TRAIL RUNNING
Barry ’ s
WAY
Having achieved success in trail running himself , Barry Goliath is now coaching the next generation to podium positions . As he tells the youngsters in his training group , “ Do as I say , and as I do .” – BY PJ MOSES
As a 12-year-old , watching sport on TV in his family ’ s Koelenhof home on the outskirts of Stellenbosch , young Barry Goliath saw his future quite clearly . “ Other kids wanted to be the star player on the team , but I wanted to be the coach . I wanted to teach my friends what I saw on television .” All these years later , Barry ( 44 ) is not only a highly acclaimed running coach and personal trainer , with a solid track record of bringing many youngsters into the sport and helping them earn podium positions , but he also has his own list of achievements in road running , trail running and multisport . And he still loves watching sport on TV . “ Most days when I am not so busy , I spend my time at home with family and friends , watching and chatting about all kinds of sport . A nice day of sport and braai … then I ’ m a happy man .”
Barry ’ s transition to running as his main focus came at the turn of the century , when he took up running and soon began helping with the coaching at the Cape Town branch of the Harmony Athletics Club . He later moved to Transnet AC , then Easterns Kraaifontein AC , and is currently at Atlantic Triathlon Club ( ATC ). Along the way ,
he ’ s posted some outstanding results , with one of the most memorable being winning the Western Province 100km Champs title in 2010 , to go with regular podium places in his age category in both cross country and road racing . “ I love the longer distances , especially because of the test you have to put yourself through . Many times during those races you will be close to giving up , but you need to push through . I love that ,” says Barry .
HEADING OFF-ROAD
In 2011 , Barry says his next challenge literally jumped at him from the pages of a local newspaper . “ I saw an article about a three-day trail race called AfricanX , and it looked very interesting . My immediate thought was maybe I can do this .” Joining his friend Piet Jacobs as Team Contego , they ran brilliantly to take a third place podium finish in the men ’ s category , and this was just the first of many more individual trail podiums for Barry , especially in the Spur Cape Trail Series events . “ I won the men ’ s veteran category at the Spur series back-to-back in 2013 and 2014 , but then injuries and a busy life stalled my progress as a runner , and I also put most of my focus into my coaching ,” he says .
Barry has now coached at all the clubs he ’ s run for , but it was at ATC that he found a kindred spirit in Liné Griffiths , and she ’ s been behind his Goliath Running Project coaching initiative since day one . “ I have 33 runners in my current group , and I focus mostly on the junior athletes , but I have runners of all ages . ATC and Liné have been great in setting it all up and assisting me with all I need to make the runners the best they can be .”
All his juniors are from the surrounding Kraaifontein area , like Bernadino Heights , where Barry also helps train the local high school athletics team . It ’ s a community plagued by crime , and people struggling to make a living . “ I remember once at a race that one of my junior runners didn ’ t have shoes . He was barefoot on a cold day , and still he was running in sixth position about halfway through the race . I was helping to marshal and he stopped where I was , complaining that his feet were sore , so I gave him my shoes and told him to keep going . He finished in eighth place , while I marshalled barefoot with very cold feet , but the joy on his face was worth it ! I want to show these youngsters that running could be an escape for them , a career that gives you options .”
DOING THE HARD YARDS
Having been a competitive runner himself , Barry knows that success does not come overnight and he is honest about this with his young charges , and their parents . He wants them to have the discipline to keep chasing that dream , using past and current star runners as a motivating tool for the others in the group . “ I have had success in the past with runners like Riaan Wildskut , who is a top young trail runner . He has since moved on to other coaches , but I still keep an eye on his progress .”
Images : Courtesy Barry Goliath
22 ISSUE 100 NOVEMBER 2017 / www . modernathlete . co . za