coaching question

new coach wrote:

Hey guys,

First year coach with a question.... I also don't want to send him to work with the women's team and humiliate the kid.

Any ideas?

I have a few, but will not write them out here for civility's sake.

I do a formal one mile time trial that I use to create paces & running groups.

Also, I do NOT split genders. A fast girl should train with fast people & that may mean she's running with the boys. Likewise, a slow boy should train with people of equal athleticism (even if it is a girl).

Your slow runner should NOT be embarrassed by training with the girls.

You're not doing him or the other boys on the team by forcing everyone into a less-than-ideal training program.

Also, you could do various out-and-back runs that would or could allow him to run at his own pace (and allow you to still monitor his progress too).

I only coach the guys, the girls team has no affiliation to the men and are their own entity, so sending him to run with them doesn't work.

We're in an urban setting and a vast majority of our runs are out and backs. It's just very frustrating doing a 10 mile long run going out and back the whole way, need to make some turns at some point.

I have him doing grass loop 600s today with the slowest 800 group I have, hopefully he can hang close to them.

H.S Coach #215467 wrote:

You're not doing him or the other boys on the team by forcing everyone

I sure hope not!

Modify his workouts.

If you are doing 5 x 800. Have him do 2 x 800 at a faster pace (to keep up with the group). Then send him out on a run while the other finish up.

Yes, modify his workouts but please don't have him race 1 or 2 reps to keep up. You also don't want him racing to keep up for the first 600m of an 800m rep if he is really slow. He needs to run his pace for whatever distance with whatever rest is necessary so that they all can start at the same time and have about the same rest.

Ask him if he can arrive at practice 5 or 10 minutes early, most days. Have him start his warm up early but still do some of it with the team. On say a 10 mile run, make sure he gets a 5 or 10 minute head start.

I would suggest you turn him on to crossfit. For more details check out boards.crossfit.com. Good luck with your season, bro.

$$NJ wrote:

I only coach the guys, the girls team has no affiliation to the men and are their own entity, so sending him to run with them doesn't work.

We're in an urban setting and a vast majority of our runs are out and backs. It's just very frustrating doing a 10 mile long run going out and back the whole way, need to make some turns at some point.

I have him doing grass loop 600s today with the slowest 800 group I have, hopefully he can hang close to them.

For distance runs and tempos, I would have them run a set time instead of a set distance. Instead of sending them out on a ten miler, send them out for a 70 minute run. That way, everyone gets back at the same time.

This makes sense from a training perspective as well. Aerobic stimulus is a function of time spent at a particular effort level, so it makes sense to control those two variables directly.

Don't some states prohibit girls from training with boys? NY? I thought that was an issue with Mary Cain in HS?

This is not a tough one, kid either has talent and isn't fit- solution, focus in on increasing volume gradually as well as his pace per mile......that can be done on his own. If he has no talent but wants to be involved - team manager/help write splits, organize practice etc..

Don't overthink it. Shoot straight with the kid.....he needs to be held accountable for what he is capable of..... Show him the way, or help him see the light.