Bio

Kevin Beatty knows distance running can be a lonely grind, but he also believes success comes by sharing experiences and knowledge.

Beatty was a cross-country runner in high school and university, later transitioned to marathons and Olympic-distance triathlons, and has trained runners from the high school level up to age 72. Beatty took over as head coach of Loyalist’s cross-country program in spring 2018.

“My approach is that cross-country running really is a team sport made up of individual performances,” says Beatty, who holds level one certification in the National Coaching Certification Program. “I have found with any group I train with, that once you reach that critical mass, everyone’s performance goes up.”

A graduate of Queen’s University (commerce) and Nipissing University (bachelor of education), Beatty was an assistant coach of the University of Waterloo’s cross-country team in 2003 and 2004. He helped guide three Waterloo athletes to all-Canadian honours, and the men’s team to a bronze medal both years at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships.

Beatty says he understands the challenges of being a student-athlete, including time management, finances, and balancing school work with sports. But, he says, he can empathize having navigated that path himself.

“I can relate to how people are feeling, to the grind, to the slow progression. I’ve been at this long enough that I’ve made almost every mistake in the book so I can relate my experience at what not to do. I’ve seen what the best runners do and what the best coaches do,” says Beatty.

Fun facts about Coach Kevin Beatty:

Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-star, cross-country (2001)

Canadian marathon championship: second place (2002)

Marathon personal best: Chicago marathon 2:21:37 (2004)

World triathlon championship, Vancouver: third place in his age group (2008)

Triathlon Canada’s athlete of the year (2008)

Inducted into the Brockville Collegiate Institute School Hall of Excellence (2009)

Ran the Boston marathon (2016) and the Hawaii Ironman (2017)