Leadership in Run Fitness

FOR THE last couple of years I have been a Mental Health Champion for Haywards Heath Harriers (HHH) and England Athletics (EA).   Having suffered from PTSD in 1969, at the age of seven, when I witnessed a child die in the most horrendous way.   In those days PTSD was not recogonised and there was no such thing as counselling, especially for a seven year old.

Later suffering from work relates stress I felt I had a reasonable understanding of mental health and how it can affect you and different positive ways of dealing with it.

A part of the role is organising runs under EA #runandtalk programme inconjunction with Mind the mental health charity.   Whenever I organise a run I have to get someone else involved as I do not carry the EA insurance.

Working in HHH I recognised an opportunity and spoke with one of the coaches.   The deal was that if they allowed me to qualify as a Leader in Run Fitness (LiRF) I would be able to arrange the runs without having to get someone else involved and I would help them with Group 5 as a leader.

Normally for the main part of the qualification you have to complete a one day course where you have assessments which qualify you.   Due to COVID EA had to move to online training so I was looking at completeing a more difficult process.

Stage one was in two parts.   The qualification allow you to coach adolesents so you need a DBS check and you also need to complete on online Safeguarding course.   Both reasonably staightforward and didn't take too long to get through.

Stage two is completing four online modules.   Each module has a test at the end of it to ensure that you have fully understood the information being given to you.   Warning it does carry a pass/fail grade.   All of the areas covered were aimed at running and safeguarding the people you are taking responsibility for.

1. RAMP module for warm ups and their importance
2. Accessing venues or routes for risks and adjustments
3. Running the training events
4. Cool downs and their importance
5. How training is different from adolescents to adults
6. The energy systems in your body and how they work
These are just some of the examples of the information given to you allowing you help others reach their potential.

Stage three is an online classroom to talk about all of the elements and discuss their practical applications.

Stage four (the final stage) is bringing everything together in two five minute video's.   You need to demonstrate taking a group of athletes through a warm up, demonstrating a practical application of the courses and running a training event.

For the video I needed two athletes, due to lockdown, an EA coach to oversee what I was doing and someone to video the events.   Luckily the EA coach also videoed the event so there was four of us in Victoria Park, Haywards Heath shooting the videos.

The good news is I qualified and during lockdown have been taking a group of athletes out for a runs when government guidance has allowed.   On occassions this as had to be on a one to one basis.

One of the five pillars of good mental health is giving something back.   With the support I have discovered from the running community this is my way of giving something back.   Supporting and helping to train new athletes who want to give running a go.

With lockdown restrictions being relaxed we will be seeing a return to training this week.   We will still need to limit the numbers, so run leaders will remain playing a vital role in the training.   I would recommend the course to anybody who is interest in run leadership either with an EA club or affiliated Run Together Group.