Lace Up Running is a fun, social fitness group developed and run by positive, inspiring people to enable you to get fit, feel happy, in an all-inclusive environment. You’ll meet like minded people and make everlasting friendships. Let us share in your fitness journey!
Sometimes the hardest part of your running journey is just lacing up.
Lace Up Running is a fun, social fitness group developed and run by positive, inspiring people to enable you to get fit, feel happy, in an all-inclusive environment. You’ll meet like-minded people and make everlasting friendships. Let us share in your fitness journey!
We’d love you to get to know other clients in our Lace Up community through our closed Facebook group, meeting up on our group runs or catching up at events.
Get fit and feel happy with positive and inspiring people.
Our community
We’d love you to get to know other clients in our Lace Up community through our closed FB group, meeting up on our group runs or catching up at events.
Get social
We’ll facilitate social events where we can to help you make new connections as often people you meet though running can be your mates for life!
We’re local
We are based on the Gold Coast and Brisbane and have an established, extensive online presence. We love working with people in person or remotely – whatever works for you is where your best results will come.
We’re flexible
We realise no two people are alike! We take the time to get to know you and have flexible plans that help you reach your goals. We enjoy sharing your running journey with you.
Lace Up Running partners with:
Our Coaches
Benita Willis
Benita’s expertise lies with runners of all ages and abilities from beginners to elites including cross country, road, track, trail, ultra and triathletes wanting to improve their run leg. Benita has 22 years of experience in the running industry as a professional athlete and coach. She enjoys helping people of all ages and abilities with their running. She loves to coach first-timers just as much as those who are experienced. Benita brings her unique elite background and knowledge to help people achieve their goals.
Anthony Purton
Anthony is all about balance, As an amateur age group athlete he competed over distances ranging from 5k to 100km. His coaching experience includes supporting athletes to performance plan and train for events of 5k through to 160km ultra-marathons. Anthony’s biggest passions lie in developing athletes to realise their personal potential and he thrives in supporting them do this whilst managing the balance of life and sport. Anthony loves to keep his own training quite diverse and is a regular competitor at local and interstate triathlons, road running, trail series and ultra running events. He is a qualified AA Rec. Running Intermediate Level 2 Coach, qualified PT with current first aid, CPR and Blue card. Anthony is a great motivator and loves helping people achieve their goals.
Benita
I started running when I was ten years old. I grew up near the beach just north of Mackay. At low tide, it was great for running. My dad loved running, and I started running with him. Running has allowed me to travel the world, meet some incredible people, see some fantastic places and hear some inspirational stories. I enjoy running to keep fit as I get older; it’s such a time-efficient exercise. I’m a little busier now during the day (then when I was a full-time athlete) and running helps me maintain my fitness goals when busy!
In 2004 Willis achieved what is arguably one of the most significant victories in Australian athletics when she won the World Cross Country Championships. She is the only Australian ever to win this race — arguably the hardest race in the world.
“Benita Willis is without doubt, Australia’s greatest female distance runner.”
– Sam Burke, runnerstribe.com
Benita’s academic qualifications include a human movement/ education degree and a post-graduate certificate in Sports Nutrition. She also has a World Athletics Level 4 Coach Certification and a Certificate 4 in Personal Training, which includes current first-aid qualifications and insurance for all clients. Benita is a member of the World Athletics Athlete Commission, an Events Management Qld Board Member, Director of Qrun and was inducted into the Athletics Australia Hall of Fame in 2018.
4
time Olympian
10
Australian distance records
1
world champion
4
world championship medalist
Coaching Packages
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Online coaching A
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$ 100 /AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
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Unlimited emails
Training peaks athlete account (online training app)
Phone or skype calls when needed
Race planning/ preparation program a week ahead
Free social runs
Catch up in person at events
Closed FB group access
Cost price club clothing
3 month minimum
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Online coaching B
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$ 35 /WK
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Race planning/ preparation program a week ahead
Training peaks athlete account (online training app)
1 x phone / skype call when program starts
Free social runs
Closed FB group access
Discounted club clothing
3 month minimum
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Package C
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$ 30 /MO
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Free social runs
Discounted club clothing
Half price static training plan
Qrun membership
Closed FB group access
3 month minimum
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BMA Mackay Marina Run
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$ 100 /MO
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First 2 weeks free ($70 value)
Individualised plan updated weeklyTraining Peaks athlete account (online training app)
Race preparation/planning
Discounted club clothing
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Elite athlete coaching
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$ 100 /AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
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Marketed at triathletes, runners who are already established, looking for specialised improvement.
At the front in races.
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STATIC TRAINING PLAN
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$ 100 /TOTAL
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10 week plan
($10/ week)
Ready to start training?
Enquire now
Benita also offers…
SCHOOLS + TEENAGE GIRLS TRAINING
- Sports Awards night guest speaker
- Elite Junior mentoring
- Coaching
RACE + PRODUCT AMBASSADOR
- Commentator at events
- Guest speaker at functions
- Lead key training sessions leading up to your event
CORPORATE PROGRAM
- Guest speaker for your corporate event
- Group fitness programs
- Personal training
FITNESS FOR SPORTS TEAMS
- Aimed at running based sports in the off season
- AFL, WAFL, Soccer, Hockey, Rowing, Triathlon
Are you interested in running the Gold Coast Marathon?
Let us make a tailored plan just for you! Contact us for more information.
"I have been training under Benita’s watchful eye for 12 months working on my preferred distance which is marathon. During this time I successfully qualified for Boston Less 20mins intake. I ran a personal best at Noosa Marathon and took first place in my age group reducing my previous years’ time by 18 mins. I then followed that up with another PB at the Sunshine Coast Marathon reducing my previous years’ time by 7 mins with a third place finish. Currently I sit at the age of 53 with a Marathon PB of 3hrs 32mins which is something I never thought possible. Having Benita understanding my goals and providing a weekly training plan was invaluable in this journey. She is a wealth of information and I would recommend her to everyone who is keen to progress and improve. I feel very lucky to have Benita as my coach and I look forward to many more achievements under her expert guidance."
"Gold Coast Marathon 2:53:47 (11min PB). I'm still pinching myself Benita Willis agreed to coach me. It's not often you get access to 4x Olympians. Always giving me a perfect mix of easy and tough sets with plenty of variety to suit my traveling for work (a lot!) and busy schedule. Most importantly getting me to peak at the right timed always being there for me. And if that wasn't enough also helping plan my workouts for working towards Coolangatta Gold. I recommend her as a coach!!"
"I was in my mid-40s and had tried, and failed, multiple times to get that elusive ’sub 3 hour’ marathon. I felt my time was running out ! I started working with Benita in November, and with some changes to my training, and particularly help with the ‘mental’ aspect for belief late in the race, I was able to go sub 3 hours the following April in Boston, and multiple times since. Benita is clearly a very accomplished runner herself, but where she stands out from other elites who coach, is that she also really cares about the people she trains. Getting as much pleasure out of our achievements, as we do ourselves. I definitely recommend working with her. What do you have to lose, other than time off your PBs?!!"
