If you're remotely friends with one of them... I wouldn't go with them. It complicates the relationship.

I'd say communication is pretty important... I'd chat with both and see how each is to interact with. For instance I am talking to new coaches and one in particular stood out... listened to me, gave me their approach, philosophy and went into general planning up to and including them checking weather for my area for that weeks training. I digress... do they have a system where they toss same/similar workouts at their athletes or do they treat you as an individual? Just a few things that popped up as things I'm looking for now.

Good luck!

You should check out that blake guy here in madison... checks all your boxes, Brandes

I'm sorry but, any time I hear the question, "What do you look for in a..." I'm reminded of an interview I heard back in the early 80s

Lisa Robinson: David, what do you look for in a woman?
David Lee Roth: I'd have to say my dick, Lisa

That doesn't apply here, I'm sure

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

:)

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Inside The Big Ring: Podcast & Coaching

All good comments above. Let me add a practical consideration:

How does the coach give you the workouts and monitor what you've done? I use Training Peaks, but my first coach used Final Surge, which meant having to keep up with two applications. My current coach does everything through Training Peaks, so I can download the run and bike workouts directly to my Garmin watch or bike computer and it will tell me exactly what to do as I'm doing the workout.

Plus, my current coach studied my prior workout and racing history before we started working together, to get a sense of where I stand and how my training load looked. My first coach never bothered to do this, probably because he didn't know how to use Training Peaks.

What price point is an ‘excellent’ coach per month? Ballpark $ ?

I wonder if there is any 3rd party tool to sync between training peaks and final surge? There is some utility (one guy maintains it I believe) that syncs between different platforms. not sure if it handles those scenarios.

my coach mostly loads one week of workouts at a time. sometimes she will load a couple weeks but mostly one. she wants me focused on the current week rather than looking ahead.

200$

agree with Schnellinger. $200 is a ballpark. some might pay slightly more or less.

Indeed. It’s all about the trucker hats.

Also - are they willing to pace you on the run while wearing a gorilla suit?

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float , hammer , and jog

This.

LOuis :-)

I have had numerous coaches over my 12 years in cycling. I've had 1 or 2 great ones, and some bad ones.


There are really two things that you need in any coach:

(1) Understanding how to motivate you

(2) Able to listen to you.


Number 2 is especially important. There are far too many coaches that simply let their ego do the talking and don't treat you as a person. They will simply write you a plan and write off anything if you struggle. They won't listen and simply stick to the thinking that "stick to the plan and it'll all work out" regardless if it is working.