01
Ambitious athletes
Performance-focused middle-distance and endurance athletes who want to develop within a high-performance environment.
Collaborative. Evidence-based. Ambitious.
ND Performance Hub
Train Together. Learn Together.
Perform Better.
A collaborative high-performance running community for ambitious middle-distance and endurance athletes and coaches.
What we believe
We believe exceptional athletes can emerge from any club, any coach, any university or none at all. Talent is everywhere. Opportunity isn't.
Our vision
High performance starts here
To create the UK's leading collaborative high-performance running community.
We bring together ambitious athletes and coaches to raise the standard of middle-distance and endurance running through quality training, shared knowledge and continuous learning.
No club boundaries. No egos. No hidden agendas.
This is not a club. It is a professional, supportive environment where knowledge, experience and best practice are shared openly.
Who the hub is for
Ambition meets opportunity
Serious, performance-focused endurance athletes from all clubs—and coaches committed to learning.
02
Performance standards
Men: sub-15:00 for 5km. Women: sub-17:00. Equivalent standards, coach recommendations and exceptional developing athletes are considered.
03
Coaches welcome
Observe, ask questions, contribute ideas and explore the nuances of physiology, coaching and performance development.
Every 7–10 daysOne high-quality shared session
Evidence-ledScience meets practical experience
Open exchangeQuestions, ideas and knowledge shared
Performance labs
Data that drives progress
Testing and practical insight to help athletes and coaches make better-informed performance decisions.
01
Lactate testing
Measure how the body responds at different intensities to identify thresholds and set individual training zones.
02
Environmental physiology
Understand how heat, cold, humidity and altitude affect performance, preparation and recovery.
03
Running economy
Assess the energy cost of running at different speeds and identify opportunities to improve efficiency.
04
VO₂ development
Use testing and training insight to develop aerobic power, sustainable speed and endurance capacity.
05
Altitude training
Plan before, during and after altitude to support adaptation, protect health and maximise the benefit.
06
Performance analysis
Bring testing, training and race data together to create clear, practical next steps for performance.
Meet the founder
Neil Danby
International Speed Endurance Coach
Neil Danby is an International Speed Endurance Coach with over 30 years of experience helping running and cross-country skiing athletes fulfil their potential through intelligent coaching, modern sports science and long-term performance planning.
A former Olympian whose coaching journey began in the 1980s, Neil has worked with athletes ranging from ambitious club runners to international competitors.
Start a conversation →30+Years of coaching experience
OlympianA lifetime in performance sport
IndividualEvery programme built around the athlete
CompleteCoaching, science and career development
Intelligent, individual coaching
Neil combines decades of practical experience with modern performance methodologies—including lactate profiling, VO₂ testing, biomechanics, performance analysis and race planning—to develop highly individual programmes.
He believes there is no single blueprint for success. Every athlete responds differently to training, and understanding the individual is at the heart of his philosophy. The aim is not simply to train harder, but to train smarter, remain healthy and perform when it matters most.
Complete performance pathways
Neil’s role has evolved far beyond writing training programmes. He works with athletes to bring together coaching, sports science, performance testing, race planning, education, training camps, support teams, sponsorship opportunities and long-term career development.
Sustainable success is achieved when every part of an athlete’s performance environment works together towards a common goal.
A centre without walls
ND Performance Hub is built around the vision of becoming a High-Performance Centre Without Walls—one collaborative community connecting coaching, sports science, education, testing, race planning, athlete support and long-term development.
Rather than asking athletes to fit into a system, the Hub brings high-quality knowledge, expertise and opportunity to athletes wherever they are.
Purpose beyond coaching
Removing barriers. Creating opportunity.
As Founder of ND Performance Hub CIC, Neil is passionate about making high-performance coaching and education accessible regardless of club, university or financial circumstances.
As a Community Interest Company, the Hub exists to serve a wider purpose: to remove barriers, share knowledge and create opportunities for talented athletes and coaches who may not have access to traditional high-performance pathways.
“Talent is everywhere. Opportunity isn’t.”
A personal note
Onwards & Upwards
Success is not defined by one race, one season or one result. It is built through continuous progress, resilience and the willingness to keep learning.
The hub experience
Bring your best. Help others do the same.
Membership expectations
- Arrive prepared and on time
- Respect all athletes, coaches and clubs
- Contribute positively
- Learn and share knowledge
- Represent the Hub with humility
A typical Hub evening
- Welcome and introductions
- Elite group training session
- Cool down together
- Performance discussion
- Questions and open forum
Ready for the next step?
Train together.
Perform better.
Whether you are chasing your next personal best, a national vest or a deeper understanding of performance, we would like to hear from you.
Email ND Performance Hub