explain the need for a coach for the run-of-the-mill age grouper...

Is it difficult? No. Do I find it FUN or have the TIME to do it? Absolutely not. I just want to train - leave the planning to my coach. 

Just like swimming with a masters program can get you to do things you may not have thought of, or push you harder than you thought you could go, a coach does the same. Coaches are also (ideally) trained in puttnig together plans for various distances, responding to injuries/issues, etc.

I had a coach for a little while and she was great for my run

That said, they're not for everyone.

The same reason they get top of the line gear, because they have the $$ and desire to do so.

Me I am so far behind the pack, a coach and top of the line gear are the least of my worries. I need to work on my engine first...

I hired a coach for an Ironman and an ultra marathon. I don't have the extensive background, knowledge, training, education, experience, results, etc. that he does. I was willing to pay for someone to do all that research for me and write a plan based on my individual and specific background and goals - including past injuries, available time to train, etc. I didn't want to be guessing if I was doing too much, not enough, focusing on the right or wrong things. He took all of the guess work out.

You really can't understand someone wanting to do that? 

I have had a coach for 3 years now. I am doing my second IM this Nov. I have a coach because with work/life and trainng balance it takes the guess work out of it. I have been injured and had surgery and he has helped me ease my way back to the sport safely. He is very well connected to the resources in my area...PT ..bike fitters etc and takes the guesswork out of that as well. Everyone he has sent me to has been wonderful. I am an older triathlete and my body responds to the longer training in a way that a 20 year old would not. To minimize the impact he has been creative in helping me build my edurance....the list goes on. Its money well spent as far as I am concerned.

Not fully, no.  I think part of the allure of these sports are that they are individual efforts.  I think a good portion of the satisfaction I get from completing an event comes from knowing that start-to-finish, I did this.  I put in all of the hard work, I did the training, I did the research, I figured out what worked and what didn't to get me to this day.  I take alot of satisfaction from that.

Now, if I were competing for something much more ($$$, fame, etc), I could see paying money for a coach.  But I'm just a regular guy.

that's fine for you.  I wanted to do all myself the first 4 years.  I did that, but still wanted more.  It's like anything else IMO.  If you want it done better you hire a pro.  Could I do all the research, maybe/probably.  But, if I hire a pro I don't have to.  I can concentrate on the execution and leave the science to a pro.  Add on top of that an extra layer of suppor/accountability/advice/technical training/etc....etc....  To me, after a while trying to do it on my own it didn't make sense not to hire a coach. 

That said, some people don't have the same goals or resources that I do.  So in that respect, they have to make their own choice.

You have a tri bike $$?

You race in tri shorts $$?

You swim in a masters program $$?

you belong to a gym $$?

You buy gels $$?

etc

etc

etc

There's lots of things people do with their money that improves their time in triathlon even though they are not racing for dough.  Coaches are just another on the list

I do find it interesting that you try to characterize the choice to hire a coach as something...  well,....  stupid ("is it that difficult to do a little research....")  At least that's how it comes off

So where do you draw the line? Obviously you are a regular here who reads opinions, asks others, engages in discussions, etc. - which is exactly what I do with my coach. Is the difference just that you aren't paying for our opinions?

Lord, I hope that's not the only difference.

I guess it just strikes me as uber self-important to say "I have a coach" unless this is your career.  I admit that I could be looking at this from a completely wrong angle though.  Just something about it sounds weird to me.

This^^^^ plus injury prevention.

I'm a regular old no chance of pro age grouper and I'll tell you why I'm strongly considering hiring a coach for the first time since trying my hand at racing 5 years ago.  I did do some research, planning, strategizing, and put together programming for myself year after year.  I tweaked, got more involved, read more, learned about the nutrition needs of an endurance athlete.  I did pretty well hitting my goals and PR'ing.  Now, my gains are getting smaller and my goals are getting more agressive than what I seem to able to acheive on my own.

I think paying a modest amount of money to a coach is totally worth it to continue to improve beyond what I have been able to do on my own.  Like others have said, the idea of a coach giving me programming specific to my needs, injury history, age, etc. seems not only like a logical way to spend some of my "leisure" money but also sounds pretty darn fun.

OK, so you weren't really curious as to why people would hire a coach, were you?  You really just wanted to give your opinion.  That's cool.  Just don't couch it as a question, come right out and say it.

It's not weird or self important to think you know what is a better use of a persons own hard earned money?

Ironically, your posts are striking people in a certain way as well.

Wow.

You conveniently forgot to bold the part where I stated "I admit that I could be looking at this from a completely wrong angle".  Some posters have provided some very good responses that have made me think about it a little differently.  So no, this was not a case of trolling.

I was just going to say the same thing ...

People who can admit they could use the assistance are being self-important?  Perhaps you have a perception issue with what a coach will accomplish.  There can be many things at play.

Did you pay for those dive lessons or teach yourself? 

My coaching clients range from first time triathletes, to first time HIM/IMers, to people looking to improve their times at Oly/IM level...

Some of them need me to manage their schedule - we're in contact many times a week, making sure the important workouts are done with proper recovery time between them - and often dropping workouts simply because they won't fit. It's a headache to do on your own, and can be super-overwhelming. Some of them need me for confidence, some for accountability, some because they feel that coaching is the thing that they need that will make them stronger and faster.

And I'm certain that all of them enjoy having me sort through their issues with schedule, tiredness, recovery, goals, intensity, distance, mileage, focus, etc, and producing a nice, easy to understand and easy to follow custom plan each week.

This too - I gave myself a severe case of IT Band syndrome that kept me from biking or running at ALL for four months while self-training for my first marathon, which ended up being a DNS.

I personally do not have the disposable income at this point to hire a coach...I am scraping pennies just to get a bike and the such.  Although I completely understand those who do, because if I could I definitely would, not necessarily for a long-term committment, but at least to see some things that I could be doing differently and how to apply them.  Then from there, take it upon myself to continue in that direction without a coach.

On the same token, I see the side of wanting to do it completely solo...there would be a lot of satisfaction knowing that you put in that much time and effort, I get that.

But, if you're going to be dropping the amount of coin to be a long-time triathlete, I don't see the harm in having a coach for some of the time, just to somewhat justify your return on investment.

It's not for me at this moment, but I'll admit that I'd love to have one in the future.  Just like anything in life, to each his own.