I first met Kris in January 2023 when he diagnosed me with a bulged disk in my lower back. The injury had been caused by weight training with only basic advice and without correct form. Obviously the initial focus was to recover from the injury which prevented me from running for the next two months. With regular visits every 4 weeks or so, Kris taught me how to strengthen my back and core in order to both recover from and prevent a similar injury in the future. When I was finally able to begin running again I was surprised how strong I felt given that I hadn't run at all for almost 8 weeks. The strength training was clearly working. From this point on we gradually increased the strength training, adding exercises tailored to where I needed to increase my strength through regular assessments. As we worked together, adding more weight and difficulty to my strength and conditioning routine, I began to feel stronger and my running performance gradually improved, along with my self belief. My aim, of course, was to get back racing and in October 2023 I ran Scarborough 10K hoping to get somewhere near sub 50. I finished in 48.34, far better than I'd hoped for. On reflection, becoming injured has taught me a lot and I now feel stronger and more informed about how to train safely. I continue to see Kris on a regular basis as I feel that working with him on a one-to-one basis is safer and more effective for me than going back to the gym. I can discuss any issues I have and feel motivated to keep working to improve my strength and overall fitness.