coaches......do YOU have one?

There are a lot of people on here who have coaches.

I've never had an individual coach for my endurance sports adventures other than some one on one swim lessons to get my stroke better.  For me it is a combination of cost and having 20 years of experience in the sports and being stubborn.

If I had the money, I'd hire one in a minute now.

Getting a coach to "finish" a triathlon is a bit much. But, after a couple years in the sport, a lot of people are probably overwhelmed by all the information out there, and they want to do more than just "finish", so they get a coach to help them work things out.

Others just have no desire to figure out every day "What should I do now"? and figure they'll pay a coach.

Plus, a lot of people hit a wall, want to do better, but just aren't sure how to structure/balance their various workouts to get the best results.

I think everyone should work with a coach for a bit once they know they are going to do tri's for more than a year or two. Oh, did I mention that I coach? :D

And no, I don't have one, but I am considering getting one. It's hard to write your own workouts, it's much easier to prescribe pain for someone else

John

I was a MOPer for four seasons, hired a coach for this season to see if I could improve my run.  Although my run got faster, I found I didn't enjoy the training as much because I would never be onthe same cycle as my training partners, and my volume went way down.  I'd haveto turn around 1.5 hours into the ride while they went "long."  Found that enjoying training and racing was more important than having a coach, for me. 

I got sick and had to give her up for that reason after about 4 months, but unlikely I'll hire another. 

I think a coach generally isn't a bad idea as he helps you work things out in YOUR schedule. It has so many advantages. One is that you do the right amount of training to succeed at your goals. Also they help you set up your race schedule. If you have a family and want to do triathlons at front of the pack for your age group or want to just compete half ironman races you would be very much helped by getting coached.

I coach myself, but then i have the basics under the knee, i have my own vision on how things should go and i know a thing or two about planning. I also coach other athletes btw. And time after time i see in triathletes that i could help them. Some go out and do like 300 miles a week of cycling but just run very little in between and do the same in swimming yet only ride the bike at average level and seem to fail beyond. Helping them get set up for a more balanced approach (at least 2 sessions of each sport a week) has helped them a lot.

What you should look for in a coach wether he offers free or payed advice is the same:
- individual approach for your needs that is adjusted to your living environment
- willing to try new things
- willing to communicate at least 3 times a week with you
- helping you get set up in training tools

No coach for me. I do this stuff for fun. Using a coach is way more serious than I ever intend to be. I already know I will get out of racing what I put into training, plus I'm a bit of a noncomformist so using a highly structured program doesn't appeals to me at all.

i worked with one for 18 weeks, thorugh two half ironmans.  i think it helped a lot, but it took a lot of the fun out of it for me.  having to workout every morning and evening, and feeling guilty if something got in the way or if i just didn't want to go ride or whatever wasn't fun for me. . i think the benefits were huge, but i don't think we had the communication i was hoping for.  again, all coaches will be different.

I don't have one.  I think it could be useful, but like most other triathletes, I've consumed myself in content; read the Triathletes Training Bible, various articles, and have been an expert in running and cycling for years.

For someone who just wants to compete and could care less about the science behind it, or someone with motivation issues, it could be huge to get one. 

YES!  Single best decision I made.  

I am coached by JorgeM and I am so happy!  I give him all the credit for blowing my IMLP goals out of the water.   I am new to this sport and really thought coaching was more for FOPers as well, as I can acknowledge with any sort of consistent training, I would have improved, however one day while chatting he said this...

 "It [coaching] is not about being a FOP or BOP or going fast or slow, is about getting yourself in the best position for you to accomplish your goal (finish an IM) and have fun along the way through training and racing. "  

I believe I have progressed so much faster than I would have being self-coached.  We certainly had our fair share of arguments, me challenging him, me not trusting him, me getting t'ed off about how many races i wanted to do that he said no to, but I am truly amazed at 1.  how far i've come, & 2.  I am injury-free!!!!     No chance I would be where I am right now without him.   All that to say, I don't care what coach you hire or how good your plan is, you still have to do your part & do the work.  

I am currently coached. I took a year off from coaching to do the 70.3 series, but have hired back my coach for another Ironman/Kona campaign. Could I coach myself? Yes. Would I get that last 10% out of me doing that? No.

Have one? I AM one. I've been coaching youth footballsince my son... oh.

NM.

that's because your coach is a particularly inventive sadist.

I want to be more like him. :D

John

I've had a swim coach on and off for two years.  She has tuned me from 2:35/100yrd for 1.2mile to 1:48, and getting faster.  I was dead last in AG for first HIM and just finished MOP for last HIM. This might not be great, but at least I don't think I'm going to drown now.  
 With a coach I also HAVE to go to the pool.

Do I have one?... not really.
Sort of, I am one for swimming, i have a track coach across the street. and a bike God next door.
None of us have a clue about triathlons.

Nah, I'm doing the first one myself but it has been an eye opener.  After a while, I thought about it in these terms: If my son were to walk in the gym, with the goal of getting strong, and pick up tips from all the different guys in there who read Muscle and Fitness and various forums, would he get better advice than if I taught him what it took me years to learn?  The answer is no.  Therefore, I have no doubt that I should get a coach to teach me how to prepare for 2010.

Nope and have never had any interest in hiring one.  Got all the way from sprint to IM self-coached and haven't ever regretted it.

(Would have been harder without BT, though, I will say that.)

Have a coach for swimming, for me its the best thing I ever did.  Leaps and bounds better in just 6 weeks.

That being said I just started swimming in July....last time was in high school, I wish I would have paid more attention then.

If I had the cash, I would hire one for next spring. I'm trying some stuff next summer that I've never tried before and that are a bit out of mainstream, so I'm not having much luck finding plans out there that work, and I'd like to find someone to help me structure and give me the push - and accountability - that I need.

That said, the likelihood that I'll have the cash is 0-10%.

I do now.  I am coached by Marvarnett with Endurance Concepts.  I spent 3+ years in the sport self-coached using the knowledge I acquired from BT and other sources.  I understand the how to build a plan and what it takes to put together a season.  For me, coaching takes away that extra stress.  That is Dan's job.  And as Bryan said, I don't think I would get that last 10% out of myself.  Over the past year, I have had a number of performance breakthroughs...physically and mentally.   

But the key is finding a relationship that works for YOU.  A coach doesn't make you faster.  You completing the workouts, as prescribed, should make you faster.  Coaching is more like a relationship, it has to work for both parties.  And it isn't for everyone.  Dan would tell you that I am a tough athlete to coach.  I have a hard time letting go of the autonomy and putting my trust into someone else. 

I'm coached by Brent Poulsen he is a pro triathlete with LifeSport. His rates are affordable so just send him a message [email protected]. He works with triathletes of all abilities. I've already had breakthroughs in swimming and biking, I come from a running background.

Not until I start for a half or full iron.  Swimming... I would hire one right away except the only swimmers in my area are hillbillies with cut off shorts and inner tubes along with a six pack (OF BEER!)

obviously it's different with each coach, and the amount you training you want out of the coach, but what kind of money are we talking about here? 

i ask because i've never paid to be coached at any sport and i truely have no idea.  is it a monthly, daily, or hourly rate?  i'm just looking for a ballpark figure?

I am not, but I will most definately get one. Probably after next season, but it may even be for next season.  It would definately take the missed workouts, and little excuses out of the picture. If I had someone I had to report to, show my nutrition to, all that, I would be way better off.  So yeah, I will most certainly end up coached.