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2014-02-25 6:33 PM

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Subject: Coaching costs

I see in the "why don't you need a coach" thread that the #1 choice is "I'd like one but can't afford one".  I'm curious as to what people consider "too expensive"....or what the general idea of what a coach would cost is.  Also, if you think it's too expensive, and you would like a coach, what would you be willing to pay?



2014-02-25 11:00 PM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs
I would like to consider coaching if i can afford one. I would probably pay what BT is charging $35.00 which is reasonable to give up your gym fees, but i dont want to get auto replies like:

"Keep up the good job"

"You'll do better next time"

ref:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

I would want a coach who would analyze my workouts on a regular basis and provide me information to better myself at the least amount of time possible.

If i am just going to get auto replies i can program an email that auto replies with every generic inquiry i send.


2014-02-26 6:51 AM
in reply to: strykergt

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

I think you need to look at what you want and what you are willing to pay again.  If you want a coach to pour over your workout data and provide custom feedback and alter your training based on performance then you need to think about how much time that would really take.  even if the coach only spent 2 hours a week doing that they would be making ~$4.50 per hour for their time coaching you; 1 hour a week is $8.75 and 30 minutes a week is $17.50.  I think you see where this is going.  How much do you think is a fair hourly rate for a coach that you want to guide you to success?

when i was researching coaches most coaches had a tiered plan setup starting between $50-75 all the way up to $250 per month.  the bottom plan got you cookie cutter plans with very minimal involvement past giving you feedback to keep you on track.  at the top you got a lot of interaction and a coach who would show up at your races for support.  

2014-02-26 8:30 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

I look at it more from a cost/benefit perspective.  As long as I'm primarily doing local sprint races and making progress through self-coaching, I'd rather direct the money towards my 'new bike fund' or other things.

On the other hand If I decided to jump in the deep end and attempt an IM, then I'd be more inclined to hire a coach to help guide me based on the commitment I'd be making in time and money. 

Mark

 

 

2014-02-26 8:39 AM
in reply to: Clempson

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

I agree a lot with what Kyle wrote but would like to add a few points.

- There's often a huge disconnect between coaches and athletes when it comes to pricing and expectations.  IMO, coaches on average charge way too much for the services they offer.  On the flip side, the majority of athletes want to pay as little as possible but still want the world.  Triathlon is actually seeing a dip in participation the last couple of years.  WTC/Ironman is the one big anomaly but smaller races are struggling.  I think you'll start to see the tri coaching economy swinging more towards the athlete from a pricing perspective as coaches are going to struggle.

- Tri coaching had become a joke.  The USAT Level 1 cert process used to be a total farce.  It was littered with people who did a couple of races, got hooked on tri and decided to get a USAT Level 1 cert, called themselves a coach and started dispensing horrible advice to naive paying clients.  USAT saw they had a problem and changed they way they did things a couple of years ago so it's now actually pretty difficult to get to the level 1 clinics.  I think just about everyone who was licensed prior to 2011 or 2012 (whenever they changed the criteria) should have an asterisk next to their coaching certification.  Hopefully natural selection has weeded out all the crap.

- You don't need a certified coach.  Most of the best coaches and those I would truly listen to and pay money to are not certified.  As stated above, I don't put a lot of stock in the USAT Level 1 cert pre-whenever the change but a Level II or III person knows their stuff.  I think the biggest advantage certification offers is the coaching insurance but...

- Our typical thoughts about a coach, like someone being local and actually physically there holding your hand for your workouts is gone.  The internet and social media completely changed the game.  Athletes need to temper their expectations and perspective.  It's going to get a lot harder to find a coach who will hold your hand through the process.  Any coach not using the internet as the main component of his/her business will not be in business for long.

- The cookie cutter vs custom tailored plan is a lot of talk.  All plans are cookie cutter to start with.  A good coach then tweaks and nuances the plan to fit an individual.  This is not the rocket science some triathletes seem to think.

- That leads to another point that most triathletes can use a "cookie cutter" plan and tweak it themselves.  A good cookie cutter plan lays a great foundation and can be a great asset when coupled with a little bit of education and self awareness.

2014-02-26 8:47 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

I've been a BT member, I did Mark Allen Online coaching, and I've had a personal coach.  My fastest IM ever was with the coach, but I also had the most time to devote to training.  Training time + coaching = PR for me; they can't be separated.

My view is that I'm paying for expertise applied to my individual situation and needs.  Any bozo can mail "good job" for $35 a month, any of a number of websites of pre-canned plans, plan generators, etc.  for $20 - $35 - $80 a month, with varying quality of individual treatment.  There are tons of coaches with one-size-fits-all plans, and tons of coaches with five plans in their pocket (one probably fits you kind-of, so that's what you get).

Here's an example of a local coach that has a good reputation: http://www.vo2multisport.com/services/  Really you should read their website to understand more, but "coaches" are $150 a month, and "$250 - $276" for "senior coaches".  I find that to be fairly typical.  My coach was too expensive for what I got; VO2 Multisport didn't exist when I was being coached.  Nothing like competition.

 



2014-02-26 9:31 AM
in reply to: brucemorgan

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs
As I mentioned in the "Why don't you have a coach" thread, as a MOP AGer at this point I do not see a need for me to have a coach. However, if I ever got to the point where I was more serious about competing and finishing in times close to qualifying for the AG nationals or Kona / 70.3 Championships I would seek out a coach.

I know a couple of Tri coaches that have coached several athletes for Kona and Nationals, they charge anywhere from $200-$300 a month. If I went with a coach I would probably go with someone local that I could meet with a couple of times a month and expect to pay around that amount. If I were to go with an online coach that I would not meet with I would expect to pay under $100 a month, for anything above $50 a month I would expect to be able to talk with the online coach 1-2 times a month to review my progress.
2014-02-26 9:42 AM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs
I have a coach. He charges me $110 (all prices in Canadian Dollars) per month.

He has set up a google document for me and plugs in all required work outs in 4 week blocks. I post all relevent data to the document. I am also training with power, which I save on the Garmin site. He has full access to all my power data from there. I have full access to him via email and I see him in person once per week. He makes changes on the fly based on my work out data and my comments. He has helped me on my nutrition/hydration strategy as well as off season and in season strength, weights and pylometric exercises.

I used him last year to successfully complete 2 Half Ironman races and my first Ironman (Wisconsin). This year we are doing 1 half Ironman and 2 full Ironman races (Whistler and Lake Tahoe). He hasn't trained an athlete (I hate the term, I ain't an athlete) on 2 IM in one year so I am his guinea pig this year. We are teaming up for at least the next 5 years to try and get me to Kona (or die trying).

I like the structured nature of the training. I don't have to think about anything, everything is laid out for me 4 weeks in advance so I can arrange my schedule as needed. I spend less time making schedules, arranging workouts and just focusing on doing the work. I am very analytical (microbiologist by schooling) so I could probably set up my own workouts. But, I like the fact that I don't have to spend hours doing so, or trial and error to get what works and what doesn't. I just have to follow the recipe. It has worked so far.

Dwayne

Edited by DeVinci13 2014-02-26 9:44 AM
2014-02-26 9:45 AM
in reply to: DeVinci13

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs
Too expensive is investing in a coach and wasting a season on bad coaching. It's not the $$$ its the lost time.
2014-02-26 9:52 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

I pay $150 a month right now. I've got a goal that will actually take me places if I achieve it, so it's well worth the cost. I'd probably pay up to $200/$250 if I felt it'd help me... but $250 would be a stretch.

I charge $100 per month as a coach, but I have a few people that I've worked out deals with, or that started with me when I was lower cost, and I won't up their charges.

2014-02-26 9:59 AM
in reply to: ratherbeswimming

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

Originally posted by ratherbeswimming

I pay $150 a month right now. I've got a goal that will actually take me places if I achieve it, so it's well worth the cost. I'd probably pay up to $200/$250 if I felt it'd help me... but $250 would be a stretch.

I charge $100 per month as a coach, but I have a few people that I've worked out deals with, or that started with me when I was lower cost, and I won't up their charges.

Elaine - for that $100 can people send you bike power files and garmin files from their runs for you to interpret as you build their workouts or is that generally somehting that costs more.....I guess those would be custom workouts.  Again, I'm just curious about what people get for their money as it seems so many people think it's too expensive.



2014-02-26 10:01 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

It's "too expensive" for what I need or am willing to invest in the sport (from a coaching perspective) at this stage.  Even a very reasonably priced coach is more than I am willing to invest.  For what I would be currently willing to pay (IDK, maybe $50--for a year), I would probably not trust the person who was willing to take it.  This is not to say that I might not one day decide it is worth it for me to invest (more than $50) in a coach.

2014-02-26 10:14 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs
I tried to reverse engineer what I thought a coach should reasonably charge. Let's assume it's not a full time job, and it's a secondary one. I next made the assumption that their 'primary' job would be something in the industry, I picked bike mechanic. Let's say a bike mechanic makes 30K a year? that might be generous. Anyway, from there, let's say a 'supplemental' income would be one that doesn't eclipse the primary one, so let's cap it at 30K - assume a coach doesn't make more than 30K\year from coaching. Again, this might be highly generous, just trying to find a baseline. If you do some simple math at this point, you could say this coach has 20 clients and charges them each $125 a month max? Or 10 clients and charges $250?

What's it worth??? Economically, that's up to the athlete. The value perception might make it 'worth it' for a number of reasons, some rational, some irrational, some ludicrous, but all valid since they're up to personal taste and belief. I can't tell you why Apple computers cost so much more than Dells, but everyone who has an Apple loves to tell me why. Value perception is deep stuff. If you can't afford a coach, that statement could mean a number of things:
1) there is no disposable income available to dedicate
2) there is no expense worth sacrificing to make up for the cost if there's no disposable income
3) you think coaches are full of it
4) you think coaches charge too much and you don't want to pay it on principal

etc.. you get the idea. I don't NEED most of the STUFF I have, but I have it regardless. I don't feel bad about it. What I paid for it is a private matter between me and the seller. Maybe coaches should offer different rates to different folks? Don't know.
2014-02-26 10:14 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

Originally posted by Left Brain

Originally posted by ratherbeswimming

I pay $150 a month right now. I've got a goal that will actually take me places if I achieve it, so it's well worth the cost. I'd probably pay up to $200/$250 if I felt it'd help me... but $250 would be a stretch.

I charge $100 per month as a coach, but I have a few people that I've worked out deals with, or that started with me when I was lower cost, and I won't up their charges.

Elaine - for that $100 can people send you bike power files and garmin files from their runs for you to interpret as you build their workouts or is that generally somehting that costs more.....I guess those would be custom workouts.  Again, I'm just curious about what people get for their money as it seems so many people think it's too expensive.

I do it all for that price - power/HR/GPS... though I do not currently coach anyone with a power meter. 

I'm still a new coach, I can only offer my 2 years of coaching experience, but I've been a competitive swimmer since I was 5, and a triathlete since 2006. I'm also an info junkie (aka an engineer) so I do enjoy reading/learning more about the sport, so I'm developing myself through coaching and education.

I build week by week - I've got a "big picture" spreadsheet of the season - or at least until the next A race - so sometimes, if things are on track, that week will look just like my spreadsheet. More often than not, there are small adjustments needing to be made.

I've also got a library of swim/bike/run workouts that I'll pull from. Some are written by me, some are from other books/coaches/etc that I like and they're all sorted by purpose.

Lately, I've been doing a lot of one on one swim lessons. I charge $25. It lasts 30-60 minutes, I take underwater and above water videos, and provide analysis, drills, and workout suggestions. I get in the water with them to help demonstrate, too.

And, I also keep a list of trainer DVDs or similar resources that athlete's have, so I can plan a workout using tools they already have/like.

2014-02-26 10:30 AM
in reply to: ratherbeswimming

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

Originally posted by ratherbeswimming

Originally posted by Left Brain

Originally posted by ratherbeswimming

I pay $150 a month right now. I've got a goal that will actually take me places if I achieve it, so it's well worth the cost. I'd probably pay up to $200/$250 if I felt it'd help me... but $250 would be a stretch.

I charge $100 per month as a coach, but I have a few people that I've worked out deals with, or that started with me when I was lower cost, and I won't up their charges.

Elaine - for that $100 can people send you bike power files and garmin files from their runs for you to interpret as you build their workouts or is that generally somehting that costs more.....I guess those would be custom workouts.  Again, I'm just curious about what people get for their money as it seems so many people think it's too expensive.

I do it all for that price - power/HR/GPS... though I do not currently coach anyone with a power meter. 

I'm still a new coach, I can only offer my 2 years of coaching experience, but I've been a competitive swimmer since I was 5, and a triathlete since 2006. I'm also an info junkie (aka an engineer) so I do enjoy reading/learning more about the sport, so I'm developing myself through coaching and education.

I build week by week - I've got a "big picture" spreadsheet of the season - or at least until the next A race - so sometimes, if things are on track, that week will look just like my spreadsheet. More often than not, there are small adjustments needing to be made.

I've also got a library of swim/bike/run workouts that I'll pull from. Some are written by me, some are from other books/coaches/etc that I like and they're all sorted by purpose.

Lately, I've been doing a lot of one on one swim lessons. I charge $25. It lasts 30-60 minutes, I take underwater and above water videos, and provide analysis, drills, and workout suggestions. I get in the water with them to help demonstrate, too.

And, I also keep a list of trainer DVDs or similar resources that athlete's have, so I can plan a workout using tools they already have/like.

Cool, thanks. I think anyone who has a coach should have power files, HR files, etc. that they can send to the coach to read..... I know what I spend for coaching for Jr.......but I really don't have any idea what it costs in general.

2014-02-26 10:42 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

I'll also add that I'd be willing to pay more for a coach that coaches full-time.

I'm currently being coached by a part time coach - and she's great. (http://frayedlacesracing.com/coaching-by-frayed/) Seriously, my bike improvements have been phenomenal and I do owe a lot of credit to her for that. (Nearly 20% increase in FTP since I started with her in November)

I'm taking a break from being coached either after my race in March, or after a different race in May (depends on if I make the team for the May race)

But, a former tri teammate turned pro and quit her day job this year... so if I start looking for a coach after my break, I'll be contacting her. I'd like to know that my money is helping an up and coming pro, as well as getting me some awesome coaching. (http://www.alyssagodesky.com/coaching/)



2014-02-26 10:51 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

I think a solid remote coach in the realm of $200/month is worth it. Once you start getting up to $300/month I think that's the area of a local coach that can offer some sort of extra benefits, such as group trainer workouts, supported rides once in a while, maybe some track days with a touch of one on one time or even inclusion into a master's class. 

2014-02-26 10:52 AM
in reply to: ratherbeswimming

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs
Not replying to you specifically but your improvements.

When I see athletes saying their FTP has increase x%, the first thing I ask is how much riding were the doing up until they started with that coach and what was their FTP at measure off previous races, not tests.

For example: Athlete A starts with new coach in November and by Jan has increase FTP 20%. On paper that looks good, but with careful inspection you realize athlete A wasn't riding much in the 2-3 months prior, so that first test to the test that showed a 20% increase in FTP is a bit skewed. Then you look at past races and conclude they are near the same or have a much smaller increase in FTP.

Again not replying to yourself specifically but more the situation.
2014-02-26 11:00 AM
in reply to: thebigb

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

Originally posted by thebigb

I think a solid remote coach in the realm of $200/month is worth it. Once you start getting up to $300/month I think that's the area of a local coach that can offer some sort of extra benefits, such as group trainer workouts, supported rides once in a while, maybe some track days with a touch of one on one time or even inclusion into a master's class. 

BUT....you don't necessarily need one coach to do those things, and may be better with different coaches with specific expertise....especially once you get to higher levels.  I think it's important to have one coach who gets ALL of the data and can build the overall workout program, but other, more specific coaches (swimming and biking for instance) can build the specific workouts based on the overall framework.  That's what I'm doing for my kid and it REALLY works well. I spend just over 300 per month for him, but he gets instruction from former world record holders, former TdF riders, etc.....and these are workouts with the coach present.  You have to search these folks and coaches out, because they don't need to advertise, but the bang for the buck is good IMO.

2014-02-26 11:14 AM
in reply to: GMAN 19030

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs
Originally posted by GMAN 19030

I agree a lot with what Kyle wrote but would like to add a few points.

- There's often a huge disconnect between coaches and athletes when it comes to pricing and expectations.  IMO, coaches on average charge way too much for the services they offer.  On the flip side, the majority of athletes want to pay as little as possible but still want the world.  Triathlon is actually seeing a dip in participation the last couple of years.  WTC/Ironman is the one big anomaly but smaller races are struggling.  I think you'll start to see the tri coaching economy swinging more towards the athlete from a pricing perspective as coaches are going to struggle.

- Tri coaching had become a joke.  The USAT Level 1 cert process used to be a total farce.  It was littered with people who did a couple of races, got hooked on tri and decided to get a USAT Level 1 cert, called themselves a coach and started dispensing horrible advice to naive paying clients.  USAT saw they had a problem and changed they way they did things a couple of years ago so it's now actually pretty difficult to get to the level 1 clinics.  I think just about everyone who was licensed prior to 2011 or 2012 (whenever they changed the criteria) should have an asterisk next to their coaching certification.  Hopefully natural selection has weeded out all the crap.

- You don't need a certified coach.  Most of the best coaches and those I would truly listen to and pay money to are not certified.  As stated above, I don't put a lot of stock in the USAT Level 1 cert pre-whenever the change but a Level II or III person knows their stuff.  I think the biggest advantage certification offers is the coaching insurance but...

- Our typical thoughts about a coach, like someone being local and actually physically there holding your hand for your workouts is gone.  The internet and social media completely changed the game.  Athletes need to temper their expectations and perspective.  It's going to get a lot harder to find a coach who will hold your hand through the process.  Any coach not using the internet as the main component of his/her business will not be in business for long.

- The cookie cutter vs custom tailored plan is a lot of talk.  All plans are cookie cutter to start with.  A good coach then tweaks and nuances the plan to fit an individual.  This is not the rocket science some triathletes seem to think.

- That leads to another point that most triathletes can use a "cookie cutter" plan and tweak it themselves.  A good cookie cutter plan lays a great foundation and can be a great asset when coupled with a little bit of education and self awareness.




Bob I think you are on a lot of good points here, but I disagree with some.

I don't think 200-400 is overpriced for a coach. That is under the assumption they are constantly engaged in what is going on, doing research, looking at new methods and ideas, on top of all research. A good coach has a philosophy they stick by that they are constantly revamping, a bad coach reads a book/attends a clinic and thinks they know everything (failure in USAT level I clinic), you never know everything and you can never know too much. But I agree that most athletes want everything for a fraction of the cost.

With participation, maybe I live in a bubble (Wisconsin) but triathlon is only exploding more and more every year. Some race numbers are down, but so many more races exist now then 5 years ago, quality of races is also increasing. The triathlon coaching scene here is also alive and well. Cycling studios, triathlon coaching business, everything is thriving, business is good and participation is at its highest ever. Most of the people that run these studios and business are very credible, they have the education, experience, and have proven it with RESULTS, but like I said maybe Wisconsin is a bit of an anomaly.

USAT Level 1 clinic is a joke. The content is a joke, the requirements are a joke. Whats worse is the weekend clinic is basically throw everything at the class then have them spit it back out on a piece of paper, zero application is involved and that is what coaching is all about....application. Furthermore, most attending just sit and drink the koolaid and do not critically think at all and think that everything be taught is to be considered valid and correct.....wrong. A good coach will reflect, think, analyze, and apply, not just take in everything and then spit it back out. How do you know you are coached by a USAT coach? They go with the 3:1 work:rest ratio for ALL clients. I will give credit to USAT for making level I more credible but they have a long way to go, but it seems to be on the upswing.

Absolutely 100% correct on no need for USAT certification. In fact all of the coaches I hung out with/talked to in Kona that had several athletes racing and they were all not USAT certified. Darren Smith failed his level 1 exam, he has now coached olympic gold medalists and IM winners, again you don't need to be certified. On your comment on coaching insurance I was told of a huge loophole in that. To actually be insured you must be a. certified, b. athlete must have an active USAT membership, and c. athlete must be registered for a USAT sanctioned race. I am not sure if they have changed this since, but this is what I have been told from a very credible coach, who is not certified.

Good points on cookie cutter versus tailored plan. I think lots of athletes that have "tailored" plans think they are 100% custom to themselves, no cookie cutter at all. That is false. Every coach has a "bank" of sessions specific to certain blocks of training, race prep, etc. A warmup is a warmup, main set is a main set, cool down is a cool down. Nothing needs to be special, just done correctly. When you see training plans that are customized and has lots of fancy stuff going on it probably is not a good plan.

2014-02-26 11:16 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

Originally posted by Left Brain

Originally posted by thebigb

I think a solid remote coach in the realm of $200/month is worth it. Once you start getting up to $300/month I think that's the area of a local coach that can offer some sort of extra benefits, such as group trainer workouts, supported rides once in a while, maybe some track days with a touch of one on one time or even inclusion into a master's class. 

BUT....you don't necessarily need one coach to do those things, and may be better with different coaches with specific expertise....especially once you get to higher levels.  I think it's important to have one coach who gets ALL of the data and can build the overall workout program, but other, more specific coaches (swimming and biking for instance) can build the specific workouts based on the overall framework.  That's what I'm doing for my kid and it REALLY works well. I spend just over 300 per month for him, but he gets instruction from former world record holders, former TdF riders, etc.....and these are workouts with the coach present.  You have to search these folks and coaches out, because they don't need to advertise, but the bang for the buck is good IMO.

Oh absolutely agree! I'm just saying that at $300 a month I think a coach should then be local and able to offer other things of benefit. I know of some that are in that range and masters class is included which is led by a legit swim coach, not someone that kind of is ok at coaching from deck. Or/And they will do fully supported rides here and there, not standard show up Saturday group rides. Things like that. 



2014-02-26 11:16 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs
Originally posted by Left Brain

Originally posted by thebigb

I think a solid remote coach in the realm of $200/month is worth it. Once you start getting up to $300/month I think that's the area of a local coach that can offer some sort of extra benefits, such as group trainer workouts, supported rides once in a while, maybe some track days with a touch of one on one time or even inclusion into a master's class. 

BUT....you don't necessarily need one coach to do those things, and may be better with different coaches with specific expertise....especially once you get to higher levels.  I think it's important to have one coach who gets ALL of the data and can build the overall workout program, but other, more specific coaches (swimming and biking for instance) can build the specific workouts based on the overall framework.  That's what I'm doing for my kid and it REALLY works well. I spend just over 300 per month for him, but he gets instruction from former world record holders, former TdF riders, etc.....and these are workouts with the coach present.  You have to search these folks and coaches out, because they don't need to advertise, but the bang for the buck is good IMO.




One misconception is that many people think athletic skill/performance translates to coaching skill/performance. That is not true for everyone. Just because you are a good athlete does not mean that you will be a good coach and vice versa.
2014-02-26 11:16 AM
in reply to: bcagle25

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

Originally posted by bcagle25 Not replying to you specifically but your improvements. When I see athletes saying their FTP has increase x%, the first thing I ask is how much riding were the doing up until they started with that coach and what was their FTP at measure off previous races, not tests. For example: Athlete A starts with new coach in November and by Jan has increase FTP 20%. On paper that looks good, but with careful inspection you realize athlete A wasn't riding much in the 2-3 months prior, so that first test to the test that showed a 20% increase in FTP is a bit skewed. Then you look at past races and conclude they are near the same or have a much smaller increase in FTP. Again not replying to yourself specifically but more the situation.

Understood.

I haven't raced since I started with her. I was riding regularly before I started working with her, but my bike training got significantly more intense.

I've tested 3x with her - first as a baseline, then a big increase, then a smaller increase. 

I'd say that a significant part of the improvement was simply riding harder more often... another part was the workouts, accountability, progression of workouts, and specificity of the training.... and yet another part was learning to test better.

2014-02-26 11:17 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs
Here is the pricing for one of our local tri clubs which includes 'coaching' from Becky Lavelle, who has some pretty good competition credentials.

FEE SCHEDULE ANNUAL DUES $125/YEAR
INCLUDES: USAT INSURANCE, ACCESS TO CONCEPT CYCLERY DISCOUNTS, ACCESS TO WEEKLY DROP IN'S, TRAINING CAMP DISCOUNTS, TEAM SHIRT, SOCIAL EVENTS

$95/MONTH: ALL OF THE ABOVE AND…A GENERAL TRAINING PLAN BY BECKY LAVELLE, ACCESS TO ALL WEEKLY AND MONTHLY COACHED WORKOUTS

$195/MONTH FOR SPRINT, OLYMPIC DISTANCE OR SINGLE SPORT, ALL OF THE ABOVE AND…A PERSONALIZED TRAINING PROGRAM BY BECKY LAVELLE

$250/MONTH FOR HALF IRON MAN AND IRON MAN DISTANCE, PERSONALIZED TRAINING PROGRAM BY BECKY LAVELLE

As I looked at this pricing schedule I don't see the value. $2465 for Sprint/Oly seems high for a once a week (or less) group workout and a training plan. I was a MOP guy after a year of self training and don't believe I would have fared any better had I used a coach.

$3125/yr for an IM/HIM likewise seems expensive for what this particular program provides.

I can tell you very accurately where my deficiency is. The run. I need zero help for my swim. I was a very good competitive swimmer in HS & college. I am a good cyclist and getting better using online resources and free plans. I have always been a poor runner and since a cycling accident last year that necessitated a full hip replacement I have to change to a low impact style. Personally I think I would be much better off with a running coach than a tri coach. I think that path would get me to my goal of finishing an IM. Because of the hip surgery I only get one shot at it now so as I get closer I may change my mind but for right now, I can't see investing over $3000/yr for what I would get.

I think I would be better served to use that money on a better ride.

2014-02-26 11:23 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Coaching costs

I'm a very easy client, but I do like feedback. I wasn't getting much at all. Would if I asked questions, but nothing on my training peaks. I basically made my own adjustments.  I'd pay $150 for someone to do that.  $250 if I got a LOT of feedback. Like on each day.  Needless to say, at $200, I'm not paying anymore. I got a plan for $240 from EN for 4 months, and I'll adjust as needed.

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