27 April 2021 I break the silence. Sorry there has been nothing here for a while.
PODCAST on my coaching philosophy here with Simon Keller. It is up on the Wellington Scottish club website ON THE RUN... I won a silver medal at National Masters M70 over 800m earlier in the year at Inglewood... ================ 30 April my thoughts on coaching and what is likely to work... WHAT REALLY WORKS? I just haven’t read enough good research to know many facts about training. I no longer trust my own experience very much. I am not an expert, so that’s why I only mention a couple of issues. Compared with the arts, athletics has reliable objective measures of performance. Your place and time is recorded, and comparisons are made with various records. That is something I value. Unfortunately a sizeable minority of runners will cheat; often literally cutting corners or riding a bike (see Marathon Investigation) or using banned drugs or medical procedures like blood doping. The whole Russian Federation was banned from the Olympics for systematic cheating. Prominent coach Alberto Salazar was banned for four years sanctioned for cheating. The Nike Oregon project he was involved with is now suspect. So we need to remember our data is to some extent tainted by this. Whatever your opinion about who should be able to enter a woman’s’ race, World Athletics has produced some evidence that women with very high levels of the male hormone testosterone will probably be able to run an 800m faster than other women. This has withstood several legal challenges, and now those women (including Caster Semenya) will not be able to compete in some elite World athletics women’s races including the Olympics. My point here is that data collected before 2020 in elite women is bound to include a proportion of these and may not apply to other women athletes. There are two kinds of evidence for any training idea: a rationale, and hard evidence of whether it works. Paul is a fan of applying basic principles, and I agree; but for me if there is some hard evidence, it will trump the theory. As Paul says, amongst the new, trendy, and complex theories about training, ”there is a lot of stocking filler out there.” There isn’t space here for a lot of detail on how to train anyway, but here are a few principles that seem to me to be established by some reliable data: TRAINING VOLUME I think that for healthy runners older than 12 and younger than me (70) building up to training for seven hours or more a week rather than three hours or fewer will result in faster race times over any distance from 1500m to 100km. It seems to be well established since Arthur Lydiard first experimented on himself, then his protégées, to see what the upper limit might be. I think the subsequent lowering of world records since Lydiard arrived on the scene is because most serious athletes since then have increased their mileage. I think the study quoted above (Emig and Peltonen 2020) is one of many to support this. Paul looks at this more in terms of training session loads rather than distance. He thinks (and I agree) higher loads with shorter distances at high intensity carry more risk of injury. Long Slow Distance (LSD) Peter Snell in 2009 said the long slow buildup should be at a moderate effort, and gave a rationale in terms of fast and slow twitch muscle fibers (as Lydiard himself had described it), as well as fat and glycogen burning. I attended a coach’s session taken by Snell I think in Rotorua now more than half a century ago where he explained all this. Snell still holds the NZ 800m record. I visited and ran (a short distance) with Hamish Carson a few years back now from his home in Raumati Beach. He was doing his build up, and he showed me his training diary (and the small textbook Jelley has published). It was a Lydiard style aerobic conditioning under Arch Jelley. He often weighed himself before and after a run to calculate how much fluid needed replacing (usually a few litres). Most of the runs were in accordance with what Arch described to me as a steady sub maximal effort. Each week, Hamish covered a lot of mileage. Some days, he said he felt fresher and the pace was a little faster than average, or he ran further. Most of it was on sandy trails around QEII park. The day we ran (Ari kept up way longer than me) included some short Fartlek bursts. I discussed the “steady state” goal of long conditioning runs with Arch Jelley when he came to talk at our club, and again for an Athletics NZ seminar. Jelley said the perceived effort should stay reasonably constant, which means running slower uphill, and faster down, without any gradients on those runs that are too steep. I remember Barry Magee used to give me effort goals for my long runs when I trained for the marathon about half a century ago now. Barry sometimes is thought to be “old school” and out of date in his insistence on the Lydiard aerobic base being still key. The more I look at the data, the more it looks like he is right to me. I haven’t studied the training in detail of the likes of Sam Tanner, Matt Baxter, and Oli Chignell who are certainly running fast; and thanks to Covid racing here (and not in the states), but still in Magee’s (and of course Chamberlain’s) day, and with the second wave of Kiwis who could fly (Walker, Dixon, Quax et al and Moller, Anne Hare, Anne Audain, Allison Roe, Toni Hodgkinson, Kim Smith), we had most if not all of those athletes doing a lot of LSD Lydiard training. A Lydiard protégée (John Davies) coached many of these: Quax, Moller, Audain and Hodgkinson. When you look at national races during that era, the times were very fast. In between, there have been some seasons with few really impressive times. Of course we had Nick Willis, Angie Petty and Camille Buscombe probably at their peaks recently. I haven’t made anything like an exhaustive detailed analysis, but there does seem to be a correspondence between high but steady paced training mileages and fast performances. Lorraine Moller’s Lydiard Foundation is still going strong carrying that torch. Some coaches I have talked with and read about suggest that after a few years where an athlete has done a lot of long runs, and cruises comfortably at a much faster pace than before; then it takes less time to re-establish that base at the start of a build-up. I am not sure, but my hypothesis is that the trend towards mixing in high intensity anaerobic sessions with long easy runs all year round does not produce as good results as the traditional Lydiard Approach, where for the first eight weeks, there is very little in the way of hard intervals or races. There may also be fewer injuries with the Lydiard approach. But perhaps seasoned runners can shorten the aerobic part, or mix in the anaerobic earlier. TRAINING SIX DAYS A WEEK I don’t think you have to train seven days a week. I recall Nick told me he does not run or cross-train in his day off. A few years back I surveyed all the top 1500m male Olympic medalists for whom I could find training data. Roughly half trained seven days a week, the other half only trained for six (including Nick Willis). There was no difference between the achievements of the two groups. This needs updating. Some coaches (Paul MacDermid, for example) just don’t schedule days off, but tell athletes to take them when he thinks they are needed. Paul also considers a plan with ten days training followed by two days off might also be as effective. TRAINING PACES and ENERGY SYSTEMS I used to think that you should train at race speed for at least a third of your running. I don’t see much of that today with successful elite runners. Rather than spending much time accustoming the body to the race pace, modern coaches are more interested in training your body to make better use of the various energy systems used to fuel races. That is not best achieved with a lot of running at race speed. Rather, raising the speed thresholds (for specific distances) at which fatigue quickly builds is one goal. Lactate tolerance is important for 800m – 5,000m races. It seems this approach has led towards more effective training for the various distances. The 800m for example is considered half aerobic system and half anaerobic system. Gareth Sandford’s work seems to be accentuating 800m runners’ need for a kind of anaerobic training. If you aren’t familiar with energy systems, this 2020 video by an Australian “P E Buddy” covers the basics nicely. I did a survey on female 800m Olympic medalists a number of years ago. I found almost none raced over 400, 800 and 1500m. There were two groups of roughly equal size who recorded race times with either fast 400s and 800s, or 800s and 1500m. I conclude you can approach the 800m either way as a female. So it looks like it can be focused on aerobic or anaerobic conditioning. But 1500m or further, being a great sprinter is of less value. I have seen several of Nick Willis’s sessions on video and once first hand at the track. He often starts with a slower and longer tempo, and mixes in faster 200s. But I think roughly only some 15% of many of his track sessions are close to his 1500m-race speed. The “Michigan” session has quite a lot of 10k and 5k-race speed running. Paul points out that physiological effort is more the key/goal than a specific pace. He considers the 3-5km pace will develop VO2max, while 1,500m pace will come with a lot of risk as it includes both pace and volume, while the 400 – 800m intervals will develop glycolic capacity. Paul told me, “The recoveries are also important in determining the training effects. Coaches should, ”Understand the principles, and [then] start painting their own pictures. Just noting what successful runners do is probably instructive, especially for talented young runners. It must be effective training, but any breakthrough will mean trying something new. That’s always risky. Støa et al 2020 studied 75 distance runners in Norway. They found that running faster at your Lactate Threshold is not achieved with a lot of long runs. Instead they found an athlete needs high intensity aerobic interval training. They suggested testing maximal aerobic speed (MAS) is a better measure than the Lactate Threshold. MAS is calculated by dividing the VO2max with a measure called the oxygen cost of running (CR). Yes, I am finding it a lot of hard work to understand, too! But this information is a lot more reliable than the many unsupported musings of coaches that most Google searches take you to. Studies like this and good textbooks have two or three citations for every claim they make. A final two thoughts on training from Arch Jelley. He found that he wasn’t athletically talented, so ran for fun and later walked. He seems to be in pretty good condition today at 98. Even as a Master M70, I don’t think I have enough talent to put on a NZ singlet. But after over half a century, I enjoy running and training hugely. So I am very happy getting out most days. I guess I could always aim at international stardom if I should one day arrive at the M100 grade! "When I'm teaching bridge or I'm teaching anything, I'm not that serious and it's a game to me, we just have a lot of fun when we are playing and teaching and I've always been like that.” -Arch Jelley Radio NZ 31 Dec 2020 =============================================== Jan 2021 I am taking a break from coaching...maybe later in 2021 in Auckland...The water is so warm here in Laingholm for swimming! I am enjoying running through the bush and met some athletes and a coach at the Lynndale track. I also trained at Owairaka... ___________________ Pink ATHLETICS 2020 updated 10 Mar 2020 ___________________________ Mar 2020 This Sat 14th March track meet at Newtown Park. Ari at National track and field won the bronze medal in SW 800m behind Katherine Camp and Angie Petty. It was a strong field including Kerry White (close 4th), Esther Keown, Ellen Schaef, and Lucy Jacobs. Monique ran a good time for the wind in W20 of 2min 21sec. 4x400 relay Ari and her SW team Gold medal with a 56 sec lap.Monique bronze 59 sec unofficial PB. Feb 2020 Ari in Auckland took out the B race over 800m. Ran 2min 10 with a head wind in the home straight slowing things down a bit...Pink outfit... CAPITAL CLASSIC coming up Friday Wellington Newtown Park 800m is at 5.20pm link to the event here JAN 2020 Ari back on the podium at the Sylvia Potts Classic 800m in a tough race and good time... Monique ran in the B race and came third also in a great time. She is now third on NZ U20 women 800m rankings. _________________________ JAN 2020 FUN RUNNING group will meet once a week (maybe Tuesdays or another day if that suits at The Rose Gardens this term) for low key easy runs and fun activities. We still do sprint training and drills ..for years 7 to 8. _____________________________________________________ The SUNDAY RUN Group lasted some seven years or so, but these days the kids all have too many other activities. Anyone who enjoyed those runs could come along to our FUN RUNS during the week (see below). Or join me for a one hour easy run wherever I or you want to run. overseas trip August 2019 We joined Ari and Ryan in Europe last August for Ari's races in England, Scotland and we trained in Italy (Rome, Florence and Venice). You can see lots of pics on my Facebook page. Older RESULTS ______________________________ NOV 2019 Monique new 800m PB at North Is Secs 2min 19.75. Moved up National U20 rankings to 6th place in NZ. Monique at Masterton 23 Nov improved her season PB over 800 by a couple of seconds to 2min 23 Her team won the 4x400 with Monique puling her team up from third into a close second in her 63 sec lap Did a 100m into a slight head wind in 14.39 At the League meet in Palmerston North Sat 9 Nov, Monique improved her season's best 800m to 2min 26 after a fast first 400 in 69secs. 26 October Monique ran a 1min PB over 5km to be the second female finisher at the Palmerston North Park Run in 20min 41sec. Tom won his school 800m in the same week. ____Monique is now on NZ Rankings U20 for 800m 2min 20 PB in Irvine California Ariana came to Wellington to do a fast 800m. That's what she did running 2min 07. Her first time this season that she has run under 2min 10. This has put her third on the NZ SW rankings for 2019. _____________________________________________________ Earlier Results ARIANA Season's bast and fourth at Nationals 800m Finally a PB over 1500m at the Porritt Classic 9 Feb improved by 2 secs to 4min 32 POTTS CLASSIC Another second faster at 2min 10 (4th) So this season: 2:12, 2:11, 2:10. Feeling and looking stronger and still under quite a training load. Good times for early in the season. Not aiming to peak yet, and she is planning on best times much later in Spain and Europe in July and August touring with Angie. CAPITAL CLASSIC 17 Jan 4th in 2min 11 behind Katherine Camp, Angie and the Australian athlete. SOUTH IS CHAMPS 15 Dec 2018 second in 800m 2min 12 flat third in 400m 58.4secs which got her on to the ANZ rankings. Dec won 800m at CH track 2min 12 She bettered this in Jan CAPITAL C 2:11 again 26 Jan at POTTS CLASSIC 2:10 11 Nov almost bagged another PB over 1500m. Too much wind. But run 4min 35 thanks to some great pacing from Angie Petty.GOLD team medal at National Road Relay in Christchurch October 2018 new 5km PB 22 Sept 2018 at the Hagley Park run 18min 06. First woman. Oct 20th 3km on the track 10.30. another PB. ___________________________ Earlier RESULTS FLYING SQUAD SAT 8 June DORNE CUP major inter-club cross-country race at Trentham Memorial Park Under 14 girls Poppy (8:00), Ted (8:34) , and Asha (8:46) went well North Island Colgates in Hamilton 10 Feb 2019 Junior Inter-club at Newtown Park Jess PB (looks like about 4 secs) over 400m to easily win the G10 in around 71 secs Poppy probably equalled or bettered slightly her G11 PB of 63.91. Good run from Ted also close to her PB. 100m Poppy won G11 Jess a close second in G10 _____________________________ COLGATE GAMES 4th Jan 2019 G11 800m POPPY won GOLD! new PB 2min 28.62 5th Jan 1500m silver new PB again 6th Jan G11 400m POPPY won another GOLD! __________________________ TRANS TASMAN Challenge RESULTS 13 Jan 2019 Sydney BIG WIN for Poppy in U12 400m New PB by almost 2 secs 63.91 secs. Jess 4th in U11 400 in a great time 75.08 Many Thanks to Mark for the great pics and reports.4th Junior Inter-club Sun 16 Dec 2018 Very impressive 800m PB by Poppy who is still 11. Old PB was fantastic at 2min 36sec. New PB is 2min 28.85 Jess beat her very good G10 PB of 2min 48 by a second. Both girls posted 200m PBs for good measure, Jess G10 34.27 (200m) Poppy G11 28.85 (200m) COOL KID Jess wins 1km outright Sunday 25 November. Pictured with Melissa Moon. Inter-Zone Poppy won 1500m Y7 with TED third! Asha won Y6 800m Jess was sick but otherwise was probably fit enough to win the Y5 800. Jess and Poppy both have been selected to represent NZ at the Trans Tasman event in early January 2019. Well done you two! So well deserved after those huge efforts, wins in both 400 and 800 and fast PBs at the trials inPalmerston North. WINS at Western Zone: Poppy WON: 100m, 200m HJ 1500m relay Asha WON: 150m, 800m HJ relay Jess 2nd in 800m but was sick. Ted great 3rd place and PB in 1500m Archie made it through with 2nd in 1500m. Great effort! Rose 5th in 1500m. IZ Asha and Poppy wins Ted third and 10sec PB. First Junior Inter-club Nov 2018 New PB for Poppy over 800m New PB for Jess over 200m Both wins, of course! Trans Tasman Trials 28 Oct P North Poppy (G11) 400m first in around 66 secs PB also first in 800m in 2.45 (PB) Jess also PBs and win in G10 for 800m in 2min 45 and 400 in 1.18 The times are unofficial and being hand timed may be a second faster than actual ETs. However still PBs by big margins! I think the selectors will be very interested in these two! Excellent performances. Wellington Road Poppy second U13 Rose 5th Jess 8th U11 FRENZY Junior relays and Beach Olympics Saturday 11 August... The cool medals and trophy were won this year by THE SEAGULLS: Mac, Johnny, Selva and Juliet. Junior shot: Qunn, senior shot Mac. NZ XC Jess 11th Poppy 10th Wellington XC Champs Grenada North U13 girls Poppy was 4th in Theodora 9th U13 boys Echelon 10 MacIntyre 11th Tait 20 u9 girls Juliet 5th North Island XC - Sat 7 July 2018 U13G Poppy 5th Eva 28 U13B Echelon 5th MacIntyre 19 Matthew 32 U11B Archie 18 (very young for this grade) U11G Scarlet21 Inter-Zone schools REGIONAL SCHOOLS F Squad. Four through. Jess 3rd in Y5G Asha 6th Y6G Theodora 13th Poppy 3 Y7G Amelia 8, Rose 14 in Y8G INTERZONE Schools six out of the six FLYING SQUAD girls at the Inter-zone in Karori on 21 June made it through to the REGIONALS: Poppy (8) Theodora (10) Amelia (6) Rose (10) Asha (4th) and Jess (2nd). Dorne Cup Poppy was fourth in the U13. She has another year in this grade, and two at least of the three who finished ahead of her will not be U13 next year, so…Theodora was 11th in the same race. Jess came fourth in the U11. Rose and Amelia had colds so couldn’t race, and of course wanted to be good for tomorrow. Both Jess and Poppy did extremely well seeing as they had just run their school race the day before. Sunday 27 May Kids Cross-Country in Clareville. Jess won the Year 4 and 5 race with Arnya second. Skye won the Year 7 and 8 race. Pic on the left shows Skye out in front being chased by the fastest boy... ____________________ Wellington Children's Track and field Champs. Gabrielle won six gold medals. Emma silver in the 800m with a great time. Ethan improved his PB over the 80m hurdles... Jan... Gabrielle did really well at the Colgate Games in Auckland just a week back. Silver medals in G10 400m and 1500m. Had she not accidentally stepped n the line, she would also have won a silver in the 800 as well! Great stuff! Amelia almost made it to a medal with a fourth place in the 1500m. Unfortunately, because of a day being cancelled, there was no final, and because her race was slower than the other "timed final" and probably windier, it was very hard for her to medal. Ethan was also there and ran several races. ARIANA Last Sunday 3 June football player of the day! Won a bronze medal at the 2018 ANZ National Track and Field Champs in Hamilton in the 800m (won by Angie Petty). In Feb 2018 she won the PORRITT CLASSIC 800m race in Hamilton. In the LOVELOCK CLASSIC in January 2018 she made a podium finish in the 800m behind Catherine Camp. TRANS TASMANS Both Amelia and Ethan got to run in a NZ team the next week. Amelia picked up a medal in the 4x400m relay. Ethan ran a very good time in the 100m. |
Spot the Sunday Run Group runners (above) on the Johnsonville skyline...
Amelia taking out the 2016 MAGIC MILE
Eilis (3rd) and Jessica (7th) at the 2016 Inter-Zone Grenada north Park.
FLYING SQUAD doing some gymnastics on the summersault lawn in Wilton Bush 2016.
Hamish at our Commando Course waterfall climbing.
The GIBSON Girls Gold, Silver and Bronze medals plus fourth. The ONLY year7 girls team in the game! Their mentor is Margot Gibson who has won the World secondary schools cross country gold medal.
RESULTS Waterfront Kids' Road races = medals were won by:
SCARLETT Gold medal. Beat all but one and a half boys!
SARAH and LILA silver medal s
LIBBY bronze. I got sarah's time for 2km at 7min 39 secs. Very fast!
RESULTS for Wellington Regional Track Champs Tues 2 Dec 2014
Alex won the Year 5 Boys race by leading all the way. Young Fenlon who is only a year 4 worked his way through the same field and finished fast to make third. Then we had another great run from Charlotte to finish second in the Y 6 girls with Hannah not far behind in third. The most nail-biting finish came from a very fast Sarah in the Year 5 girls. She was seventh in the first lap, and then she worked her way up to fifth about the end of the first lap. With only 20m to go, it looked certain Sarah would be fourth, but she pulled out such a fast finish she did the impossible and made third place...just! Barker was out there in the Y7 boys and also we had Libby in the Y7 girls. Libby had her arm in plaster so was not in great shape but still ran well and made sixth place.
There were two major upsets with both Felix and the young Kozyniak girl being unexpectedly beaten by fast finishers.
I might have missed someone...let me know if so...
Fastest times were Y8 boys and girls both 3min 05. I am sure the girl would have beaten all the boys again as her race wasn't so close and she has the fastest finish. The Y7 girls was won by Lucy Hegan in about 3min 30 - much slower...but still a good time.Year 6 boys was won by Jack Julian in 3min 15sec. I failed to get the other times as I was too busy taking photos.
SCARLETT Gold medal. Beat all but one and a half boys!
SARAH and LILA silver medal s
LIBBY bronze. I got sarah's time for 2km at 7min 39 secs. Very fast!
RESULTS for Wellington Regional Track Champs Tues 2 Dec 2014
Alex won the Year 5 Boys race by leading all the way. Young Fenlon who is only a year 4 worked his way through the same field and finished fast to make third. Then we had another great run from Charlotte to finish second in the Y 6 girls with Hannah not far behind in third. The most nail-biting finish came from a very fast Sarah in the Year 5 girls. She was seventh in the first lap, and then she worked her way up to fifth about the end of the first lap. With only 20m to go, it looked certain Sarah would be fourth, but she pulled out such a fast finish she did the impossible and made third place...just! Barker was out there in the Y7 boys and also we had Libby in the Y7 girls. Libby had her arm in plaster so was not in great shape but still ran well and made sixth place.
There were two major upsets with both Felix and the young Kozyniak girl being unexpectedly beaten by fast finishers.
I might have missed someone...let me know if so...
Fastest times were Y8 boys and girls both 3min 05. I am sure the girl would have beaten all the boys again as her race wasn't so close and she has the fastest finish. The Y7 girls was won by Lucy Hegan in about 3min 30 - much slower...but still a good time.Year 6 boys was won by Jack Julian in 3min 15sec. I failed to get the other times as I was too busy taking photos.
our FLYING SQUAD ethos/mottos:
WE LOVE RUNNING - and like to develop and improve.
WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN - while keeping safe.
WE RESPECT OTHER ATHLETES
so this means
If we can follow these three principles at least most of the time (nobody's perfect), then we will be better people than many professional athletes; we will be likely to get on well with others by being able to work well in a team; we will all feel safe and we will be likely to succeed in all aspects of our lives.
RACES COMING UP...
2016 REGIONALS Tuesday 5 JULY 2016 Waikanae Park.
__________________________________
FLYING SQUAD/WELLINGTON RESULTS
PHIL COSTLEY SHIELD 2014
Inter-Regionals Cross-country in Hanmer springs 25th sept
WOW! Three of you came fourth, and one medal.
Eddy Martin Bronze Medal 3rd in Y7 boys and also ran well in the relay.
Barker Carroll 4th Y7
Sam Williams 25th Y6
Alex Martin 6th Year 5 boys
Sarah Hay 4th (Year 5 girls) Excellent performance. Here she is finishing (in the pic above) with the Phil Costley aeroplane! And a smile...I love it! Really enjoying her running and that feeling of exhilaration after running really well in a race!H
Jess Davenport 15th Y5 Girls
Hannah Evett 4th Y6. Great result!
Jessie Hughes 22nd Y6
Emma Douglas 6th (Y7 Girls); and she had only just made the team by coming 10th at the Regionals
Libby Browne 33rd (Y7 girls but carrying an injury)
WELLINGTON won the Phil Costley Shield, too so well done all Wellington runners!
So no more training at Galloway until after the holidays. Have a great break! Massive improvement and effort on the big day! Go WELLINGTON!
Phil Costley was there, so he would have liked Sarah's finish!...
From the athletics NZ round-up newsletter...
"It was the 10th Anniversary of the event and all the competitors received a commemorative medal. Phil Costley, 32 times New Zealand champion, took on some past competitors over three laps of the demanding 1.2km loop but he proved too strong for the field. Forty-three year old Costley was too quick for national youth cross country champion Cameron Avery (Cashmere High) and runner up Matt Prest (Burnside High)."
J TEAM ..See you at the Beach Olympics at present scheduled for Labout weekend and the track...
from Athletics Wellington website...
Jonathan Harper Wellington 04 479 1799
Focuses on primary school cross country at an elite level, helping runners prepare for major events such as the inter-regionals. However, he does provide for other goals including club and Athletics NZ events, particularly now the kids cross country series provides many other opportunities. He has also coached masters women distance runners. Philosophy is to keep it fun, learn to be able to run faster over 1 - 3km, promote general healthy living (diet, strength, respect for others) and to encourage young athletes to participate in other sports. Long term success and participation for young athletes requires less specialization and less intensity and focus at a young age.Manages the Wellington Scottish J Team (primary.Intermediate school age children http://scottishathletics.org.nz/
Currently about half way through the International Athletics Federation level 2 coaches' course
A registered coach with Athletics NZ
Qualified first aid basic level 1 with St Johns 2014
Bio Jonathon Harper as at August 2012
As a concert musician I tour schools around NZ. Occasionally at primary schools while there also takes the keen ones for a run, assesses their abilities and demonstrates a few basic training methods and drills. I also advise teachers on developing and encouraging their young athletic talent.
Early running Began serious training in Te Puke after reading Arthur Lydiard, Peter Snell’s and Murray Halbergs’ books. Represented the Bay of Plenty as a colt (something like the M16 grade today). Probably ran too high a mileage taking the books too literally as a teenager. I was coached in Auckland by Barry Magee in the 1960s as a junior. He quickly produced some great junior marathons from me, running my first marathons as an 18 year old in around 2hr 43mins. Unfortunately I married young and then reverted to running just for fitness.
Coaching training some time roughly in the 1970s attended a national training school for coaches at which Peter Snell presented a workshop. I attended the workshop run by Geoff Henry on young athletes in 2012. Then the workshop taken by Maria Hassan and Mark Harris on distance level 2 coaching. A key workshop session I attended involved presentations by Arch Jelly (John Walker and now Hamish Carson’s coach) and Margo Jennings who coached a couple of Olympic champion women athletes.
Other coaching experience coached daughter Ariana Harper for several years from aged 8 to 12. She steadily improved over that time from coming about fourth in her school cross-country to winning Colgate medals. She was coached by Don Dalgleish for several years after that before joining Alastair Leslie’s group.
Current running Is a keen M60 competitor now, over the harrier races and track. I have quite a few masters medals and two national golds as a master (1500m and mountain).
Club associations Began with Te Puke Harriers and Athletics club in about 1964. Moved to Auckland in 1968 where he joined Wesley (on Barry Magee’s advice). Ran the famous Waiatarua circuit with the second generation Lydiard crowd. Later after a few year’s break living in Nelson, came back to Auckland and joined the Mt Wellington club. Has been a regular at Wellington Scottish since 2006.
Other skills and training
My B.A. degree was a double major in Psychology and philosophy in Auckland. I then trained and worked as a Primary School teacher (mostly year three but taught other levels). I taught in Motueka, Auckland (Pakuranga and Otara), Wainuiomata and London over some five years. I went back to university to complete a Masters degree in Philosophy studying advanced behavioral techniques, and abnormal (clinical) psych. My thesis was on stuttering. I then trained and worked as a social worker in South Auckland for a couple of years. I then took up freelance journalism (writing feature articles for METRO on psychology, music and various topics) and taught guitar full-time.
Since focusing on being a concert guitarist (I have done this for the last 25 years), I have filled all my spare time with my other interests: the journalism continues, athletics and now a practical psychology course I teach as an adult education night class (starting again in the Summer in Karori). I write feature stories for the Scottish magazine ON THE RUN which cover all my part time interests in one (psychology running and writing – e.g. the article on running psychology and the other on sleep).