Meet the Longford Striders Team
Stuart Sahan - Group Leader & England Athletics Endurance Running Coach
I’m Stuart Sahan, Group Leader at Longford Striders. I came to running over 12 years ago with a simple goal: to get fitter. Since then, it’s taken me from 5Ks to full marathons, and along the way it’s given me confidence, lifelong friendships and experiences I’ll never forget. That’s why I’m so passionate about helping others discover the physical, mental, social and performance benefits that running can bring. Alongside leading Longford Striders, I run Sports Therapy One as a Clinical Sports Therapist. I’m also an England Athletics Endurance Running Coach, a qualified Personal Trainer and Gym Coach, and hold an enhanced DBS through England Athletics, a Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work qualification, and appropriate coaching insurance.
Whether you come to running to get fit, improve your performance, build confidence, work towards a goal or simply have some fun along the way, you’ll always receive a warm welcome. I believe running is about far more than times and distances. It’s about supporting one another, enjoying the journey and celebrating every achievement, no matter how big or small.
As I always say, miles tick away much nicer when you’re running in a group. Why not come along and join us!
Kelli Sahan - Run Leader (LiRF)
I’ve been running for twelve years and have covered distances ranging from 5k to ultra marathons (40 to 63 miles). I have a particular interest in supporting beginners who are just starting out in the world of running. You will often find me supporting our Couch to 5k runners and leading the Jeffing group, which focuses on a mix of running and walking, as well as supporting returners and improvers on the weekly Sunday runs. I am always happy to support anyone who is concerned about pace, so you can rest assured you will never be on your own. I look forward to seeing you on a group run soon.
Jeannie Noonan - Run Leader (LiRF)
Hi LfS group! If you don’t already know me, I’m a regular attender of the Sunday morning sessions. As one of the mid-pace runners amongst the group, I’m always happy to run, or otherwise support, anybody of my own comfortable social pace, or slower. If you’re new to the group and unfamiliar with any of the social run routes, I’m always happy to keep an eye on newbies to keep you on course too. I hold the Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) qualification due to my background in leading Couch to 5k courses over several years and also leading varied training sessions for a large local running club. Look forward to seeing you soon!
Dave Nelson - Run Leader (LiRF)
Hey, I’m Dave! I’ve been running since the start of COVID in 2020. What was originally something to keep me going and occupied during lockdown has turned into so much more. I’ve done 5k’s at parkrun, and lots of 10k’s and half marathons. After some persuasion, I completed my first marathon in 2025… never again (he says!). I’ve enjoyed being part of the Longford Striders since 2021, and have more recently helped out newer runners get acclimatised to running during the couch to 5k courses. I’m looking forward to giving back more moving forward, and being part of the LfS core team.