Become a Coach

Become a Coach

Becoming a Coach or Run Leader

Wanting to get involved with, have time for and contribute towards the Coach/Run Leader setup of Blyth Running Club?  Details are available on the England Athletics web site (select the appropriate link).  The existing coaches and run leaders can also provide you with information. After completing a coaching course you will be issued with a licence valid for 3 years and the club responsibilities and commitments that accompany it.

Basic Job Description

Must have completed one of the base courses as a minimum, see prior link(s) for more information.  Other related UK/England Athletics qualifications are desirable but not essential.
Required Skills and Knowledge include:-

• 95% common sense, be prepared to adapt when necessary
• Organised – be aware of training and have watch set as appropriate to manage the training. Set watch for both versions if there is an alternative session being offered. Always be ready in the event of being the sole run leader should it occur.
• Bring something new to the group
• Be prepared to run at a pace slower than normal to back up runners needing confidence, a runner leader should be the last one back.
• Display mindfulness.
• Enforce regroup recoveries when the training that night requires such – timed efforts and recoveries or to regroup as part of a cool down at the end, faster runners to double back to and accompany those still doing their effort(s) to finish.
• Support other run leaders, shouldn’t be the one run leader on their own in part or wholly managing a whole (mixed ability) group.
• Develop/contribute to monthly training plans, regularly attend and contribute to monthly coaches meetings:-
• This is not restricted to the monthly training plan that you will eventually develop.
• But to have a constructive input into the training plans produced by the other run leaders
• Training plans should be manageable both for the attendees and the Run Leaders either through the use of distinct workouts i.e. longer/shorter effort durations or an “up to” type training where the individual can manage how much they do. Considerations should be made in terms of the potential Run Leaders required, the intended location and the time of year.
• A training plan can be split with an existing coach/run leader to assist in building your own confidence.
• The existing coaches/run leaders can provide support and guidance should you need it, just ask. If a regular attendee of training and/or have a collection of prior months training plans, indirectly you will have a variety of workouts available to you. You can be further adapt these if necessary to add to not only your own personal archive of training but that of other members.
• Knowledge of existing training locations and the types of training that can be conducted at those locations.
• A familiarity of the (approximate) distance points from a given starting location is also useful.