TRAINING SESSIONS
Join in. Contact: info@primalroots.org.uk for info.
While we welcome all levels of fitness, we are also constantly on the lookout for talent that can be taken further, by our coaches and through connection to partner clubs.
MEET THE team
Founder: CARL ADAMS
Carl spent 30 years on the low road of drugs and alcohol.
Running free of addiction to drugs and alcohol since August 2018, Carl started chasing good times through running and soon became a British Athletics coach to help others do the same.
Starting as only an addict could - with ultra marathons - Carl stepped down in distance to take up marathons in 2020, going under 3hrs in his first five attempts under the guidance of coach Terry Skelton, with a personal best of 2h45m09s set in Verona, Italy in November of 2022, at the age of 47.
Carl plans to run under 2h40m as he approaches his fifties and beyond with the new life running has given him, while helping as many people as he can reconnect to the "primal and personal voice within that running awakens.”
Chris Tinsley
strength conditioning & Sports Coaching
‘Wolfman’ Chris - a genuine force of nature - has been a professional coach since achieving his first coaching award at the age of 15.
Through Archery, Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Handball, Rugby, Team building, Orienteering, Kayaking, Horsemanship and many more qualifications, Chris settled into the role of full time Coach and Personal Trainer in 2018.
Chris holds multiple degrees in Sport, Education and Coaching seeing him work for a plethora of organisations, including professional football clubs, educational institutions, and the private sector, as well as individuals throughout the past 25 years.
Chris’s role as Head Coach with us sees him design and deliver multiple activities and disciplines to our beneficiaries, offering a variety of experiences from basic introductions to the pursuit mastery.
With a genuine love of the outdoors and the natural world, Chris’s infectious enthusiasm carries groups and individuals along, especially when people doubt their ability to continue.
gavin oakley
director & natural movement & lifestyle coach
Gavin helps people reconnect—with nature, with their communities, and with themselves. Whether it’s through mindful movement, breathwork, or simply slowing down and being outdoors, I support individuals and groups in finding more balance, resilience, and clarity in their lives.
He has worked for over 30 years in the hospitality, wellness, and fitness industries, and brings that depth of experience to Primal Runners.
Much of his work focuses on creating space for those who are often left out—people from refugee backgrounds, those experiencing addiction or homelessness, or young people navigating tough life transitions. He’s seen firsthand how powerful it can be to reconnect with natural rhythms, especially when life feels overwhelming or disconnected.
He’s also a father of three and in his fifties now—so knows what it’s like to juggle life’s demands and still want to live with purpose, presence, and vitality. He offers both in-person and online coaching, as well as nature-based group work and corporate wellbeing support for businesses that want to create stronger, more human-centred teams.
