Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise...
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2013-11-09 4:51 PM |
475 | Subject: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... I have raced for about 8 years and actually am president of a local tri/running club in my area. I consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable with general training discussions, speed work in all disciplines, amount of training needed for each distance, nutrition, etc. However, with that being said, I have NEVER done a full Ironman and have recently registered for the IMFL, which is Nov. 1 of 2014. I was originally planning to get a coach through a local company that is very reputable in my area, but once I paid for registration, hotel and realized the amount of races I want to add to my calendar between now and then I really don't feel like hiring a coach is in my best interest (and I think my hubby will literally KILL ME). I am reading the Be Iron Fit book and have a few other well known training plan books that will allow me to put together a pretty decent plan. I, however, don't use ANY heart rate monitoring with my training right now and feel like that would be VERY beneficial. Is it feasible to finish IMFL in a respectable time without hiring a coach? Has anyone done this? Is it completely crazy? Would love your insight, experiences, etc. Thank you! Midwest Tri Mom (3 beautiful girls ages 10, 7, & 3) 3 Time Nationals Qualifier in the 5150 distance 5 Marathons Completed Racine 70.3 Finisher in 2013 Multiple Podium finishes in age group for sprint and olympic distance triathlons Multiple half marathons Race Director for local 5K for 5 years President of local Tri/Running Club for 2 years Edited by midwesttrimom 2013-11-09 4:56 PM |
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2013-11-09 4:57 PM in reply to: midwesttrimom |
Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach Yes, quite possible t do one without a coach. Certainly the majority if IM finishers are not coached I would guess. I did my first IM self coached, When I did my second, I hired a coach as someone to hold me back and to give me a plan. It's highly tempting to overtrain due to nerves. Did I d enough (n matter how much you do, you will always ask this for your first). Good luck |
2013-11-10 12:49 AM in reply to: midwesttrimom |
Master 2855 Kailua, Hawaii | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... my first IM, I did with a Coach, her plans were put online or via email. We did have regular discussions via phone. I felt like I followed this plan well and the race result was surprisingly good. my second IM, I did without a coach but purchased plans and followed them loosely. the race went well, and I felt prepared although I think my times suffered a bit from not adhering to the plan as well as I could have. I agree with ChrisM, the tendency to overtrain especially for your first one is high. at a very minimum, I recommend getting a plan geared for your goals and the type of courses (ie hilly/flat) for your IM, and try to follow as best as you can. |
2013-11-10 1:56 PM in reply to: #4895755 |
Elite 3140 | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Yes indeed, though I have an ex phy and sports med background, I self coached utilizing a bastardized hybrid versionof the plans here and online for 2013 IMLp and It was even more satisfying. I could not justify 225 a month. Granted, could they make me faster? Probably but by how much? And would it really matter to save that time. I figured if I used a coach for 8 months would the 1800 or so would it be worth it to save a little time. Not for me but maybe for others |
2013-11-10 2:12 PM in reply to: FELTGood |
Regular 165 | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... My first IM was IMFL 2011. I found a training plan in Triathlete mag that was 20 wks. I think it was titled "...for the time crunched..." which was perfect for me. It was certainly a low volume plan compared to others that I saw. But I was busy and it was all I could do. Having said that, I did about 85% of the workouts. 95% of the biking I did on the trainer (FL). My goal was to finish, but have fun and don't stress. I had a very enjoyable race, took my time in transition and even a pit stop at the halfway point of the bike. I think the plan got me there without injury, got me to the finish with a smile. So I think you can do it well with reasonable expectations by yourself. As I look to improve on that one, I'm investigating coaching options myself for next year to see where I can make gains. |
2013-11-10 2:19 PM in reply to: FELTGood |
Expert 2380 Mastic Beach, NY | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... I did my first IM this past year without a coach and I used the IronFit training plans so yes it is definitely possible to do an IM without a coach. I also agree most AGer's are self coached. Since I was not going to win my AG or qualify for Kona in this lifetime I went the self coaching route. There are definitely benefits having someone coach you but you have to weigh the benefits vs. the cost. I just could not justify it with the all the other IM related expenses I had to incur. If you are going to do it on your own you should definitely find a training plan that will meet your needs and expectations. For me I'd only go with a coach if and when I got to a point where I could no longer improve or get faster on my own. |
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2013-11-10 2:50 PM in reply to: strikyr |
Champion 7704 Williamston, Michigan | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Its is certainly possible and many have gone that route. I have had a coach for 8 years now. I have a very busy work schedule and it is a huge relief to have the planning off my plate. I would probably either grossly under train or grossly over train if I didn't go this route but that is just me. There are lots of plans out there you need to find something that fits your life. There are many coaches that are probably more affordable than you might imagine but it will take some research on your part |
2013-11-10 3:32 PM in reply to: Socks |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... I've always used a coach in training and find it takes pressure off me to decide what to do or how to modify things and just do the workouts. Not all coaches are $225/month. There are some that are under $100/month and many under $150/month. Sure anyone can train without a coach. Really depends on you and what is best for you. Having someone looking at the big picture is key for me as I can get stuck up on all the little details. |
2013-11-11 2:20 AM in reply to: midwesttrimom |
Member 242 Co Louth, Ireland | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... I completed my 1st IM distance race earlier this year without a coach and think its easily achievable without one. Once you have a plan (I used the free one here on BT) and more or less stick to it I think you'll be fine. Of course you need to be honest with yourself during training and push yoursef where needed. Most of the coaches I've researched just e-mail you your plan and are available for the odd chat or email - in my opinion thats not sufficient enough to justify the outlay and return on investment. My top tips for self coaching would be: • communicate constantly with your partner about what’s involved • find a plan that generally suits and adjust each week to suit your schedule • set your goals for each session and stick to them • do an honest feedback session with yourself at the end of each week to see where you did well / could improve & make them your goals for the following session • don't be afraid to skip a session here or there - especially the shorter ones • trust your plan (once its from reputable one and tried and tested!) - it will get you there! • don't ignore recovery sessions / weeks - just as, if not more important than the long sessions! hope thats some use - just my 2c's worth! Graham |
2013-11-12 8:01 AM in reply to: 0 |
Member 27 Phoenix, AZ | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Edited by wanderwoman11 2013-11-12 8:06 AM |
2013-11-12 9:07 AM in reply to: midwesttrimom |
Extreme Veteran 567 Rochester, NY | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... I did the same exact thing you did. I used the Be Iron Fit for IMLP 2012 and I thought it did a great job. I did the Competitive plan but didn't really focus on the interval portion, (I was looking to just get the days and total time training in). I followed it to a T as far as the what to do on each day and I only had to modify it for one week to make sure I got it all in. I'll be doing it again for IMLP 2014, though I think I will try to work in the interval training portion. I think the plans that you get on BT or in a book are enough for you to get to the finish line you just need to trust it and stick with it. I thought it worked well with the family as well since I would print out the month and put it on the fridge so that everybody knew in the house what I had planned. Communication will be the key, especially when the long training weeks start happening. |
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2013-11-12 11:52 AM in reply to: midwesttrimom |
Pro 6191 | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Doable? Certainly. I was planning on my first IM next year, but Army training just switched dates around and it may not happen. I was planning to hire a coach - and I AM a coach. Here's why: My obligations (dog, Army National Guard, job, coaching, tri club, social life) makes my schedule a little tough to manage. I know if I was self-coached, I'd be constantly re-arranging and stressing over my training. I also wouldn't be racing just to finish, so I wanted someone very experienced to push me hard through my training, without me really worrying about overtraining. So, my coach would worry about all of that for me |
2013-11-13 12:07 PM in reply to: midwesttrimom |
Not a Coach 11473 Media, PA | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Completely feasible. Many have done it--myslef included (twice, each in what I consider 'respectable' times for myself). Doing an IM is crazy. Doing one without a coach doesn't make it more or less so. A coach may help you make the best use of your training time. Might help you avoid some pitfalls. Or, might not do either of those. It all depends on you and your coach. It sounds like you can do fine on your own. Use what you've leanred in the last 8 years, do some extra research (read, as you are doing) and ask questions in places like this when you need some extra advice/input.
Good luck! |
2013-11-13 1:31 PM in reply to: JohnnyKay |
Regular 247 | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... One thing is what do you consider respectable? I will say that I used the free BT IM plan for Louisville and finished with a 12:12, which I was unhappy when I crossed the finish line. I knew I could have done better. My marathon time was 4:51 which I personally do not find acceptable based on my open time of a 3:30. I missed something somewhere in the nutrition portion of my race. From a 1000 foot view it looks like an OK race but when you crunch it down there was a lot of room for improvement. That being said I was lucky enough to get into Chattanooga's 2014 IM race and have hired a coach to help me maximize my efforts. I want to nail the race and a coach should help to remove some of the guess work. Is it worth it or not? I do not know but I tried it my way with unhappy results so I figure I will try it with a Coach. |
2013-11-29 8:16 PM in reply to: 0 |
Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... I don't think it is a crazy idea. Many people do IM's without a coach. Most like to hire a coach to "ensure" that they will cross the finish line. Of course, no coach can guarantee you will cross the finish line or the time it will be done in. For both of my IM's I hired a coach. And for my last one in 2010, I was coaching people myself. But I still wanted a coach. Although, the person I hired wasn't the best choice and I had to basically take over my training and fix it. Just make sure you INTERVIEW your coach before hiring him/her. Know what you want and ask the questions to get what you want. Good luck! PS- I hired a coach so I didn't have to "think" about my own training plan. I also knew I would give myself want I WANTED to do... ha!
Edited by KSH 2013-11-29 8:17 PM |
2013-11-30 4:10 AM in reply to: 0 |
Member 1293 Pearland,Tx | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Hi There!! I am also currently trying for IM so I shelled out $ for a coach . My Coach goes with me in every training on the saddle tells me to steady my speed and energy on the long road,slicing thru the wind ,climbing the hills. I also have running coach that runs with me everyone morning and tells me to slow down my pace on long runs and pick up on my sprints. I love my coaches and I am happy to introduce them to you they are Vector Powermeter for my bike and 910XT+HRM for my running. Edited by strykergt 2013-11-30 4:15 AM |
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2013-11-30 4:40 PM in reply to: 7ofClubs |
475 | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Originally posted by 7ofClubs One thing is what do you consider respectable? I will say that I used the free BT IM plan for Louisville and finished with a 12:12, which I was unhappy when I crossed the finish line. I knew I could have done better. My marathon time was 4:51 which I personally do not find acceptable based on my open time of a 3:30. I missed something somewhere in the nutrition portion of my race. From a 1000 foot view it looks like an OK race but when you crunch it down there was a lot of room for improvement. That being said I was lucky enough to get into Chattanooga's 2014 IM race and have hired a coach to help me maximize my efforts. I want to nail the race and a coach should help to remove some of the guess work. Is it worth it or not? I do not know but I tried it my way with unhappy results so I figure I will try it with a Coach. I guess I am not even sure what respectable is but I would like to be well under 15 hours and think I am capable of being faster than that. My HIM this summer was 5:42 but I did not push myself at all. I just wanted to finish and still be running and my transition times were SLOW. I am thinking I should have probably finished around 5:30 but then you never know if that would have caused things to get messed up if I had hurried, fueled less, sped up on the bike, etc. I was happy when I crossed the finish line, which was my goal...help?? |
2013-11-30 4:43 PM in reply to: strykergt |
475 | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Originally posted by strykergt Hi There!! I am also currently trying for IM so I shelled out $ for a coach . My Coach goes with me in every training on the saddle tells me to steady my speed and energy on the long road,slicing thru the wind ,climbing the hills. I also have running coach that runs with me everyone morning and tells me to slow down my pace on long runs and pick up on my sprints. I love my coaches and I am happy to introduce them to you they are Vector Powermeter for my bike and 910XT+HRM for my running. When I first started reading this I was thinking, "Wow, you must have some SERIOUS money to throw around." )) Hee hee. I hear you. I know I will not skip workouts if I follow a plan. I may, however, move them around. I guess that's why I am not sure what to do. I know a coach should help you accommodate your workouts to your own schedule but nobody is better at that than me because I am the one living it. I know how to train, but I do think it would be nice to have a coach to keep me honest in the other direction so I don't overtrain. Also, would be nice to bounce things off of someone else. My husband gets really tired of hearing about. I am sure some of you can relate. I am just thinking I should get help with HR training, knowing what is too much, fueling, etc. I have ALWAYS assumed I'd hire a coach when I made a commitment to go this distance but it's here and not sure it's actually an option. Does that make sense? |
2013-11-30 4:44 PM in reply to: FELTGood |
475 | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Originally posted by FELTGood Yes indeed, though I have an ex phy and sports med background, I self coached utilizing a bastardized hybrid versionof the plans here and online for 2013 IMLp and It was even more satisfying. I could not justify 225 a month. Granted, could they make me faster? Probably but by how much? And would it really matter to save that time. I figured if I used a coach for 8 months would the 1800 or so would it be worth it to save a little time. Not for me but maybe for others I guess this is where I am at! I get what you are saying... |
2013-12-01 6:42 AM in reply to: midwesttrimom |
Member 1293 Pearland,Tx | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Originally posted by midwesttrimom Originally posted by strykergt Hi There!! I am also currently trying for IM so I shelled out $ for a coach . My Coach goes with me in every training on the saddle tells me to steady my speed and energy on the long road,slicing thru the wind ,climbing the hills. I also have running coach that runs with me everyone morning and tells me to slow down my pace on long runs and pick up on my sprints. I love my coaches and I am happy to introduce them to you they are Vector Powermeter for my bike and 910XT+HRM for my running. When I first started reading this I was thinking, "Wow, you must have some SERIOUS money to throw around." )) Hee hee. I hear you. I know I will not skip workouts if I follow a plan. I may, however, move them around. I guess that's why I am not sure what to do. I know a coach should help you accommodate your workouts to your own schedule but nobody is better at that than me because I am the one living it. I know how to train, but I do think it would be nice to have a coach to keep me honest in the other direction so I don't overtrain. Also, would be nice to bounce things off of someone else. My husband gets really tired of hearing about. I am sure some of you can relate. I am just thinking I should get help with HR training, knowing what is too much, fueling, etc. I have ALWAYS assumed I'd hire a coach when I made a commitment to go this distance but it's here and not sure it's actually an option. Does that make sense? I am no expert and no way near fast like you. I am just training for my first Iron Distance. I have faith you can achieve the time splits you desire. I believe you have the endurance and stamina to accomplish the "BE IRON FIT Competitive plan." just becareful about your stress fractures...Goodluck!!! Gobless to your Health!! |
2013-12-01 11:38 AM in reply to: strykergt |
475 | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Originally posted by strykergt Originally posted by midwesttrimom Originally posted by strykergt Hi There!! I am also currently trying for IM so I shelled out $ for a coach . My Coach goes with me in every training on the saddle tells me to steady my speed and energy on the long road,slicing thru the wind ,climbing the hills. I also have running coach that runs with me everyone morning and tells me to slow down my pace on long runs and pick up on my sprints. I love my coaches and I am happy to introduce them to you they are Vector Powermeter for my bike and 910XT+HRM for my running. When I first started reading this I was thinking, "Wow, you must have some SERIOUS money to throw around." )) Hee hee. I hear you. I know I will not skip workouts if I follow a plan. I may, however, move them around. I guess that's why I am not sure what to do. I know a coach should help you accommodate your workouts to your own schedule but nobody is better at that than me because I am the one living it. I know how to train, but I do think it would be nice to have a coach to keep me honest in the other direction so I don't overtrain. Also, would be nice to bounce things off of someone else. My husband gets really tired of hearing about. I am sure some of you can relate. I am just thinking I should get help with HR training, knowing what is too much, fueling, etc. I have ALWAYS assumed I'd hire a coach when I made a commitment to go this distance but it's here and not sure it's actually an option. Does that make sense? I am no expert and no way near fast like you. I am just training for my first Iron Distance. I have faith you can achieve the time splits you desire. I believe you have the endurance and stamina to accomplish the "BE IRON FIT Competitive plan." just becareful about your stress fractures...Goodluck!!! Gobless to your Health!! I am not very fast. Sure, I place very high in my age group in Olympic distances but I haven't ran ever raced further than a HIM and I have a lot to learn! I haven't ran a marathon in 7 years so I also feel like I am in for a big surprise. I think I am able to hold my own in all 3 disciplines but am not really good at any of them. Does that make sense. I always say I train really hard to be mediocre in three different sports (triathlon). I know it's par for the course, but hard at times. I could learn a LOT from your experience with HR training, cadence, etc. I just GO! I |
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2013-12-01 12:23 PM in reply to: midwesttrimom |
Member 1293 Pearland,Tx | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Originally posted by midwesttrimom Originally posted by strykergt Originally posted by midwesttrimom Originally posted by strykergt Hi There!! I am also currently trying for IM so I shelled out $ for a coach . My Coach goes with me in every training on the saddle tells me to steady my speed and energy on the long road,slicing thru the wind ,climbing the hills. I also have running coach that runs with me everyone morning and tells me to slow down my pace on long runs and pick up on my sprints. I love my coaches and I am happy to introduce them to you they are Vector Powermeter for my bike and 910XT+HRM for my running. When I first started reading this I was thinking, "Wow, you must have some SERIOUS money to throw around." )) Hee hee. I hear you. I know I will not skip workouts if I follow a plan. I may, however, move them around. I guess that's why I am not sure what to do. I know a coach should help you accommodate your workouts to your own schedule but nobody is better at that than me because I am the one living it. I know how to train, but I do think it would be nice to have a coach to keep me honest in the other direction so I don't overtrain. Also, would be nice to bounce things off of someone else. My husband gets really tired of hearing about. I am sure some of you can relate. I am just thinking I should get help with HR training, knowing what is too much, fueling, etc. I have ALWAYS assumed I'd hire a coach when I made a commitment to go this distance but it's here and not sure it's actually an option. Does that make sense? I am no expert and no way near fast like you. I am just training for my first Iron Distance. I have faith you can achieve the time splits you desire. I believe you have the endurance and stamina to accomplish the "BE IRON FIT Competitive plan." just becareful about your stress fractures...Goodluck!!! Gobless to your Health!! I am not very fast. Sure, I place very high in my age group in Olympic distances but I haven't ran ever raced further than a HIM and I have a lot to learn! I haven't ran a marathon in 7 years so I also feel like I am in for a big surprise. I think I am able to hold my own in all 3 disciplines but am not really good at any of them. Does that make sense. I always say I train really hard to be mediocre in three different sports (triathlon). I know it's par for the course, but hard at times. I could learn a LOT from your experience with HR training, cadence, etc. I just GO! I I am really really re-learning back from scratch in training for IM i just went head on my own in my previous Half Iron. I just acquired my PM a month ago. Its either a coach or PM. All the IM Elites and multi IM finishers here advised me to go for a PM. I am just relying mostly on books Be Ironfit for my Training plan and "Training with Power" as my Guide for my power meter. Basically the PM guides you how you budget your energy thru pacing your speed and power.The book "training with power" tells you how to use a PM. The HRM is same in running helps you follow your pacing plan .I believe you have more time on your hands than I do, therefore you can research on books whats the best fit for your training.If you decide to get a PM I am hoping your Hubby will understand why you need to get a PM and HRM. I am very confident you will be ok and get a better split than just finish. |
2013-12-02 9:27 AM in reply to: midwesttrimom |
Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Originally posted by midwesttrimom Originally posted by FELTGood Yes indeed, though I have an ex phy and sports med background, I self coached utilizing a bastardized hybrid versionof the plans here and online for 2013 IMLp and It was even more satisfying. I could not justify 225 a month. Granted, could they make me faster? Probably but by how much? And would it really matter to save that time. I figured if I used a coach for 8 months would the 1800 or so would it be worth it to save a little time. Not for me but maybe for others I guess this is where I am at! I get what you are saying... Not all coaches are $225 a month!
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2013-12-02 1:55 PM in reply to: KSH |
475 | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... What are everyone's thoughts on building the solid base, doing my early spring Olympic distance, running a couple of half marathons and THEN having my coach put together a plan for me, say in August. That way I'd only pay for Aug, Sept, and October. I have done the HIM and loved the training program I chose (Triathlete's Magazine) and it worked well for me. I will be using that for my early season training OR "Be Iron Fit". Need to review both. I try to stay in Olympic distance-shape almost year round. I typically back off from October-January and then hit it hard again and begin to add distance and speed. Thoughts? I would love to hear from someone who has done this. Not all coaches are $225 but mine would be around $125/$150. I know that I will not use a coach that I cannot meet with in-person. I don't just want someone to create a plan for me but also want some light feedback on my swim, aero form, maybe some HR testing, etc. I put together training plans for several people every year for the shorter distances but that's where my knowledge-base ends. I know a lot about nutrition but probably not the correct things to get me to the finish line feeling decent. Thanks for all the feedback! I love hearing all the differing opinions... |
2013-12-02 2:36 PM in reply to: 0 |
Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: Coach or No Coach?? Please Advise... Originally posted by midwesttrimom What are everyone's thoughts on building the solid base, doing my early spring Olympic distance, running a couple of half marathons and THEN having my coach put together a plan for me, say in August. That way I'd only pay for Aug, Sept, and October. I have done the HIM and loved the training program I chose (Triathlete's Magazine) and it worked well for me. I will be using that for my early season training OR "Be Iron Fit". Need to review both. I try to stay in Olympic distance-shape almost year round. I typically back off from October-January and then hit it hard again and begin to add distance and speed. Thoughts? I would love to hear from someone who has done this. Not all coaches are $225 but mine would be around $125/$150. I know that I will not use a coach that I cannot meet with in-person. I don't just want someone to create a plan for me but also want some light feedback on my swim, aero form, maybe some HR testing, etc. I put together training plans for several people every year for the shorter distances but that's where my knowledge-base ends. I know a lot about nutrition but probably not the correct things to get me to the finish line feeling decent. Thanks for all the feedback! I love hearing all the differing opinions... The longer a coach can work with you, the better the results. It's hard to really learn about an athlete in a short amount of time, and giving him/her only 3 months to work with you, before your big race, isn't really going to produce the BEST results. I would suggest giving him/her 6 months to work with you. They need time to build you to the level of training they need you at for your last 3 months of training, and they need to understand you as an athlete. But hey, I'm sure you can find a coach who will take you on the last 3 months of your training. If you keep track of all your training up until that point, it will help him/her a lot! Edited by KSH 2013-12-02 2:37 PM |
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