Our jog leaders
Our experienced jog leaders are dedicated to supporting runners of all abilities. They lead regular sessions every Monday and Wednesday evening, creating a welcoming and encouraging environment for new and experienced runners alike. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve your fitness, our jog leaders are here to help you achieve your goals.
Rachel
Rachel is a proud Monkton Miler and the JogScotland jog leader of the year 2022. She’s plodded her way through 4-5 ultramarathons, a few marathons and donated a kidney along the way – the latter easily being the most meaningful endurance event of the lot.
What she loves most is seeing other people smash their goals. She gets her kicks from watching someone realise they’re stronger, braver and more capable than they ever thought. Whether she’s leading a run, cheering at parkrun or “gently” bullying someone up a hill she’s all about community, encouragement and celebrating every win.
Amy
Amy’s joined the Milers as part of our 2023 Couch to 5k intake, and has never looked back! She has become a Milers regular, taking part in many local (and more recently) international events.
Amy completed her jog leader training in early 2025 and was so proud to lead a Couch to 5k group shortly after.
Amy loves getting involved in all things Milers, but her favourite event is our annual Santa Dash where she is undoubtedly our Queen of Cakes – not many people can claim to have made 300 empire biscuits for charity!
Christine
Christine joined Milers a few years ago and has been a regular club participant, alongside her husband David. She decided she loved it so much that she trained to become a jog leader in 2025.
Christine loves being part of our amazing club and delights in encouraging new members to run.
She has helped support previous couch to 5k groups, and loves seeing people progress.
Dan
Dan joined Milers in 2023 after relocating to Troon. His long-distance running stretches back much longer than that though, as he completed his first marathon in 2013. He became a jog leader in 2025.
His favourite part of being a Miler is seeing runners progress either in distance or times that they didn’t think they could manage. Many Milers will quote “trying to keep up with Dan” as a reason for them achieving a personal best!
As well as Club sessions, Dan can be found most Saturday mornings buggy-running at Troon parkrun – he knows there’s nothing more humbling than a small child demanding you go faster!
Dave
Dave has been a Miler for longer than he can remember and can always be counted on to take part in any group runs and challenges, as well as some questionable route choices!
He completed his jog leader training in 2022 and has led a couple of couch to 5k cohorts since. He enjoys seeing his groups flourish and eventually graduate. He’s extra proud that some who started with the Club as non-runners are now jog leaders themselves.
Dave loves the camaraderie that exists in our Club, with everyone welcome from beginners to marathon runners. And as he says, that’s why we’re the best Club going!
Diane
Diane joined the Milers in 2019 and trained as a jog leader in 2020. She loves the friendly atmosphere, the chats along the way, the occasional post-run cake and most importantly being part of the famous Milers cheer squad.
Nothing makes her prouder than seeing our Couch to 5k runners going from “I’m not sure I can” to “I actually did it!”, and as she says, watching people achieve their goals is the best finish line of all.
Diane does so much work behind the scenes of Milers, and the Club owes so much to her (and her husband Sandy, an honorary Miler!) – that’s why she won our Miler of the Year in 2025!
Duncan
Duncan joined the Milers a few years ago, having previously done his best to avoid Club running. He quickly realised what he’d been missing out on and, in his own words, is a better and more consistent runner now.
He is grateful for the time and friendships within the Club, and loves nothing more than a run and a chat with Club members.
Duncan completed his jog leader training at the start of 2026 and we’re already benefitting from his calm, friendly approach.
Gary
Gary joined the Club in early 2023 and has since run many 10ks, half marathons and his biggest achievement – the London marathon in 2025!
He trained as a jog leader in 2025, and as well as being a Miler, he is a Troon park-run regular. He describes the Saturday morning parkrun as the highlight of his week, and loves helping pace other Milers to 5k personal bests.
As Gary says, “any mile is a mile” and he’s always happy to support Club members of all paces achieve their goals.
Gregor
Gregor joined Milers in December 2024 to support his challenge of running every day in December. He is however a well-know face in the Troon running community as the co-Event Director of Troon Parkrun, so it was really only a matter of time before he joined our ranks.
He has been a jog leader since October 2025, and enjoys supporting and encouraging people as they progress through their running journeys.
Gregor can be easily convinced to join most runs, and has recently been (gently) persuaded to sign up for his first official half-marathon, having accidentally completed the same distance on a Milers Sunday social run.
James
James’ profile has been held up, but check back here soon.
Jan
Jan actually joined the Milers as part of a previous couch to 5k cohort, having moved to the local area and seen the Club as a great way to meet people. We’re delighted she stuck around and then decided to become a jog leader in early 2025.
Jan loves leading and supporting our couch to 5k cohorts, and running at the back of the group on Club nights. She enjoys seeing other people realise it doesn’t matter how fast or slow you are, but just being out there doing something is great for wellbeing. Even better for wellbeing is being in a warm, encouraging and inclusive group like Milers – every group needs a Jan!
Jaye
Jaye joined the Milers as part of our January 2025 Couch to 5k intake, to support her in building up to that year’s Troon 10k. She’s loved running with the Club ever since, and has become one of our most consistent runners. She didn’t just stop at 5k though, and completed the 2026 London marathon, quite an achievement in just over a year!
She completed her jog leader training just after the 2026 London marathon (the next logical step!) and she’s passionate about encouraging others to discover what they’re capable of.
Jaye is always up for a social run, especially if there’s a coffee, matcha or ice cream waiting at the finish – an ethos we can all support!
Jen
Jen joined the Milers way back in pre-covid times, after doing the NHS couch to 5k programme after her second child was born.
She is a great advocate for the benefits of running on both physical and mental health and notes one of her biggest achivements as losing 5 stone as running became a regular part of her routine. Jen has run all sorts of distances from 5k up to half marathon.
Jen became a leader to support others in their own journeys, and enjoys being a Miler for the fun and cameraderie.
Kerry
Kerry joined Milers in 2021 in the same way that a lot of people have – by meeting Rachel at parkrun and being persuaded to come along. She has run on and off for a number of years, completing everything from 5 and 10ks up to half-marathon distance. She has a love-hate relationship with hills – loves the downhills and hates the ups, like many of us.
Kerry became a jog leader in 2023 because she believes in bringing as much fun to running as possible – she has led and supported our couch to 5k cohorts and loves seeing people achieve goals they never thought possible.
Kerry loves the Milers family for the supportive Club environment and friendships, and has appreciated this more than ever after having her daughter in March 2026 and now getting her post-partum fitness back!
Kirsteen
Kirsteen has been a Miler for a few years now, and trained as a jog leader in April 2026. Prior to her formal training she has helped with previous Couch to 5ks and loved seeing people achieve their goals.
She enjoys the variety of Milers sessions, and importantly the mix of people she has met through the Club.
Leigh
Leigh’ joined the Milers in September 2023 and has never looked back! She is one of our most consistent Club runners, and is always up for a regular Club night, a social Sunday morning run or taking part in a local event.
Leigh is super proud to have completed the Great Scottish Run half maraton in 2025, as well as smashing her target at the 2026 Dean Park K6 event, running a massive 28km!
Leigh loves being part of the Milers for the support shown in all ways, not just running, and the opportunity to meet so many people who become friends. Leigh is a fantastic support to others and loves helping people achieve their goals.
Lorraine
Lorraine has been a Miler for a number of years and decided to train as a jog leader in 2025.
She loves running and encouraging others to run and reach their goals. Everyone loves a run with Lorraine because you can have such a lovely chat that you forget you’re even running!
Lorraine loves being a Miler because it’s such a fun, friendly and sociable club – all words we could use to describe Lorraine herself.
When she’s not running you’ll find Lorraine cycling, walking or socialising, or more than likely on one of her many holidays!
Michelle
For years Michelle stood at Troon parkrun with a stopwatch, cheering everyone on and secretly wondering if she could ever do what they did. Spoiler: she could. After plenty of encouragement from Milers taking part she joined the September 2022 Couch to 5k intake at the age of 50. With loads of support, wise words from the jog leaders at that time and the odd singalong (encouraged but not compulsory!) she completed the 5k and became a very proud Monkton Miler.
Michelle recognises both the physical and, equally if not more importantly, the mental benefits that being a Miler has brought. She’s privileged to help lead our Couch to 5k cohorts now and tell nervous beginners that it doesn’t matter if you run or run / walk, it all counts!
Michelle is one of our most consistent attendees, be it 6am social runs, hills, races, cake or just catch-ups with cake – you can count on her being there. In her own words, “the sMilers really are the family we choose, and seeing people achieve things they never thought possible makes me so proud to wear the purple t-shirt”. Every club needs a Michelle.
Robert
Robert’s profile has been held up but check back here soon.
Ruth
Ruth has been an on again, off again Milers since 2017. She’s had some set backs but always comes back to try again, and we are delighted she does. Ruth is known in the Milers ranks for her inability to feel the cold – she is the only person we know who would run in a vest in a snowstorm!
Ruth became a jog leader at the start of 2026 because she loves helping others reach their goals, no matter how big or small.
She’s completed everything from 5k’s to ultra-marathons and has somehow had a smile on her face for every one.
Sian
Sian joined our ranks in March 2022 as part of a couch to 5k cohort. She didn’t stop at 5k though and we don’t think she’s stopped running since! She’s run everything from 5k’s up to half marathons, always with a smile on her face.
Sian became a jog leader in late 2023 and is hands-down one of the most supportive people you could ever meet! Despite having a busy job and family commitments she has led a couch to 5k cohort of her own, she leads a weekly social run for club members on Sundays, and she supports a raft of local events. She is famous amongst our Milers ranks for going out to cheer at a local 10k and ending up running the whole thing to help keep some of the back-of-the-pack runners going.
Sian won’t tell you this because she’s too modest, but she was our very first Miler of the Year in 2024, an accolade she very much deserved.
Trace
Trace is quite literally the original Monkton Miler, having joined the Club back in 2013. She became a leader in 2014 and has watched the Club grow from a handful of members to well over 100.
Trace has taken part in all sorts of events, from local 5k’s, to marathons including London and Loch Ness (her favourite) as well as ultras. She’s a running machine!
She has led many of our members through Couch to 5k’s, and in 2026 became a regular timekeeper at Troon park-run. This let her to spread Milers motivation even further, and she loves watching people achieve and exceed their potential.
Una
Una started running in January 2025, again as part of one of our Couch to 5k cohorts. She didn’t think she’d get beyond week 3 and we’re delighted she was proven wrong! She cites the help and encouragement from the amazing Milers with helping her complete that first 5k, and the further encouragement to enable her to complete her leadership training in early 2026.
Una is looking forward to leading her first couch to 5k in 2026, whilst continuing to enjoy regular Club sessions and parkruns.
In Una’s words – she’s not a competer, but is a completer, and we think that’s a fantastic approach to have!
Vicky
Vicky completed the Couch to 5k with the support of Diane to prepare for Prestwick Airport’s first “Run the Runway” event in 2024. Vicky will always be thankful to Diane for giving up her free time to help her, and she repaid this by joining Milers in February 2025!
Vicky loves the inclusive nature of the Club and how friendly everyone is. She’s seen how addictive running can be, and importantly how it helps mentally and physically. Vicky has met friends for life through the Club and enjoys regular Milers sessions as well as a Saturday parkrun (with compulsory treats afterwards).
Vicky trained as a jog leader in March 2026 and is looking forward to helping others achieve their potential, just as Diane helped her.
Our club committee
Our dedicated club committee works tirelessly behind the scenes to organise events, coordinate training sessions, and foster our community spirit. They ensure that Monkton Milers remains a welcoming, inclusive space where everyone can enjoy running and make lasting friendships. The committee is always open to feedback and new ideas from club members.
Club Chair – Rachel Cox
Depute Chair – Diane McAughtrie
Membership Secretary – Trace Darragh
Club Secretary – Ruth Farrell
Treasurer – Kerry McClymont