Home Welcome  Subs  Message Board Resources  Services  Results Miscellaneous Results AW results  Rowan's Photos Athletics NZ Contacts    Cool Running  Coaching Track & Field Loaded Hog Series Winter Season Three Peaks Women Walking Squash  J-Team  Profiles  Quotes

Coaching at Scottish - A warm welcome from coaching coordinator Edwin Massey

A warm welcome to the 2008 season to all members and prospective members. Do you want to realise your goals this season but not really know how? Scottish offers free coaching advice from a range of experienced coaches. Coaching will help you to develop a consistent training program that suits your needs and help you to achieve your goals faster. Coaches know the nuances of what it takes to train and race to get the best out of yourself and offer you objective advice on your training and racing performances. If you are interested in taking the plunge and being coached, please contact me at the club on a Saturday, e-mail me or feel free to call me 021 180 1420. The results will speak for themselves! Kind regards, Edwin.

This page contains club members we are currently aware of who are prepared to offer coaching (at various levels) to others. The write-ups mention something of their coaching philosophy, style and preferences. 

In addition, below the list of club volunteers are some links to some material internally generated in Scottish and also to some training programmes on the Internet. No guarantees come with the internet training programmes. Look them over and see if they have something that might work for you, and if you have a coach, please discuss them with your coach!

Scottish coaching contacts

Steve Plowman has been running competitively for more than 30 years and coaching for 20 years. He is a former nationally ranked 800m runner, whose career highlights include beating former world 5,000m record holder and Olympic silver medallist Dick Quax and racing against former world mile record holder John Walker. He has won at every distance from 800m to the marathon and is a former Oceania Masters 3000m steeplechase champion.  

He uses a mix of the methods he learned from world-renowned coach Arthur Lydiard, who was Steve’s coach for several years, with those of US-based Professor David L Costill, one of the world’s leading physiologists. Steve assists runners of all abilities - from absolute beginners to athletes who have won national titles and overseas races. His schedules aim to find a balance that suits the individual – in order for the runner to achieve his or her personal goals. He believes enjoyment, hard work, variety, adequate rest, perseverance and consistency are the keys to successful running.

“I am motivated," says Steve, "by my runners’ smiles at the end of a PB race or a personally outstanding effort - that’s one of the real buzzes I get from coaching.”

Masters athlete Diane Morgan : “Steve has been coaching me for nearly a year. I am a slow runner wanting to get faster – I haven’t got much faster yet, but Steve tells me I will! I have become a stronger runner and enjoy my running more. Steve gives me a schedule every month, including a variety of distances, speeds and races. I run 5 days a week.

"I find the schedule very doable; it is not set in stone. He advises me to run as I feel, to listen to my body. He enthusiastically encourages, advises, listens, laughs as he works alongside me to improve and enjoy my running.”

Senior woman Aubrey Begley: "I have been coached by Steve for approximately 18 months during which I have experienced improvements in my running ability I didn’t imagine possible. Steve continues to send me monthly schedules with daily training distance and effort indicated. Steve’s coaching is based on Lydiard principles and he takes a long-term approach to achieving running goals. When I first got in contact with Steve, we sat down and discussed some specific long term goals for me to focus on and work toward. The long-term plan involves three phases; a long foundation phase followed by hill-work then a speed-work phase. Steve readily accommodates specific race requests into the schedules and offers sound advice and motivation. With a long-term plan in mind, Steve strongly advises his runners to "listen to their bodies" and use a commonsense approach to training and racing. I am really enjoying my running and am very grateful to Steve for his time and expertise – he is a fantastic coach."

Steve has a full complement of runners currently but places may become available from time to time. Please contact Steve or the Coaching Coordinator, Edwin Massey, for availability.     

Steve can be contacted on 380-8776; or by email at stevep@paradise.net.nz

Don Dalgliesh’s coaching philosophy is based around two basic maxims:

1. The word is "training," not "straining," and
2. Training is like getting a sun tan ie a little bit each day is better than a lot every three or four days. 

Don’s coaching credentials are very impressive and include more than 40 years of practical experience.

"I coach because this is a way I can put back something into the sport that I have enjoyed so much, and I get my motivation from the pleasure and enjoyment my athletes get from achieving their goals. My methodology is a mixture of ideas, mainly from Arthur Lydiard, Ron Clarke and Roger Robinson, tested by practical application, but I am still learning and adapting from talking to athletes and coaches." 

Don’s coaching pedigree : He was active at club level for more than 40 years and can claim a victory over Rod Dixon over 10 miles on the road!  Don has coached many Athletics New Zealand and New Zealand Secondary Schools titleholders from 800 metres upwards, including several NZ representatives at World championship and several athletes who have obtained scholarships to American universities.  He has a BBS majoring in sports coaching and management from Massey University and a level 3 Middle Distance qualification from Athletics New Zealand. He has a large squad, mainly college age, both male and female, from elite down to beginners, from any club, and also coaches by email for athletes outside Wellington.

He believes in concentrating on building speed while athletes are young as you can always build stamina later in life. Restricting young athletes to low distance enables them to participate in other sports as well until they decide which sport they wish to specialize in.

He believes that swimming and cycling form a valuable part of training, enabling athletes to maintain fitness while unable to run. Also, these extra forms of training give variety to an athlete's training programme. To contact Don, please ring 473-9414 or email dondalgliesh@xtra.co.nz

John and Maryanne Palmer work closely together when formulating training programmes for athletes. Their programmes are directed at those people wishing to take the first steps in preparing for either their first half or full marathon, and then continuing further if desired. 

Below are listed some of their ideals with regard to programmes:

1. To produce schedules specifically geared to the individual
2. To promote cross training and recovery sessions
3. To be involved with all aspects of training, including nutrition, psychology and physiology
4. To encourage the social and fun aspects associated with group training 

To contact either John or Maryanne, phone 479-2130 or email palmer.palace@xtra.co.nz

Matt Dravitzki believes that reaching your potential in distance running is about three things:

1. Consistency – training regularly for 6-7 days a week, week-in and week-out.
2. Balance – a balance in your training between long running, quality, hill work and R&R. This also requires a balance in your life style.
3. Enjoyment – if you don’t enjoy it, don’t do it! 

To contact Matt please either ring 479-2425 or email matthew_dravitzki@westpac.co.nz

Todd Stevens uses his personal experiences from 20 years of competitive running and 15 years as captain of the club’s senior men’s A team to formulate his coaching programmes.

His approach to coaching is based on the Lydiard system and he believes in building a strong aerobic fitness base through long Sunday runs, a long mid-week run on the hills and a 20-30 minute tempo session each week. 

Todd also believes that running needs to be fun. A good programme finds a balance between doing the hard work necessary to achieve the goals and enjoying the training.

Todd has a particular interest in assisting the “average” club member to achieve their goals, be it a sub-1 hour 30 half marathon, a sub-3 hour 30 full marathon, or indeed just to complete a marathon. He likes constructing training programmes to incorporate other activities – for example, a weekly indoor netball game or a mountain-bike ride.

Vaile Mexted on Todd as his coach: “I was hesitant about approaching Todd at first, but I’m incredibly glad now that I did.

"The specific benefits that I have found from being coached by Todd are: Pure and simple performance improvement: achieving numerous PBs and achieving the potential I always thought was there. Training and advice from an ex-national champ: someone who has raced just about every race in the country, has stories and advice of days that have gone well as well as days that have gone not so well. Advice from someone who has fitted in a large training volume around a real job and a family. A structured program: doing the right training on the right day for the right reason. Regular contact: A real aid to motivation - on the bad days I still know I need to get out as big brother will know I haven’t.  And finally, refinement: Being able to adjust my program depending on how the previous week has gone, whether I am injured or if I have work commitments .

"I have gained, and am still gaining, a tremendous amount with Todd’s assistance. If you want to take your running to the next level, and are willing to put in the effort, I would definitely recommend Todd as a coach.”

Todd is happy to speak to anyone regarding any assistance that he may be able to give. Please just think first about your medium- and long-term goals and how much time you are able to commit to training each week before contacting Todd on 479-5374 or via email at todd.stevens@nz.pwc.com

Peter Wrigley's main interest is in the development of junior athletes, giving them the skills and knowledge to develop their talents and achieve performances that reflect the efforts in their training. He believes that junior athletes are the grass roots of our sport and their training is vital to growth at all levels and not just the elite.

He has a vast knowledge of the junior levels and would like to pass on his experience to any young athletes who want to improve their performances. 

Peter can be contacted at any of the club runs or any time during business days on 388-8288 or via pwriggles@paradise.net.nz 

James Hurring is able to offer advice on technique and style and general encouragement for race walking. He has walked for a number of years at the regional/national level but now only walks for general fitness. At this stage, he's not available to supply full training programmes, but he can give input into what needs to be included in one.

James can be reached by email at HurringJF@hotmail.com 

Rupert Watson is a Feldenkrais Practitioner who runs regular classes and occasional workshops that can improve running and walking technique for athletes of all levels.

"My professional life as a Feldenkrais Practitioner means I help people to do what they want, through improving their abilities and capacities in movement. This applies to people wanting to improve particular skills as well as people trying to gain more overall comfort in life. In running it means a way to help runners move more smoothly and efficiently and reduce the risk of injury. This often involves helping people sense how they can use more of themselves in the running action.

"Regular Feldenkrais classes will help anyone in sport, as so much focus is on better coordination of the upper and lower body. But it is good to do specific workshops as well, and I plan to do a couple in 2008.

"One on one sessions are good too, and I give club members a generous discount ($40 instead of $60). I do regular classes (movement basics) at Ghuznee Health Associates during the week, and also at the Wellington Performing Arts Centre and Parliament.

"One of my best moments in the work was having Jonathon Wyatt come to a series I gave at Freyburg several years ago. He got a lot out of the lessons, and I think that was the first year he won the world mountain running crown. Nonetheless, I get my biggest kicks out of helping people with serious “structural” problems live a more normal and satisfying life."

Rupert can be contacted on 801-6610 (Ghuznee Health Associates) or via email Rupert.Watson@paradise.net.nz

Other coaching resources

Tell us about your race results. Any suggestions for the website? Feedback