Running is a sport where if you are motivated enough to train, regardless of your speed or experience, you can do well and enjoy success. The London Pacers like to include the word FUN in its training mantra!

Group running offers creative stimulation, supplies your own personal cheering squad and even a little healthy competition. It’s also a great opportunity to expand your social circle. Strength, speed, endurance & stamina are all key ingredients to a successful runner and running with the London Pacers helps you develop these skills and traits.

“A coach can offer even the most experienced athlete a new perspective, scientific knowledge, nutritional expertise, psychological aid, and (sometimes most importantly) a voice of reason to temper the most well meaning athlete’s self-destructive tendencies. Even the most experienced and educated athlete can’t be objective about his or her own training and racing.” - - - Steve Ruis

The London Pacers includes in its midst some of the best coaches in London. Each has an array of qualifications, including certification with the National Coaching Certification Program. This system ensures that the coach has a certain level of knowledge and commitment. The NCCP, which is followed by 65 sports across the country, involves a combination of studies of the theories behind training, technical programs specific to each sport and supervised coaching lasting for a year or more for each level. This ensures that the coach has a broad knowledge of all aspects of the art and science of coaching. Each level adds to the sum of knowledge. There are 5 levels recognized in Canada with Level 3 being required to take a team to World Championships and Olympics.

These coaches work with athletes of various levels and provide a variety of programs. They work through other organizations and clubs and their own companies but each is a member of our club. Let’s hear what each has to say:

Jennifer Ditchfield:

As an associate coach working with Chris Helwig of Coachchris.ca I provide extensive coaching services for triathletes and runners of all levels and abilities.

Services offered include:

1. Personalized, custom training programs with your choice of four levels of service: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Packages at the basic level include:
• Daily Exercise Prescriptions
• Goal Setting
• Determination of Heart Rate and or Power Training Zones
• Specific Workout Prescriptions
• Weekly E-mail Consultation
• Personal Initial Consultation
• Anaerobic Threshold testing, Maximum Aerobic Power (MAP)
• (all testing done using a Computrainer Lab Edition)

Visit our website at www.coachchris.ca for more indepth descriptions and pricing for all coaching packages.

2. Indoor group spin classes held Saturday mornings from 9-11a.m. in the gymnasium at Colborne Street United Church running from January to March. These are periodized workouts for cyclists, triathletes and fitness enthusiasts that are adaptable to all levels and abilities, focusing on the development of good technique and endurance building. Good music, good people, good fitness, good fun.

3. Group Run and Swim Training Opportunities for off season technique and endurance development or to target early season races (Disney Half Ironman), Around the Bay 30km Road Race etc.

For further information contact Jennifer Ditchfield by email at jditchfield@rogers.com or by phone at 519-660-6782

Sherry Watts:

I coach runners and racewalkers in groups and individually. I have worked with athletes competing at distances from 1500m to 100 miles.

Individuals are coached through a combination of email, phone and in person at a cost of $30 per month for London Pacers and $35 for non-members.

The next advanced program for distance runners begins in December for those with early season races like the Boston Marathon and in early January for those with May and June events. We train together twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) but the programs are designed individually for each athlete depending on his or her goals, experience, time available and physiological characteristics. Cost $100.

I am also currently supervising a free (for Pacers) cross country running program Tuesdays and Thursday at Harris Park at 6 PM.

Also available, video technique analysis (I believe incorrect running form is a cause of many injuries), blood lactate testing and half day running clinics.

Other group training programs are available if there is any interest –i.e. working on form, speed etc.

• NCCP level 4
• Also certifications with Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), U.S. Track Coaches Association, FaCT Canada (blood lactate testing) and Video Technical Specialist qualification through Own the Podium (the Canadian Olympic Committee).

You can contact me at pacertraining@yahoo.ca or 519 858-9880.

Sheri Fraser:

Sheri coaches multishport athletes. She runs a variety of program including spin classes, training camps and Chi Running clinics. You can learn more about Sheri and her coaching at www.sherifraser.net/