An Evening with Professor Andy Jones

Between 1991 and 2003, Paula Radcliffe's VO2 max barely moved. Her running economy improved by 15% — and that is where the marathon world record came from. The physiologist who measured it, year after year, is coming to Winchester.

Professor Andy Jones has spent three decades working out what separates the best endurance athletes in the world from everyone else, and — more usefully for the rest of us — which parts of that are trainable. He joins us at South Downs Social for an evening on how elite performance principles apply to every runner, at every level.

About Professor Andy Jones

• Professor of Applied Physiology at the University of Exeter, and a world-leading authority on endurance exercise physiology

• Consultant Sports Scientist to UK Athletics for over 25 years

• Physiologist to Paula Radcliffe across her career, and author of the landmark study tracking her from teenager to world record holder

• Special Advisor to Nike and Lead Physiologist on Breaking2, the project that took Eliud Kipchoge to the edge of a two-hour marathon

• Part of the science team behind Breaking4, Faith Kipyegon's 2025 attempt on the four-minute mile

• Known to a generation of runners as "Andy Beetroot": his Exeter lab's work on dietary nitrate is the reason beetroot shots are in half the kit bags on the start line

What to expect

Andy will share key insights from his work with the world's best athletes and show how the same principles — economy, threshold, fuelling, pacing — can be applied to improve performance at every level. Whether you are chasing a first 10K or a Championship marathon place, there will be something here you can use on Sunday.

Tickets

• £5 per person, including your first drink free

• Open to all members, junior and senior — and members may bring up to 3 guests

• Capacity is limited to 50 people, so book early

Doors from 7:00 pm at South Downs Social, 3–4 Kings Walk, Middle Brook Street, Winchester SO23 8AF.