It's not often that it arrives on a Thursday - it's a pity that it takes a postal strike to get it here on time! There are some good things in here if you don't mind the combination of Paula Radcliffe and Dwain Chambers on the front. There are several interesting two page interviews: one with Steve Jones, one with Tom MacNab on coaching (he used to be a member of Shettleston Harriers and of Bellahouston Harriers as well), Dwain Chambers and a piece on risk assessment by a chap who believes that it is a good thing. There is another two page section in their 'Performance' series under the heading of 'Seven Ways to Run Quicker' which has good stuff about VO2 max, lactate threshold and so on that are all in an easy to read and easy to understand form. The need to learn stuff is not just confined to coaches but athletes can't afford to be ignorant of the sport either and we used to argue and discuss books, AW articles and TV programmes when I was running regularly.
I also got a couple of books today: 'On A Cold Clear Day' about the American who came to Britain to learn how to be a distance runner in 1961 and Haile Gebreselassie' biography modestly titled 'The Greatest' written by Jim Denison. If anyone has already read these then let's hear about it in the Comments bit below.
"You can't learn faster only by having access to your own experience and knowledge, it's a no brainer. You need access to the experience of everybody." Frank Dick
Thursday, 5 November 2009
The ICAF Conference
I have been going to coaching conferences, conventions, etc since about 1976. I did my first coaching course in 1961 and my last coaching examination in 1977. The first coaching course was held at Jordanhill under the instruction of the famous Messrs Livingston and Dickenson (who became the Scottsh rugby coach) and in company with seven other senior club members. The club needed coaches and we all felt that if we were going to coach, then we should know something about the events and the course covered basic instruction in every track and field event. At least we were more confident when we made our mistakes! It was at the level of the old Assistant Club Coach and the current Club Coach Level One. I was then coaching as well as running until 1966 and only started coaching again in the mid 70's when approached by Robert McWatt. I did the Senior Coach exam in 1977 because the other qualified coach in the club was John Tonner and some of his runners were saying that THEIR coach was a Senior Coach whereas I was only a club coach. It also gave me access to information that was circulated automatically to all Senior Coaches and made me a better coach. I joined the British Milers Club for the same reason - the information and contacts made me a better coach. Every coach who only has his own experiences to use as a basis for his coaching is limiting what his runners can do. All coaches should read as much as possible, talk to as many coaches as possible, know as much about the current scene in the country in their events as possible.
I started going to Coaching Conventions to meet other coaches and earwig on conversations and get notes and opinions about the sport. I succeeded on all of these. The one at the weekend was outstanding in my experience and much much better than the previous European Convention in 2008. First there were many more people to talk to, second the calibre of the leaders and speakers was a whole lot higher and the feel good factor for coaches was immeasurable. And how many coaches were there from the East End of Dunbartonshire and the West End of Glasgow? One from CH (me), two from Victoria Park/CoG (Sheila Atkinson and Bill Parker) and one from West Dunbarton AAC (Bob Burness).
Frank Dick has started using among his expressions - and he has many - the one that the only advantage that the coach has is the ability to learn faster than the opposition. Another quote from someone else whom I have forgotten is that the athlete should not be restricted by his coach's limitations. I used to ask other coaches to take sessions where I was relatively weak - eg in 1985 I asked Ian Robertson, Sandra Whittaker's coach, to do some speed work with Sam Wallace and Ian also did some work with Peter Halpin when he was running 400's; I also asked help from Jimmy Campbell, Tommy Bryce and others. Tommy Boyle used the assistance from a whole team if people including Stuart Hogg. All coaches have their limitations and need to fill the gaps by learning - there are many ways to learn and for all of my coaching career I have sought information that would give my athletes a competitive advantage over the opposition. If you need help with some aspect of training your athletes, ask someone!
We need more coaches in the club - many of the best coaches are parents, many are ex athletes - and we need to make sure that they are prepared and helped in every way to learn their trade. Who knows where it might lead?
I started going to Coaching Conventions to meet other coaches and earwig on conversations and get notes and opinions about the sport. I succeeded on all of these. The one at the weekend was outstanding in my experience and much much better than the previous European Convention in 2008. First there were many more people to talk to, second the calibre of the leaders and speakers was a whole lot higher and the feel good factor for coaches was immeasurable. And how many coaches were there from the East End of Dunbartonshire and the West End of Glasgow? One from CH (me), two from Victoria Park/CoG (Sheila Atkinson and Bill Parker) and one from West Dunbarton AAC (Bob Burness).
Frank Dick has started using among his expressions - and he has many - the one that the only advantage that the coach has is the ability to learn faster than the opposition. Another quote from someone else whom I have forgotten is that the athlete should not be restricted by his coach's limitations. I used to ask other coaches to take sessions where I was relatively weak - eg in 1985 I asked Ian Robertson, Sandra Whittaker's coach, to do some speed work with Sam Wallace and Ian also did some work with Peter Halpin when he was running 400's; I also asked help from Jimmy Campbell, Tommy Bryce and others. Tommy Boyle used the assistance from a whole team if people including Stuart Hogg. All coaches have their limitations and need to fill the gaps by learning - there are many ways to learn and for all of my coaching career I have sought information that would give my athletes a competitive advantage over the opposition. If you need help with some aspect of training your athletes, ask someone!
We need more coaches in the club - many of the best coaches are parents, many are ex athletes - and we need to make sure that they are prepared and helped in every way to learn their trade. Who knows where it might lead?
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Young Athletes League
The club had to compete against Kirkintilloch Olympians in a paper match this year to requalify for the SYAL. There was a lot of work involved, particularly for Donald in getting all the results and performances for young athletes from last year down on paper for this 'fixture'. The result was made available last night and we had 269 points to their 189 and so we are back in to the competition this year. We have athletes, we have athletes who are good enough and athletes with a lot of potential. What we need are (1) more athletes of all standards and across as many events as we can cover. (2) We also need more qualified coaches - we are lucky with Donald and Phil and folk like Donna and Paul should be treasured, nurtured and developed in whatever way is required! Coaches come from among the parents and the senior club members and former members. They don't come from practising athletes. (3) There is a need in all clubs for graded officials and these mainly come from the parents. The officials course costs nothing and at the first and second levels there is no examination required either. Bob Newton has shown interest - are there any more?
In the mid 1980's the Boys team had only six athletes - Donald and Mark Govan, David McAusland and Michael Dugher plus Lachie Carter and Craig McDaid. Lachie and Craig were actively sought and courted by other clubs but stayed with us and the team built up. It built up because the boys themselves brought friends and because the coaches made contact with their schools. If it was done then, it can be done now - we have many more than six athletes at this point but we need more.
In the mid 1980's the Boys team had only six athletes - Donald and Mark Govan, David McAusland and Michael Dugher plus Lachie Carter and Craig McDaid. Lachie and Craig were actively sought and courted by other clubs but stayed with us and the team built up. It built up because the boys themselves brought friends and because the coaches made contact with their schools. If it was done then, it can be done now - we have many more than six athletes at this point but we need more.
Monday, 2 November 2009
Lasswade
Prasad Prasad went down to Lasswade on Saturday for the cross country race there. He ran well in wet conditions to be second to Callum Hawkins who was timed at 36:35 to Prasad's 37:02 which was 44 seconds clear of the third runner. There were fifty seven runners. He's looking for cross country races but his next run is the Tinto Hill race this weekend: Brian Potts set a record for this one - is it still extant??? Then he might run in the Lanarkshires as a guest the week before the Dunbartonshires. Ir's all good news because for all his talent and hill running victories, he is still relatively inexperienced in cross country matters. The more he runs, the better he will get.
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Glasgow Park Run - Saturday 31st October
Here is a photo of our young atheletes who took part in the recent Park Run at Pollok Park.
Two Thoughts from the Marriott
On Friday afternoon at the IFAC Conference, Frank Dick showed the results of a survey done last year which investigated the reasons behind athletics success in any given country. It was a long period of research which went into every detail and the top three factors behind success in any country or even club were first, financial support, second the number and quality of coaches and third having appropriate facilities! (The others were things like talent i.d., equipment, competition opportunities, etc.) How do we stack up on these measurements?
Then on Saturday, Wilson Kipketer who had two brothers who were good athletes told of going to the club and being told to start running at that line over there. "There is no line!" "The line is between the two cones." "There is still no line!" ie using the most basic of facilities. Which of the two is the more accurate? The answer is that they are both acccurate - the first investigation was into athletics success (ie across all events, for all athletes at all standards) while the second was simply for running and running at the most basic level. It true that for runners, the ingredients for success are well known but it is how they are put together that matters and even for them, if they are sprinters or middle distance runners they will need access to a proper track and a gymnasium as well.
It indicates what most of us know - you can become a seriously good middle or long distance runner using only the terrain around you but if you aspire to reach the top then facilities matter more and more as you make progress.
Then on Saturday, Wilson Kipketer who had two brothers who were good athletes told of going to the club and being told to start running at that line over there. "There is no line!" "The line is between the two cones." "There is still no line!" ie using the most basic of facilities. Which of the two is the more accurate? The answer is that they are both acccurate - the first investigation was into athletics success (ie across all events, for all athletes at all standards) while the second was simply for running and running at the most basic level. It true that for runners, the ingredients for success are well known but it is how they are put together that matters and even for them, if they are sprinters or middle distance runners they will need access to a proper track and a gymnasium as well.
It indicates what most of us know - you can become a seriously good middle or long distance runner using only the terrain around you but if you aspire to reach the top then facilities matter more and more as you make progress.
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