they know the customers needs far better than anyone else and is proud to have assembled probably the most credible group of running specialists in the UK to look after the needs of all runners from the couch to 5k starter to the elite international.

Sarah, our Sales and Marketing Manager, has enjoyed running and athletics from a young age competing in sprinting and long jump as a child. She returned to running after having children, running her first Marathon in 2016.

After a period of road running, Sarah has now moved her focus to ultra running and loves to spend her time running in the hills. She is now 4 ultra marathons in having completed Winter Spine Sprint, Ultra Trail Snowdonia 50K & 100K and Gower 50 Mile and is currently training for her first 100 miler, Arc of Attrition in January!

A member of local running club Bramhall Runners, Sarah is also involved at Manchester Harriers as a Coaching Assistant where her 2 children train.

Sarah brings to the business many years of experience in Sales and Account Management roles as well as a degree in Business Studies with a marketing focus and social media expertise.

Dave, our Head of Buying & Merchandising is probably the most knowledgeable running specialist in the North of England.

Having worked in run specialty stores for over 20 years with 10 years as a Store Manager, Dave is a popular well known figure in the local running community.

Two times Manchester Marathon winner, Dave enjoys a successful running career and continues to compete at a high level now he is a vet 40 runner.

A huge running enthusiast, Dave’s love of running was sown by his Dad Jeff who represented GB at the Olympics. Dave can be seen commentating at races and previously co-organised the Trafford 10K taking the event to its position with one of the highest quality fields in the UK.

In 2013, Michelle, our Event's Co-ordinator, signed up to her local Parkrun with the aim of getting fit and to rekindle her love for running after a 20 year break and completing her family. Her times decreased week on week from 31:10 to 21:31. Within a few months, she signed up to her first fell race – Cloud Nine Hill Race where she came 1st local unattached runner.

Michelle joined her local running club, Congleton Harriers and continued to pursue the heights, competing in many fell races of varying categories and grades in and around the Peak District. In 2015, she was first female at Bollington Festival Three Peaks and a year later, she competed in the International Snowdon Race, Ben Nevis Race and Scarfell Pike Fell Race where she was crowned 4th Queen of the Mountains. She was the first female in her club to compete in Ben Nevis.

Most recently, Michelle has been giving back to the sport she loves so very much by supporting runners in achieving their goals and regularly volunteers at local events. You may have seen Michelle waving a pace flag or wearing hi-vis handing out water or medals to runners! Being a part of events gives Michelle so much joy and happiness and is continually inspired by the running community.

With the blessing of her Congleton Harriers family, Michelle joined Macclesfield Harriers in 2022 to be on the same team as her youngest daughter who is actively competing in track and field.

Michelle feels very lucky to be working for Run North West – a dream come true!

Louisa, our Assistant Manager has been running since the age of 11, starting out running park runs with her family. Mostly influenced by her Grandad, dad and mum who were all competitive runners. She has been a keen and competitive runner ever since. Running with Macclesfield harriers as a junior she enjoyed racing the local cross-country leagues, track and road races. 

She then went on to complete degrees in Sport and Exercise Science at The University of Birmingham where she also gained an England vest in the 10k. Then in the US on a running scholarship for 2 years doing a Masters in Sports Management at George Mason University.

Most recently, Louisa continued in the States for a year after Uni working in the run specialty industry in Washington DC. She has consistently worked holidays with us but now comes to us full-time to continue to flourish in a run speciality environment with lots of experience and knowledge. 

PBs: 3K: 9:57, 5K: 17:16, 10K: 35:29 

Natasha, our Assistant Manager has been running since the age of 11, after being encouraged to join her local club, Stockport Harriers, by her Primary School teacher. Since then she has competed in multiple Junior teams for Great Britain over 400m, with her greatest achievement, claiming European Junior Gold in 2019 as part of the 4x400m.

Natasha recently graduated with a Psychology degree from Loughborough University. During her time as an Athletics Scholar she gained six British Universities titles for Loughborough and progressed her PB from 53.67 to 52.61. She is now hoping to continue her junior success in the senior ranks.

Having completed her degree Natasha now joins the retail team on a more frequent basis, having previously worked holidays and events at Run North West since 2019. Her favourite part of the role is hearing each customers unique running story and helping to ensure they have the correct support to achieve their goals.

PB: 400m- 52.61

Stephanie, our Ecommerce & Website Manager, rediscovered her love of running in 2019 and has gone on to help build her local running club Alsager Runners. Completing her first half marathon in 2021, Stephanie has continued to help newer runners with Couch to 5K programmes and build confidence over longer distances. As a self-described 'average runner and proud', Stephanie is a cheerleader for the everyday runners who casually races for fun and mental health.

With her focus shifting towards a more functional style of training in the past year, Stephanie has already completed two Hyrox competitions as women's doubles, with her sights on competing solo overseas in 2025. As well as a love of Functional Fitness, Stephanie has also competed a DEKA competition and Deadly Dozen race in 2024 and plans to continue these type of races, along with the Chester Triple for 2025.

Rowan, our Marketing and Social Media Exec, brings a unique background to the team, having competed in two Olympic Games (Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018). Starting freestyle skiing at the age of 13, Rowan turned professional by 15 and had an impressive athletic career until an injury led to retirement in 2019.

Post-retirement, Rowan pursued education in Marketing Management at Manchester Metropolitan University. Despite no longer competing professionally, Rowan remains passionate about staying active, engaging in activities such as running, surfing, climbing, and tennis. Additionally, Rowan has reignited a childhood interest in cross-country running and is currently training with the goal of entering competitive races. Rowan's dedication and diverse experiences contribute to a dynamic and energetic approach to marketing and social media strategies.

Rowan is currently focusing on running and is training for her first half marathon!

Paul is our Ecommerce Dispatch Manager. He is a recreational runner, his first club was West End Runners in Leicester before joining Congleton Harriers but now proudly wears the Vegan Runners vest at every race.

A regular parkrunner and tourist, his best time of 23:02
came at Hove Promenade in 2015. Although preferring road to trails, his favourite race is
the Forest of Dean Half Marathon.

Having spent many years in Logistics and IT Project
Management, Paul joined us in early 2024 following his wife’s footsteps and enjoys the fast pace and deadline driven aspects of online parcels!

Andy, a senior member of our retail team, started running in 2012 (after a 25 year break!), a running friend coaxed him to participate in a local parkrun. The rest as they say is history, having thought his running days were over, Andy shed nearly 5 stone over the next year or so and brought his time down significantly. During the past 8 years he has notched up over 300 parkruns at many different venues around the UK.

In the early 1980’s Andy was one of the founder members of Chorley AC and the experience of this led him setting up Marple Runners in 2016 and is now the Honorary President of the club.

During the 80’s he worked for Ron Hill Sports for 8 years, working in many aspects of the business. It was during this time he completed his first marathon, Athens in 1985 (which was Ron Hill’s 100th Marathon) but it was another 30 years before he did his second in Manchester!

Andy regularly competes over distances from 5k to half marathon and has also unexpectedly found a new love in running cross country. He recently improved his PB to 49:14 for his favourite distance, 10k, in one of virtual 10k challenges.

His love of running, wealth of life experience and an enthusiasm for people to get involved in the sport, make Andy a valuable part of the team here at Run North West.

Stephen, a native of the picturesque Lake District, has been immersed in the world of running since the age of 10, when he first took to the fells near his home. With a deep-seated passion for the sport, his favourite race is the Grasmere Sports Fell race, known for its challenging, short, and steep course that promises both excitement and risk.

Bringing 17 years of experience in the running specialist sector, Stephen's main focus is on Trail and Fell running, and he recently ventured into the realm of Trail Ultras. His enthusiasm for running has been further fuelled by his participation in Run North West races over the past few years. He is thrilled to now contribute to the team from the other side of the fence.

In addition to his running pursuits, Stephen has an obsession with Nutella and prefers to lace up his Puma Deviate Nitros when hitting the roads. His extensive experience and genuine love for the sport make him a valuable asset to the Run North West team.

Dan began running eight years ago, initially to improve his health. Starting on a treadmill in his garage, he quickly developed a passion for the sport. After participating in his first Parkrun in 2016, Dan progressed to 10k and half marathons. His first marathon was the London Marathon in 2023, followed by Manchester later that year.

Dan primarily focuses on trail and fell running. In 2023, he completed the Tea Round, which he considers one of his proudest achievements despite the brutal conditions. He is a member of Macclesfield Harriers and has completed several ultras, including the Gritstone Grind in 2021 and the Lakeland 50, his first 50-mile event, in 2023. Although he had to withdraw from the Summer Spine Challenger South at 62 miles in 2024 due to a knee injury, Dan plans to return to finish it in the near future.

Dan can usually be found running around Macclesfield Forest and comes from a Technical Quality background in the Aerospace, Defence, and Energy sectors.

Fay, who currently works full-time at our store, has ran from a young age which started by being dragged to Parkruns with the rest of her family who are all runners too.

Fay is a recreational runner who enjoys entering in local road races, her favourite so far being the Trafford 10k as this is where she got her PB.

Fay is a recent graduate of the University of Leeds in Food Science and Nutrition international. Her year abroad took her to Flagstaff, Arizona in the US. There she lived at high altitude, Flagstaff is also a base where professional athletes go for their training camps.

Darren discovered his passion for running by completing his first 10k race just before his 47th birthday with a time of 57 minutes. Shortly after, he joined Winston Runners, where he worked on improving his speed. Over the years, Darren transitioned from chasing pacers to becoming one himself. For the past three years, he has paced nearly 75 events with Run North West and other organizations across the North West region.

Darren finds immense joy in helping fellow runners achieve their goals and push their limits. Now seven years into his running journey, he proudly qualified and competed for the England Masters in 2024 and has already qualified for 2025. Wearing the England vest was a particularly proud moment for him.

His current personal bests are an impressive 17:38 for 5k, 36:06 for 10k, and 1:18:14 for the half marathon. As a dedicated "vintage" runner, Darren is determined to continue improving and firmly believes that age is just a number. With hard work and dedication, he hopes to better all his times.

Laura, our Retail & Events Co-Ordinator, has always been fit, but her enjoyment in pure running started in 2011. In ten years she has competed in 14 10kms, 13 Half’s, 10 official Marathons and 6 official Ultra events. Her first Half was Inner Mongolia, first Marathon was Seoul, the last was New York, the fastest was Chester.

She is currently a member of Wilmslow Running club and adores running, both road & trails, but especially events.

Her background is team sports; University sports included rugby, 4’s rowing & hockey. More recently, due to living overseas, she developed a passion for road biking, open water swimming and triathlons. Laura has competed in many Sprint Distance in the UAE & UK, 2 Ironman (Dubai & Oman) relay teams, 100 mile bike events and swum the Bosphorus Asia to Europe.

Laura started at RNW as part of the Retail Team in September 2021, and love being in the shop. She is constantly inspired by the people she works with, and the people she is lucky enough to meet in our store. She is genuinely super enthusiastic to share how liberating, inclusive, and fun trail & distance running is.  Oh, and how much pleasure a fresh new pair of kicks can be!!

George joined us in July 2024 having just completed his A Levels. He started running with a junior parkrun at the age of 9 and shortly after joined Sale Harriers where he soon completed multiple Cross Country races in the Manchester Area League.

He has also played football, cricket and tennis from an early age, however, when faced with a choice of football or park run on Saturday mornings, running usually won! When lockdown hit, running became the priority and soon George started racing northern and national road / cross country events.
Although he enjoys all forms of running, his preference is 1500m or 3000m on the track.
After a gap year, he is planning to study at Birmingham University and continue developing his running.

PBs: 1500: 4:02 / 3k: 8:44 / 5k: 15:28

Sam, who currently works part-time at our store, has run from a young age as a result of growing up in a household full of keen runners.

During his time at school, Sam developed a great interest in cycling, competing in regional bike races on the road and also inside the velodrome.

Since joining RNW Sam has combined his love for running and cycling by getting into triathlons and completing the Chester Triathlon back in June. Sam’s next target is the Manchester Half Marathon in October, where he hopes to try and go under 80 minutes.

When not working at RNW, Sam is studying for a degree in popular music at the RNCM in Manchester, where he balances his love for running with lots of gigs and various other musical performances and commitments.

Freya has been sporty from a very young age. She began running at Junior Parkrun, quickly finding her competitive streak and moving onto the full Parkrun with her parents. Little did they know this was the start of a journey with her mum soon becoming too slow and her father being put on the job - for a while at least.

Upon joining Stockport Harriers, Freya expanded her interest in running and now competes over track, road and cross country events at local, regional and national levels. Her best achievement to date was National 1500m Champion in 2021 in both England and Scotland. Endurance events are her main focus (1500m through to 5K), she hope to move up the distances in time.  

Freya has worked with us at the weekends and is a key member of the team at events. She starts her A-levels this year, she will be working in the shop and at events whenever she can between college, training and races!

PB's: 800m: 2:14, 1500m: 4:32, 3000m: 9:54, 5km: 16:32

Rosie was first introduced to running when she attended to
the Marple park run with her mum at the age of nine. After doing a bit of running alongside her mum, Rosie decided to join Stockport Harriers where she found her competitive streak. Rosie now loves to race both XC and on the track and is looking forward to pushing herself up in distance to race the 10000m alongside her usual distances, over the coming season.

Rosie is currently studying A-levels as well as working at Run North West when she can around her busy revision and training schedule. In the future Rosie has my heart set on a marathon and want to keep pushing herself as an athlete. She would love to have running related career in the future!

Thomas has been sporty from a young age. Starting with playing Football and then progressing onto pursue his running, he joined Trafford AC in 2021 and has been running for them since. Thomas enjoys competing in XC, Track and Road - with Track being his favourite! His current fitness goal is to qualify for English Schools in the 800m and to keep improving PB's and fitness!

Thomas works part time in our Wilmslow store and is about to go into Year 11 in school.

PB’s: 800m - 2.05 | 1500m - 4:27 | 5k - 17:57

Sam who works, part-time in our store, began his sporting life playing rugby from a young age at Wilmslow Rugby Club. He then started to run at primary school
cross country races and was introduced to Bramhall Parkrun by his Mum.

Sam lived abroad in Shanghai for 3 years, where he continued to play rugby and started swimming. Upon returning to the UK, Sam rediscovered his love for running at Wilmslow Parkrun, which led to him joining Wilmslow Running Club in 2018 where he remains a member to this day.

His preferred racing distances are the 5k and 10k, with the Wilmslow Festive 10k being one of his favourite RNW races.

When not working at Run North West, Sam is studying for a degree in medicine at the University of Oxford. He still makes it back for our race weekends, sometimes racing and pacing himself which he thoroughly enjoys.

Ollie, who works part-time in our store, started running during the first covid lockdown as a means to keep fit but quickly found himself falling in love with the sport. Having come from a cycling background it wasn’t long before he also picked up swimming and started competing in triathlons all over Europe.

Ollie having never done an official race before signed up for the 2022 Manchester Marathon and smashed his target of sub 4 hours. After being quoted on the finish line saying “I’m never doing that again” it took him about 3 hours to have signed up to the 2023 edition of the race. Often described as a medal magpie, Ollie has competed in countless events in all sorts of shapes and sizes ranging from the mile all the way up to the marathon and beyond.

As a student at the University of Manchester, Ollie joined the student social running club Run Wild MCR. Having joined the committee at the start of his second year as a race coordinator he then also became the club President for the 2023/24 academic year.
Ollie’s dreams for the future are to continue to love running and the end goal for Ollie being completing an Ironman and racing on the big island in Kona!

Lizzy has been running since the age of 9, when her family encouraged her to join Macclesfield Harriers - her local athletics club. She now runs for both Macclesfield and Trafford AC, focusing primarily on the 300m and 400m hurdles as well as the 400m flat.

One of her biggest achievements so far, is making it to the English Schools National Championships twice in a row, competing in the 300m hurdles and finishing 8th in the UK - as well as breaking her clubs record for the 300m hurdles with a time of 45.1 seconds!

Other than running, Lizzy is also half way through her GCSE’s and is part of our weekend store team. Lizzy is a great asset to our store and loves to help out on event days.

Sprout - the official mascot of Run North West, is a full time member of the team. Known for her great listening skills and love of running, Sprout boasts an impressive 100mtr PB of 7.2 seconds whilst chasing a squirrel!

Sprout spends her days at our HQ and is the self appointed business prevention officer. Always available for cuddles and happiest when Dave Norman is making his lunch.

As well as running, Sprout’s favourite activities include powerlifting heavy branches and jumping into streams at any given opportunity. Her enthusiasm and gentle nature make her an office favourite - plus, she never complains about muddy trails or hills!