Brian ScobieHalf Mile, Glasgow University Track, Westerlands

Athlete/Coach Development• One theme I want to emphasise is the relative unpredictability of

success in the sport (or life?) whether as an athlete or as a coach

• Success and relative achievement often is closer to us than we realise – either in ourselves or in the athletes we encounter along the way

• Keep taking the first step towards the next goal

• Talent is frequently simply revealed only by Hard Work and Persistence, and High Achievement simply a product of repeated effort and the consistent application of orthodox principles or practices

Personal BackgroundCoach Education & Influences

School PE TeacherFranz StamflEmil Zatopek

Tom WilliamsonPercy CerrutyArthur LydiardJohn Anderson

Wilf PaishHarry Wilson

Events Coached to National Level• 60m Indoors BUUCS medallist• 100 and 200m BUCS Medallist• 200m English Schools Medallist• U/20 400 European Gold Medallist 4x400• 400m U/20 UK Medallist• 400m English Schools Champion• 1500 English Schools Champions x 2• 1500 British Schools Runner-up• XC English Schools Champion and Runner-up• XC National Champion x2• 10 Miles National Champion• 10 Miles UK Best (Record)• Marathon National Champion and Record-holder• Plus Marathon placings in World Champs of 4th and 11th and in Olympics of 10th

and 14th, and Commonwealth Medallist, 10th World Cross, etc

On the Margins: Student-Veteran Athlete

• 1st County Schools 440 County Youth 880• 2nd Scottish Schools 880 1962• 1st Scottish 4x440 Championships 1964• 1st Scottish I Mile Medley Championships 1964• 1st Scottish Mile Medley Championships 1st 1965• Horsforth Marathon 1st and Course Record• Horsforth Marathon 1st and Course Record x 2• Scottish Veterans XC Championships 1st 1986 and 1987• Uk Vets Age Records 10,00m and 10 miles 1986• Scottish Veterans Half Marathon Championships 1st 1986• Great North Run Half Marathon 1st Vet 1986• Commonwealth Games Veterans 25K Championship 1st 1986• Houston Marathon Masters 1st 1987

Coaching Progression

Coaching Progression (2)

So,What Does It Take for a coach to Progress in knowledge/ Outcomes?

Supply of Athletes – Respect for their individuality, Recognition of Responsibility of coaching role

• Time and Resources – especially Time!• Supportive Environment for Coach & Athlete• Persistent, Intelligent Application of proven good practice• “Be Smart, Logical and Skeptical - and Work Hard Consistently”• Belief in Capacity for Improvement of coach and athlete, with Self-

critical awareness• Desire to Improve Yourself and to Help Others Improve• Cultivation of theAbility to Listen, to to Look and to Feel, or Sense,

and to analyse evidence gathered• Curiosity , Sense of Pleasure in Work, Capacity for Enjoyment

Climbing the Ladder• Nothing in my short athletics career as a 18-21 year-old nor as a

coach of very young athletes could be said to predict later “elite” levels of engagement

• I never asked any athlete if I could coach them, but instead coached whoever came to me by design, or accident!

• BUT• Senior Championship • National Selections

National RecordsEuropean and Commonwealth Teams

MedalsWorld Champs and Olympic Games

•Elite Professional Status

The Endurance Coach Toolkit

• Continuous (Steady State) Running• With Variations of

• Paces• Surfaces• Profiles• Distances

Primary Goal but perhaps best approached via Intermittent modes of running with young

athletes and newcomers

Continuous Running

Mileages covered Increase with training-ageMileages Should recognise challenge of puberty - in

females in particular but also in malesFrequency of Training likewise

Do not compromise Quality for Quantity in young athletes.

Be patientUtilise Training Zone indicators to diversify paces in

training for specific physiological adaptations

Training Zones or Paces• Longer Hard Runs up to 90 mins close to

anaerobic threshold (2 x weekly – one of60 mins, other at 90 mins)

• Steady State Runs at Strong, Steady Pace over wide range of Distances 45min-2 Hours plus

• V. Easy Pace Recovery Runs or Morning Runs used in conjunction with other paced rans a part of whole integrated pattern 30-60 mins

Continuous Running Modes• Continuous Running is undertaken in several forms distinguished by pace

and its physiological effects:

• Easy running ( for recovery or for volume itself) Vital mode!

• Steady running (Above anaerobic Threshold but below Anaerobic Turn Point

• Tempo or Sustained Running: Beyond Lactate Turn point in a zone that stesses lactate tolerance – Fast and Hard runs challenging ability to sustain pace

• In my own utilisation of zones I included one long (90 mins) and one shorter (60 mins) Tempo runs per week, in addition to track intervals that were also in this zone

Intermittent Running Modes• Predominantly away from a running track the initial modes involving those runs

alternating with provision for recovery – including Fartlek, Parlaufs, informalRelays, and Hill sessions.

• These tend to take place in natural settings or on roads, and for me belong in early prepration periods. They are also useful for development of young athletes in particular.

• These modes are also characterised by Variation (in surface, profile, camber, etc, as well as speed.) A key practice on the way to track intervals would be Hill sessions, which are of value for cultivation of posture, strength and technique as much as for speed or mental toughness

• The epitome of intermittent running is perhaps best expressed by Interval Training - which is dependent on higher degrees of prescription and regulation of Intensity or Speed, of Recovery, and both Unit and Total Distances. Measurement is central to this training mode. It is worth noting that it establishes the Coach’s role as central and authoritative. In part for that reason, the logical purpose of progressions has to be clear to the athlete as well as the coach...

Interval Sessions• Suggest treating Fartlek and Hill Sessions as preparation for Intervals.

Interval Training permits great measure of specificity in particular as to Pace/Intensity

• Establish Variables on the basis of Event targeted

• Develop Extent of individual effort and Total session initially. Progress volume regularly

• Adjust the interval Density in c.3 stages (eg 90s > 60s > 30s recovery)

• Intensity of runs should progressively reflect event demand.

• In general, Progression and Variation of demand should be observed in all sessions by manipulation of one or another of the variables..!

Interval Sessions (2)

• In winter, one Interval session per week• In summer, two interval sessions per week with one

being Long intervals and one Short

• Primary function of this session is physiological adaptation, but it also significantly effects change in biomechanical aspects and readily permits technical coaching in that respect.

• As mentioned, my fartlek sessions and hill sessions morph into track intervals over a period that sometimes extends to seven or eight months

Competition Progression

• County Championships• Area Championships

• Age Group National Championships• National Schools Championships• Age Group National Team Selection

• Age Group International Representation• International Age- or Student Games and

Championships

Fundamental Movement SkillsAssessment of Functional Strength

Functional MobilityAbility to Initiate and control Movement

To change direction of MovementTo coordinate forces and maintain movement

Tp Arrest MovementGenerate, Direct, Apply Forces

To do so in a manner that is sustainable

Applicable to All Sports

Endurance: Two Aspects

Endurance Performance is submaximal

It requires both Physical attributes having to do with neuro-muscular work and the mechanics of force management

And also physiological systems that provide the fuelling systems tomeet that muscular demand

Economies and Efficiences can come from both areas: Physiological and Biomechanical

Endurance• In large measure, the task is to develop efficient

movement that can be maintained at high intensity for extended periods of time relative to the metabolic resources available.

• We can seek to improve the economy of fuel consumption by making more efficient use of energy production processes - more fuel available for longer. Physiological processes at work to fire muscles.

• Or by ensuring efficient Biomechanical movement patterns to deliver more power at less cost on available resources.

Seek to do Both!

“Technique” - Patterns of Movement

• Gravity and Air resistances to be managed optimally – overcome to generate movement

• Via Rotations, Flexions and Extensions affecting• Stride Length and Stride Cadence• Ground Force Generation (contact quality)• Maintenance and Direction of Force Application• “Alternate cyclical Single Leg activity”• Neuro-Muscular Coordination& Relaxation

(On/Off)

Working on Technique• Ensure adequate Strength in key muscles• Practice component movements• Minimise non-productive movement• Challenge movements by resistances

• Eg by Extensive repetition• By Surface variation (hard/soft, regularity etc)• By increase in Intensity (faster/up[hill/etc)• By Isolation of movement (without arms?)

Running Drills?

• If sprinters benefit from technical exercises or “drills”why would endurance runners not also benefit? Specific strength enhancement?

• Cost/Benefit caveat... Is it worth the Time?• Injury Prevention role?• Principles of Variation, Challenge and Progression• Enhanced movement control and awareness • = Skill

Prepare for Competition

• Planning and Peaking• Optimal adaptation status• Physical and Psychological Readiness• Awareness of potential demands

• Awareness of personal status - swot• Tactical knowledge: Phases of Race• Decisive tactical execution (800m race model)

The Race

• Clear Race Plan but - Flexibility of Response• Awareness of Race Process and of Others• : Defend & Protect your opportunity to act

• Pace Judgment and Change of Pace• Importance Relative to Race Distance

For Athletes: Training to Race• Understand the structural phases of the event and

your best options based on your strengths within those phases

• Understand that endurance events have a strong tactical component within them

• Practice changes of pace as well as cultivating pace judgement

• Understand and develop how long/far you can maintain a heightened pace or Kick - by practice

• Recognise the distinction between gradual, perhaps imperceptible increases in pace vs and dramatic sprints

• And Play to your Strengths!

Sample Pace Judgement Exercises• Track sessions with markers on 100m or 50m intervals – Coach

blowing whistle on time to coincide with target marker (Clyde Hart sessions)

• Or Variations in distances at constant pace Eg a series 200-300-400-300-200-300-400-3000-200 etc (Switch-back session)

• Progressive road session lifting pace by agreed pace increment each 5 min section (eg 5 mins @ 6 min/ml – 5 mins @ 5:45 min/ml – 5 mins @ 5:30 min/ml - 5 mins @ 5:15 etc

• Measured Mile loop runs. First with aim of consistent repeat and then with target variations. Then use double laps etc.

Acceleration Practices• Regularly end training sessions with sprint practice – 6 x50m

• Alternation of longer interval runs at race pace with shorter runs at sprint pace (alternating 400/200 or 200/100 off same recovery)

• Sessions on track with pre-agreed ,progressive increments in pace over fixed, short distance. Strict protocol followed and small time increments pursued (ie to tenths not secs)

• Differential Runs Executed over a distance divided in two sectors with pace set for increased pace in second section (eg 150/150 or 100/100 seeking 2 sec increase in second section)

• Pack practice of chasing a “break” with secret and/or random selection of runner to initiate the kick

• Progressive, disguised acceleration of pace on pre-set markers, also with acceleration/revert to cruise /acceleration etc

• NOTE: All such and similar practices are highly demanding on athletes because they are intense: but covering a rival’s move is a necessary skill, as is making a decisive break or kicking