Training Webguide

The Cool Running guide to online training resources

Online since 28.05.01, last updated 27.08.01

This page is intended to help the many people who email us looking for training advice or training schedules. The most common type of enquiry is how to get started in running, or how to train for one's first event or first marathon.

Anyone who turns to the web for advice will quickly find a confusing mass of often conflicting recommendations and 'systems', which can leave one none the wiser. To assist we have picked out a few web sites which we believe give realistic and appropriate advice for the beginner or early improver.

In compiling the web guide the following principles have been applied:

There is no such thing as a foolproof method which will benefit everyone. Unfortunately old-wives-tales and anecdotal evidence abounds and people can become quite passionate about their pet methods! The best advice I can give you is to seek guidance from a qualified coach, ie someone who holds at least a level 1 qualification from their national body (ANZ in New Zealand, AT&FCA in Australia).
To self-coach using resources from the web it's important that you understand a little of the principles of training rather than seek to slavishly follow a schedule. Resources on the web are often written for a specific group, or make assumptions about prior experience which may not apply to you. For this reason the highest ratings have been given to web sites which explain the training methods rather than just giving formulae to follow.
The web guide was compiled by Ian Kemp, a level 2 AT&FCA coach (specialisation: coaching the young athlete). Ian also holds AT&FCA level 1 (specialisation: endurance events) and currently studying ANZ level 2 in pole vault. It is intended for the beginning athlete or early improver.

With that said, here is the web guide by event. It will be extended to cover progressively more events over time.

The Marathon

	eHow - Train for your first Marathon http://www.ehow.com/ehow/ehowDetails.jsp?id=7780	Succinct but extremely accurate statement of training principles (see also the "related eHows" at the end of the page).
	State of the Art http://www.marathontraining.com/	Good advice by Art Liberman geared towards first time marathoner (has some "sell" and product endorsements).
	Hal Higdon's Marathon Training Guide http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Mar00index.htm	Recipes for runners of different ability levels.
	Christopher Eick's 21 Week Program http://www.cs.uh.edu/~ceick/	Simple training schedules based on Galloway's method, for beginners.
	see also...
	Wendy Bumgardner's Walking Page http://walking.miningco.com/cs/	Train to walk a marathon.

Pole Vault

	Vaultworld Coaching Page http://www.vaultworld.com/coaching/	Drills explanations, photos, Q&A, articles. See also the pictures & movies section.
	Advantage Athletics PV Page http://www.advantageathletics.com/	Technique and drills, sequence photos of over 40 competitors.
	USA Pole Vault Academy http://www.speed-fitness.com/uspva/	Training schedules, animated gifs of drills, photos.