I need a coach

RealistSpy

Any specialized sprinting coach here?

RoyMcC

Mr Spy, how did you get on with previous advice on these boards to approach clubs in the Dublin area with sprint groups?

Zuppy

I see your in Carlow? Maybe try the IT in Carlow itself. Usually pretty good sprint coaches in Uni teams or they will know which running clubs to send you to.

RealistSpy

I am in the college and I am in a club in Carlow but none specialise in Sprints. You always get complicting information and my head is spinning :S

My problem now is weight lifting and sprinting!

Zuppy

Sprinters are easily confused. :-) Thats why they run so short.

colblimp

Do I need a coach?

I've entered the Loch Ness marathon on 4th October and I don't know which training plan to follow. Does that mean I try and find a coach or do I trawl the 'net for hours looking for a suitable training plan?

It will be my first marathon and I want to run it in 3h30 or less...

Zuppy

Been a marathon 'adviser' many times. Without knowing your backround and without insulting your running talent. Might be best to run to finish. I usually advise racing the second one. Much easier to push yourself with a positive first race.

Runnersworld.co.uk have loads of plans. Pick what suits you. A coach takes the headaches out of the 4-6 months by helping you listen to your body and taking remedial action when life gets in the way. Motivation too.

Zuppy

colblimp wrote: »

Do I need a coach?

I've entered the Loch Ness marathon on 4th October and I don't know which training plan to follow. Does that mean I try and find a coach or do I trawl the 'net for hours looking for a suitable training plan?

It will be my first marathon and I want to run it in 3h30 or less...

Just noticed your in Cork. If your new to running or looking for Clubs feel free to PM me.

Slogger Jogger

I would agree that your first marathon should be a get to the finish... After that you can plan for a specific goal. After all whatever you achieve 1st time around you have as a target next time around.

colblimp

ZuppyLurk wrote: »

Just noticed your in Cork. If your new to running or looking for Clubs feel free to PM me.

I'm a member of Eagle AC and have been running on and off for 31 years (I'm now 42).

I have a 10 mile PB of 1:14:08 achieved at Kilnaboy on 12th April - nothing exciting I know, but my Ballycotton time was 1:18:19, so I knocked 4 minutes and 11 seconds off my PB in just over a month! I think I'm capable of finishing the marathon in under 3h30, I just need the right plan.

BTW, I was present when you gave your talk at The Edge last year and was well impressed!

thirtyfoot

Oh sweet Jesus, and we wonder whether this forum is obsessed with marathons. Marathon training is simple, find your bog standard 6 month program telling you to you 6 miles day with a long slow run on sunday, start tempo after 2 months, hills after 3 months, or some variation of that and have run 20-22 mile run at some stage before the marathon and hey presto, you are ready:D Its kind of like getting a roast ready, having 3 or 4 steps to follow and banging in the oven for 4 hours at a low temp and waiting and being patient. The gravy at the end is the only thing that may go wrong. Anyone can do it.

Sprint training, now thats different, an art form if you want. Its simple but with much more steps and variations and you must understand why you are doing it. Kind of like laying on a 5 course italian meal. Get the basics right, knowing why you are putting things together and why the oregano tastes great with the plum tomatoes and basil. The el dente homemade pasta or the delicacy at which you throw in the egg yolk to your carbonara just before you serve. Simple ingredients but properly put together for amazing results. Instead of gravy being the only thing that can go wrong at the end, its probably presuming panettone is supposed to taste like bread and butter pudding and your homemade version ruins the glorious preceding 4 courses.

Yes, I have lost the plot and no I have not being drinking.

So back to the original and interesting question from the OP. I would be willing to help you out if you wanted but I have only ever coached long sprinters (400m). I would only be able to start next Sept/Oct. Are you still in college next year? I (and I'm sure a few others could help out) could get a program together and give you it every 3 weeks. You could start a training log on the board and we could all track your progress. That way you could get input from many sources. What do you think? It would involve meeting up at the start of the program to go through a few basics and techniques etc. We could use it as a Boards Experiment. Do you have someone to train with in Carlow?

macshay

RealistSpy wrote: »

I am in the college and I am in a club in Carlow but none specialise in Sprints. You always get complicting information and my head is spinning :S

My problem now is weight lifting and sprinting!

Be careful, as its so close to the summer season and you obviously want to run to your maximum adding a full on weights programme may dull your speed or cause injury, probably both! Look at your running mechanics, analyse your strength, technique and the different components of your races during the summer, then begin your search for a coach with a menu of things to change and adapt for next winter.

thirtyfoot

macshay wrote: »

Be careful, as its so close to the summer season and you obviously want to run to your maximum adding a full on weights programme may dull your speed or cause injury, probably both! .

Realistspy already does weights 3 times a week. Its not new to him. It won't dull his speed I'd imagine as long as he keeps his lifting in synch with his track work.

RealistSpy

Tingle wrote: »

Realistspy already does weights 3 times a week. Its not new to him. It won't dull his speed I'd imagine as long as he keeps his lifting in synch with his track work.

I was told to do more endurance lifting e.g atm I am doing 85kg bench press (5,3,4) and I have to go back down to 50kg (10,8, 10). The question is does
lifting heavy really affect your speed compared to endurance lifting?

@Tingle: I have also decrease my gym time to 2 and increase my track time.

thirtyfoot

RealistSpy wrote: »

I was told to do more endurance lifting e.g atm I am doing 85kg bench press (5,3,4) and I have to go back down to 50kg (10,8, 10). The question is does
lifting heavy really affect your speed compared to endurance lifting?

Don't think so. Will running all out at 100% affect your speed compared to doing endurance stuff on the track. If you have built up your lifting through the winter you know should be reducing reps, longer recoveries and heavier weights similar to what you are doing on the track.

RealistSpy

Thanks that was what I was looking for . During winter I do endurance lifting and long distance sprints. Now that its competition time I am doing heavy weigths and short distance 100 - 70% efforts.

Zuppy

colblimp wrote: »

I'm a member of Eagle AC and have been running on and off for 31 years (I'm now 42).

I have a 10 mile PB of 1:14:08 achieved at Kilnaboy on 12th April - nothing exciting I know, but my Ballycotton time was 1:18:19, so I knocked 4 minutes and 11 seconds off my PB in just over a month! I think I'm capable of finishing the marathon in under 3h30, I just need the right plan.

BTW, I was present when you gave your talk at The Edge last year and was well impressed!

With those times I see no problem will a sub 3:30 marathon and Eagle while not known for endurance running :-) Should have enough high calibre coaches or advice givers. Just still reckon cruise the first marathon (you will probably get your time) but don't put yourself under pressure. The jump from Half marathon to Full is not huge training wise but mentally for some people it can be an issue.

Next talk I promise not to swear as much.