Guest Post - A Coach's Journey

Today I'm sharing a bit on what it's like to be on the other side - the coach's side! Rebecca is an awesome runner herself, but coaches a track team while balancing a home, babies, job, and her own passions. If you've ever been interested in some of the responsibilities or schedules of becoming a full time track/run coach, read below to find out a little bit more about Rebecca and her journey to becoming one of Ottowa's championship coaches!

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Hi! My name is Rebecca (not to be confused with the Rebecca behind RebeccaRoams) from RunningFoodBaby.com. I’m guest-posting to write a bit about my life as a runner, but also my involvement as a track and field coach.

During my last three years of high school I ran track for my high school - primarily as a sprinter and hurdler. After high school, I took a break from track and running, concentrating on university and all the activities that go with it. I barely did any physical activity during my five years in school, even wondering why on earth my
roommates would run numerous times during the week. Running was just not on my mind then.

I went to school to become a teacher and during my first year of teaching in Toronto, I figured it was time to get back involved with track. I asked the current track and field coaches whether they needed a third coach. Luckily, they were in need of a sprints/hurdles coach. I learned quite a bit my first year of coaching - thankfully being supported by a wonderful competitive club coach.

The learning curve is quite steep - not only do you have to learn warm-ups, work-outs, and athlete’s names, but you also have to learn how to be an official. Here in Ontario, Canada the teacher-coaches run the meets, how to complete entries, and organize team(s). On average, I probably spend at least 10-15 hours coaching a week - way more during the competitive meet weeks!

After only a year in Toronto, I moved to Ottawa. Since teaching jobs are hard to find in Ontario, I found myself without a full-time job and quite a bit of time on my hands. So, I took up running again. I ran almost every morning as part of my “no job routine”. At first, I could barely run a kilometer without needing to stop. But, I kept at it.

Eventually, I was offered a position at my school and within a week I found myself coaching a much smaller track and field team. Although I was a bit more experienced, I still had to learn how the Ottawa schools ran their tournaments and I also had to learn how to run a meet by myself. I will never forget the time that I had to officiate the shotput - I had no idea what was a legal throw or any other rules. Pure chaos and a few tears!

Fast forward to this year and I am in the fourth year of coaching the same team. I have brought more athletes to OFSAA (our Ontario high school championships) than ever before, and started coaching with the Ottawa Lions Track and Field team to further my knowledge of the sport and gain more experience coaching.

Spring is mighty busy for me. I coach 3 sessions a week with my high school team, 2 sessions with the competitive club team, and attend one meet per week from April til June. The Ottawa Race Weekend happens in May and I am asked often if I will be running the half marathon. Unfortunately, I can barely train properly for a 10K, let alone 21.1K (half marathon!). I do try to squeeze my own runs in though; whether it is running with the team or going out at an un-ideal time like 2pm on a hot Saturday afternoon. So, I only run the 10K during race weekends.

I used to do much more, but parenting is a bit bigger priority. Therefore, my own running takes a bit of a back-seat during this hectic time.

There is an upside though - I always run with my students! We generally have a 50+ crowd of students and staff running the 5K and 10K races, even a handful running a full or half marathon.  Running with a group of students has a completely different feel to it - they out run me every time though! This year I am organizing a water station with student-volunteers. We will be in charge of 24 tables of water and energy drinks - my
school is known for its spirit and will be out in full force for the Ottawa Marathon!

During the spring, my main priority is coaching and being supportive of my students in the running community. I’ve had my ups and downs for sure, but every year I look forward to the high school season. There is nothing more rewarding than working with a group of teenagers for several months and seeing
their progress at competitive meets. There has been several occasions where an athlete (and even a parent or two) has broken down into tears when they make it to OFSAA. It is a humbling experience.

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If you have any coach-aspiring related questions, make sure to give Rebecca a shout!

Follow Rebecca:
Blog: www.runningfoodbaby.com
Twitter: @RebeccaRuns
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Running.Food.Baby

Have you considered or became a run coach or track coach?