smrac distance make running a habit; consistency brings success

Making changes to help you improve

The new look website is the least of the changes we're making to smrac distance. As coaches we've thought long and hard about the many things that have been done well and what needs to improve if we are to help people become as good an athlete as they are capable of. We've looked at things pretty much with a blank page and figured out the best possible squad set up for the club. We're very happy with the plans we've come up with.

By reading through the pages of the website you'll be able to see our aims and squad structure details but I wanted to highlight some of the main points here and address some of the questions that I know people will have...

Training is now on a Tuesday, (Thursdays for some people), and Saturday
Most athletics clubs train on these days and we wanted the distance squad to do so too. These are the best days to maximise training. At the moment Mondays are often meaningless following on from summer's Sunday races and Sunday sessions are often lost to races or come the day after winter races.

But I can't come on Tuesdays... We realise these new days will not fit with everyone's existing commitments; some people will have to make some difficult decisions. Equally there will be people out there that can now make training but couldn't on a Wednesday. We have made the decision based on what is best for the long-term future of the squad as a whole without thinking about specific individual circumstances.

But I like to do a Parkrun on a Saturday... We believe that Parkrun is a brilliant event, but we know that a balanced training programme consists of many different training stimuli, not the same thing every Saturday morning.  We'll fit some parkruns in to the programme, but not every week.  By switching training from Sunday sessions to Saturday athletes will know that, through the winter, Saturdays will either involve training or a race (the Winter Tour race list will be announced soon).  This frees Sundays up for long runs which we hope people will arrange to do in small groups; these are an essential part of training that were being missed by many when training was on a Sunday.

Parents need to sign up to help
We want to ensure that our training sessions are always safe for all the athletes involved.  For this to be the case we need to make sure that every Tuesday at least two people sign up to help out.  Helping will involve encouraging the athletes and timing parts of the session - nothing too taxing.  Signing up will be done via this website and further instructions will be given in due course.  If people don't sign up then sessions will not take place for the Development Group.

The two groups
We know that different people require different things and have different aspirations. In order for us to help the most dedicated and able athletes improve and target their races, we're making Thursday sessions open to a smaller number of athletes. This group will be known as the Performance Group. Other athletes (the Development Group) will be able to attend the Tuesday and Saturday sessions.

I think I want to be in the Performance Group... Ok, read through the details on the website about the type of person we think the group would suit and then drop Noel an email. Noel will get back in touch with you to give everything the ok or talk about things you need to do before you're ready for the group. We'd like even the highest achieving members of the squad to send an email as we'll know then that you've read the website and understand what we're trying to do, what you can expect from us, and what we'll expect from you.

I want to be in the Performance Group but I'm not sure I'm ready yet.. That is great, we like that you're aiming high.  Let Noel know and we can plan your path to that group.

I want to be in the Performance Group but I'm not sure I'm quick enough... Speak to Noel and we'll talk it through.

I'm an older athlete but don't really fancy the Performance Group... No problem, the Development Group is always there for you.

Races
We've said it before but we're saying it with meaning now. Athletics is a sport which involves racing. We want everyone to race and will make sure that there are racing opportunities that are suitable for you whatever standard or age you are.

I'm nervous about racing... We understand that; pretty much everyone gets nervous, so let us know. We'll suggest the right race for you and make sure you're looked after on the day.

I don't ever want to race, I just want to train... I'm afraid that this training squad isn't the place for you. We give up our time free of charge to help people who want to race.

If you have any other questions let me know and I'll try to answer them for you. More details about training venues for the winter and winter race dates will appear here soon.