1. Brian Scobie
Half Mile, Glasgow University Track, Westerlands

2. 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

3. Personal Background Coach Education & Influences
School PE Teacher Franz Stamfl Emil Zatopek Tom Williamson Percy Cerruty Arthur Lydiard John Anderson Wilf Paish Harry Wilson

4. Events Coached to National Level
60m Indoors BUUCS medallist
100 and 200m BUCS Medallist
200m English Schools Medallist
U/ 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

5. On the Margins: Student-Veteran Athlete
1st County Schools 440 County Youth 880
2nd Scottish Schools
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

6. Coaching Progression Stage As (ex-athlete) parent coaching child
School and City Competitions
Small training group – toCounty, School and Age-goup Area Competitions
Level 4 Coach
Small goup U/15 to Seniors
County, Area and National Competitions

7. Coaching Progression (2)
Stage
County, Area and Home Country Championship successes
National Championship Success and International Representation
Major Championship Selection and Success National Records, World Rankings, etc

8. 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

9. Elite Professional Status
Climbing the Ladder
Nothing in my short athletics career as a 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 Records European and Commonwealth Teams Medals World Champs and Olympic Games
Elite Professional Status

10. 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

11. Continuous Running Mileages covered Increase with training-age
Mileages Should recognise challenge of puberty - in females in particular but also in males
Frequency of Training likewise
Do not compromise Quality for Quantity in young athletes.
Be patient
Utilise Training Zone indicators to diversify paces in training for specific physiological adaptations

12. 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 mins

13. 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

14. 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...

15. 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..!

16. 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

17. 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

18. Fundamental Movement Skills
Assessment of Functional Strength Functional Mobility Ability to Initiate and control Movement To change direction of Movement To coordinate forces and maintain movement Tp Arrest Movement Generate, Direct, Apply Forces To do so in a manner that is sustainable Applicable to All Sports

19. 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

20. 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!

21. “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)

22. 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?)

23. 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

24. 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)

25. 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

26. 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!

27. 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 etc (Switch-back session)
Progressive road session lifting pace by agreed pace increment each 5 min section (eg 5 6 min/ml – 5 5:45 min/ml – 5 5:30 min/ml :15 etc
Measured Mile loop runs. First with aim of consistent repeat and then with target variations. Then use double laps etc.

28. 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