Self-coaching how to improve?

hypersonic

For most of us we are our own coaches, from our first jog to our last PB.

What tips do the experienced/successful runners have to share, whether you’re a 400m or an ultra runner.
What good book/talks/video are there on the subject of self-coaching for runners?
Why is self-coaching not discussed more in the running community? what are we afraid of, can we not admit that most us haven't got a clue. :pac:

Letyourselfgo

My advice is consistency and patience both of which I've yet to master

hypersonic

Letyourselfgo wrote: »

My advice is consistency and patience both of which I've yet to master

Yeah but what has the coach told you to do to fix it? :pac:

TFBubendorfer

Read as much as you can, from various different sources. You will come across a training philosophy that speaks to you.

It helps to have a coach for a while. If it's a decent coach and you pay attention you will learn the system and can use it even when you return to self-coaching.

hypersonic

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Read as much as you can, from various different sources. You will come across a training philosophy that speaks to you.

It helps to have a coach for a while. If it's a decent coach and you pay attention you will learn the system and can use it even when you return to self-coaching.

Are there really that many training philosophies, is it not just more and more miles! and what about the guy/girl who doesn't trive on mileage? should they just pack their bags and go home.

RayCun

hypersonic wrote: »

Are there really that many training philosophies, is it not just more and more miles! and what about the guy/girl who doesn't trive on mileage? should they just pack their bags and go home.

I'm reading this at the moment,the author is a Coe-era distance runner, and he's veery down on the whole "just keep running further" thing, he's more into lots of runs, but short runs, including a lot of fartlek running, and a focus on good form.

Letyourselfgo

RayCun wrote: »

I'm reading this at the moment,the author is a Coe-era distance runner, and he's veery down on the whole "just keep running further" thing, he's more into lots of runs, but short runs, including a lot of fartlek running, and a focus on good form.

Great read actually and a lot of info aboutstride and form.

hypersonic

RayCun wrote: »

I'm reading this at the moment,the author is a Coe-era distance runner, and he's veery down on the whole "just keep running further" thing, he's more into lots of runs, but short runs, including a lot of fartlek running, and a focus on good form.

Looks like a nice read, is there much on trouble shooting or identifying weakness, does it cover coaching, I find a lot of these books can be very perscriptive and don't allow much room for individual strenghts and weaknesses (coaching)

ecoli

When starting off read as much as possible irregardless of the quality of the training methods. You can learn from a bad coaching philosophy as you can from a good one. Every bit of info you can pick up can add to your arsenal.

Initially I would recommend getting yourself a coach just to steer you in the right direction. The problem with self coaching is it can take alot of self discipline to make the objective calls when needed (pulling back and not overdoing it and even the odd unscheduled rest day) or motivating ourselves when things aren't going to plan and not having a knee jerk reaction. As TFB said you will learn from a coach also as there are somethings that I have picked up over the years that I would have never have without the experience from a coach.

In terms of running theory here are a few links to get you started;

http://www.fitnesssports.com/lyd_clinic_guide/Arthur%20Lydiard.pdf

http://www.angio.net/personal/run/hadd.pdf

http://www.mprunning.com/attachments/File/Maximum_Performance_Running_s_Book_(July_2011).pdf

http://img.runningwarehouse.com/pdf/middle_distance_guide.pdf

http://www.scienceofrunning.com/

http://www.elitetrack.com/

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=308471

http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/solving-5k-puzzle?page=single

http://www.slideshare.net/sjm1368/evolution-of-training

Coaches which come to mind as other good sources (most have books available) - Jack Daniels, Arthur Lydiard, Mihaly Igloi, Frank Horwill, Harry Wilson, Joe Vigil, Douglas and Pfitzinger, Renato Canova and Peter Coe.

Don't be afraid to pick the brain of athletes,coaches etc you come across in person also

No two athletes are the same and that is something which must be remembered at all times. When you look at what a certain athlete is doing in training you have to take into account their strengths, weaknesses, injury history, training history (and that includes other sports they may have done)

There is no single recipe for success and the point above is why. Self coaching is not as prevalent as you might think amongst many runners because the competitive nature of a running and wanting to dig deep can sometimes be completely conflicting with the role of a coach to monitor and provide objectivity and positive reinforcement.

If you are going to self coach best advice I would give is don't let your ego get in the way you have to be 100% honest and in tune with your body.

average_runner

I find jack Daniels book good. But still good to have a crowd to do tempo and fartlek with.

hypersonic

ecoli wrote: »

If you are going to self coach best advice I would give is don't let your ego get in the way you have to be 100% honest and in tune with your body.

thanks for your post, one quick question. To be in tune with your body, do you think garmins are a help or a hindrance? for self coaching are you better just going by feel and say time?

hypersonic

and while I'm on my soap box, how about looking at race photos to assess form, a useful tool or are you likely to misdiagnose the problem, and cause more harm than good?

RayCun

hypersonic wrote: »

Looks like a nice read, is there much on trouble shooting or identifying weakness, does it cover coaching, I find a lot of these books can be very perscriptive and don't allow much room for individual strenghts and weaknesses (coaching)

how to coach? It is very prescriptive - you must improve your form, you must include faster sessions, you really should join a club, you should run cross country - but is more about general running principles than giving you a plan to follow to train for a specific race

ecoli

hypersonic wrote: »

thanks for your post, one quick question. To be in tune with your body, do you think garmins are a help or a hindrance? for self coaching are you better just going by feel and say time?

I think the Garmin is a good tool to use in training but ultimately it should not control you. For example if you are supposed to be running at half marathon pace yet the conditions don't suit or in fact you just feel you are working too hard don't be afraid to pull back.

With regard being in tune with your body this is more a sense of knowing when you are working too hard/not hard enough and being honest with yourself to the point where you will adapt this.

Running by feel is something which like everything is a skill that has to be developed over time and I would say for people beginning in the sport it provides a good external measurement for comparison to make sure you are not working too hard/not hard enough

ecoli

hypersonic wrote: »

and while I'm on my soap box, how about looking at race photos to assess form, a useful tool or are you likely to misdiagnose the problem, and cause more harm than good?

Using race photo's to assess you form is a dangerous one you are not getting a full picture. A single imagine capture can't show you eccentric and concentric muscle contractions, arm/knee drive to the fullest of the range of movement and weigh distribution upon loading.

I have seen pictures taken in quick succession in a race setting of my own running form in each one my form is different because I am in a different stage of the running process.

My advice would be here to work on form drills as cues to make you more efficient in your running as opposed to trying to re-invent the wheel. Unless you are chronically injured I would say that you could yield greater benefit from other aspects of your running training. A wide range of athletes from WR holders to fun runners reach their potential despite unorthodox running styles (from a biomechanical sense).

average_runner

ecoli wrote: »

Using race photo's to assess you form is a dangerous one you are not getting a full picture. A single imagine capture can't show you eccentric and concentric muscle contractions, arm/knee drive to the fullest of the range of movement and weigh distribution upon loading.

I have seen pictures taken in quick succession in a race setting of my own running form in each one my form is different because I am in a different stage of the running process.

My advice would be here to work on form drills as cues to make you more efficient in your running as opposed to trying to re-invent the wheel. Unless you are chronically injured I would say that you could yield greater benefit from other aspects of your running training. A wide range of athletes from WR holders to fun runners reach their potential despite unorthodox running styles (from a biomechanical sense).

What kind of drills would imorove running efficient?

ecoli

average_runner wrote: »

What kind of drills would imorove running efficient?

There are plenty which people do and each person has there own preferences

Personally I use, Kick backs, High Knee lifts, straight leg bounds, A skips, and a few others that I am not quite sure of the proper names for.

You can find plenty on the internet, my advice would be to try and personalize them to suit your own muscle imbalances and needs