Meet Our Coaches
All of our coaches and run leaders hold relevant England Athletics qualifications, are DBS checked and undertake regular safeguarding and first aid training.
Colin Haggie
Head Coach
Some say he’s been a member of the Gosforth Harriers so long that he now bleeds green! Our legendary President & Head Coach Colin first joined the club way back in 1958.
Over the decades, Colin proudly represented Gosforth Harriers countless times in those famous green and white hoops, becoming a fixture on the local running scene and inspiring generations of athletes. His competitive spirit carried him through until 1995, when he finally hung up his spikes — but instead of stepping away, Colin simply switched lanes.
Since then, he’s poured nearly all his spare time into coaching, guiding runners of every age and ability with patience, humour, and a sharp eye for detail. Whether it’s helping a junior find their stride or pushing a senior to chase down a PB, Colin has been the heartbeat of the club, ensuring Gosforth Harriers continues to thrive.
With over six decades of dedication, Colin isn’t just part of the furniture — he’s part of the DNA of Gosforth Harriers. His passion, perseverance, and pride in the hoops make him a true club legend.
Kevin Thomas
Coach
Kevin joined the Gosforth Harriers in 1990. When not rolling around in the mud at cross country events, Kevin has also represented the club in a number of marathons, plenty of half marathons (his favourite) as well as 10Ks and 5Ks.
As a Level 1 Coaching Assistant he runs the Wednesday night seniors’ training session. Having run a mile or two around Gosforth and surrounding areas he’s able to turn local streets and paths into brutal yet very enjoyable and productive workouts!
Kevin has served on the committee for so long even he can’t remember when he started! He’s also taken on the responsibility of ensuring we have cups and medals to present to our fantastic members during our awards evening.
Kevin Spreadbury
Coach
Kevin joined the club in 2014 having previously been a member of City Of Bath when he was younger and a lot fitter!
Over the years he has represented the club in Cross Cross Country, track and road racing with 2018 being his standout year setting PB’s in the 1500m, mile, 5K and Blaydon Race and also competing in a couple of Triathlons.
Unfortunately, ongoing injury issues have curtailed his running recently and having already qualified as a Coaching Assistant in 2016 he started to focus more on coaching and became a Coach in Running Fitness in 2022. Currently he is working towards the Event Group Endurance qualification.
Kevin coaches the 11 to 16 year old juniors at Gosforth Harriers and is our team manager for the North East Youth Development League.
As well as his coaching duties Kevin serves on the committee as Membership Secretary and is also a member of the Gosforth Sports Association committee.
Irene Ewart
Coach
Irene has been a proud member of Gosforth Harriers since 2007, bringing her energy and commitment to the club for well over a decade. By 2009, she had stepped up as a committee member and taken on the vital role of Welfare Officer, ensuring the wellbeing of our runners both on and off the course.
Never one to stand still, Irene completed her Assistant Coaching course in 2016 and has since been a key part of our Beginners Group, working alongside Steve to welcome new runners and help them find their stride.
Irene’s dedication, encouragement, and friendly presence make her an invaluable part of the Harriers family — whether she’s supporting behind the scenes or cheering runners on at the start line.
Steve Boddy
Coach
Steve joined the Gosforth Harries in 2015 and has competed regularly on road, cross country and track, representing the club at North East, Northern & National levels.
He has won numerous medals and age category awards in various road and track events. In 2024 the elusive first Gold medal was achieved at the O45 North East Relays at Jarrow.
In 2016 Steve started as a Parent Volunteer with Junior Group training, going on to coach the Gosforth Beginners Group (age 8-11) which he continues to do so today. Steve also covers other coaching sessions and works closely with the other coaches to develop the service offerings.
In 2017 Steve joined the Club Committee and in recent years has become the Chair of the Committee as well as the Race Director for the popular Gosforth Summer Relays.
Neil Ramsay
Run Leader
Neil joined Gosforth Harriers in 2016 as his first running club and immediately wished he had joined a long time ago. When he was still quick enough, he used to accompany the fastest older juniors in a Parent Volunteer role and has since then completed the Leader in Running Fitness qualification. Now, he leads the Monday evening senior sessions, setting the route, welcoming new members and ensuring all participants know where they are going and have others to run with depending on their pace.
He still loves the challenge, terrain and club camaraderie of cross-country and is a regular in the Gosforth Harriers relay teams throughout the year. Although his preferred distance is 5k, he has completed almost 20 half marathons and 3 marathons and is always willing to provide advice for training and race day itself.
Neil helps out in a number of ways for the club and is on the committee as Social Secretary.
Leonie
Run Leader
Leonie joined Gosforth Harriers in 2022. Having completed her Leadership in Running Fitness qualification in 2024 she now runs one of the junior groups.
Nick Watt
Run Leader
Nick joined Gosforth Harriers in 2023 with a simple goal: to be part of a club where he could meet like-minded people, enjoy the social side of running, and (hopefully!) improve his pace along the way. Since then, he’s kept showing up, week after week, and in the process made some amazing friends who made every session worth it.
With a bit of perseverance, Nick might even notch up a few improvements — but for him, the real win has been the community spirit.
His motivation for stepping up as a run leader is to give something back to the club that’s already given him so much. Helping with the senior groups means he can support others on their running journeys, while keeping that Gosforth Harriers energy alive and well.