Joe Wigfield: Knocking on the Door – 62:04 Manchester Half Winner

This week, Ryan sits down with fellow Wirral native Joe Wigfield – the newly-crowned Manchester Half Marathon champion after an impressive 62:04 win over GB international Jonny Mellor.Joe actually coached Ryan to his 2:45 debut marathon so they share some early reflections on the coach/athlete relationship. They dive straight into the details behind Manchester: the race plan, pacing calls, mental battles, and what it’s like tackling longer distances when you come from the track. How to beat and elite marathoner as a traditional 800/1500m guy and what is going through Joe's mind at different points throughout the race.Joe rewinds to his early days at Wirral AC, where he juggled high jump and middle-distance before heading to St Mary’s University under coach Craig Winrow, reflects on a brief and confusing year with HOKA, and opens up on the lessons that shaped his career.There’s plenty more – from GB selection debates to World Cross in Bathurst, dealing with stress fractures, rebuilding confidence, and chasing redemption at the British Champs. Plus a quick-fire round where Joe picks between a GB vest or Liverpool’s Champions League, reveals his top coffee spots in Teddington, and his beer of choice.One of Britain’s most versatile distance talents, Joe’s story is about resilience, range, and the belief that the best is yet to come.