Montane Cheviot Goat race report
by coach Mark Marchant It’s been a while since I’ve written anything personally, during this mini break from writing I’ve competed at the Montane Cheviot…
I’m a qualified Coach in Running Fitness and a qualified Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer.
Here are the details of the services I offer:
Athletes who choose this option sign up for a minimum of three months at £50 per month.
What’s included?
Initial consultation – we’ll discuss your running goals, your training and fitness history, your other commitments, any relevant medical conditions.
Bespoke training plan – following our consultation I’ll create a tailored plan for you, which will include all of your running sessions as well as a strength and conditioning programme which will complement your running.
Regular scheduled contact – Every 4 weeks I’ll provide you with the details of your new training block and we’ll speak on the phone, Skype or Facetime to make sure you understand what’s coming up, and to discuss any issues from the last block.
Training log – coaching is a two-way street: I need your input too. You’ll be completing your training log either on computer or on your smartphone so I can review it daily.
Informal contact – there’s no need to save up questions or issues for the 4- weekly review. You can contact me by messenger, text or email at any time (within reason!) and I’ll respond as soon as I can. There’s also a Team Marchant messenger group where you can ask questions and share information with your fellow athletes.
This option is priced at £100 per month and includes everything from Option 1 plus personal training. The personal training package includes a personalised strength and fitness training plan to support your goals, nutritional advice and two one-hour face-to-face personal training sessions a month.
This option is based on a 12-week training programme at a cost of £100.
What’s included?
Initial consultation – we’ll discuss your running goals, your training and fitness history, your other commitments, any relevant medical conditions.
Bespoke training plan – following our consultation I’ll create a tailored plan for you, which will include all of your running sessions as well as a strength and conditioning programme which will complement your running.
Contact / monitoring – This option is for training plan only so there is no ongoing monitoring or review cycle. Of course if anything is unclear, you can contact me by messenger, text or email and I’ll respond as soon as I can. During your plan period you will have access to the Team Marchant messenger group where you can ask questions and share information with your fellow athletes.
You don’t have to be a runner! After a free initial consultation, I can provide you with a personalised strength and fitness training plan to support your goals. I can also help you with nutritional advice and I offer face-to-face personal training sessions.
Throughout the year there’ll be the chance to join your fellow athletes to take part in organised strength & conditioning sessions and running days out. Athletes choosing either option 1 or 2 would be invited to take part.
As a coach I provide you with a customised training programme, supported by proven coaching methods and sessions. Your plan will include your running sessions, strength and conditioning exercises and depending on you, possibly some other assistance-based training. The key point is that the plan fits in with your day to day life, there is little point writing a plan which has you training 5 days a week if you can only train 2-3.
Consistency is key, regular focussed training undoubtedly works better than binge training. Stress + Rest = Progress, sounds simple but it is a fact, the stress is your training load and the rest is the recovery period, the absence of either and you simply won’t improve so your training plan will have periods of different training methods and periods of rest and recovery.
Coaching should be a rewarding experience, as an athlete you should enjoy the process (that’s not to say at times its not going to be Type 2 Fun*). You should be challenged by the sessions and ideally able to offer valuable feedback about them. It really is a two-way relationship, if I don’t know how you are finding the sessions then I can’t alter your training plan to get the correct training emphasis.
*Type 2 fun- not fun at the time, but fun once you have stopped the activity.
What you can expect from me.
For the duration of our relationship, I will do everything I can to help you achieve your chosen goals. At our consultation we will plan these goals together, they will be SMART goals meaning, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound. Your training plan will take into account your previous running achievements, your job, family circumstances, any previous injuries, mobility or flexibility issues and anything else which may have an impact on how you are able to meet the demands of your new training plan. You will receive advice about kit, hydration and nutrition, race strategies and pacing and if you’re doing long events, we can even plan your aid station/crew support points. I will view your plan each day to see what you’ve been up to and see if anything needs fine tuning.
Your plan will be available for you to edit and update via the web, tablet or smart phone on the Final Surge coaching platform. It will include your running sessions, strength and conditioning sessions, long term plan and any other assistance related activities. You will have access to the Team Marchant Athlete group on Facebook where I share some training tips and communicate with all of the athletes as a group. I am contactable via email, text and Facebook messenger within normal working hours.
What I expect from you.
Communication- the process works best if we both communicate effectively with each other. That includes honesty about how your workouts have gone, if you are finding things too hard, easy or if you’ve missed a session. We can work together to come up with the right plan to fit your changing circumstances.
Commitment- As an athlete you need to totally commit to the process, it is proven that committing 100% to an average plan has a better outcome than committing a little bit to a perfect plan…. Imagine what is possible if you commit 100% and the plan is perfect!
Motivation- Whatever goals we set need to be meaningful to you. To succeed, your motivation must remain greater than the will to stop or quit. We all struggle with this at times but as your coach I am here to help you when your motivation dips.
If you’re interested in having a chat please get in touch – I’d love to hear from you.
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