In this episode, Cindy Abrami, who is also a partner at UESCA, discusses how to start and structure a group training program. Among endurance athletes, training in groups is quite commonplace – whether it be teams or social gatherings, group training is a popular offering. As such, a common question of new coaches is how to start a group training program. People start group training programs for all different reasons. Some of these reasons include marketing for their coaching practice, revenue generation (fee-based program), raise money for charity as a group, etc…
Regardless of the reason for starting a group training program, there are several key things that someone would need to be aware of to give them the best possible chance of success. In this podcast, Cindy discusses all of these key areas and more!
1:23 – Background of Cindy Abrami and her experience with group training
8:00 – What are some different ways to structure a group training program/session?
10:29 – What are some considerations that someone would need to appreciate before starting a group training program?
19:57 – How do you handle a group training dynamic with people training for different distances, and also different running abilities?
22:44 – What is the benefit to athletes training in a group setting?
28:04 – What are some other guidelines for someone interested in putting on group training program?
40:13 – Would you advise reaching out to others in the same space and in the same geographic area that have done group training programs previously for advice?
41:49 – What are some of the challenges of putting on a group training program?
47:49 – Would you advise coaches starting, or leading established run clubs that are based out of retail stores?
49:15 – Does group training result in one-on-one clients?
51:33 – Did you have a lot of athlete retention across multiple and successive group training programs?
54:26 – What are some of the rewards of a group training program?
55:46 – What are some examples of successful group training programs?
59:14 – Is liability insurance needed?
1:00:38 – What happens if people get lost during a group training session?
1:02:28 – What are your thoughts on cancellation policies and no-shows?
1:04:18 – What are your thoughts on partnering with a local food/drink company?
1:05:11 – Last thoughts
