Guillaume Adam – French runner, researcher and running coach
I’m Guillaume Adam, a former French international 1500m runner, sub-4-minute miler and 2:23 marathoner. I’m also an engineer, the co-author of two scientific papers on running performance, and the co-founder of RunMotion Coach, the app I use to coach runners.
In brief26 medals at the French National Championships · French indoor 3000m champion · 3:58.38 for the mile · 2:23 for the marathon · Research published in PLOS One (2018) and Frontiers in Physiology (2024) · Over 1.1 million runners trained with RunMotion Coach · Two running books published by Leduc.
On this page: How I coach · Personal bests · My story · Research · Books · Corporate coaching · FAQ
How I coach: only through RunMotion Coach
I don’t offer one-to-one coaching. All my coaching goes through RunMotion Coach: I designed its algorithms and I use the app for my own training. It’s the most reliable way I’ve found to apply a science-based method to every runner, every day.
- Paces calculated from your real level, using a performance model derived from my research.
- Mostly easy running, a little very hard running: the polarised distribution observed in elite endurance athletes.
- Controlled load progression, with recovery weeks, to limit injury risk.
- A plan that adapts to your feedback after each session, from your first 5K to an ultra-trail.
Try RunMotion Coach free for 7 days: the code GUILLAUME is applied automatically through this link.
Personal bests
| Distance | Personal best |
|---|---|
| 1500m | 3:38.41 |
| Mile | 3:58.38 |
| 3000m | 7:57.53 |
| 10km | 29:31 |
| Half marathon | 1:07 |
| Marathon | 2:23 |
Highlights
- French international in the 1500m (Jeux de la Francophonie 2013, World University Games 2015)
- French indoor 3000m champion (2016)
- 26 medals at the French National Championships
- Sub-4-minute miler: 3:59.74 in 2017, then 3:58.38 in 2018
- BUCS 1500m champion (UK university championships)
- First French finisher at the 2019 New York City Marathon
- 2nd at the 2026 Lausanne Marathon (2:26)
- Winner of the Course du Duc at Geneva’s Course de l’Escalade (2017), with 19 Escalade races to date
▶ Watch my races on video (in French): Paris Marathon, the Boston mile, French championships.
My story
From the French national team to a sub-4-minute mile
I competed mainly as a middle-distance runner and represented France in the 1500m, with a personal best of 3:38.41 in 2014.
From 2016 to 2018, I lived in Boston, Massachusetts, where I trained with the Boston Athletic Association, the club behind the Boston Marathon. In February 2017, I ran the indoor mile in 3:59.74 and became a sub-4-minute miler. A year later, I improved to 3:58.38.
Training in Birmingham and winning the BUCS 1500m
In 2013–2014, I spent a year in the United Kingdom as an exchange student in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Birmingham. I joined the training group coached by Bud Baldaro, alongside some of Britain’s leading middle-distance athletes, and won the BUCS 1500m title.
From the track to the marathon
I ran my first marathon in Lausanne in 2018, finishing fourth in 2:28. In 2019, I ran the Paris Marathon with my twin brother Romain, and we led the race for the first kilometres. Later that year, I was the first French finisher at the New York City Marathon, 45th among more than 50,000 runners.
I have since improved my marathon best to 2:23 (Paris, 2023) and finished 2nd at the 2026 Lausanne Marathon in 2:26, while racing on the roads and trails of the Alps.
Running science and research
I hold a DEUG in sports science (STAPS) from Université Savoie Mont-Blanc (2019). While living in Boston, I contributed to research at MIT on modelling and predicting distance-running performance.
Mulligan M., Adam G., Emig T. (2018). “A minimal power model for human running performance”. PLOS One. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206645
Using only four runner-specific parameters, the model predicts performances from 800m to the marathon with a mean error below 1% on the world records studied. This work later shaped the performance-prediction and pace algorithms of RunMotion Coach.
Emig T., Adam G. (2024). “Evolution of world running record performances for men and women: physiological characteristics”. Frontiers in Physiology, 15, 1372092. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1372092
Applying the same model to world records since 1918 for men and 1984 for women, we showed that maximal aerobic speed has plateaued for men since around 2000, while long-distance endurance has kept improving.
Co-founder of RunMotion Coach
In 2018, I co-founded RunMotion Coach with my twin brother Romain, to make high-quality, personalised coaching accessible to every runner. I lead much of the technical and R&D work behind the app and developed many of the algorithms that personalise training plans and predict performance. Over 1.1 million runners have now trained with it.
Books
I have written two running books, published in French by Leduc:
- Ma bible du running, du trail et du marathon (2023): a complete guide to running, from the science of training to equipment and nutrition.
- Je m’initie au running (2025): an accessible guide for beginners.
Corporate running coaching
The only in-person coaching I offer is corporate running coaching, in the Chambéry, Annecy and Geneva areas. Formats are defined together with each company. To discuss a project, email me at contact@guillaume-adam.com.
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer one-to-one coaching?
No. For runners, my coaching goes only through RunMotion Coach, which applies my method every day and adapts to your feedback. In person, I only work with companies.
Is RunMotion Coach available in English?
Yes. The app is available in English at en.run-motion.com. Use the code GUILLAUME to try it free for 7 days.
Where can I read your research?
Both papers are open access: follow the DOI links in the research section. My French-language guides, such as predicting your marathon time, explain how I apply them.