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Urban Bettag

“My passion for endurance coaching is rooted in giving back to the sport and the challenge to enable athletes to achieve their running goals, continue to grow, ultimately reach full potential and gain fulfilment through athletics. In short, to help athletes to become the best version of oneself and have fun along the journey.” – Coach Urban

Qualifications

UKA Level 3 Endurance Performance

Experience and Achievement

Urban Bettag is a qualified UK Athletics Level 3 Endurance Performance Coach who has been coaching groups and individuals at all levels of ability from 800m to the marathon for more than 12 years.

Urban has coached many athletes on an individual one-to-one basis to reach their season targets and long-term running goals. Serpies have benefited from training with the 5k / 10k Improvers Groups and achieved personal bests. Most notable performances are a top 10 female finisher in the Amsterdam Marathon (2h 50) and coaching a senior male athlete to a 2h 27 marathon.

Relevant marathon experience in taking part in World Marathon Majors (London, Boston, Rotterdam, New York, Chicago, Fukuoka), but also combining knowledge in endurance running from travelling US, Brazil, Japan, Australia and Kenya and learning from local coaches.

Urban is a familiar with a range of endurance coaching methodologies. He studied under Dr Jack Daniels and is a qualified VDOT Certified Running Coach, as well as Lydiard Foundation Level 1+2 Certified Coach trained by Lorraine Moller.

Interests and Activities

Urban has an interest in coach development and has been a full associate member of the England Athletics National Coaching Development Programme from the start. The programme aims to raise standards in coach and athlete development at the national level.

Through England Athletics Fly Coach visits, Urban has tutored running leaders and coaches at various Athletics Networks in the South East Region and through the Local Coach Development Programme.

Currently, Urban is part of the England Athletics Club Run campaign and has delivered Club Run engagement on behalf of England Athletics.

Urban is interested in athletes of all abilities. He enjoys working with any dedicated athlete willing to fulfil their potential through hard work.

Involvement with Serpentine

Urban joined Serpentine RC in 2004. As an athlete, he competed in local road races, big city marathons, cross country leagues, regional road relays and track leagues.

As a volunteer coach, Urban got involved in coaching in 2006 by assisting Beate Vogt at Battersea Park on a Thursday night leading off-track running sessions.

Once qualified as a Level 2 Coach, Urban set up the 5k / 10k Improvers Group in 2008 at Battersea Park on a Tuesday night and has delivered more than 250 coached sessions.

In 2011, Urban took up the committee role of Coaching & Training Liaison (Running / Athletics), organised coaching courses and training seminars for endurance runners.

Since autumn 2018, Urban leads the Serpentine Women’s Marathon Training Programme, a development programme to offer structure and guidance for women who want to achieve more in the marathon/half-marathon.