Meet Charlie Watson: The Westin London City’s Running Concierge Helping Guests Go the Distance at the London Marathon

Running concierge might not be your typical hotel role—but then again, Charlie Watson is anything but typical. A registered dietitian, running writer, podcaster, and globetrotting marathoner best known to her 50K+ Instagram followers as The Runner Beans, Charlie is the vibrant force behind the RunWestin program at The Westin London City.

As the hotel’s official "Run Ambassador" since its pre-opening days, Charlie brings serious cred—and serious energy—to the role. She’s hosted everything from festive run clubs (hello, Easter egg hunt jogs!) to nutrition talks and shakeout runs ahead of race day. Her mission? Make wellness on the road feel less like a chore and more like an adventure. For guests gearing up for 26.2 miles or those just wanting to see London from a new perspective, Charlie’s curated routes and encouraging presence make it easy to get moving.

And there's no better time to meet her than now: with the London Marathon happening this weekend on April 27th, The Westin London City becomes ground zero for runners and supporters alike!

“Running Concierge” isn’t exactly your average hotel job title—how did you get the job, what does the role actually involve, and what surprises guests most about it? How long have you been doing it?

Running Concierge is the service we provide at the hotel. My official title is “Westin London City Run Ambassador.” I have been working with the hotel team since before its grand opening in 2021. I was hosting monthly morning runs as part of our pre-launch marketing campaign to introduce the hotel as a new destination for wellness, fitness and running enthusiasts. I worked with the hotel’s pre-opening PR team and we would host special evening run clubs such as Global Running Day, Christmas lights run and Easter egg run hunt. 

What’s your favorite route to take guests around London? Any hidden gems or unexpected highlights that even locals miss?

I love our 5K route - we do it as a group once a month as our “Rise & Run” kicks off at 7am and you get to see London waking up as the sun rises over Tower Bridge. The route is magical and takes in iconic landmarks including St Paul’s Cathedral, Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern, The Globe Theatre, Borough Market, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. 

My absolute favourite view is the one you get as you run over Millennium Bridge with historic St Paul’s in the background and the contrasting modern architecture of Millennium bridge. I think many locals and visitors forget the beauty of the City because we can be so absorbed in it - running along the river in the quiet of the morning encourages you to take a moment to take it in! 

The London Marathon is a huge weekend for the Westin London City —what’s it like working with athletes during that time? Any memorable guest stories you can share?

I love the community aspect of the marathon - no matter what pace you’re running, everyone covers the same distance. There are the same nerves, excitement and anticipation of what the 26.2 miles will bring. Guests wish each other the best of luck when congregating for a carb filled hotel breakfast and celebrate together, sharing congratulations in the hotel’s riverside bar and restaurant Hithe + Seek, for a post race drink. We also have our shake out run, carb box build and recovery area helping runners prepare for race day - I love chatting with them to answer any last minute questions 

For travelers nervous about keeping up their fitness on the road, what’s your top advice for weaving in wellness without sacrificing fun?

Bring your sneakers and explore your location on foot, either on the run or walking. A run doesn’t have to be a certain time or distance, even in a 20 min run from The Westin London City you can see a lot of London. If you can, try to combine a trip with a local race, join a running group or find your nearest park run. 

As a registered dietitian, how does that expertise shape your approach to running, travel, and working with guests at the hotel?

We host an annual nutrition talk to help runners prepare for the London Marathon (or their upcoming spring marathon) where runners can try new products, learn how to tweak their nutrition program to boost their training and maximise performance on race day.  

I’ve worked with the team at The Westin London City to help prepare the perfect carb load pasta dinner pre-race and runner friendly breakfast options with porridge, bagels, toast and plenty of bananas to ensure our runners leave on race day fuelled and ready to go. 

Personally when I travel for a race, I bring plenty of familiar snacks with me to ensure I stay fueled while on the go - especially in the lead up to a marathon. When you’re busy it can be hard to stay on top of a carb load and you don’t often have access to your usual food.  I think when we travel we can often forget how important it is to stay hydrated so I like to bring electrolytes with me on the plane and to drink pre and post flight. 

When I travel I love to try the local food and will usually have a long list of saved restaurants and dishes to try. Food and travel go hand in hand for me! 

Charlie (in yellow) with guests of the Westin London City on a run

Do you have a go-to pre-run or post-run snack you recommend—especially anything local or Westin-specific?

When I’m on the go, I love a rice krispie bar - they’re quick, easy to digest, light to pack and available pretty much everywhere! Or a banana is a great grab-and-go option. Post run I focus on carbs and protein - a smoothie is a great way to get this in quickly. After our morning runs there is always a delicious smoothie made by The Westin London City team - I really should get the recipe! 

You’ve built a strong community as The Runner Beans on Instagram. How has that experience influenced the way you approach your role at The Westin?

It has helped me ensure our run club is accessible to all - we have an accessible route that is wheelchair/stroller-friendly, always have a front and back markers and have set pacers on our larger runs clubs running 8 - 12+ min miles and a run/walk group. If someone is new to our run club, I partner them up with a regular to make sure they have the best experience and don’t get lost. 

You’ve run marathons all over the world—what makes London special to you as a runner?

London is home to me. I grew up here, I ran my first marathon here, I fell in love with running here. The route, history of the course and the familiar faces on the course make London super special. The city comes to life to support every runner on course with bands, confetti cannons, pub go-ers spilling out on pavements not to mention the iconic Westin yellow pompoms outside Westin London City at mile 23! 

Running can feel intimidating—especially for beginners. How do you empower more women to lace up their sneakers and get started?

Creating a safe, inclusive environment is key for me as part of our runWestin program, but additionally sharing tips, encouraging runs/walks, providing reviews of a running kit, and sharing the realities of training on my social media and blog. I’m a mum of a 2.5 year old and training looks VERY different now than pre-kids, I’m especially keen to help empower mothers to continue to look after their health (both mental and physical)  by running but also to encourage them to set goals for themselves - whether that’s tackle a 5K or marathon, to run faster or further, or just to run with confidence! 

What can hotels learn from the Run Concierge concept when it comes to integrating wellness into the guest experience in a genuine way?

Don’t just jump on a trend or bandwagon, think about what their brand pillars are and what they could offer, as well as what their guests are asking from them. Is it healthier menu choices as room service? A 24 hour gym? Promoting and providing safe running routes locally. 

Our Run Concierge program brings guests and employees with a similar interest and passion for running together. It takes you beyond the hotel lobby and out into the surrounding area on a safe, scenic route, taking the stress out of planning for the guest. 

What advice would you give to other hotels looking to bring more “soul” and authenticity to their wellness offerings?

Listen to your guests and their barriers to wellness when travelling. I personally love the Hyperice Gear Lending Kits that allow me to recharge after a long flight or long day travelling in the comfort of my own room at Westin hotels globally. 

What’s next for you and the RunWestin program? Any big events or new initiatives on the horizon?

I was lucky enough to run the Berlin Marathon last year with Westin and I’d love to run another of the Marathon Majors with them as part of their partnership with Abbott World Marathon Majors - maybe Tokyo?! 

I’m not sure what else the global team has planned but I can’t wait to find out! 

And finally, what’s your dream destination to run next—and would you take us with you?

I’d love to! I’m running the Sydney Marathon in August which will be my Seventh World Marathon Major - the first year it’s been official.

Amazing, thanks for chatting with us, Charlie!