Welcome to the Run Project

Our Approach

We aim to help our athletes improve their running in a fun, sustainable and holistic way. This is achieved by keeping a curious and process driven mindset. We prioritize health, consistency and longevity and aim to create an environment where athletes are continually being challenged to get the most out of themselves.

We coach athletes of all levels and abilities across both trail, road and track. Whether you are looking to take your running to the next level or just want to get your body to a place where running is fun again, we believe we have the tools as coaches to be able to assist you on that journey.

Individualised Training

Strength Training

Scientific Testing

Metabolic Testing

Our coaching philosophy is based on sound and proven training principles, recognizing that each individual is unique and will respond differently to training and lifestyle stresses. Having said that, we firmly believe that athletes of all abilities can benefit from building a solid aerobic base, improved athleticism and a good appreciation of rest and recovery. Once this foundation has been set, the body is more likely to be able to absorb higher intensity training and racing as well as less likely to get injured or sick. This does not mean that athletes are running slowly for a large part of the year, in fact we view building the neuromuscular and biomechanical capacity for faster running as at least equally as important as the easy aerobic base typically favored. Crucially we will provide a supportive framework, honest feedback mechanism and individualized programing to ensure that you get the most out of your athletic potential and most importantly have fun and grow as a person while doing so.

Training Philosophy

Run Healthy

Run Happy

Run Strong

Meet the Coaches

  • Meg is an elite trail runner and all-round mountain athlete. She has spent the better part of the last 15 years racing around the world. She is passionate about the psychological side of training and racing and has used her own experience to guide her unique approach to coaching athletes.

  • James is passionate about endurance sport and human movement. He coached his first sports team at 13 years old and has been coaching sport in some capacity ever since. While working as an investment analyst, he and Meg built the Run Project as a passion project on the side. Since then the business has grown in stature and now they work with many of the top South African trail runners. James was also involved in a coaching and management capacity for the South African team that attended World Trail and Mountain Running Championships in Innsbruck in 2023.

  • As a non-conventional multi-sport athlete who prefers an intuitive approach to training James is the only coach that has ever appealed to me. He is extremely knowledgeable but also very open-minded and offers assistance tailored to the individual needs of his athletes.

    Robyn Owen - multi-sport athlete

  • The Run Project gives you a tailor-made program according to your goals. Their passion for running and progression is contagious. They have an attention to detail I have not come across before. I am inspired and motivated by this team every day.

    Llewellyn Groeneveld - SA Trail and Mountain Running team

  • I joined James after I had already been running competitively for 20 years, thinking I have nothing left to learn. Little did I know that a whole new world of knowledge and insights will come my way, helping me to achieve greater success. With his passion and experience, I've been able to get to every startline knowing that we did the most to put me in the best possible shape to race with confidence and knowing that I'll be able to get the most out of myself on race day.

    Daniël Claassen - SA Trail and Mountain Running Team

  • I was initially hesitant at the idea of taking on a coach but now 3.5 years later, I wouldn't even dream about taking on a challenge without the guidance and direction of The Run Project. They have taken me through injury, accidents, rehabs, the oceans, the mountains and everything that lies in-between. It's been an amazing journey to interact with the material and insights they apply to South Africa's top trail runners and have that delivered to your doorstep every week.

    Zoog Haynes - multisport athlete

  • I have been working with James at the Run Project for over 2 years. It's been a period that's really spiked my interest and love for running even after 20 years in the game. Their holistic approach, open mindedness, willingness to learn and ability to work successfully within any constrains as well as thirst for knowledge across running disciplines makes him and awesome coach to work with.

    Kane Reilly - SA trail and mountain running team

  • An exceptional coach and mentor, James is a wealth of knowledge in the realm of running. His commitment to continuous learning and improvement is truly inspiring, ensuring that every session is backed by science and very carefully thought out. What sets him apart is his genuine investment in individuals, prioritizing personal growth and longevity over short term performance.

    Bianca Tarboton - Adidas Terrex Athlete

  • The Run Project has been instrumental in assisting me to achieve my athletic endeavours and offers an insightful and knowledgeable approach to training. Their sessions are enjoyable and specific to your goals and development. They also have an ability to connect on a personal level and every request, question or feedback is treated with importance.

    Talia Norvall

  • The coaching provided by Meg goes far beyond a weekly running programme. The attention to detail, ongoing engagement, and well rounded approach gives me everything I need to unlock the best from my running. Their approach to training theory, strength training and understanding you as an athlete make for a long healthy career as an athlete.

    Bernard van der Kuil

  • Coaches Meg Mackenzie and James “Monty” Montgomery are two people that you want in your corner when it comes to your running career. Prior to the start of this year my approach to running/training was simple – all out all the time. I mean this is how you get stronger, faster, and better right? Wrong.

    John Faure

  • The Run Project nurtures a professional and holistic approach. This is done by being fully understood as an individual, which continues to extract the best out of myself and most importantly, maintaining the love for the long-term journey.

    Karl Midlane - Sky and Mountain runner

  • I've been training with the Run Project since 2019. James' insight and knowledge has been invaluable in advancing my running. Under his guidance and training, I've grown as a runner and achieved things I never thought were possible. Always meeting me where I am no matter the season of life, James has a gentle manner that relies heavily on intuition and being present.

    Julia Hunter

In a sport like trail running where there are training influencers from a number of different endurance sports it can be challenging to keep the context and perspective of what we are ultimately trying to achieve? We can typically handle more volume
Puzzling and humbled 🤔? Sitting at the end of the trail marathon at World Championships in Innsbruck awed and in somewhat disbelief (again) at the quality and depth of the top athletes in the sport and how to bridge the gap to them. There was noth
Some weekend race highlights … @rorpel21 at the Magoebasultra 36km 🥈 @karlmiddy at the Chianti by UTMB 15km 🥈 @ckanyimo at Hartiestrail Experience 🥇 @biancat12 at Spar Women’s Challenge 10km (top 10) Well done to all that raced Addo
The Run Project … since 2017 What started out as a passion project has evolved into a fully fledged business that we’re so proud of! When we started out the business we were both working full time in our chosen careers. Our initial ob
Too often we copy training sessions or philosophies without any understanding of the context and intention behind them. The magic is not in the workout or philosophy but instead in the ability to objectively and gradually expose the athlete to the ri