Harvard coach Priscilla Bayley and coaching legend Joe Vigil at USATF Level 2
I just returned from a week-long educational session put on by USA track and field. I like to continue to learn, and I did that…but just as fun for me was simply hanging out and talking with the instructors and the other coaches at the seminar. What a great group!
The class I was taking was an advanced endurance training/coaching class. The instructors were a good group, and included Joe Vigil, who is a legend. Coach Vigil has been part of the Olympic coaching staff from 1988 to 2008, has coached Deena Kastor and others, and as a college coach had historic results. He’s a pretty amazing guy, and it feels as if he has forgotten more than anyone else in the room will ever know! It was amazing to watch discussions about training and physiological responses go on, and Coach Vigil would gently cough, everyone would turn to listen, and he would talk quietly about enzyme responses or the changes to the aerobic systems and what was happening as the athlete trains; and the room goes quiet except for the sound of 40 coaches furiously scribbling notes. Besides the science, Coach Vigil can talk for hours about athletes and races for the last 50 years, stories I could listen to forever–and I know that others could, also. You have never seen so many star-struck college and high school coaches in your life!
By the way, I took the opportunity to review the MVXC 2012 season plan with Coach Vigil and got a big thumbs up. ‘Vigil approved’ is pretty cool!
The track & field community is pretty cool, without a doubt. Events like this remind me of how lucky I am to be part of the running family. I hope you all feel that same way!
I hope you are having a great summer! See you soon!
Coach
Coach Vigil and Coach Flatow