All our coaches are UK Athletics (UKA) trained and licensed.
Our main training sessions are at Wimbledon Park Stadium on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings between 4.30pm and 8.30pm, depending on the particular group.
In addition, for endurance athletes, a running group departs from Lauriston Cottage, 6a Southside, Wimbledon Common SW19 4TG (entrance in Lauriston Road – see the Contact page for a map) on Wednesday evenings at 7pm.
Prospective new members are welcome to a free coaching session before joining the Club, but please fill in this form in advance, so that you can be put in touch with the most appropriate coach, who will get back to you with more information.
Please do not just turn up at the stadium on spec.
Membership of the Club includes the £15 annual registration fee with England Athletics which everyone needs in order to enter competitions.
Click here to join.
The Coaching Pathway
Young athletes from the age of 7-10 typically begin with the 7Upsandovers group on a Sunday morning, and then progress to midweek training, which takes place on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, depending on the group. However please be aware that the 7Upsandovers group is so popular there is a waiting list. If you would like your child/child in your care to be added to this list, please fill in this form, entering the appropriate age group.
The coaching progression through the Club is based on the UK Athletics (UKA) model. This encourages youngsters to gain a proper grounding and a great all round experience and enjoyment of athletics before beginning to specialise in sprinting, middle or longer distance running, or field disciplines.
Ages, however, are merely a guide, and our experienced coaches will advise and continually assess young athletes to help them progress and develop in their chosen discipline.
Older athletes joining the Club will be introduced to the coaching group which best suits their level of experience and favoured event.
All athletes are encouraged to compete for the Club as often as possible.
Our Coaches
In order to be put in touch directly with the most appropriate coach, please submit this form.
7UPSANDOVERS
Age: 7-10 years
Sunday mornings, 9.15-11am.
Run by head coach Ian Ormiston with an enthusiastic team of coaches, assistant coaches and parental helpers, this offers a fun introduction to all track and field events for our youngest members.
From the age of 10, athletes can join the Club which entitles them to compete for Hercules Wimbledon AC in Under 11 events, and as soon as they are ready, they will be encouraged to move up to our midweek training sessions and turn out for the Club at every opportunity.
Please note, this group is so popular that there is always a waiting list, so to be added to this, please fill in this form, indicating the appropriate age group.
Below: a 7Upsandovers group warming up with coach Anne Hegvold
MULTI SKILLS AND SPRINTS
Tuesdays and Thursdays 4.30-8.30pm, according to age group, from Under 11 (School Year 6) to Under 17+
Lead coach: Juan Hernandez
For those youngest athletes who graduate from the 7Upsandovers as well as new athletes aged 11-14 (Under 13-Under 15 in terms of competition), this group provides a fun and friendly environment for athletes to train and become proficient in multi-events, i.e. running, jumps and throwing.
Depending on development, athletes can compete for the Club at U13 level and begin to specialise in one or more disciplines.
Please note Juan charges a coaching fee for this group.
FOCUS ON SPRINTING
From Under 17 onwards proven competitive athletes in Juan’s group who wish to concentrate on sprinting will focus on honing techniques and achieving specific targets, while those who wish to concentrate on jumps and throws will be encouraged to work with other event-specific club coaches.
RUNNING FOR SCHOOL YEARS 5 and 6
Age: 9-11 (Under 13)
Mondays and Thursdays 5.45-8pm, according to age group
Lead coach: Andrew Davies
The focus of this group is to build technique and fitness in running (as distinct from the multi-sports group above) and participate in track events from 600m upwards as well as cross country.
This group works closely with the U15+ distance group run by Anne Hegvold and her coaching team (see below), with ability and aptitude for particular distances being the guiding factors during sessions rather than age.
Please note Andrew charges a small coaching fee for this group.
MIDDLE DISTANCE (GIRLS AND BOYS)
Age 13 + (Under 15)–Under 20 (some running experience required)
Mondays 6.30-8pm; and Thursdays 6.30-7.45pm according to age group
Lead coach: Anne Hegvold
Anne and her coaches work in tandem with Andrew and Bjorn (see above) and focus on 800m, 1500m and 3000m on the track, road racing and cross-country. Older athletes (second year U17 and U20) have the opportunity to begin integrating into the senior sessions run by Ben Noad and Keith Scofield (see next entry).
Please note Anne charges a small coaching fee for this group.
SpeedPro High Performance Group (sprints to middle distance)
Age 13+ (Under 15)–Senior
Tuesdays 6-7.30pm; Thursdays 6-7.30pm; Sundays 10am-12 noon (starting in the park, then track from 10.45am)
Lead coach: Bjorn Jansen
This focus of this group is on coaching and supporting athletes as they progress to competition at national and international level at distances, from 100m to 1500m primarily, but hurdles and long jump may also be included. Athletes train and progress through one of three squads: Development, Potential or Elite. Plans are tailored to the particular needs of each athlete, however concentration is on good posture, mechanics, speed progression and performance.
See https://speedpro.training/ for more information on Bjorn’s approach to training and competing
Please note Bjorn charges a fee for his group which varies according to the particular squad.
ADVANCED MIDDLE DISTANCE
Age 18 (Under 20) and above
Tuesdays 7-8pm
Coaches: Ben Noad and Keith Scofield
This group centres on building and strengthening the Club’s successful distance squad and is for keenly competitive athletes with a focus on middle distance in the track and field season, and cross country and road running during the winter. Details of each session are posted in advance via email and Facebook, and athletes have the opportunity to graduate from the younger groups run by Andrew and Anne (above) or swap between Maurice Sharp’s speed/endurance group (see below) according to ability, experience and individual training and competition plans.
Coaching takes place on the track on Tuesdays, but Thursday sessions and runs are planned and shared so that athletes can train individually or in smaller groups as they wish.
‘ELITE’ SPRINTS
Age 11 (Under 13) to Senior
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4.30-8.30pm according to age
Lead coach: Paul Miller
A specialist training group, which also involves sessions at other venues. Paul and his group of committed coaches aim to train athletes to international level. He stresses that while previous experience is not essential, the will and desire to succeed, and the support of parents/guardians in the case of young athletes, is vital.
Athletes who show aptitude for long jump or high jump in addition to sprinting benefit from specific coaching in these disciplines.
Please note there are varying fee ‘packages’ for this group.
SPRINTS – MIXED AGES AND ABILITITES
Age 18 (Under 20) to masters (over 35+)
Tuesdays and Thursdays 7-8.30pm
Lead coaches: Dermot Dunne and Mark White
An all-ages (from 18+) and all-abilities group encompassing club athletes through to masters (over 35) who compete internationally. Everyone is made to feel welcome and training is designed to bring the best out in you. Dermot and Mark will guide you towards competing at the best level for you, as a natural conclusion to the hard work you put into training.
ENDURANCE
Age 17 (Under 20) to Senior
Tuesdays 7-8.30pm
Wednesdays, 7pm long run, departing Lauriston Cottage (see top of the page)
Maurice Sharp and Tony Austin
For runners, male, female, novice or international, who want to train and compete on the track, road, and cross country, over distances from 5km to the marathon. Track sessions begin with an extensive warm up and briefing, leading into speed endurance work. Sessions are complemented by Wednesday evening tempo runs of 5-7 miles on the road or cross country depending on the time of year, and longer Sunday morning runs of 10 miles upwards. 800m and 1500m runners are welcome to join, but those who specialise in these distances may be more suited to the group run by Ben Noad and Keith Scofield (above).
GOAL ORIENTED TRAINING – ENDURANCE
Age 17 (Under 20) to Senior
Thursdays, 7pm
Lead coach: Trevor de Silva
Trevor’s sessions are individually prescribed and runners do not run as a group. The variables in the schedule are pace, time, distance, number of repetitions and recovery. The proportion of each is dependent on the runners' current standard, target race time, build up to a key race and total weekly distance, and these are managed by two on-site computers and a digital race clock.
Runners are briefed individually, monitored throughout the session, and at the end the perceived effort is logged on a 1 to 5 performance indicator. Trevor keeps a record of runners' training information for the previous 12 weeks.
In addition to his athletics qualifications, Trevor is an Asian Games cycling double medallist and Olympic Games qualifier.
MULTI-EVENTS (INCLUDING THROWS AND JUMPS)
Age U17 - Seniors
Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 5.30pm
Coach: Mark Andrews
Mark is a competitive decathlete as well as multi-event coach. In addition to working with athletes interested in multi-events, he is keen to help those who would like to add another discipline to their main event.
JAVELIN/HAMMER
John Webster is one of the Club’s Masters athletes as well as an experience javelin and hammer coach who works in conjunction with Mark Andrews (above).