Meet the Coaching Team
Our Coaches and Run Leaders are England Athletics qualified and are passionate about helping our members achieve their individual goals. Whether you are looking to run your first 5k, enter your first marathon, or looking to progress and set new personal best times, the team are here to support and encourage you.
Dani Christmas
Hi, with over a decade experience competing and coaching at the highest level across the globe my aim is to take the principles learnt in world class sport and apply them to help athletes of all levels achieve their goals. As a former 800m athlete I specialise in the technical aspects of the sport.
Living as a professional athlete taught me the skills needed to succeed and now I take great pleasure passing on this knowledge on to young sporting stars in various mentoring roles in addition to the local athletes I coach at Horley Harriers.
I get a real buzz helping others to achieve their goals and that has developed a real passion for the coaching and mentoring side of the sport.
As a Sports Massage Therapist, I also provide support to the Horley Harriers in areas of injury prevention and event recovery.
Michael Breathwick
I've been running on and off since school, only in the last 2 years have I started to run more regularly having joined Horley Harriers. I am an England Athletics qualified Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) with a background in Sports Psychology.
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I really enjoy running as a club member as it has made what I thought was a solo sport into a social sport, sometimes even a team sport! I really enjoy the friendly competition and the opportunity to support and encourage other runners to achieve their goals.
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My favourite event is a medium or long distance trail run, the fresh clean air, the challenging terrain, the need to dig deep and find that inner strength. Send me to a team endurance trail event and I am in my element!
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I'm motivated to lead running groups as I think it is a great way to keep fit, be healthy and socialise. Running is one of our fundamental (human) movements and it requires almost no equipment. No matter the level or ability, if you are able to it is a great way to challenge yourself.
Mark Ross
I have been running with the Horley Harriers since the summer of 2015. I am an England Athletics Endurance (Event Group) coach and a British Triathlon L2 Diploma coach.
In my younger years running was not an activity I really enjoyed, but in 2012 I caught the triathlon bug. Through determination and learning how to pace myself I started to enjoy running. Before joining the club the furthest I had run was 10km, now I am proud to say I have run a Marathon and completed up to Ironman distance triathlons.
My proudest moment has been to represent Great Britain, as part of the Age Group team, at the European and World Triathlon Championships in 2019.
I love the science side of fitness whether that be nutrition, training planning or analysing activity data to find areas of improvements and where I need to focus my training. I get a real buzz in supporting people improve their fitness and look forward to running with you.
Fiona Hutchings
I've been a member of Horley Harriers since the very first session and am delighted to have the opportunity to give something back and join the coaching team, having completed the Leadership In Running Fitness course in 2018.
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I did not enjoy running when I was at school. I was one of the kids who would hide in the trees and jump out on the last lap.
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At one point many moons ago, I was delighted with a sub-1hr Race For Life 5k. In 2011 I started the Couch to 5k plan as a way to help lose weight and get a bit healthier. I've now run over 350 parkruns, 60 Half Marathons, 10 Marathons and two 50km Ultramarathons, in one I finished 2nd female (out of two.... ahem). I may have a bit of a bling addiction, but also like events with a bit of a twist, such as wine at the water stations, or running up a mountain in Switzerland. I also once swam through a bog during a "run"....
Judy Ross
I joined the Harriers in 2015 after seeing so many smiling Harrier faces at the Reigate 10k and in 2018 I joined the Coaching Team having completed the England Athletics Leadership in Running Fitness course.
I started running in 2012 when I entered my first triathlon, but struggled to complete the 5k run without walking much of it. I was determined to run the 5k and in 2015 I decided to improve my running fitness. It worked and not only did I fully run the triathlon 5k, I also ran Reigate 10k and I actually began to enjoy running, something I never thought would happen.
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Since then I have completed a number of Half Marathons, Marathons, half Ironman distance triathlons and in 2023 I completed my first full distance Ironman triathlon (3.8km swim, 180km bike, and a Marathon).
Tanya Viehoff
Thinking I had to be an ‘elite athlete’ to join a running club, I spent a year training hard and finally plucked up the courage to join Horley Harriers!!! How silly I felt when I realised that it was a club open to any adult whatever their ability or experience. I haven’t looked back and now feel very much part of the Club family. Having gained so much, I decided to complete the Leadership in Running Fitness Course, so I could help to inspire and encourage others.
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Many years ago I ran for my school Cross Country team & was Athletics Captain …. but then I discovered alcohol and cigarettes and it all went downhill from there. Fast forward (a few years) and with HH I have rediscovered my love of team events including cross country and have recently completed my first Endure 24 (a 24 hour team relay race).
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Throughout my life I have always dipped in and out of various sports and enjoy my career in healthcare. From my own experiences I have discovered the benefits of running in the management of mental health conditions.