Marathon Coaching certification

[purdy65]

As part of my 5 year semi-retirement plan, I'm looking to possibly add Marathon Coaching certification to the resume. It is offered by the North American Academy for Sports Fitness Professionals. It involves an exam, case study and a practical where you would take an actual client through a marathon training cycle.

Does anyone have this or know anyone who does? Is it worthwhile?

Oh... and would anyone in the GTA like to be my practical candidate if I choose to enroll?

I am trying to explore a whole bunch of different options that would get me out of where I am, and into something I could easily spend part time hours doing within 2-3 years. I'm thinking of combining this with personal training, nutrition and wellness, and older adult work (I only have my Older Adult specialist certification left to get).

It's long past time for me to make some baby steps in this plan! I'm getting frustrated talking about it and not acting.

I have a few plans ahead. My neighbor is an experienced PT with Goodlife. Not that I want to work with Goodlife, but I am looking for her insights into breaking into the business. I will be volunteering at the CanFitPro conference again this summer, as well as the Pan Am games. I'm hoping to do a better job of networking at these.

Any insights or ideas from the forum would be greatly appreciated as well!

[IronGoddess]

I don't live anywhere close to you but I think you would be an awesome coach. Good luck!!

[Tisha]

I don't have any insights or ideas ... just well wishes and cheers from afar! I sure wish I lived in the GTA so you could be my coach!

[lorei]

I'm in Toronto and have been thinking about getting some coaching..... I'd be a willing guinea pig

[purdy65]

I'm in Toronto and have been thinking about getting some coaching..... I'd be a willing guinea pig

HMM.....

Are you looking for a fall 2015 or spring 2016 marathon?

If I do this, I'm just trying to figure it out, but it would probably be for a spring 2016 marathon at this point. That would give time to figure everything out!

I'll PM you!

[deerdree]

this question actually piqued a lot of curiosity (and led to a lot of googling last night), but i didn't want to derail your thread with a thousand questions. i guess i'm just curious whether you'd be doing this certification because you think it would make you a better coach or because you think you need it it for credibility on the resume (or both). and how you see yourself coaching in the future - as an individual or through some sort of company?

i did a search for marathon coaches in my area to see what my options would be if i didn't have a word-of-mouth recommendation. i came across a lot of sites where the coaches qualifications seemed to be their performance in races (which is funny to me since i'm a huge believer in the idea that being able to do something and being able to teach something are wildly different skills). i couldn't find any standard certifications across the options.

[purdy65]

Thanks Dee

I agree.

I think race experience and teaching skills area really important - moreso than performance.

I think I would pursue the certification mostly for an add on to the resume and crediblity. I don't necessarily think it is going to teach me anything I don't already know from my PT certification and having trained for 11 marathons. I know someone else doing it right now, and he has coached about 7 or 8 RR marathon clinics, so I'm not sure it's going to teach him a lot (although I have some difference of opinion with him on certain things) but it will give him credibility. I haven't looked into extensively, but it may also be easier to get liability insurance etc as well (although I can get that fairly inexpensively through Can Fit Pro).

I would like to do the coaching individually, but the best way might be to get into it though a larger organization (ie RR). I have been offered the chance but really balked at coaching one of the RR clinics because there just wasn't enough people enrolled, and honestly I think I would prefer the one on one.

Bottom line is, I think I have so much knowledge and experience rattling around in my head, I feel the time has come where I would like to pass it on and the satisfaction of taking someone through a training cycle and see results is awesome. That was my favourite part of working with the RR.

In the end, it's not a huge cost in terms of dollars, so there's not a lot of downside. I guess I just was really curious if anyone had experience dealing with this certification, or with a coach who had it.

[deerdree]

too funny - i actually thought it was a lot of money (although i don't know how much these certifications generally cost) and i was bit concerned that it was merely a business that was making a lot of money giving you a certification that might not offer much in return. but if it's not a lot of money for the chance to say "certified marathon coach", then go for it. and perhaps it would give you an advantage with a company if that's the path you're going to take.

the second half of my googling was for people who had the certification. you've likely already done this, but if not and if you're looking for people's experiences doing it, here's one blog, for example: http://www.runladylike.com/2014/08/26/n ... ification/

[purdy65]

Thanks Dee.

That was interesting. Overall it seems that it is worthwhile - or at least can't hurt, and if certification attracts anyone at all, going for it is a no-brainer.

Timing is likely is likely for spring 2016 though as it is getting a bit tight to do everything required before the fall.

Would certification make a difference to any of you in selecting a coach?

[Jwolf]

Would certification make a difference to any of you in selecting a coach?

I was thinking about that-- and I don't think it would for me.

It does sound like a cool idea, though. And I know you'd be good at it.

[Habs4ever]

Would certification make a difference to any of you in selecting a coach?

For me it wouldn't. I already know who my dream coach would be, but since I will never have a coach, it's just that, a dream.

If I was just starting out and doing my first marathon, it might be a factor, but at the same time I think the running community has a lot of word of mouth referrals.

[La]

Have you looked at NCCP? They are the certification body for triathlon training in Canada and have programs for virtually every sport except hockey (they have their own coaching certification program). I took their 2-day Triathlon coaching course, but then never continued with the practicum.

http://coach.ca/coach-training-in-canada-s15408 (I don't see running or marathon specifically, but they do have a category for Athletics).

They have two levels: competition and club coaches.