Summary
In October 2025, I attended the first two (of five) in-person practical days of the Certificate in Running Fitness (CiRF) course with Welsh Athletics. These practical days are supplementary to the online learning and ongoing planning and practice over 6 months-ish.
The course is designed to equip aspiring running coaches with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to coach runners effectively. Over the two days, we covered a range of topics including biomechanics, training principles, injury prevention, and session planning.
Background
For reference, I am currently a Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) and have also completed both the Guide Runner course and the additional "Fell, Hill, Off Road and Trail Leader" module (designated FHMT because I think it used to specify 'Mountain' rather than 'Off Road'). I am also a certified Personal Trainer and have several other instructor and coaching qualifications in various sports and fitness disciplines.
Details
The first day focused on athlete and skill development, fundamental running skills and coaching styles. We learned how to assess a runner's gait and identify ways in which we can begin to address these through feedback, practice and programming. Practical sessions involved analysis and hands-on assessments, which were invaluable for developing observational skills, as well as helpful in starting to break down and analyse what we're seeing.
The second day built on the training principles laid down on the first day and started to introduce more elements of session and cycle planning. There was an increased focus on the practical skills here, with us starting to tiptoe outside the realms of pure running and into jumping and throwing (amongst other things). We also started to work through testing and monitoring practices and how these might inform our planning on a micro and a macro scale
Reflections
Attending these practical days was an enriching experience that significantly enhanced my understanding of my own practice. The hands-on nature of the sessions not only gave me an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to actual runners, but also to receive feedback from other attendees on my own running form.
This, for me, was particularly enlightening as it highlighted areas for personal improvement that I just had no awareness of (Unconscious Incompetence anyone?). Fully three separate people on three separate assessments said exactly the same thing about my left arm being particularly static! For me, I think a large part of these practical days, away from the isolation of online learning and private study, was the opportunity to engage with my cohort, to listen to their experiences and ideas and take from their (extremely vast) knowledge pools.
While I really enjoyed the teaching element, I think I took away as much from working with my fellow coaches, from discussing thoughts and ideas, and even from hearing their questions and uncertainties. There were things that I did not understand that became so clear when voiced in someone else's terms and equally there were questions and interpretations from others that had never even entered my mind as being sticking points for anyone else. This aligns with my general belief that knowledge sharing is so much more beneficial to everyone than the gatekeeping we so often see (as an aside, I really hate the exclusionary initialism "iykyk" which just smacks of "I am going to signpost something you are unaware of and then provide no clarification").
Moving forward, I am excited (and nervous) to start employing the skills and knowledge gained so far in my journey towards becoming a competent and confident running coach. I am lucky to be part of a supportive and inclusive cohort and we are already sharing knowledge and ideas outside of the practical days. I really am looking forward to the rest of this learning journey...