Alumni Spotlight: Graeme Cook

The Management, Science, and Coaching of the Great North Run module were very beneficial as I developed an awareness and importance of what intercultural skills are by meeting international students who were not familiar with the United Kingdom.

I have learned that communicating effectively with international students to ensure they understand why and when they have a task to do is mandatory to provide a reliable and trustworthy relationship with them, and by inviting and acknowledging any feedback the students may have. Excellent communication also builds and contributes to an efficient and honest workplace and an academic culture encouraging two-way discussions by information being shared at all levels.

I learned how to develop and sustain effective working relationships with colleagues, management, and staff and I am always willing to consider other points of view showing acceptance of other timescales, priorities, and workloads by agreeing with other work colleagues to do specific tasks at times, and roles.

For week one: Inductions to the Module overview, library induction and enrolment, a campus tour and a welcome evening.
Science week: Lab Induction: physiology of running a marathon, minimizing injury risk. A day visit to Durham. Laboratory testing: VO2 Lactate testing, fuelling the body for the Great North Run, independent study sessions to organize presentations, research material for writing essays, revising for an online physiology examination.
Week 2: A trip was organized to visit Northumberland, Bamburgh Castle, Sea houses, Alnwick Castle.
Coaching week: the roles and responsibility of the coach, planning for the Great North Run. Visit Tynemouth (The coast), the coach-athlete relationship, psychological preparation, assessment: video analysis of coaching behavior.
Group dinner, a trip to visit Beamish, Beamish open-air life museums, Angel of the North.
Week 3: Management week - introduction to strategic management, field trip: Durham County Cricket Club and Media Centre, planning for a major sporting event - operational considerations, evaluating strategic outcomes of the Great North Run, assessment presentations on a chosen topic. Farewell lunch and closing remark, traditional afternoon tea at the Vermont Hotel.

Prior to arriving, do some research on the module topics or ask for the module content to be sent or emailed to you before arriving in the United Kingdom, so you know what to expect and what is going to happen. This should allow you to form any questions you may have about the module, so you can get the best feedback and learning experience possible from the module.

Week 2: A trip was organized to visit Northumberland, Bamburgh Castle, Sea houses, Alnwick Castle.
Coaching week: the roles and responsibility of the coach, planning for the Great North Run. Visit Tynemouth (The coast), the coach-athlete relationship, psychological preparation, assessment: video analysis of coaching behavior.
Group dinner, a trip to visit Beamish, Beamish open-air life museums, Angel of the North.

I once visited Thailand, my biggest fear was about communication barriers and getting lost.
I did some research on the geographical maps and directions of the area and location surrounding my hotel, on directions, names and learning how to understand Thai language and pronouncing names correctly. This allowed me to become confident in my ability to communicate with the public and find my way around Phuket and Bangkok.

The cost of accommodation, how much study time is available and how many assessments there will be as it may be a demand on students to complete with the time needed to visit locations on day trips.

I visited Edmonton on Canada and I did not foresee how large the country was until a flew over from east America to the west, it was to compete in the 2014 World Aquathlon championships, the public transport was good but as the location of the race was about twenty miles from the hotel it did take about an hour to get the race venue. As everything was spread out, hiring a car or cycling to the venue would have been an option, I would have done some research into transport options and studied the distance to and from locations and places so I could plan, organise and manage my time. This would have reduce the amount of pressure on myself to compete in the race.