As long as workouts go as planned, I usually talk with my coach once a week (through text).

I had a coach for my first IM last year. She was a local coach and I would actually go to a computrainer class she ran and get some face to face discussions which was nice. But mostly we communicated via text or trainingpeaks comments. I would comment on most workouts just to indicate how it felt, if it felt okay or not. Definitely for key workouts she would communicate more to see how it felt. The closer it got to race she would communicate more as the workouts started gearing towards fine tuning what pace would be race day.

I talk to my coach in person 3 times a week at least sometimes much more, plus texts or calls if we need to go over a specific workout or race prep on days I don't see him.

He coaches at least 1 swim session a week that I go to and he holds a track workout every week. He often arranges long runs for his athletes to do together which he attends and he sometimes joins us on long bike rides too. I see him weekly at a strength class for triathletes/runners (that's free with the gym membership I get at a discount on for having him as my coach). He attends most of my races when they are in the state or if we travel as a team such as to st. George this year.

It's Eric Kenney of EK Endurance in Boulder.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

I have a face to face meeting with my coach every two weeks, often run into him more often then that but have a formal sit down fortnightly and "micro" plan the next two weeks of training depending on work etc.
He often acknowledges my workouts on TPs when they come through and we are in regular email contact for any issues that might arise prior to the next planned meeting.
Fortnightly is a sweet spot for me in terms of catching up, not too difficult time wise but also better from a planning perspective than monthly.

I think part of this answer should include what the expectation is between you and your coach on that level of communication. Some coaching firms indicate the level of communication based on various levels of plans. Without that the answers are somewhat out of context in my opinion.

For me personally, the agreement is that feedback will be given on comments that I provide (IE Initiate) subjective feedback on in TrainingPeaks, also am able to text as needed to clear up any questions/comments surrounding upcoming planned workouts/season schedule/etc.

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IG: NCGregory8778

I think pricing is important here, some coaches have a silver gold diamond kind of plan. Thus much more feedback as diamond memeber than silver.

Should people be adding in what they pay and their service level for perspective?

(FYI, I will not be doing so)

I know my coach has different services, with or without feedback via TP, with/without phone calls, etc. I know what I get for the price I pay: comments on every training session via TP and a general email, per week. If injured or special events, phone calls as needed.

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STRAVA INSTAGRAM

Thanks, all. Will discuss options with my coach.

Wow that is super impressive to me

I had a coach I was paying $400 a month and was lucky to email twice a week.

How much does it cost you for all of that?

i would say i get a email twice a month and then for sure before a race and then i text him after. I could get more contact if I asked for it but I don't really need it. If i need something i ask and then he checks in every once in a while. I pay 250. and my coach lives across the country

I don't want to post his prices for me since I do not know how they have changed since I started with him almost 4 years ago. But it's nowhere near $400/mo.

He offers different levels of service for different prices - for instance for my wife he puts together running training plans 6 weeks at time for a fraction of what he charges for full-time coaching. They do a discussion at the beginning and end of each 6 week section to make adjustments to the next and she comes to our weekly track workouts. Most of his athletes are local, he does have some remote ones.

I would say that Eric develops pretty deep relationships with his full-time athletes. It's not just an arms-length deal and a set amount of discussion. He really cares for the athletes he coaches - and they range from MOPers to pros. I'd say his main criteria for taking on an athlete is not how fast they are but how committed they are to their goals, whether it's finish their first 70.3 qualify for Kona or earn a consistent paycheck as a pro.

He's also the performance director for the Vixxen Racing team and the team owner/coach of Boulder Racing.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

This is important to keep in mind. Some people get relatively little feedback because they don't want/need it. That doesn't mean their coach wouldn't be willing to communicate or meet more. I have an ongoing dialog with a couple of girls I currently coach. They are training partners and training for the same IM so we have a 3-way text conversation going that can easily get 30 posts back and forth in a day. I also communicate with them individually on their TP logs more or less daily. They get as much input from me as they want and I'm always availble via text/phone. Another guy I coach will shoot me an email whenever he has a question and we typically email back and forth weekly to sort out the upcoming week. I'll comment on his TP logs whenever I see something worth noting. Generally though, I communicate with him significantly less than the two girls but it's still as much as he wants/needs. I just think it's important to set the expectations up front and be sure to speak up if you don't think you are getting what you agreed to pay for. I work a full time job and do some coaching on the side so I can't offer in-person workouts but communication is something I feel is important to not limit.

The question to ask yourself isn't how much feedback you get bc feedback without context is not that great. The question is how much feedback do I give to my coach.
The more feedback you give the more you'll get. Train your coach to get what you want

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

I'll offer perspective from form the coaching side
- For my local athletes I coach two swim session per week (always available there) and typically ride with our team on Saturdays
- I have an office that I am in (in a local Multi Sport Shop) every day M-F for periods of time and have an open door policy
- As well, I have an open communication policy ... email / text / call based on the urgency of needs BUT always communicate with me please
- First level of communication I encourage athletes to make comments in their TP ... the athletes that do this develop quicker mainly because I have a topic for response and adjustment (if needed)
- I may go a week to ten days without communicating if all is rolling nicely ... as races get closer (Or I have a new athlete) my level of communication is much more frequent

Hope that helps ... in many cases athletes have different needs where more / less communication is appropriate.

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Dave Latourette
http://www.TTENation.com