Top Coaching Resources, Schools, and Must-Read Books

By Robert Berry
Email at articles@coloradotrackclub.com

There are thousands of coaching resources available to you. This post will outline some of my favorites. I started my coaching career in the late 80s as a teenager, using articles from Runner’s World magazine and trying to copy the training feats of a local Kinney XC competitor who lived 45 miles away. Nearly three decades later my passion for developing athletes has not waned. Through competition, winning national team championships, working with Olympic-caliber coaches and athletes, and picking the brains of the best coaches in the world - my coaching toolbox has expanded beyond my original magazine articles, but the basic principles still apply. I encourage each coach to get exposed to each of the resources outlined below and let your own interests steer you toward the field that you are attracted to the most. Enjoy!

The Colorado Track Club Coaching Certification Programs are likely the most in-depth and academically challenging programs you’ll find outside of graduate school or PhD work. The CTC program is for the long-term, committed coach who wants to study the foundational researchers and authors who direct the thoughts and techniques of many of the best programs in the world.

Apart from CTC, there are several weekend schools, week-long schools, and online resources that are great tools for coaching and athlete development. The following online resources (in no specific order) are available at differing prices and commitment levels and have proved helpful for thousands of athletes and coaches:

Disclosure: I, nor CTC, are paid to endorse any of the resources below. However, the CTC Board of Advisors have written or influenced some of the works below.

Recommended Online Resources

Complete Track and Field (completetrackandfield.com) (https://www.completetrackandfield.com/): Latif Thomas and the coaches at CTF are top-notch, accomplished leaders who have assembled the BEST video series available on the Web. These resources are a MUST for youth coaches, high school coaches, and beginning college coaches. The prices are fair and I’ve purchased many videos myself – highly recommended!

McMillan Running (mcmillanrunning.com) (https://www.mcmillanrunning.com/): Greg McMillan has been around for a while and has helped thousands (including me) with his articles, videos, and resources. McMillan offers a variety of free and for-hire services, including camps, that will prepare athletes for immediate success. Greg and his team have helped me during my running days and I highly recommend his products.

USA Track & Field Coaching Education (usatf.org) (http://www.usatf.org/Home.aspx): The USATF Coaching Education programs are foundational, and often required, for coaching positions. The courses include introductory level and advanced courses covering all track disciplines, as well as coaching background checks and resources for parents and athletes alike.

U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (ustfccca.org) (http://www.ustfccca.org/): Hundreds, if not thousands of club, college, and high school coaches have taken courses through USTFCCCA. The leadership and instructors of USTFCCCA are accomplished coaches and respected teachers. USTFCCCA has an introductory online course as well as superb weekend / week-long courses available around the U.S., covering topics such as sprints, endurance, throws, jumps, weight training, psychology and others. The USTFCCCA Annual Convention is a great place to meet others and network as well.

Lydiard Foundation (lydiardfoundation.org) (https://lydiardfoundation.org/): Lorraine Moller and Nobuya Hashizume have built a wonderful coaching curriculum that teaches the philosophy and methods of Arthur Lydiard – one of the most influential coaches of the last 100 years. If you can get away to Boulder, CO for a weekend and sit in a small class with Lorraine, Nobuya and their team, you will leave enriched.

LetsRun (Letsrun.com) (http://www.letsrun.com/): Weldon and Robert Johnson have created one of the top forums that has archived nearly two decades of discussions on all-things running. I often Google a topic, along with the phrase letsrun to see the discussions. The site does allow unrestricted or anonymous posts, which degrades some of the discussions and likely pushes away some well-qualified athletes and coaches.

FLOTRACK (flotrack.org) (https://www.flotrack.org/): FLOTRACK has done a great job of bringing attention and enthusiasm to the sport. You'll find some real gems in the video archives as well as live access to track and cross country event coverage. Some criticize the site for being expensive, but the quality and contribution are worth the price if you can afford it. Milesplit.com is also part of the FLOTRACK family - become familiar with both.

Must-Read and Recommended Books

Here are some excellent books to get you started (no specific order). Surely, these are not THE best books about running, but I am convinced – if these books are unpacked and studied thoroughly, one will be in the upper echelon (technical knowledge-wise) in the coaching field. Finally, these books make up about 25% of the Colorado Track Club coaching certification program:

The Greatest: The Haile Gebrselassie Story (Jim Denison): This book provides insights into the culture of Ethiopian distance running and tells the story of one of the all-time greats. If you could only learn about distance running and competition from five books I would recommend this as one of the top five.

Healthy Intelligent Training (Keith Livingstone): This book is a good companion for Lydiard’s book “Running to the Top.” I’ve read it about three times and the author has been very helpful in my development as a coach.

Why Die? The Extraordinary Percy Cerutty, Maker of Champions (Graem Simms): Percy Cerutty was known for some self-aggrandizing behaviors. However, his training approach yielded significant (World Record and Olympic Gold) results without altitude training, advanced education in physiology, fast tracks, or properly engineered footwear. There are a few books about him and by him – enjoy the story!

High Performance Training for Track and Field (William Bowerman & Dr. William Freeman): The University of Oregon is the gold standard for measuring collegiate track programs. This book provides numerous examples of Bowerman’s growth as a coach and his methodology for outlining practices throughout the year. It’s only 550+ pages and designed like a manual – enjoy!

Periodization Training for Sports (Dr. Tudor Bompa & Carlo Buzzichelli): If you don’t have a degree in physiology or sports medicine give yourself about a year to dig through all the concepts in this book – take thorough notes and chase some of the studies. Allow it to point you to other articles and books and enjoy the results.

Peak When it Counts (Dr. William Freeman): Dr. Freeman will superbly explain periodization and point you to several other resources in this shorter book.

Daniels Running Formula (Dr. Jack Daniels): A new coach or runner would benefit from reading this classic training book at least two times. Take some notes and begin exploring questions that arise from reading this must-have book.

The Mechanics of Sprinting and Hurdling (Dr. Ralph Mann and Amber Murphy): Whether you are a sprint coach or not, Dr. Mann will broaden your understanding of the importance of mechanics for horizontal and vertical velocity, as well as the management of center of mass in human movement. This is a fascinating book with great illustrations.

Triphasic Training (Cal Dietz & Ben Peterson): This book provides clear definitions and explanations regarding the development of elite speed and explosive strength performance.

Road to the Top (Dr. Joe Vigil): Dr. Vigil is an accomplished American coach. His book and other available articles and videos are very helpful. One would benefit from dedicated a few months to studying his approach.

Running with the Kenyans (Adharanand Finn): It’s no secret that many athletes from the African continent have dominated the podium at World Championship and Olympic events. This book provides subtle clues to the importance of lifestyle, drive, eliminating distractions, diet, and culture when it comes to success in running. Allow the author to enlighten you and point you to other related topics.

Run Like a Champion (Alan Culpepper): There is a practical limit to the number books you can read about tempo runs, long runs, and VO2 training. The first 100 pages is a detailed philosophy, from this Olympian's perspective, on how to approach running at an elite level for years on end.

The Jim Ryun Story (Cordner Nelson): One can study psychology and physiology at length, but a healthy return to history can refresh the spirit and, in the case of this book and others written in that era, remind us that really hard and basically intelligent training will trump many of the complex systems purported today. Many athletes of the 50s and 60s ran great times that would be competitive today, without the benefits currently available from 2020 science, modern tracks, and functional shoes – one should pay them, and their story, the due diligence of respect and study.