Ellen Broad

Name & Where You’re From

Ellen Broad

Currently live in Sheffield, originally from Devon

How did you first get into running?
I started running when doing my GSCEs at school. I’d always enjoyed physical activity and had gone through a variety of different sports (swimming, football, tennis) before realising I wasn’t that good at them. When school PE lessons stopped, I realised I needed some kind of exercise to keep me sane during revision and started running most days as an excuse to get out the house, get some exercise and recharge my brain.

I properly got into running when I was 22, when I decided to enter a local 10k, and shortly after a half marathon. I joined a local running club and then started doing more consistent and focussed training and entering loads more races. I’ve kept that up for the past 11 years, although training has been variable over that time due to injury!

Has your motivation for running changed over time?
I’ve always enjoyed running to keep fit, improve my mental health, and I am very competitive so also enjoy the challenge and pushing myself to go faster and further!

When I started my motivation was probably more focussed on keeping fit and doing some kind of exercise. Now my motivation is more for my mental health and the challenge of trying to be faster or run longer distances, as well as staying physically fit.

What do you enjoy most about being part of this coaching group?
I like having a plan drawn up that I can just follow. I find it very difficult to make decisions and also worry about doing too much or the wrong thing in training, so it’s nice to just do what someone else has decided I’m capable of doing!

It’s also good for motivation and the accountability, there are definitely times where I probably wouldn’t have bothered going on a run after a long day at work or on a day the weather was awful if it hadn’t been on my training plan!

How has being a Green Peaks Athlete benefited your training?
It has been really good having a structure to training and to know someone is working out a suitable plan focussed on me. I’m not entirely sure I’ve seen loads of progress yet or benefit in race times, but hopefully that will come!

Favourite race or running event you’ve done so far?
Manchester Marathon last year, mainly because it was my first marathon and a distance I’d always been nervous about and wondered whether I’d be capable of getting through the race and training without getting injured. I really enjoyed the training and actually really enjoyed the race and ended up with a time 5 minutes quicker than my target!

My favourite race of the year is always the Round Sheffield Run. It’s such a different race to everything else and has a bit of everything - hills, trail, speed/intervals, endurance, and a really good community spirit. It tends to suit me quite well as I’m generally quite good at steep technical descents! 

Recent achievement you’re proud of
Manchester Marathon was a big achievement, and my time has also qualified me for a good for age place for London marathon this year.

Other recent achievements are getting over some rough patches in 2025 - where training wasn’t going well or was stagnant over the summer due to stress at work affecting my running. Then in autumn 2025 I had a slight recurrence of achilles tendinitis which set me back a bit. But I’m glad I didn’t stop running during both periods (just cut out speed work and cut down distance with the Achilles issue) and now hopefully everything is on track again!

What’s your go-to running playlist or podcast?
One of the reasons I first got into running was an excuse to listen to my favourite music! I used to not be able to run at all without music but after being part of a running club for a long time and with many races now banning headphones I’m fairly happy to do most of my runs without listening to anything.

That said, I still listening to my favourite upbeat songs on a solo training run or long race (half marathon or marathon), and it definitely helps when the legs are feeling tired or boredom is setting in! I think some of the times I’m most enjoying myself are when I’m feeling good on a run and a great song comes on!

You can normally find me listening to some kind of 2000s pop rock (think McFly or Busted), 90s pop punk (Blink 182) or some 80s rock!

What’s your dream race or bucket-list running goal?
London marathon has been a bucket list life goal for me for a long time (not just a running goal). I will have to think of a new one after April 2026!

Favourite post-run treat or recovery ritual?
Most Saturdays you will find me doing a morning parkrun and then going out for brunch. I’m not sure whether you could say I’ve earned it after just 5k, but I do love a good brunch and a cup of tea!

I also love having a relaxing bath with a gin and tonic after the end of a hard week of training!

One piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting out
Don’t do too much all at once, build you’re training up slowly so your body gets used to it and prevents injury!