30 Coaches | 1 Very Unique Run Group

The Vipers Run Club - a unique, expanding community of runners based in the northern beaches - is only in it's infancy, but is making an extraordinary impact in more ways than just group running.

Started three years ago by Co-Founders Matty Abel & Olly Woolrych, the "Vipers RC is a community of men that choose to acknowledge that the way in which they feel about themselves directly correlates to the way in which they treat themselves" - the purpose statement the first thing you see on their Facebook Page.

One venture the club has explored of late is coaching, and understanding how important it is to have knoweldgeable members within the club to make sure everyone is doing what they love, in the right way. Over the past 12 months - 30 of their runners have successfully attained a Level 1 Recreational Coaching Course qualification (or higher) - rivalling the number of registered coaches in any running group/athletics club or training squad in the state.



Jordan Andersen (SUT), Level 1 Coach Facilitator, with the 15 VIpers RC members at the coaching course last January.

Abel mentions two major values for having so many coaches in the squad:

"A) Our goal is to up skill our members in as many ways as possible and the Level 1 coaches course does exactly this, It also teaches our members a little more about running to keep them injury free and training smarter B) Both Olly and I know as co-founders we can’t do everything, we tried and did half the job we do now. By having 30 of our members qualified as Level 1 or higher coaches, this allows us to step back, give ownership to our members and to put more training session on. On top of this, our insurance also requires us to have a certified coach at each session."

Matty also stated that not only has the coaching been of a benefit to others' running journeys, but it's also impacted the coach's own training in a positive manner. By "increasing their own knowledge in regards to fundamental running principles, it allows them to start thinking 'am I training smarter; could I improve in any other areas of my training; how can I pass on my new found knowledge within my running community?'"



Co-founder Matty Abel taking a selfie with the Thursday Intervals crew.

Many of the coaches now are, unsurprisingly, leaders in the success of the weekly Thursday runs of the club, whether they be loops of Manly Dam, repeats of "Viper Hill", or interval sessions at Ivanhoe Park, with several looking to take the next step in becoming Level 2 and Level 3 coaches in the near future.

The Vipers RC have also acheived some extradionary mental health awareness & fundraising outcomes, most recently reaching an incredible $200,000 for Movember - for men's physical and mental health - as well as organising various trips and retreats, attending seminars with guest speakers, and focussing internally and outwardly in a positive phsyical and emotional way. Over the past two years, they have expanded the run club to add the "Cranky Vipers Cycling Club", Weekly yoga sessions, Mountain sessions leading into trail events, and the Summer Wellness Series, to name a few.

Abel best sums up the group as:

"Our community is all about the member willingness to care for each-other, Their ability to show genuine care for each-other is what means this community is a connected one."

We look forward to seeing the Vipers RC at many running events in the future - regardless of what time they complete the course in - and seeing the running community that they've buit go from strength to strength in more ways than just their kilometre splits.

Written by James Constantine, Image sourced from the Vipers Run Club Facebook Page
With thanks to Matty Abel for his comments and insights.
FB - Vipers RC
IG - @vipers.rc