Lesson 1 - Pretty Slow

When I started coaching, I spent hours trying to write the “perfect” training programme. I had years of experience as an international athlete plus a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology, so it should have been really easy right? I remember my thought process was to take the best bits of all the different training programmes I had done over the years, apply some scientific reasoning and “hey presto”.

My first winter training started really well, the athletes looked GREAT! I felt I had done a good job of teaching the athletes about the technical elements we were working on. Heading into the season and the athletes were running PB’s, however, I couldn’t help but think they could’ve been running so much faster.

At the end of the season I sat down to review the year, my conclusion was “all technique and no substance”. In my attempt to use my own experience as an athlete while programming, I had taken out all the work I felt had caused my injuries in my career, and that meant there was no real running volume in there. From that season onwards, I have been trying to find the perfect balance between the technical work and the ‘work work’. Spoiler alert, there is no such thing as ‘perfect’ in this game. So, what I am actually trying to do is find the optimal balance for each athlete I am coaching, and yes that is slightly different for each one of them.

So, the first big lesson I learnt during my career – a combination of the technical work and the “work work” gives a balanced training programme. If the balance tips too far one way you’ll either end up pretty slow or pretty hurt, and that tipping point is different for everyone.