Melissa Adylia Calasanz: My USA Track and Field Level 1 Coach Certification Experience

Short Story

It was an excellent course! Great information!

The Long Story

Who What When and Where
USA Track & Field

Coaching Education

Level 1 School

18-19 February, 2012

Hosted by

Orange Coast College

And

Tachyon Training Center/Track Club

 Why Would a Personal Trainer who has no desire to be a Track and Field Coach take such a course?

As a fitness professional, I believe it’s my duty to continually educate myself in order to serve the needs of the clients that seek my service. Plus, I just love learning!

I registered for the USA Track and Field (USATF) Level 1 Track and Field Coach Certification Course in order to get a better understanding of the runners that have come to me with injuries due to over-training, lack of knowledge or respect for recovery time, and improper cross-training practices in relation to their training goals, personal demands, and physical limitations.

I am now certain, the "coaches" who have been “coaching” the injured athletes who have sought my services, do not hold a USAFT Coaching Certification.

USATF is focused on considerate and appropriate periodization and progression, and recovery practices that I completely support.

When I've asked to see the training plans of the injured runners' who have come to me for post-rehab personal training, I have always been shocked. The training plans the athletes were following, prior to their injuries, gave little to no consideration to realistic scheduling of workouts for the average person who may have a family, a career, social obligations, and other interests.

Rarely did I see even one day scheduled for rest and recovery practices, and very little focus on cross training; and if cross training was suggested, it was usually inappropriate/uncomplimentary to the goal the training was hoping to achieve.

It’s been interesting when a “coach” has said to me “well, of course these guys will get injured, it’s not like they’re athletes.”

Excuse me!?! Then why would you give an over 35 year old man, who works 60+ hours a week, 3 kids, a wife, a dog, and other obligations, an unrealistic training plan that looks as if it was designed for an under 25 year old elite athlete on the fast track to an injury?!

I have no desire to be a Track and Field Coach, even though I am an excellent motivator. However, I gained a new perspective and a renewed respect for my style of Personal Training thanks to this course.

I am a coach! A fitness coach!

A personal trainer of my caliber has to be a coach! 

I am passionate about helping my clients achieve their goals and I will do whatever it takes to motivate my clients to be as dedicated, passionate, and committed to their progress as I am.

Along with motivating my clients, it is my responsibility to help each client attain and maintain a healthy, balanced, and functional body that will remain injury free.

Completing the course provided helpful information which supports my training philosophy and program design. The course contained plenty of information that was beneficial in helping me to better understand and communicate with coaches, along with providing added confidence and credibility when contesting athlete’s training programs in order to help prevent future injury.

Course Structure and Information

The information provided in the course was delivered over two, 12 hour days.

Yes, very long days.

Luckily, I had the pleasure of attending a course which included some outstanding coaches/presenters:

Dr. Dave Shrock

Bill Godina

Jeremy Fisher

Eric Dixon

These gentlemen are some of the most highly experienced track and field coaches who not only have a ton of knowledge and experience, they have the passion to share their love of coaching with others.

Each coach managed to keep the class interested and engaged while they delivered the information professionally without being stuffy…at times, they were quite entertaining.

The course information, while focusing on youth/jr high/high school track and field events, is appropriate for any coach regardless of the age of the athletes with whom they work.

Basic physiology, sports science, biomechanics, and nutrition are also included along with coaching protocol, techniques, training, rules and regulations of individual track and field events.

The highlight for me came on the 2^nd day when we got to hit the track and participate in some basic drills and work on techniques for different events such as sprinting, shot put, high jump, and racewalking.

I must confess, I am now super-excited about racewalking! I can’t help it, I rock the fast walk! I also realized I have a secret obsession with the shot put and discus! There is so much technique and rhythm that I was not aware of until I took the course. Who knew such finesse was required for a sport that looks like huge people chuking things through the air. This former professional dancer bows down to the athletes who dance the crazy dances of shot put and discus!

J

The Online Exam

Though the test contains 200 questions, one should not be intimidated.  The exam is open book, done online, and can be completed at your leisure over the course of 3 months. The course workbook, and hand outs that are provided with the course will help you answer all the questions.

I am thrilled to report that I scored 96% on the test, which I took on the first day it became available and completed in one sitting. I am certain I would have gotten 100% had I not had to use the restroom for the last 85 questions…I was at a public library and didn’t want to leave my computer unattended. : )

Overall

I’m happy to say the 2 day time commitment, and the $125-$150 financial investment in the course was worth it. I came away from the course with plenty of helpful information and a renewed respect for what I provide as a personal trainer who specializes in helping runners avoid injury.

Whether you’re a seasoned track and field coach who has yet to take a USATF Coaching Certification, or you’re a fitness professional working with any level of walkers and runners, I would encourage you to invest your time in obtaining all the useful information provided within the Level 1 Course.

I now know I can confidently refer clients to coaches who hold at least a Level 1 USATF Coaching Certification. Completing the course gives me peace of mind to know that if I referred a USATF Certified Coach to one of my clients, the coach would be more likely to be on the same page as I am in respect to recovery and cross-training practices.

Honda LA Marathon presented by Asics - Marathon Championships

Justin Patananan, 2:31:16 Open Marathon Champion

The 26^th Honda LA Marathon presented by Asics hosted the 2012 USATF Southern California Association Marathon Championships on March 18. The weather report forecasted a reprise of the previous year’s edition as a bitter wind and a torrential downpour greeted runners at the Expo a day ahead of the race. Fortunately, the inclement weather receded in the early morning on race day to give way to near perfect conditions. Almost 23,000 participants ran the stadium to sea course. The scenic trek started at Dodger Stadium and passed many iconic landmarks along the way through Chinatown, Downtown, Hollywood, and Brentwood before finishing at the ocean shores of Santa Monica.

2008 US Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Justin Patananan (31) took the men’s Open Marathon Championship in 2:31:16. The Nike Team Run LA member used the race as a tune up for this year’s Boston Marathon where he hopes to improve on his 2:20 personal best time. Timur Crone (25) (2:45:13) was second and Alexander Garabedian (20) of the Santa Monica Track Club was third in 2:56:02. 

Sara Raschiator, 2:50:04, Women's Open Champion

 Brooks ID athlete Sara Raschiatore (31) was the women’s Open Marathon Champion with a time of 2:50:04. She PR’ed by almost two minutes even though it was her first time running the hilly stadium to sea course.  Formerly a 3000m specialist now with 5 marathons under her belt, Raschiatore says she owes her improved time to the mental adjustments that come with experience. “I think I may be finally learning how to run the marathon. This was the first marathon that I actually ran my own race.” Ginna Ladd (36) of Track Club LA came in second place with a personal best time of 3:02:49. Kate Freeman (30) was third in 3:04:26.

Nicholas Bowden, 2:38:19

 Nicholas Bowden (40) of Track Club LA was the men’s Masters Marathon Champion while making his marathon debut. Interestingly enough, he almost didn’t make it to the starting line. “I was so sick during the week before the race that I told a friend that I couldn’t envision a scenario where I would be running.” After deciding the night before to go for it, Bowden went out and clocked a 2:38:19. “Going into the race with diminished expectations prevented me from making the classic beginner mistake of running too fast in the first half. However, the nature of the distance and the hilly course made the last 6 miles feel like a war of attrition.” Rit Tun (40) of Track Club LA was second in 2:59:31 and Miguel Magana came in third in 3:03:15.

Ingrid Walters, 3:07:34

 The women’s Masters Marathon Champion was Ingrid Walters (40) of The Janes Elite Racing.  Running in her 4^th Honda LA Marathon, but for the first time on the stadium to sea course Walters crossed the tape in 3:07:34. She credits the combination of hill training in the Santa Monica Mountains and short distance training with her Janes teammates, many of whom are 5K and 10K specialists, with helping her achieve a personal best by 10 minutes. After attacking the hills in the first half, Walters recovered on the downhills and flats between miles 14 and 20. The recovery time “gave me the energy to blast through the final 5 miles.” Elanor Keare (43) (3:20:21) and Romney Resney (43) (3:27:55), both of the Cal Coast Track Club were second and third, respectively.

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Both long and short distance runners will have their next opportunities to score points in the USATF Southern California Association Grand Prix at the Magic Shoe 5K in Newport Beach and Pasadena Marathon/Half Marathon on May 19th and 20^th, respectively.

USATF Southern California Runners Continue Domination of Brea 8K Classic

Brea 8K Classic, Sunday February 26, 2012, Brea CA

By Wayne Joness

Members of USATF Southern California cannot get enough of the irresistible one-two punch of the Brea 8K Classic, which combines the unique road racing distance of 8 kilometers with a finish line food feast which alone is worth the price of race registration. And for the third year in a row, USATF members turned out in record numbers to set new course records, competing in the largest field of registered Brea 8K runners in the history of the 21 year-old event.

Carlos Carballo (M29) of adidas Legacy Run Racing won convincingly in 24:32, a good twenty seconds ahead of second place finisher and masters champion Christian Cushing-Murray (M44) of Cal Coast Track Club who raced 24:57. The Brea 8K course was slightly changed for 2012, and recertified by USATF. Runners may debate how the 2012 course compares to the original, but Carballo’s time is seven seconds faster than the previous record set by Brian Livingston in 2010. Rounding out the open finishers were John Gardiner (M39) from A Snail’s Pace Running Club with 25:57 and Miguel Batista (M15) 26:18 of the Equalizers Track Club

In the women’s division Erika Aklufi (F35) of The Janes Elite Racing won with a time of 28:26. In a parallel of the men’s finish, Aklufi was also followed by a top masters competitor, Nathalie Higley (F42) of Club Ed Running, finishing in 28:38. 2^nd and 3^rd place in the open division went to Leilani Rios (F32) from A Snail’s Pace Running Club running 29:50, and Nichole Slykhouse (F22) also of Cal Coast Track Club finishing in 30:00 flat.

USATF Southern California is home to some of the best masters athletes in the United States, so it was no surprise to see Cushing-Murray joined by fellow Cal Coast Track Club runners Ken Ernst (M50) 26:17 and Matt Ebiner (M50) 26:33, giving Cal Coast Track Club a sweep of the men’s masters. In a replay of the Redondo Beach 2012 10 km Championships results, Higley was followed across the finish line by Tania Fischer, 29:16, also of the Janes, with Higley’s teammate from Club Ed Running Alison Atkinson taking 3^rd place with 30:39.

In the youth competition, the Equalizers Track Club and the So Cal Roadrunners continue to use the Brea 8K to showcase some of the most promising runners in Southern California. While only 62 Equalizers competed in the large field of 3,000 runners, two thirds of the Equalizers finished in the top 10% of all runners. 

Local coverage of the Brea 8K, including USATF.