Level I Coaching Certification: Eastern Time Zone (Norristown) ONLINE - September 19-20, 2026
Date and time
Friday, September 18, 2026 · 7:00 PM
Location
ONLINE, ONLINE, VA
Date and time
Friday, September 18, 2026 · 7:00 PM
Location
ONLINE, ONLINE, VA
Date and time
Friday, September 18, 2026 · 7:00 PM
Location
ONLINE, ONLINE, VA
Dates: September 19-20, 2026
Delivery method: ONLINE using Zoom - synchronous, seminar-style conversation with individual and small group exercises. Since the course will be presented entirely online, participants are not required to live in/near or travel to the course city. See below for an overview of the processes and procedures for the online course. Before the course, you will be asked to view a Webinar as preparation.
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 8:00AM – 5:00PM Eastern Time Instructors will incorporate a 5-minute break every 60 minutes or so. There will be a 45-minute lunch break at approximately 12PM.
Sunday, September 20, 2026 8:00AM – 5:00PM Eastern Time Instructors will incorporate a 5-minute break every 60 minutes or so. There will be a 45-minute lunch break at approximately 12PM.
REMINDER: You can take this online course from any location and from any time zone. You do not have to live in the Eastern Time Zone of the U.S.
Day One includes topics such as principles of coaching, building a periodized training program, understanding exercise physiology for coaching, and running form. After Day One, you will be asked to sketch out training plans based on the Case Studies introduced. This informal, ungraded "homework" assignment asks you to apply materials from Day One to prepare for Day Two's group work.
Day Two includes the business of coaching, sports psychology, nutrition for coaching, recognizing injuries and prevention, environmental factors that affect running performance, and building training programs as a group activity.
Online Course Overview: The course will be team taught by RRCA coaching education instructors. Registration is limited to 35 participants to encourage a positive, interactive learning experience. Full attendance and participation is required during the course in order to complete the certification process. While every cohort receives the same curriculum, every cohort has a different dynamic, so the schedule may be modified to suit the specific needs of the weekend program.
FedEx will ship the hard-copy course book directly to the U.S. mailing address listed in a participant's registration at no additional charge the week before the course. The address you enter during registration must be able to accept FedEx shipments. International participants will be contacted individually by email to discuss delivery options.
Course participants will receive multiple pre-course emails from our Director of Coaching Education, Randy Accetta, with important information and reminders. Please read these emails!
Instructors will email a link to participants to join the Zoom classroom several days before the course takes place. Course participants will need a computer, tablet, or phone with video and audio capabilities on a reliable internet connection. Participants should set up in a quiet space to avoid distractions and disruptions from others. Instructors will use both the audio and video functions, and will use the screen share feature to display the course slides. There will be opportunities for both written and spoken discussion and Q&A during the course. There will be small-group work on program development in breakout Zoom rooms. Instructors will take attendance at various points during both course days. The Zoom course may be recorded for the RRCA's use. A participant's course registration and attendance indicate understanding and agreement that all photos and videos will become the property of the RRCA.
As part of the certification process, prospective coaches must provide proof of current CPR and First Aid certifications within 60 days after the course. The RRCA is accepting CPR and First Aid certifications that are completed online, in person, or in a hybrid format.
The post-course exam will follow standard online exam protocols, in which participants are required to take the open-book exam without assistance from others. Prospective coaches will have 30 days after the course to complete the online exam. A score of 85/100 or better is required for certification.
Waitlist Procedure: If a course has reached capacity, a prospective participant may register for that course's waitlist. The prospective participant will receive an email if space becomes available and will have 24 hours to complete the online registration process before the space is offered to the next person on the waitlist.
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Participants may request withdrawal from a course and partial refund in the amount of $300 ($350 - $50 cancellation fee) up to 14 days before the course date. No refunds will be issued for withdrawals requested less than two weeks before a course. Email coaching@rrca.org to submit a cancellation request.
Participants MAY NOT sell or give their spot to another person if they cannot attend the course. Transfers to different course cohorts are not permitted. A participant must first request withdrawal from the original course, and then re-register for the new course, if space permits.