Endurance Handbook

AN INTRODUCTIONTO ENDURANCERUNNING

DAVID MOORCROFT

SECTION 1

Endurance running can be fun and hugely rewarding for all ages and levels of performance. This booklet focuses on that all important under 13 age group. We have to get it right at this age as positive experiences for youngsters can lay the foundations of a lifelong interest in running and all the benefits that go with it. However, bad or inappropriate experiences can destroy any interest the young person may have. George Bunner, the founder of Sportshall Athletics, is renowned world-wide for his creativity and his knowledge of what is fun, appropriate and exciting to young people. The advice and ideas in this booklet will be invaluable to teachers, coaches and parents as they explore ways to attract young people into endurance running. They will also, crucially, be trying to ensure that those young runners get the sort of positive experiences that are more likely to encourage them to stay in our sport and enjoy all of the performance and health benefits that running offers. Endurance isn’t just an individual activity and this booklet will give ideas on fun, group activities and how being part of a group or team and sharing experiences, in and out of competition, can lead to forming life-long friendships. Running has been a major part of my life - it was great fun when I was a youngster at school and in my local club. For a part of my adult life I was lucky enough to be a serious international athlete and now, as the years pile on, I still retain the joy in the simple act of running. Even though I am now a slow jogger, running is still very much a part of who I am and I will be forever grateful that my early teachers and coaches followed the sort of principles and ideas that George outlines in this excellent booklet. David Moorcroft OBE Former World Record Holder 5000m CEO UKA 1997–2007 WEB COPY ©EVEQUE Running has been a major part of my life - it was great fun when I was a youngster at school and in my local club WEB COPY ©EVEQUE David Moorcroft

INTRODUCTION

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