Summer XC training: Pelion coach Mark Bedenbaugh

Name: Mark Bedenbaugh
HS coach at Pelion High School
Years coaching: 28
Interesting note: Ran for Hall of Fame Coach George Johnson at B-C 
Favorite workout: Mile repeats 
Favorite quote: "I do not race to see who is fastest, I race to see who has the most guts.” Steve Prefontaine

How and when did you get involved in coaching?
I was blessed to have three very awesome coaches, my college coach at Francis Marion, Dr. Tom Whitely let me be is graduate assistant for one year and let me make out the workouts for the distance runners during track one season, I enjoyed that very much and decided I might want to do that going forward.

Tell us about your competitive running background, if applies (past or present).
I ran in middle school, took a few years off to try and be the next Larry Bird and then was blessed that George Johnson at Brookland-Cayce convinced me to come back to running. I did make the state finals in the 1600 and 800 my senior year. That got me a little notice and I decided  to attend Francis Marion due to the fact that at that time they had a very competitive small college program with nice facilities and a great coach. I still compete some and was able to run a 4:07 mile when I was 31 years old.

What do you hope for your team to achieve this coming season? 
Both my boys and girls finished third in the state in our division last year. I am looking for that little extra to get on the podium.

Looking at 2013 success, how do you help athletes with their focus for upcoming season? 
I try to emphasize how important  the summer is to cross country. The championship is crowned in November but won in the summer! 

What kind of terrain do you prefer for your team to train on? 
Softer terrain if possible. We are in a rural area so that is something we can do.

How do you prepare for summer and fall training?
The endurance base is a must. All other aspects of training must take a back seat to that component. Get strong and then you can get fast. 

What philosophies do you have with your athletes?
You must decide that you are a runner, not someone who happens to run. 

Are you a coach that prefers high mileage, low mileage or speed for training and how do you adapt for different levels and backgrounds?
All athletes bring their own unique individual strengths and weaknesses to the table but the one common theme is that everyone can improve their endurance, stamina and lactate threshold. We will work on those physiological components first and then fine tune the other areas as needed.    

What role do you have in summer training? 
Less active than during the regular season but still active in pushing toward the long-range goals we set.

What is the value for your team in summer training? 
It sets the tone for how we as a team will do in  the fall.

Looking back at each previous season, do you make any changes for summer training?
I would change as needed due to the strength or weakness of that particular group of athletes. 

Do you include weight training in summer conditioning?
We do but in a limited way to increase strength, not bulk.

What do you see that has changed in the sport? 
The level of competition in this state has improved a great deal over the last decade. All divisions have good team. The coaching has also improved which is one reason that the level of competition has gotten better. On the negative side, too many coaches in other sports are requiring athletes to "specialize" and that prevents some athletes from participating in the sport. 

How do athletes interested find out about your team? 
We do announcements on our morning news but the main way is to get current members to recruit possible new runners.

Interview: SCTCCCA Hall of Fame inductee Mark Bedenbaugh