2020. The year of Covid-19, endless home workout videos and a new world of virtual racing where 15 laps of a cul-de-sac is a desirable 5k course!

Closer to home for me though… 10 years of AB Training Group.

Where it began

Allison Benton started with a small group of athletes congregating at Stanmer Park and it has gone from strength to strength. I have not had the fortune to be a part of the full 10 years, but I have had the pleasure of Allison’s guidance since 2015 and currently train with some of the original members!

From the very start the group has offered what is at the root of any success achieved by the athletes. That is quality training partners within a targeted and driven environment under the guidance and care of a fantastic coach.

Photo: Provided by athlete

My experience since 2015 has included a whole heap of learning, mainly from myself as I was brilliant at making mistakes!

Also, Allison learns and adapts. Not just with me but with each athlete, and every athlete’s experience shapes the future of the group. This is important as it has allowed the base philosophy of the group to support the fine tuning for specific events.

The group has developed, and we now have small groups of athletes targeting a range of races from 800m to 100k and beyond.

Such is the depth of athletes and the breadth of Allison’s coaching knowledge… Obviously the road marathon sector is the favoured!

The group is built on three factors. Believe, belong, perform.

Believe; training partners are fantastic for pushing yourself, building confidence and sometimes just getting you out the door on a cold, wet night.

More so the sense of belief from each person I train with is infectious. Being surrounded by a group of people driven to work their ass off through a process of training fueled by their belief in what they will achieve. The foundations of this belief are the results of others having been through the process.

Belong; each person feels part of the group, from the very beginning. A coach that is fully invested from the start and a welcoming bunch.

Sure, there are small sectors with differing focus but we all meet at the same place, at the same time and go through warm up drills as a group (or just having a natter hoping to get out of them… Westy).

Alongside additions such as a Whatsapp group, end of year parties through to targeted training camps, everyone feels included and there is very little division amongst the group. Keep the group engaged, especially in situations such as this year. The more an athlete feels a part of a group, especially a group that is performing well, the more they will also identify as a high performing athlete

Perform; the crux of it. What we all want. To perform. My personal experience of performance increase is something I would never have expected.

I recall at my first chat with Allison, telling her I would retire happily from running if I broke 30mins for 10k and 2:20 for the Marathon. I have done that and have no intention of retiring! There is a lot more to come from us yet! The performance although last in a list, it is more of a recurring process. The perform fuels the belief, and we are back to the first point!

The group train together, race together and support each other hugely, all part of the group ethos promoted by Benton. Photo: Phill Stevenson

When the time is right to train together again

If you are getting tired of training alone and will be looking for a lever you can pull to step up your performance, once we are allowed seek out a group.

Commit to them and they will do the same. Feed from the success and be a part of developing future successes. Much like the AB group, finding a bunch of like-minded athletes that are rounded up and sent the right direction (at the right speed!) by an invested coach will drive your performance forward. I am a big advocate of group training and will without fail chat about the benefits, so I urge you to try it too. 

Don’t take my word for it though, here are some quotes from long term members to athletes joining us whilst uni or work has allowed them to be nearby.

Allison with five of her athletes in their signature SAYSKY outfits, rumoured to have been chosen by Danish group stylist Ben Savill (shortest shorts). Photo: Provided by Paul Navesey

What the athletes say

Don’t just take Paul’s word for it, here’s some quotes from some of the other members of the illustrious and hard working bunch.

“Very fortunate to have Allison in our lives, she is incredibly dedicated to seeing her athletes do well, not only in sessions and races but in our everyday health too.”

“Great dedicated coach with belief in all her athletes.  Saw something in me as a boozy 34 min 10k runner back in 2010, and somehow changed me into a sub 31 min athlete within 5 years!”

“From a performance perspective there is no doubt that the progression which the AB training group has made is testament to her. However, she is careful to construct an environment that is not merely performance centric and also heavily on group ethos and the simpler aspects of running.”

“Allison treats the group as if it is her family. The achievement of getting a personal best, or exceeding your expectations in a race brings as much joy to her as it does yourself. It makes the reward of a good race result, after a hard block of training, all the more worth it.”

“Words can’t describe what Allison and this group has done for my running. I’m a different athlete and person all together since she took me under her wing! The group ethos drives us all on, and seeing another member of the group running so well inspires the rest of us to even greater things!”

Allison with the England team at the 2018 Frankfurt Marathon

The right environment for success

“Having had the pleasure of experiencing a few training sessions with the group first hand, it really is like an extended family” said Fast Running’s own Robbie Britton.

“From training camps away in France, hill reps in Stanmer Park or windy and wet kilometres along Brighton seafront, Allison has created a group of athletes who love their running, excel together and are there for each other through thick and thin.”

Fast Running’s Tom Craggs has also worked closely with Allison

“I had the pleasure of working with Allison as we took the England team to the 2018 Frankfurt Marathon. Allison is one of those people who gives you all of her attention and focus when she is speaking to you. For me that’s a rare quality and is one of many reasons why she seems to connect so well with athletes.”

“Her passion for people, the sport and attention to detail makes her one of the UK’s leading coaches from whom I have learnt a great deal.”

Here’s to ten more years of success, good friendships and top quality coaching with the AB Training group.

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The post 10 Years of the AB Training Group appeared first on Fast Running.

The former British 100km champion has taken the unconventional path of going from speedy ultra runner to even speedier marathoner. At the 2019 Brighton Marathon the Crawley AC athlete out kicked a pack of quality runners to finish second in a new personal best of 2:18:16. 

“As we hammered down the seafront I said to myself “No one else is having this”, I was on home ground” said the Allison Benton coached rocket. “I’d done so many repeats and sessions on that seafront that I wasn’t going to let anyone else take it at that point”.

Having lived and trained with Paul for several years I know why he backs himself in a sprint whatever the distance. The natural speed has always been there. But what has led to 2019 breakthroughs at 5k, 10k, half and full marathon?

Hitting the trails

“I haven’t really been on the track since last August” was the first clue from Navesey. “We actually went more off-road with the training. After a broken buildup to Frankfurt we [Paul and coach Allison] decided to try more trail running as the road can be unforgiving.”

The Downlink 36.7 mile footpath that links the South and North downs Way and where Paul and others from the AB training group regularly run long runs and tempos. Ironically Paul did have the course record for the ultra on the course as well. 

“You might not call it trail, but it’s perfect for us. Just being off the tarmac means you think less about times and splits. I was getting caught up on pace but being on trail helps you relax a little” stated the Sussex man. “We’re sill running fast but a few seconds difference per mile doesn’t matter if you’re working hard enough.”

“Beforehand every marathon build up had broken down at some point.” Yet Brighton 2019 was the first one to really pull together well. “Even if I felt a little over-raced by the start-line.” Everyone loves to race though. 

Spring of success

Brighton wasn’t a bolt from the blue though. In the build up there had been breakthrough performance after breakthrough performance, although I’m not sure how often you can breakthrough in one season. 

After a disappointing ninth at the Sussex County XC Champs the tide turned with a 29:33 for second place at Chichester Priory 10k, 14:07 for 15th at the Armagh International 5k and a win in 64:56 at the Grand Brighton Half Marathon. February was a tidy month for the former ultra runner.

Then followed another excellent 66:17 half marathon at the Big Half in London in March and all eyes focused on Brighton afterwards, but it wasn’t these times that Navesey remembers most.

Photo: Sports Action Photo

“I know positions, not times” said the racer. “I love to race and that’s what I planned to do at Brighton. Peter [le Grice] pulled away early on and we worked as a group to chase him for a while, but then we were just racing each other.”

All of the top six ran PBs that day and Brighton Marathon isn’t know for being a fast course. The four of Navesey, Ian Leitch, Dan Nash and Rob Corney sprinted along the seafront to new bests and Andy Coley-Maud was only a few seconds back with all under 2:20. A great sign for British marathoning. 

RELATED: Marathon race day advice from the experts

The power of the group

It would be remiss to not mention the successful training group the Navesey is part of. Coach Allison Benton has a committed bunch of athletes from the Sussex area that train, race and drink coffee together to great success. It has definitely played a part in all the runner’s success.

The likes of James Westlake, Kevin Rojas, Ben Savill and Tom Evans are all regularly part of the pack taking on long reps together or pushing the pace on a sunday. Group trips away to Font Romeu and other beautiful parts of France have brought the group together and made them faster.

“We’re all invested in similar goals and it’s bloody good fun. You just enjoying going out for every run wth the group.” 

It’s a close knit bunch that Benton has brought together and made stronger as a whole. Seeing the group together at Armagh 5k back in February it was more than just a much of runners, but friends who wanted the best for each other. 

“It’s motivating because you see what’s possible. When Westy [James Westlake] ran 30:15 for 10k we all sat up and took notice. He’d been playing football and running before and then when he focused on running the results were clear.”

“You want to beat your peers, but it’s not just racing each other. The group keeps you strong on the tough days too. There is a shared experience of the tough times and it helps.”

From the outside it seems simply that Benton asks the runners to invest as much time and effort as she does and it pays off. “You feel like you need to work just as hard, it’s about “we”, a real coach-athlete relationship.”

Photo: Taken from Paul’s Instagram.

What’s next?

Orion Harriers’ Fast Friday is next for the former ultra runner and also a tilt at another marathon PB in the autumn. Exciting times ahead. Maybe one year Navesey will return to the Canterbury 10 miler, to avenge his second place finish at that one. I can only remember the finishing positions from that one too…

Will you ever come back to ultra running Paul? That speed and your experience over 100km could be right tasty. “I’m not ruling it out. Another eight kilometres wouldn’t bee too bad.” just after British Athletics named a strong squad for the World 50k Champs this week.

Navesey is sponsored by Saysky, a Danish apparel brand who make performance running gear that Paul likes. His Instagram game is HOT so check him out on there. Look out for a follow up article on Navesey’s training next week.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Reverse progression : From ultra runner to 2:18 marathoner appeared first on Fast Running.

This afternoon should be a time to relax and prepare mentally for the task awaiting you in the morning. It is often said all the hard work is done, but there are still ways to hamper your chances for tomorrow. We asked some of the best marathon minds around on how they manage race day and what advice they could share.

Below are tips from a 2:09 marathoner, this year’s Manchester marathon winner, England and GB internationals, top marathon coaches and a pastry expert from Sussex who ran 2:18 at Brighton already this year.

Don’t get over excited

We all hear it, everyone tells you not to start too quickly. Easier said than done in the excitement of a big city marathon, but maybe the voices of those more experienced ringing in your ears might help out.

England’s 2:38 marathoner Dani Nimmock told us that  “Despite how good you will feel in the early miles stay controlled and take on carbs so you can finish strong then brace yourself for the worst so when fatigue hits you’re prepared to fight through it!”

With a 2:28 marathon Sonia Samuels is one of Great Britain’s best ever and has an excellent record of running well over the marathon distance. “After a taper week or two your legs will feel raring to go” suggests Samuels, “but stick to your race plan and pace, resisting the temptation to push too early. Be ready to push at 20 miles!”

Photo: Virgin Money London Marathon

Don’t get carried away downhill

The slightly downhill early miles of the London Marathon are mentioned by both 2:09 marathoner and former London winner Mike Gratton, as well as recent 2:18 man Paul Navesey.  Other races have fast starts too and it might be tempting to “bank” some time for the second half but coach Gratton highlighted that “in London, even effort might mean a slightly faster first four miles as it is overall down hill, but then it is important to get into a groove at goal pace.”

Crawley AC’s Navesey says to “accept the easier miles earlier on and save the extra energy for the final push after 20 miles.” Several mention the importance of being strong later on in the race with Gratton saying “getting the pace right will have the psychological advantage of passing fast starters from 18 miles on.”

Coach of the AB Training group Allison Benton goes beyond the controlled start and suggests to “know your honest, true target pace” and then “stick closely to that pace for at least the first 18 miles, no matter how easy it feels.”

Winchester AC’s Louise Damen speaks from experience when she says ” as you have tapered, carbo-loaded and are full of race day adrenaline, it’s all too easy to run the first 10km or so too fast.” The 2:30 marathoner insists “don’t fall into the trap of trying to ‘bank’ time earlier on as you will burn through your glycogen stores at a quicker rate and this could make the final few miles pretty challenging”.

I can still hear the words of coach Tom Craggs ringing in my ears when my watch pinged a 5:20 mile at the start of the Valencia marathon. “Start easy, you’ll feel good but don’t get carried away”. That made the last few miles a lot harder work than they needed to be.

Adapt to the race in front of you

As discussed by myself in a recent article, you need to run the race you’re in. Don’t get too caught up worrying about last year’s times, that your club mate is ahead of you or where “Bob from the track” thinks you should be at mile seven. Focus internally on your own effort and do the best you can on the day.

Benton, coach to a host of strong marathoners like Navesey, England’s James Westlake and Kevin Rojas, reminds us to “adapt the target pace in advance based on the expected weather – be honest and ruthless about the impact of heat,” and don’t calculate your gaol pace on “‘what you think you can do because the crowds will inspire me'”.

RELATED: Run the race you’re in

RELATED: PB conditions forecast for London Marathon weekend

“Focus on your own race. Dont worry about what the others around you are doing.” is sage advice from Great Britain’s Aly Dixon. “Theres always going to be other people going through good patches and bad patches so don’t run your race by them. Do what YOU need to do.” The 2:29 marathoner should know, having raced in championships across the globe and having just finished 16th at the tough Boston Marathon.

Fight and smile to the finish

There’s no hiding it, the final miles can be tough, but prepare yourself for them. If you race well, pace sensibly early on and fuel well then those final few miles can be a glorious series of overtaking manoeuvres to a personal best.

“The race really starts at 20 miles so keep your powder dry until that point and then push on” says 2:16 Lincoln Wellington man Aaron Scott. “Trust your training and don’t be held back by any pre-conceived time limits.”

RELATED: Aaron Scott manages 120 mile weeks alongside full-time work

Photo: Cardiff Half Marathon

Recent Manchester marathon winner Jenny Spink tells us “in the last 10km, when it’s feeling tough, imagine a training run route that you have done time and again and tell yourself that you can do this.”.

This is backed up by Professor Andy Lane of Birmingham University. The celebrated sports psychologist suggests “focus a mental loop on the runners feet ahead of you; imagine they are running your feet.” Not sure what Eluid Kipchoge should do about that though?

“For many runners it’s the relationship wth fatigue and anxiety. Both are normal feelings for a marathon as the goalie challenging,” continues the academic. “Accept that fatigue is not negative, but how it should feel.” Know that everyone is feeling that fatigue and you’re just going to cope with it better than those around you, you will excel when it gets tough.

Bristol & West’s Spink uses distraction techniques when it’s tough.

She adds: “This could be saying names of loved ones over and over in your head or focusing on trying to overtake someone just ahead or getting to the next landmark.”

If you break down the task at hand, just dealing with one mile, one kilometre, one lamppost at a time, then it makes it more manageable chunks for your mind to work with. Even one step at a time if need be.

Enjoy the day

Last, but not least, enjoy the day. This is what all the early mornings, hard miles and tired legs have been for. Make sure that when you are on that start line you look around and wish those around you the best. You are all united by one goal of doing your best over 26.2 miles. It’s fun, I promise.

If it gets tough later on, then smile. Science has even told us that smiling helps, but you don’t need science to put a big grin across your face. Embrace your inner Cheshire cat and smile to those cheering from the side lines. Feel the energy of the crowd and use it when you really need it. Control those emotions early on, but don’t be afraid to let them push you on to the final few miles.

“Dare to believe. You have done the hard work, believe that you can do it!” is Jenny Spinks’s final piece of excellent advice.

RELATED: Smiling can make you a better runner

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The post Marathon race day advice from the experts appeared first on Fast Running.

The second UK Endurance Conference took place in Liverpool on Sunday (November 25).  The conference attracted coaches from the local region and beyond with three key speakers leading interactive discussions. 

Following the success of the inaugural event in London over the summer, organiser Keith Scofield was keen to host an equivalent conference in the North of England and scheduled the event to coincide with a big weekend in the athletics calendar, the Euro Cross trials, held in Sefton Park.

Steve Vernon

Headline speaker Steve Vernon, lead coach of Team New Balance Manchester, highlighted that a focus on having fun with running was how his coach introduced him to the sport, and this is a principle to continues to instil in his athletes. 

Vernon has channelled his competitive drive into a rigorous learning approach – absorbing ideas from leaders from within and outside of athletics to bring the best ideas to his coaching. 

He has developed his own ‘coaching philosophy’ and believes it’s important for all coaches to do the same – distilling the wealth of knowledge out there from books, to conference talks, to informal chats at the track – and deciding what works for you and individual athletes.

The Team New Balance house, where the runners live together, presents its own challenges and Vernon carefully ensures he’s available for his team whilst also setting some boundaries that a coach is not there to solve all problems.

Mike Baxter 

Former GB athlete-turned-coach Mike Baxter also talked about dealing with the life of an athlete beyond just running and structuring sessions around the fact that most amateur athletes have a normal day job. 

While session duration should vary from athlete to athlete depending on their circumstances, Baxter emphasised that mileage is key and whilst less is more for interval sessions, building sufficient mileage around tough sessions is what builds aerobic capacity and the endurance that’s needed.

Allison Benton

Allison Benton brings together high potential athletes together in the Brighton and Sussex area and her philosophy is about the benefits of group training and the power of the collective being greater than the sum of its parts.

Benton inspires results by fostering a strong sense of ‘belonging’ within her athletes.

The coach creates a training environment where the group inspires and motivates each other from within to drive up levels of performance. 

Sharing results, celebrating success and bonding activities, like training camps, are key ingredients alongside strong, resilient leadership.

Five key takeaways from the three coaches

1) Be bold and ask for help: Fellow coaches are generally open to having conversations about challenges and more than happy to help. 

Tap into the network of the coaching community.

2) Find smart ways to access the tools that will help support your athlete’s performance:  Physiological blood testing can be expensive but some university’s offer it for free. 

Those training in massage and physio might offer free or cheap access to their services. 

3) Use social media to your advantage: While constant comparisons of race performances on Power of 10 or Strava can be a distraction, WhatsApp can be a tool to build a sense of team and belonging among training groups.

4) After a disappointing race performance, don’t jump to find answers straight away: Take some time for you and your athlete to reflect on how to improve and remember no-one gets a personal best every time they race.

Failure can be tough but it’s an opportunity to learn.  

5) Be as committed as you expect your athletes to be:  Coaching is a feat of endurance for both coach and athlete.  Be thick-skinned and prepared to ride out the tough times and challenges and always keep learning.

For more snippets from the conference and updates on future events, check out @endurance_uk on Twitter or contact Keith Scofield via email: ukenduranceconf@gmail.com.

RELATED: Endurance conference for coaches hailed a huge success

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The post North of England hosts successful UK Endurance Conference appeared first on Fast Running.