What I've learnt from 10 years of coaching women runners
It’s more than 10 years since I started coaching. I set up my Lazy Girl Running run groups in 2013 with my first 0-5k course taking place in Hampstead Heath. Since then more than 1,000 runners have been to one of my sessions. I’ve also coached for Serpentine Running Club in London, coached one-to-one sessions in the park, coached women online and organised five ‘Marathon Squad’ group coaching programmes. I’m also a tutor for England Athletics teaching runners how to become Run Leaders and Coaches.
Here’s what have I learnt during the past 10 years…
What I’ve learnt about starting running
You can’t make someone start running. Whether that’s a friend or family member, or potential clients. They have to decide in their own time that it’s right for them. All you can do is show running to be fun and inclusive. Keep inviting people, but without pressure and at some point they might say yes. Or they might start running on their own in their own way. Don’t take it personally - everyone is dealing with their own personal barriers and self-esteem issues.
What I’ve learnt about starting a business
When someone asks me what I ‘do’ for work, it takes a while to explain. I now work part-time for a charity alongside freelance writing and doing some coaching. From 2015 to 2021, I was completely self-employed. But I was already running my run groups, coaching and working freelance alongside a full-time job for a few years before that. I saw leaving a full-time job as ‘risky’, but now I see having all of your income dependant on one job as more of a risk. My eggs are definitely not all in one basket. I don’t even know how many baskets I have at this point.
What I’ve learnt about coaching
There’s no secret formula to improving at running. No one plan, no one session is better than any other at getting runners where they want to go. Don’t try to impose your own way of training on your runners. They are not you: their bodies are not the same as yours, their life and commitments are not the same as yours.
What is important is that runners run regularly and enjoy it. The more they enjoy it, the more likely they are to stick with it. Don’t overcomplicate training for your runners, make it simple and they’re more likely to do what you’re asking them to and feel confident doing so.
What I’ve learnt about the weather
7am is often the best time of the day. For years I coached 7:15am sessions in Finsbury Park, all year round. It rarely rained on our sessions, we were treated to some brilliant sunrises and often it was much nicer weather than the rest of the day. If you can train yourself to become a morning runner, you won’t regret it.
What I’ve learnt about hecklers in the park
Hecklers are cowards and they will aim their comments at someone who they see as weak and lacking in confidence. With my beginner groups, if I saw a group of people who I thought might be a problem I would jog slightly ahead and say a friendly “Hello” to them. They weren’t expecting it and rude comments never followed a friendly hello. You can use this trick yourself - look people in the eye and smile. They won’t be expecting this sort of confidence and are more likely to heckle someone looking down at the ground, trying to get past unnoticed.
What I’ve learnt about women
When I coached for Serpentine Running Club, I coached mixed sessions. But when I started my own groups I knew I wanted them to be woman-only spaces. There’s something really special that happens when women train together and the sight of 20 women running together through the park is one that I will never get tired of.
I hope that over the past 10 years I’ve encouraged more women to get into coaching. It can be daunting stepping up to coach but a loud whistle and a plan always helps. We need more women coaches, and I’d very much encourage you to consider it. Start as a Leader in Running Fitness and take it from there.
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