COACHING

WHAT WE’LL DO

The sessions include sets of exercises (drills).

Amongst other, these may include:

• High knees;
• Bum kicks;
• Grapevine;
• Lunges.

WHY YOU SHOULD DO IT

• Drills allow you to practise running technique. Drills focus on the motion required in efficient running. By regularly repeating the drills, the body learns form and these running motions become automatic and are embraced within your regular runs.
• Drill should ideally be done once or twice a week after a short run or warm up.
• Drills are suitable for absolute beginners who want to learn foundations of form or for experienced runners who want to move their running to the next level.

WHAT IT WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE

• Better running technique
• Improved muscle memory
• Improved running efficiency
• Strengthened muscle groups and joints
• Improved cadence and speed
• Reduced risk of injury
• Improved balance and coordination
• They’ll help you move your running onto the next level

WHAT WE’LL DO

Hill training involves developing the skill and technical awareness of running both up and down hills effectively. The session may include but is not limited to:

• Long hill efforts
• Hill sprints
• Pyramid sessions
• Timed repetitions

WHY YOU SHOULD DO IT

Hill training improves leg muscle strength, develops your cardiovascular system, quickens and expands your stride, improves your concentration while running and increases your endurance. It’s also a fun session to do with lots of different variations to keep it interesting and exciting.

WHAT IT WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE

In the long term, hill running can increase your speed and endurance on your day to day runs. You will also feel more confident in taking on hills during runs and recover quicker after a hill. Running downhill, you’ll feel safer, quicker and more relaxed. Overall, hill training will improve your speed, endurance and make running more enjoyable.

WHAT WE’LL DO

The session can be for all abilities.

• An initial dynamic warmup is needed.
• Start running at the athlete’s easy pace. (Able to converse)
• This will be held for a set distance interval (eg 1km) then an incremental increase in pace for the next interval (eg easy pace: 6min/km, next increment 5.50min/km).
• Judge the increments such that race pace is reached at 4th interval. (single word responses to questions Yes/No)
• Last interval should be back at easy pace
• Finish with warm down static stretches

WHY YOU SHOULD DO IT

This session is to help a number of factors.

• Slowly increases pace to judge what is effective race pace
• Help judge maintaining a pace
• Help manage a race, eg not starting too fast and burning out before finish
• Improve pace without overdoing it (eg return from injury

WHAT IT WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE

• Improve understanding of what pace can be maintained over distance
• Improve maintaining consistent pace
• Improve management of runs (start slow, finish fast)
• Increase pace while minimising risk of injury

WHAT WE’LL DO

Developing the skill and technical awareness of high velocity running. The focus is on movement form and efficiency. The session may include:

• Set-distance sprints
• Relay runs
• Running on a curve
• Tabata running (high intensity intervals)
• Acceleration practice

WHY YOU SHOULD DO IT

Training your body to run faster will strengthen your muscles, increase your aerobic capacity, burn more calories and get you to the end of a race quicker! Starting with fundamental form and movements will ingrain safe techniques for running at speed

WHAT IT WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE

• Improved form
• Injury prevention
• Efficient techniques for acceleration
• Quicker race time
• Better understanding of running

WHAT WE’LL DO

The session can be for all abilities and can involve a variety of exercises that can be undertaken from a standing position, or require bursts of energy over over short periods. The exercises involve no or limited build up of oxygen . Examples of core strengthening exercises include standing squats or burpee’s. The coach could also consider adding some “fun” or teamwork. Working in pairs one team member could run a short distance whilst the other completes a set of exercises. This could be repeated a number of times, and change the exercise each time.

WHY YOU SHOULD DO IT

These types of exercises are focused on the alactic and lactic energy systems. If undertaken regularly these exercises can result increased core strength , stamina and flexibility . A focus on core strength and flexibility can build stamina and endurance as well as reduce the risk of injury.

WHAT IT WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE

A focus on core strength is seen to help endurance significantly and can reduce the risk of injury, due to increased muscle strength and flexibility.

WHAT WE’LL DO

The session can include one continuous period like a 5k, or a series of shorter splits like 1ks , that include a short recovery in between. The pace of the run should be at the runners optimum pace, described often as tempo pace.

WHY YOU SHOULD DO IT

Tempo running can help improve a runners stamina and endurance. Undertaking these types of sessions regularly can improve aerobic energy needed for endurance running, which can result in improved pace and times at longer distances. It will also help the runner become more familiar with running at pace and help improve times at shorter distances like 5ks which is the park run distance.

WHAT IT WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE

This will help runners become more familiar with their tempo pace and should in turn improve times at all distances. It can also help improve technique. The coach can assist the runner to consider how tall posture and coordinated arm and leg movement can improve performance.

WHAT WE’LL DO

Put most simply “Fartlek” is just a word for mixing up your speed at different points in your run. A continuous run in which you play around with different speeds and not to be confused with interval training in which you’ll stop between sets for rest.

WHY YOU SHOULD DO IT, AND WHAT YOU WILL ACHIEVE

There are many benefits to fartlek sessions and playing with your pace but I’ll summarise the top 4 here.

• They’re a really easy way of introducing faster running into your runs

• When a race starts nobody wants to stop until the end. It gives you a taste of “real” by continuing to run albeit at a slower pace throughout your recovery

• They’re super flexible and put you in control. Your session doesn’t have to be the same or even what you have planned. It allows you to react to how your body is feeling during any one specific session.

• They’re fun! Don’t be a prisoner to your splits, distance or GPS watch. Mix things up, play with your runs and remember why you love running!

EXAMPLES

Fartlek can be done in so many ways, but I’ll pop 4 examples below.

5km distance example (all paces are relative to your own running on any given day)

1km – easy
2km – steady
3km – fast
4km - easy
5km – fast

WHAT WE’LL DO

Learning to run over obstacles is vital to continuous development of the running ABCs (agility, balance and coordination) and is a key skill in increasing our agility as runners. This helps us in events such as trail runs and cross country where we encounter natural obstacles and are more at risk of falling.

TIPS FOR AN OBSTACLE SESSION

• Keep your eyes focussed forwards

• Lead with the knee

• Lean into it

• Fast downward action of the lead foot

• Avoid jumping over the obstacle

In summary make very deliberate decisions.

WHAT WE WILL COVER

Prep – lay our your cones/hurdles along an uninterrupted, flat and quiet stretch of road.

• Step – running between or over hurdles/cones.

• The 2 Step – running between each hurdle or cone making sure that both feet touch the ground after each one hurdle

• Bunny Hop – a quick and explosive bounce with 2 feet over each hurdle/cone

• Hop/Run – combining 2 of the above. Start with hopping a few hurdles before sprinting through the next lot using “step”

• Sidestep – pushing off with the back leg and ensuring both feet touch the ground after each hurdle

TOP TIP

Play around with the spacing of your obstacles. This will allow you to vary the speed in which you complete the set and help you learn more about your body, footfall and posture.