The European U20 cross nation silver medallist is making big progress coaching alongside Olympic 1500m champion
George Couttie claimed his first European medal in type on the European Cross Nation Championships in Antalya, sprinting to males’s U20 silver in a dramatic end in opposition to Dutch star Niels Laros in December.
A key think about his success? Coaching underneath the steerage of Ben Thomas, the identical coach behind 1500m Olympic champion Cole Hocker.
From Harrogate, Couttie joined Virginia Tech College final summer season after spending a yr in Charleston and, since then, he has taken big strides ahead, including that cross nation silver to a standout yr that additionally noticed him end 14th on the NCAA Cross Nation Championships and attain the 3000m remaining on the World U20 Championships in Lima.
Now, as he enters his first monitor season with Virginia Tech, Couttie is aiming for nationwide titles and to proceed making his mark on the worldwide stage.
George Couttie (Virginia Tech)
How did you first get into athletics?
I used to run at school and do cross nation. I obtained fairly good at it and I began parkruns. I did the primary ever parkrun in my native space after I was 9 years previous and that’s how it began.
I didn’t begin monitor till loads in a while. That was as a result of, after I left college I couldn’t do cross nation all through the summer season so I picked it up, tried it out and actually loved it.
Why did you determine to maneuver to Virginia Tech?
I spent a yr in Charleston in West Virginia after which transferred to Virginia Tech. The primary cause was due to Ben Thomas, who coaches Cole Hawker and Cooper Teare. The college has unbelievable services and I really like the way in which Ben coaches. Some folks say it’s a bit totally different and bizarre however it actually works for me.
You don’t get the standard coaching classes. It’s by no means: “Go do some 400ms on the monitor”, it’s all the time one thing totally different. We go from the cross nation course to the monitor and to the hills multi functional exercise. It’s by no means typical, it’s all the time bizarre and there’s all the time a twist.
It’s all various things that I’ve by no means completed earlier than and I actually like the thought of all of the cross coaching we do, as effectively. I’ve been fairly low mileage my complete life, I’ve by no means hit 100km every week till this yr.
What’s your relationship like with Ben?
He’s an fascinating coach. He won’t ever sugarcoat something to offer you loopy quantities of reward. While you get a effectively completed, you understand you’ve completed a very good job, which I actually like as an athlete. I like that he’s sincere and when he tells you you could run a sure time, you understand that it’s doable, which supplies you a variety of confidence going into races.
George Couttie (Gary Mitchell)
What’s it like coaching alongside Cole Hocker and Cooper Teare?
We frequently do exercises with the post-collegiates like Cole and Cooper. More often than not they do the identical exercises as us, however typically it’ll be at totally different instances.
We’ll typically go on our long term exercises with them. I keep in mind first getting right here and seeing him [Hocker] come to apply and it was a really cool second, however you do get used to it. It’s good to see them doing the identical stuff as you and provides you confidence when you will have the identical coach.
You see each Cole and Cooper who each dominated the faculty scene once they have been in school and now Cole’s successful world medals and Cooper isn’t too far off. I believe it’s actually cool to see the coaching repay for them, understanding that it’s going to hopefully work simply as effectively for me.
How did it really feel to win the European Cross U20 silver medal?
It was a loopy confidence booster simply to have the ability to compete with a tremendous athlete [like Niels Laros]. Straight after the race I used to be irritated since you are in a race to win and also you don’t wish to come second. The dash end is unquestionably going to carry onto me for a bit however I’ll be again and hopefully have the ability to race him once more on the monitor and perhaps it will likely be a unique story.
However in hindsight it was nonetheless a tremendous end result and it was very nice to point out how good my kind is exterior of the UK. I’ve been on a pair groups however I really feel like I’ve by no means been in a position to carry out to the extent that I’ve been at and that was the primary time I assumed I confirmed what I used to be able to.
Niels Laros (Getty)
Who do you look as much as?
Clearly Mo Farah. He was the one athlete I actually knew again then and I all the time appeared as much as him as a child and browse his guide.
I look as much as George Mills now. He lives close to the place my household are within the UK and he used to run on the identical membership I did [Harrogate]. His previous coach was my previous coach and I believe he’s a tremendous athlete and he’s tremendous devoted.
Would you suggest the collegiate route?
I might positively suggest it however I might additionally say watch out. You hear a variety of horror tales about folks going over to the US and hating each second of it. You should discover the appropriate match. If it’s the proper match then it will likely be the very best determination you’ll ever make. Take your time, get to know the coaches, ask the appropriate questions and it will likely be a tremendous alternative.
What are your objectives for the yr forward?
Indoors, hopefully I can see how shut I can get to successful a nationwide title, and even to qualify for the 3000m indoors [at the European Championships] can be good. Open air, I additionally wish to see how shut I can get to successful a title after which I’ll perhaps even strive for the Tokyo World group this summer season if the time is true.
I’ve obtained a sense that I might have an opportunity to run perhaps one of many qualifying requirements after which hopefully I can get myself there. If not, then the European U23 Championships will certainly be on the playing cards.
This interview first appeared within the February subject of AW journal, which you should buy right here
