by Stuart Weir
Max Burgin and his coach
RunBlogRun, #1: Max, you’re coached by your dad. How has that sort of worked over the years?
Max Burgin: When I was very young, I was just starting athletics, my granddad used to run in the local club. He coached me. And then I started to exceed all of the training groups in the club stuff. When I was around 14 or 15 my dad took over my individual training and we haven’t really looked back. I think over the last years in particular, it’s been a massive benefit. Having my dad in that coaching role, someone who’s going to have the patience to get through all the setbacks – someone who’s obliged to stay there and stick it out with me. I can’t think of a better way to put it than someone you can’t get away from someone who’s a constant in your life and keeps you accountable. So he’s certainly been involved in the sport throughout his life. So yeah, I would say it’s got a good level of experience. Maybe just not like me, I suppose. We’re both sort of experiencing this international level as a new thing.
RunBlogRun, #2: Has he coached athletes before?
Max Burgin: No, just me. And to be honest, I’d be surprised if anyone could convince him to coach anyone else. He stresses enough about me. He wouldn’t enjoy working with other people, I think.. But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have the required knowledge or experience to do more coaching. He used to be a fairly decent 800 meter runner when he was an athlete back in the 1980s I think he ran 1:48. And also he’s learned a lot from my grandad like before he retired as well. In a way it’s a shame he doesn’t want to take on anyone else, but it’s not my choice.
RunBlogRun, #3: Do you feel any pressure to join a big name coach and not your dad?
Max Burgin: I think if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That is the approach we are both taking. We are still having success so there is no need to change it.
RunBlogRun, #4: Your dad has previously described your training regime as old school. What does that involve?
Max Burgin: Yeah, I remember that quote when it first came out. He said he was misquoted! I think a lot of his influences have been from my granddad and from reading the coaching books of Peter Coe and the coaches of the top 800m runners in that sort of era. But I think a lot of it also comes from his own experience of what has made – or what made him fit when he was a runner. He also learnt a bit when he left running and went into sort of other sports, he did a lot of cycling as well. Obviously, he was never at the same level as me, but I think in principle, a lot of it he sort of carries over. So what sort of session would get him fit very fast? Even if it wouldn’t be to the same sort of performance level as me. So yeah, I think he’s learnt a lot from his own experience as well.
RunBlogRun, #5: Just on a practical level, what does that involve? Does that involve a lot of hills and stuff like that?
Max Burgin: Yeah. Well, hills are a big part of my training programme. And obviously that’s very useful to be in Halifax as it is quite a hilly place. You’ve got some monster hills, my home. But also just like the focus of training sessions, I suppose. We put the emphasis on intensity and short recovery, over top end speed, and things like that. So it’s sort of fine-tuning sessions to those sort of parameters.
RunBlogRun, #6: Do you train with anyone else or on your own solo?
Max Burgin: Yeah, usually on my own. Certainly for track sessions. But then for longer runs and gym work and all that it’s nice to have a bit more of a group environment. That’s why I enjoy going on the training camps so much because I mix with the other athletes a lot more. I am a bit on my own I suppose in Halifax and obviously when I am in Leeds, it’s a bit different, but I still do most of my sessions on my own. I think that actually helps me though, particularly with my style of running. It gets you used to it by training on your own. So I think it has been useful for me.
