Meet Matt Pickering: The Next Chapter with Pro:Direct Running
Meet Matt Pickering: The Next Chapter with Pro:Direct Running
From discovering a love of running at primary school to representing Great Britain on the international stage, 20-year-old Matt Pickering has already achieved plenty. A national cross-country champion with a 29:49 10K to his name, he's one of Britain's promising young distance runners, and we're delighted to welcome him as a Pro:Direct Running Club (PDRC) ambassador.
Originally from Reigate in Surrey, Matt is a middle and long-distance runner currently based at St Mary's University in Twickenham, where he's studying Physiotherapy alongside his training.
Representing Aldershot, Farnham & District Athletic Club under coach Mick Woods, Matt has already enjoyed some memorable moments in his young career. Now, with more international racing and longer distances in his sights, Pro:Direct Running is joining him for the next chapter, supporting his training, racing and ambitions for the future.
From School Cross Country to Great Britain
Matt's running began at primary school, when a coach from Reigate Priory Athletic Club spotted his potential during cross-country sessions in PE and encouraged him to join the local club. Running quickly became a big part of his life, and by 2022 he was finishing 11th at the English Schools Cross Country Championships, earning selection for the SIAB Schools International.
Three years later came one of his proudest moments, winning the Under-20 National Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill in 2025. Anyone familiar with the course will know what that takes. Mud, hills and constantly changing footing make it one of the toughest places to race in the country. Cross country remains Matt's favourite discipline, partly because of the conditions and the opportunities to make decisive moves when racing gets difficult.
He followed that national title by earning his first Great Britain vest at the FISU World University Cross Country Championships in Italy in March 2026, an achievement he'd been working towards for years.
Being a GB athlete had been something I wanted to become for such a long time, and putting on the vest and going toe to toe with some of the best young athletes in the world was so special.
That first international experience has only added to his ambitions, with another Great Britain appearance already firmly on the list.
Building Towards Bigger Things
Today, Matt trains under Mick Woods, typically covering between 80 and 100 kilometres each week. His schedule includes key sessions on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with easier running built around them to develop the endurance needed for cross country, track and road racing.
His progression hasn't been without challenges. Injuries have interrupted his training along the way, and studying Physiotherapy has given him a greater understanding of the importance of recovery, managing training loads and staying healthy. For Matt, consistency has become one of the biggest priorities.
I have learned so much about the importance of training intelligently to limit injury risk, and prioritise stacking weeks on months on years over short-term success.
It's an approach he's taking into the next stage of his career. With a strong foundation across middle and long-distance running, Matt is now looking towards faster road times, more international opportunities and eventually stepping up to the half marathon.
Matt Pickering: Personal Bests
Matt has already put together an impressive set of personal bests across track and road, showing his versatility from 1500m through to 10K.
| Distance | Personal Best |
| 1500m | 3:48 |
| 3000m | 8:10 |
| 5K | 14:18 |
| 10K | 29:49 |
The next target over 10K is 29:15, while a half-marathon debut is planned for 2027. Matt has Lisbon in mind for his first attempt at the distance, with an ambitious 65-minute target already on the list.
Before then, there's another busy cross-country season to get through and more opportunities to represent his country.
A New Chapter with Pro:Direct Running
We're excited to welcome Matt to the PDRC ambassador team, backing him with performance footwear, apparel and equipment as he continues to work towards his goals. He's already achieved a great deal at 20, and we're looking forward to supporting him through what promises to be an important few years of his running career.
His immediate focus is representing England U23 at the Corsa dei Castelli 10K in Italy on 18 October, before heading to the Liverpool cross-country trials in November, where he'll be chasing selection for the Great Britain U23 team at the European Cross Country Championships. Further ahead, he's targeting a medal at the BUCS Cross Country Championships, a quicker 10K and that first half marathon in Lisbon.
As part of the partnership, Matt is keen to try some of the latest Nike running shoes, particularly the Alphafly 4 for racing and Pegasus Plus 2 for training. With plenty of kilometres to cover each week and a mix of surfaces and sessions, we're looking forward to finding out what works for him and how his shoe rotation develops.
That's something we're particularly excited about with Matt joining PDRC. We'll be following his racing, getting a closer look at his training and sharing his experiences with our running community. From the big championship days and PB attempts to the regular training weeks that make them possible, there's plenty to look forward to.
Away from running, Matt is a passionate Arsenal supporter who enjoys travelling, exploring new places and spending time with friends and family when training allows.
At just 20, there's still so much ahead of him. We're proud to have Matt representing PDRC and can't wait to see where his running takes him next.
Welcome to PDRC, Matt.
Follow Matt on Instagram: @mattpickruns_
https://www.prodirectsport.com
Usually chasing a PB, occasionally pretending the legs are fine. I've run 20 marathons, collected five World Marathon Majors stars along the way, and spend the day job as Creative & Brand Manager at Pro:Direct.
