Join us for an afternoon and early evening of energising, practical and thought provoking coach education at the 2026 Australian Cross Country Championships. Free for all accredited coaches and your athletes!

Whether you coach juniors, elite athletes or anyone in between, this series of sessions is designed to sharpen your thinking and strengthen your cross country coaching practice.

Workshop Line-up

3.30 pm
Long Term Development for Endurance Runners: Racing Less to Achieve More
Rod Griffin
Master Coach Rod Griffin will explore the development of 800 m national champion Archie Grant, including how his programme combines middle distance training and cross country racing across the season. This session will challenge coaches to consider how race selection, patience and long term planning can support better athlete development.

4.15 pm
Gut Training: Periodising Nutrition Across the Season for Endurance Athletes
Bryce Anderson
Dietitian Bryce Anderson will explain how nutritional intake can be adjusted across the season to support training adaptation, competition performance and athlete health. Coaches will gain practical insight into how nutrition planning can complement endurance training demands.

4.45 pm
Implementing Carbon Plated Footwear into Training and Competition
Matthew Clarke
Australian Olympic Games representative Matthew Clarke will share practical considerations for introducing carbon plated footwear into training and competition. This session will explore how coaches can use footwear strategically while considering performance, adaptation and athlete readiness.

5.30 pm
Endurance Athlete Panel
Featuring 2 times Olympian, Ben Buckingham
Hear from endurance athletes as they share insights on preparation, racing, training environments and the coach athlete relationship.

6.00 pm
Light Dinner and Coach Networking
Finish the evening with a light dinner and the opportunity to connect with endurance coaches from around the country.

Want to become an accredited coach? Register in the Ballarat Recreational Running accreditation course here.