RRCA Coaching Course

I spent this past weekend sitting in a racquetball court with about 35 other people, listening to a coach named Janet talk to us about all things coaching.  The Road Runners Club of America puts on this course to assist coaches like me coach the general populace of runners.  When I say general populace, I mean regular people like myself who have either desire or talent or both, to improve their running (to clarify, I have mostly desire). Whether it is a brand new runner fresh off the couch or a marathon runner who wants to qualify for Boston, these runners fit my idea of the general populace of runners (even though it is quite broad).

This course was absolutely fascinating.  Much of the exercise physiology (our first topic) was a review of what I've been learning in my courses at UAH, but some of it was new.  There is something powerful, I believe, in knowing what is going on inside the body and how to use that knowledge to become a better runner.  The more I learned, the more eager I was to use what I knew. I wanted to train for something, using all of the new information I had.  I wanted to train others using this information. I wanted to test it, to see it in action.

I drank in the information and thought about it in reference to my own training, Jason's training, and the training of my fellow runners. I could see where I'd gone wrong and I could see where everything had worked out perfectly right.  And now I knew WHY.  Ah, knowledge is such power.

I'd love to test myself, but right now the goal is to stay fit through pregnancy. In the meantime I cannot WAIT to work with others.  I started with a new client last night and have already put my knowledge and training strategy to use in our discussion of her plan, and I will continue to do so as I create it.  I am just so PUMPED!

Like with many topics, running can be controversial.  Talk about running form, shoes, and training strategy and you can quickly heat up a room. So I like to hear what is said, take it home and mull. If I come to the conclusion that it has merit, I like to test it.

I think the RRCA course has merit and lots of it.  It has not only fueled my desire and confidence that I can reach some of my own goals, but it has also fueled the desire and confidence that I can get others there as well. I've learned not only how to get the body to work for the runner, but how to work with runners and be a better, more efficient coach.

The next step for me is to take and pass the 100 question test (which I will do this weekend) and submit my CPR and First Aid certificates, and I will officially be an RRCA certified coach.  And as such, I am ready to WORK!