Endurance Groups

Report by Richard Pickering

As you know you were recently asked to complete a questionnaire about the possibility of bringing in another endurance group and about your coaching experience. 

The overwhelming response (85%) was that a new group would be a good thing.  Also, that 72% would prefer to have a lead coach who took overall control of their group. 

The endurance committee had a meeting to decide what to do, followed by a coaches’ meeting  to see how we could best resource our suggestions. The resourcing aspect of the meeting proved challenging and the committee recognises that there is an ongoing need for more coaches within senior endurance.  

The decisions made through both meetings are as follows:

We will introduce an additional endurance group and re-name all of them, ‘Endurance groups 1-4’ as the name ‘elite group’ did not sit well with many.   

Group 1:  will continue to be led by Richard Pickering, potentially with support from Paul Mingay, details TBC.

Group 2:  Paul Dellar will lead initially with Laura Hubbard and support from Chris Manby

Group 3: Will be led initially by Louise Yates and Simon Morgan with support from Kieran Callaghan and Richard Flutter

Group 4: Will continue to be led by Lydia Cunningham

We have re-calibrated the times for the groups, based on 5k times but with an overlap to allow athletes to stay in a higher or lower group if they prefer.  Coaches will discuss this, and the times, with athletes in the coming weeks and months with the final decision resting with coaches.  The objective throughout is for everyone to be happy with the group they are in.

The plan is for these changes to come into place once we are back on the track which we hope to be during October and once the virtual sessions and competitions that Dave has been heavily involved in have drawn to a close.    

Groups 1 and 2 will be on the track at the same time.  Although the numbers will be less than the whole senior endurance group, we will have to keep a close eye on the numbers and be really clear about track etiquette and discipline. Group 4 will effectively join Group 3 on the alternate week as Lydia cannot coach on a Thursday and not all of them want to train on the track.

We believe that this structure provides senior endurance with a framework for providing the best coaching for athletes while allowing athletes to develop to be the best they can be.  It will also encourage a more ‘joined up’ approach to coaching and competition between the coaches with a greater emphasis on regular communication and coach education.

If any member wishes to see the questionnaire and the comments made please click here.