PRACTITIONER PROFILE

Jonathan Kilpatrick, Chartered Physiotherapist (BSc Hons), PGDip Sports Physiotherapy, MCSP.

Chartered Physiotherapist (BSc Hons), PGDip Sports Physiotherapy, MCSP.

Lydiard Trained Running Coach

Scottish Athletics Leadership in Running Fitness Coach

Running Repairs Course

Jonny Kilpatrick

Jonny is an experienced Sports Physiotherapist who has been working in private practices since 2006 in a variety of countries including New Zealand, Australia and the UK. He is one of the founding members of Physio Effect in Glasgow, where he continues to work since 2011.

In 2016 Jonny made the transition from years of weights and crossfit style of training to completing his first Ultramarathon in the beautiful highlands of Scotland. He feels that with running and trail running; his love for being in the outdoors, exercising and being challenged have combined brilliantly. Jonny now regularly participates in trail and mountain running and really loves sharing this passion with other runners who he feels can benefit from his extensive knowledge of running related training and injury issues. This is why in 2023 Jonny has established the Glasgow Running Clinic to operate alongside Physio Effect.

Jonny has seen time and again that the most common and debilitating running injuries are very often poorly addressed because runner’s technique is actually one of the main reasons for overload to particular structures. Runners will often strengthen and adapt their running plans when injured but often have no idea if they are running with a technique that is actually the real cause of their problems. Having your running form assessed and modified if needed gives a more sustained solution to issues rather than just altering symptoms.

Q&A

Runner descending the Ring of Steall, Mamores.

Have you always been a runner, Jonny?

I sometimes have a laugh that my main sporting hobby is long distance running. Growing up I always avoided running fitness where possible. I grew up playing rugby and other team sports in school and after that mostly participated in gym work and weights.

When and why did you really get into running?

I realised that I enjoyed running while living in New Zealand where I used to run most lunch times to get out into the sun and have a break in the middle of my clinic day. I’d always enjoyed hillwalking and the great outdoors so where I find myself now as an off-road runner isn’t a massive surprise really now I think about it.

Two runners crossing the finish line of the Salomon Glencoe carrying their baby. Skyline Scotland.

What races or running experiences stand out for you?

I have two stand out events. In 2018, I completed the West Highland Way Race which was really the main goal I had back then when I started running. The race went great for me and I was very proud of it. I still love training on the West Highland Way when I can and in the winter of 2021 I decided to run the West highland Way again on the closest weekend to the winter solstice but in a North to South direction. Again this went really well and I absolutely loved the experience where this time I was doing it with the support of my friends and family instead of in a race. Here’s a blog post describing it.

Another personal challenge which stands out for me was the Bob Graham Round I completed in May 2023 in 21 hours and 31 minutes. This was a round of 42 mountain summits starting and finishing at the Moot Hall in Keswick. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day in the hills supported by friends and an achievement I’m very proud of as the Bog Graham Round is a very well known and difficult challenge. If you’d like to read my account of my day out and find out a bit more about the Bob Graham Round then please click this link to a blog I wrote about it.

The other event that clearly stands out for me is the Lakeland 100 which I first completed in July of 2019. This is a 105 mile loop of the English Lake District. I love the Lakeland 100 event and its atmosphere! Training for the events has shown us so many beautiful parts of the Lake District that we often go to for weekend breaks as a family. The 2019 event stands out for me though because being honest it was much more difficult that I had anticipated and I had to dig very deep for my finish on it where I had to manage some bad trench foot for a good 16 hours of it Afterwards I felt like I had some unfinished business there and returned in 2023 to run the race within my target time of sub-24 hours, where I managed 23 hours and 33 minutes and knowing he course better and the demands of the race I was able to manage my race much better. Still not sure I’m finished with the Lakeland 100 however……..

In prep for a faster assault on the Lakeland 100 down the line I’ve been working on shorter and faster events in 2024 such as the ACP 50k, a flat looped road race and then the Lakeland 50. Although I had my best finish in a race of 7th and the MV40 1st place on L50, this still highlighted to me again that I have a lack of speed, especially for the start of a race if I want to further progress up a competitive field in these big races.

Ben Lomond in Autumn, landscape with runner and heather.

I’m now looking ahead to 2025 and the only event at this point in my diary is for early April with the Lakes Traverse 100k. My plan is to again work flat speed at the end of 2024 and carry this onto the trails from January.

What are you currently training for?