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Jan 2015
12:40pm, 13 Jan 2015
5,327 posts
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Autumnleaves
Yes - time rather than distance is the plan! I will keep you all posted - just hoping the weather doesn't become too offputting.
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Jan 2015
1:21pm, 13 Jan 2015
15 posts
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JuliaD
My list based on having learnt to run with C25K with some great coaches, and also taking a couple of little groups through it so far would be as follows. Just my limited experience though so feel free to ignore  :
1. If you can start it on a sports field and get people run/walking around a football pitch, then you can get people to remember how far they are managing to cover each session to they have a nice visual representation of their progress. They will hopefully realize their improvement in strength as well as endurance (i.e. they cover proportionally more distance as the weeks go on to the same amount of time).
2. Increase that circle over time.
When you know they can cover the 3-5km, add in some road - there's nothing like passing a group of teenage boys at a bus stop to ensure you won't be stopping, pride takes over and you find that extra bit of effort.
3. Set expectations: whether you are a new beginner or an ultra runner, the first 3 km or 15 minutes feel horrible until your body gets warm.
4. Add in hints and tips as you go once people are used to running for a few minutes at a time. So some of the things I included as were taught to me are:
- Explain why leaning forward helps; get them to stand on the spot and fall forward and notice how they pace their foot in front of them to stop them face-planting (running as controlled falling) and then try and feel that as they run.
- Another one would be arms, and the efficient use of. The difference between long relaxed arms, long levers, for slower running and longer distances; and short fast arm levers for sprints.
- Remember to tell people as the miles go up to make sure they have well fitting shoes with the rule of thumb being one shoe size larger than your regular shoes. Educate your women as to the importance of a good running bra.
5. one of the best extra sessions I experienced as a new beginner was training in pace. Some markers on the pitch (beanbags, cones, waterbottles, whatever you have to hand), and being taught the difference between jog, run, sprint, and using that as a tool to help cope with longer distances. So when you have them running for a solid few minutes at a time, tell them not to stop running but to slow to a jog for 20 seconds if it is getting to hard, and then pick the pace back up. I still use that tip in all my runs all the time.
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Jan 2015
1:56pm, 13 Jan 2015
5,329 posts
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Autumnleaves
Wow Julia thanks - all very useful tips
We're in our local park to start with - a circuit that is a mix of tarmac and trail, about a mile in total but we're sticking to timed efforts to start with.
How successful were you at encouraging people to run in between coached sessions? We only have time to do a session on Saturday and a possible extra on Wednesdays but I'm hoping people will be able to do more.
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Jan 2015
2:20pm, 13 Jan 2015
16 posts
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JuliaD
Yeah I ran between 1 and 2 sessions a week. I got two sets of two women from couch to 10km in 10 weeks, but these were all fit ladies (an endurance walker, a rower, a couple of gym bunnies), they were fit, but not run-fit, so the first few weeks were just as hard as for any new beginner, but their rate of increase was fast.
One way to not discourage those struggling, and to keep those who are already fitter motivated, is to push the benefit of them doing at least one extra run in their own time. That allows you to be strict within your sessions of getting everyone to do the same (thus not discouraging the slower ones or holding back the speedy ones). You can have a quiet word with your speedy people and encourage them to take it to the next level in their 'homework' session if you think they safely can without injury. Within your sessions, everyone will put in their own effort anyway, so 30 seconds on for a fitter runner can feel just as hard as 30 seconds on for a complete novice. maybe that's the other thing to impress upon them: you cannot know how they feel, but you can set expectations for how hard each effort should feel, e.g. you should be able to hold a conversation at pace x, you should only be able to answer two or three words at pace y, if you can talk at all at pace z you're not working hard enough! That enables people to find their feet and fitness levels for themselves (excuse the pun).
Another thing to do is paired efforts pairing faster with slower and running some team games. That helps level the playing field in a mixed ability group.
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Jan 2015
2:26pm, 13 Jan 2015
8,512 posts
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Wriggling Snake
That pairing up is a good idea, for any level, once you have seen them run once or twice, Iuse that with any group....
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Jan 2015
2:47pm, 13 Jan 2015
5,330 posts
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Autumnleaves
Yes I'm hoping to encourage people to do at least one - and use our Facebook page to keep each other in touch, then I can encourage!! The reminder about pace is a good one. I don't want to baffle them too much though so things will be simple to start with
From what they have said I have mostly real beginners who have not done anything before.
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Jan 2015
2:47pm, 13 Jan 2015
5,331 posts
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Autumnleaves
I like pairs too - aside from anything else it makes 'conversational pace' easy to judge!
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Jan 2015
2:53pm, 13 Jan 2015
10,778 posts
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SODIron © 2002
I did Run Leader duties for a group of new runners back in 2010. From memory the first few sessions we kept it on the field in the format as follows:
10 mins meet & greet, sign-in etc. (chance to socialise, chat, discuss the up-and-coming session, complete any paperwork etc.)
10 mins warm-up routine (dynamic stretches etc.)
20 mins main session (from memory we did run/walk routines for the first few weeks)
10 mins warm-down (static stretches etc.)
10 mins post session social, sign-out etc. (I also gave them a handout each week. The first was on warm-down stretches, the second week was warm-up stretches, the third was on running kit, fourth was safety etc. etc.).
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Jan 2015
4:30pm, 13 Jan 2015
114 posts
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dibbers
Just read 80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald? What a great book -every recreational runner should read it because they need to slow down to run faster. I highly recommend it
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Jan 2015
4:44pm, 13 Jan 2015
506 posts
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PinchyII
[unlurks] yikes one click on amazon and its downloading to my kindle!! It better be good dibbers [relurks]
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