A fresh start
Athletics Weekly|March 19, 2020
UK ATHLETICS CHAIR NIC COWARD IS KEEN TO PRIORITISE COACH DEVELOPMENT AND LONG-TERM PLANNING AS HE STARTS WORKING WITH THE GOVERNING BODY’S NEW CEO JOANNA ADAMS THIS WEEK
JASON HENDERSON
A fresh start

He is speaking from the Los Angeles 1984 room at the UKA offices at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. It is apt because his passion for athletics was ignited 36 years ago when as a teenage boy his family won a trip to see the final day of those Games at the Coliseum. “It’s a hell of a memory,” he says. “It was my first athletics event which was quite a spectacular moment.”

These were the Games of Daley Thompson, Seb Coe and Tessa Sanderson and one of the athletes he saw that day was Dave Moorcroft. The former world 5000m record-holder did not have a great ’84 Games due to injury but 13 years later Coward found himself working with him to resurrect UKA from the ashes of its predecessor, the British Athletics Federation, which went bankrupt in 1997. It was a success, too, as Moorcroft, as chief executive, got the governing body back on its feet.

Not all Coward’s athletics memories are pleasant, though. “Doing the high jump as a youngster I got badly injured,” he remembers. “I was 13 years old in July 1979 and jumping on a damp day. I turned and I slipped and the result was not good. I suffered a catastrophic injury to my left knee. And that was it – my athletics and sporting career was over.”

Coward has managed the knee problem for several decades now but admits he’s probably looking at a knee replacement at some stage. He cycles to keep fit but adds wryly: “The UKA role has put paid ever so slightly to my exercise routine!”

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 19, 2020-Ausgabe von Athletics Weekly.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 19, 2020-Ausgabe von Athletics Weekly.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS ATHLETICS WEEKLYAlle anzeigen
Carbon Footprint
Athletics Weekly

Carbon Footprint

You'd have had to have been running on a different planet to miss all the recent debate about carbon-plated shoes. The talk of bans and performance enhancement has been so widespread that even non-runners are asking their running friends about the potentially magical footwear.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
March 26, 2020
Athletics Weekly

Trail time

WHEN looking for a trail or off-road running shoe, it’s often all about the grip. However, given that no two paths are the same, careful consideration is required. What’s the terrain like where you’ll wear the shoes the most? If you’ll be negotiating soft, wet and muddy conditions then look for deeper lugs. For tackling gravel tracks and forest trails then more evenly spaced lugs will work better. When it comes to cushioning, consider how hard the ground will be; if it’s soft then you’ll be fine in low-profile shoes, but on those firmer tracks reasonable cushioning will be called for.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
March 26, 2020
Stay neutral
Athletics Weekly

Stay neutral

EVOLVING every year, if not month, neutral cushioned shoes are seeing developments in cushioning materials and dynamics at a pace which is nothing short of astonishing. The latest models feature new polymers in the midsoles to give them a cushioned feel while at the same time keeping their weight to a minimum. Give them a spin and choose the most comfortable for mile after mile of shock absorbing running.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
March 26, 2020
Support network
Athletics Weekly

Support network

WHEN it comes to ‘over-pronation’, a common question is ‘how much is over?’. With no hard and fast rules, it’s best to choose a shoe that instinctively feels right. Gait analysis can often assist in helping you make this choice and your specialist running store is always a good place to start if in doubt. To help you make that choice, here’s a selection of some of the best ‘support’ shoes around.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
March 26, 2020
Need for speed
Athletics Weekly

Need for speed

THE racing shoe segment of the market is becoming somewhat split. This is partially due to the rise of carbon-plated footwear but also the fact that many shoes are becoming much lighter. Here we take a look at some of the leading contenders to toe the line in.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
March 26, 2020
Athletics Weekly

Gadget show

WITH technological products to enhance every area of life, running is now no different. From headphones to treadmills, the devices to aid performance and recovery are endless. Here we take a look at some of the latest gadgets and gizmos to enhance your training.

time-read
6 Minuten  |
March 26, 2020
What's in a shoe?
Athletics Weekly

What's in a shoe?

We bust some of the jargon around footwear

time-read
1 min  |
March 26, 2020
How To Prime Your Immunity
Athletics Weekly

How To Prime Your Immunity

Taking steps to shore your body’s defences has never been more important. Here’s how to do it, says Peta Bee

time-read
6 Minuten  |
March 26, 2020
English Schools Survival At Stake
Athletics Weekly

English Schools Survival At Stake

Covid-19 could lead to ESAA losing thousands this summer

time-read
2 Minuten  |
March 19, 2020
Covid-19: Athletics Events Are Wiped Out
Athletics Weekly

Covid-19: Athletics Events Are Wiped Out

Unprecedented calendar changes due to Covid-19

time-read
3 Minuten  |
March 19, 2020