Kalmer’ s CORNER
Our Modern Athlete Brand Ambassador’ s Blog
COACHING CHOICES
Whatever your running goals are, one thing that you will need to decide on is what you are going to do to reach those goals – and one of the ways is by choosing the right coach.
– BY RENÉ KALMER
It is a new year and I’ m sure we all have our own set of running goals that we would like to achieve in 2017! Maybe you want to take up running for the first time, or run your first 10km, or line up at the start of your first ultra-marathon... Or maybe, like me, your goal is to make a strong comeback in 2017! Whilst my short-term goal is to keep as fit as possible till our baby is born in mid-March, I have made peace with the fact that running will have to wait till after the pregnancy, and I hope to be back on the road during the second half of the year.
Find the Right Mix
No matter what your particular running goals are, one of the best ways to achieve them is by signing up with a running coach, but it is important to find a coach that suits your needs and that truly understands you. A coach will also have to understand how serious you are about your running, whether you want to be competitive or whether you are just running socially, or if you have a specific goal in mind, like losing weight. A coach also needs to‘ fit’ your personality, as this can often be the make or break of a running relationship. That’ s why some runners prefer to coach themselves, whilst others need the extra motivation and support of a coach.
A coach can help you set goals, or advise on handling setbacks and injuries. The coach should also be able to advise you on new training techniques, stretching exercises, nutrition, etc. Whilst some coaches prefer more road sessions, others prefer training on a track or adding gym sessions. You will therefore need to test the proverbial waters first to see if you are comfortable with what the coach has planned for you.
It is also important for you to decide whether you prefer a coach that trains with you, a coach that trains athletes in a group, or a coach that only supplies you with a training programme but leaves the rest up to you. A person just starting to run might need a more hands-on approach, whilst some runners may prefer an on-line coach or general programme from a website or book.
Thanks, Coaches!
During my 30 years of running, I’ ve had quite a few coaches. My first coach was Juffrou Maggie, a passionate primary school teacher from Laerskool Horison who introduced me to running when I was nine years old. As the cross country coach, Juffrou Maggie basically‘ forced’ the whole school to run the cross country league in order to gain points for the school and win the overall trophy. She had a huge influence on hundreds of school children and taught us about“ No Guts, No Glory!” This past December, my sister Christine visited Juffrou Maggie’ s guest farm, Oudemuragie, near Oudtshoorn, and dropped off a South African tracksuit to thank her for giving us and so many others the love for running.
Thereafter I’ ve worked with brilliant coaches such as Gerrie Coetzee, DB Prinsloo and Ernie Gruhn, whilst currently I am coached by Lyndsey Parry, who is also the official Comrades Coach. Each one of them had a huge influence on my career and without them I would have really struggled to achieve any of my accomplishments. Each one had their own ideas, methods, formulas, etc, and I feel that they all played a huge part during a certain part of my career. I am thankful for all of the coaches I have worked with, as they all contributed their wisdom and knowledge in making me a better runner.
Another coach that recently caught the eye is Tannie Ans, who is not only over 70 years old and still coaching, but was in Rio for the 2016 Olympics with her star athlete, Wayde van Niekerk, helping him to win the 400m gold and set a new World Record. Thinking what Tannie Ans has done for Wayde, I am sure you will agree that you shouldn’ t judge a book by its cover, so choose a coach that brings out the best in you, whether he / she is young or old, near or far …
Images: Courtesy René Kalmer & Christine Kalmer
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10 ISSUE 91 FEBRUARY 2017 / www. modernathlete. co. za