To all UK slowtwitchers
I am looking for a good (who isn’t?) ironman coach in the UK
Simon Ward has been mentioned to me - looks like he is a lot of experience and was voted “220 tri mag coach of the year” but other than that don’t know a great deal
Many thanks
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Simon Ward wins coach of the year and Leeds & Bradford Triathlon club win all sorts of accolades in 220 magazine because of their connections with their magazine. That is all. His coaching business is a training peaks account done over the internet, he is basically an internet coach. That said one of the coaches he has down as a TTC coach is very good.
The best coaches around the North would be Mark Laithwaite or Tony Jolly. These guys all do one to one stuff, telephone calls that kind of thing. A lot more than the E-mail training peaks training plan you will get from TTC or Simon Ward. Not sure about the South but they are all wusses down there anyway 
I have no financial or professional ties with the above, I just know them, have worked with them and find them to be a cut above.
Obviously just my opinion - take it or leave it!!!
While not a UK coach, you could always try QT2. Its an internet based option. They develop personalized plans and coaches are available via forums to answer your questions.
Not sure about Simon Ward, although he is in our club (Wakefield Triathlon Club which is the most friendly and awesome club in the UK). But I have had some swim coaching with Louise Hanley who is part of the same setup as Simon, and she was pretty good.
I hear good things about Mark Livesey who runs Functional Fitness Coaching up in North Yorkshire. No direct experience, but he is bloody fast!! Our club supports their events and use them as our club championship, and whilst that doesn’t tell you anything about his coaching palmares, it does show that we think they are good people.
Other options are Team Dillon and Joel Filliol (but he is selective, I think), but I don’t really know much about those guys.
In fact, don’t listen to me because I’ve never used a coach and am a bit fat and a lot unfit at the minute.
All the best, Rich.