New Year's resolutions to hit the gym, eat better, and cut back on alcohol are famously short-lived for many Brits. Research suggests that most people abandon their ambitious health goals by just the ninth day of January, a date now widely known as 'Quitters Day'.
Why Consistency Beats Perfection
According to Olympic runner and Commonwealth Games champion Eilish McColgan, the European 10km road record holder, giving up isn't due to a lack of effort. The real problem, she explains, is a system failure. 'Most people start with good intentions,' McColgan shared. 'But a week or two in, they're left wondering: "Am I training properly? Am I improving?" When you don't have those answers, it's very easy to drift.'
Her solution is simple yet powerful: trackable progress. Seeing tangible evidence of how your training is stacking up can fundamentally change your behaviour. 'You're motivated to keep showing up,' she added, 'because you don't want that score to drop - and if it does, you know exactly why.' Her core message as Quitters Day looms is that consistency beats perfection. Missing one session isn't a failure; what matters is getting back on track.
The App Designed to Build Habits, Not Just Plans
To help people stay committed, the run-training app Coopah—where McColgan serves as Head Coach and Co-Founder—has launched new features. These are designed to provide the ongoing support typically reserved for professional athletes.
The key innovations include:
- A 'Race Day Confidence Score' that dynamically adjusts as users complete or miss sessions, showing how aligned they are with their target.
- A 'Weekly Coach Report' offering clear, personalised feedback on training progress and next steps.
'Most apps give you a plan and expect you to stick to it on your own,' McColgan explained. 'But real coaching is about adapting, checking in, and helping people stay consistent when life gets in the way.' Coopah CEO Dan Strang echoed this, stating: 'People don't need more motivation speeches. They need to know whether what they're doing is actually moving them towards their goal.'
A Personal Mission Born from Loss
The app's origins are deeply personal. Founder Peter Cooper, 33, turned to running after tragically losing his mother, Marilyn, in 2016, a loss that spiralled him into depression. His mother, a dedicated runner who had earned the prestigious Six Star Medal for completing all six major world marathons, was his inspiration.
'I said, "I'm going to finish your bucket list... and I'm going to train properly,"' Pete recalled of a promise made to his mother. However, he struggled with consistency in his grief. He found traditional running clubs felt like a 'closed shop' and static PDF training plans insufficient.
This experience led him to start a mental health run club in 2019, which evolved into the Coopah app in 2021. Priced from just £1.54 per week, it provides fully personalised plans, in-app coaching, and injury-prevention sessions. For Pete, it's a 'habit building app' and a 'mental health ally'.
'Running gave me purpose when I needed it most,' he said. 'I wanted to create something that could do the same for others - something my Mum would be proud of.'
