Being coached or not

Triathlon Forum
1

That has always been a conversation topic among my friends and I was sort of the last guy standing - training too much. And have always claimed that I might not be coachable.

As I am getting ready for a big event at the end of August I realized that I could arrive over worked and over trained. In March every week was around 30 hours. Which is silly.

I am doing a 100k running race in Chamonix France with 20,000 feet of gain and drop and have hunted this target for several years now. The race in late April I certainly felt heavy legs but managed to push through. But I then interviewed coaches who are trail running smart and have ideally personal experience (either as a coach or athlete) with the UTMB races. And in the end I had 2 I very much liked. I decided on one and we are starting tomorrow.

Basically he will reign me in from doing too much, and prep me right for this hard race.

Am I coachable? Maybe, but I am very good with assigned tasks

2

Good for you!

I am hesitant to make the jump. At the moment I’m not that competitive nor do I have an event I am scared I won’t be able to complete, so I keep plodding along with AI generated training.

I think if I was easily affordable I would jump, but right now I would have to tighten the belt to pay for it and that seems foolish.

3

For me it is really about being smart versus working too hard. I am 57 and have not been coached, but finally decided to give it a shot.

The race I am doing is the Kona of trail running and it is possibly a one time shot. I have no chance of winning my age group, or any other glory, but I would like to arrive prepared and not fatigued or injured. Basically I want to have a good experience and that is why I pulled the trigger after some soul searching. As for money, I hear you. Luckily running coaches seem on average much more affordable than triathlon ones

4

Best decision I ever made.

5

I’ve been thinking about getting a coach myself. I’ve been in the sport since 2001 and I’ve always coached myself. After a 4 year hiatus in which I did basically no swimming, biking or running during that time, I recently returned to training. I’m thinking about a coach primarily for the accountability. I tend to be a little scatter brained when it comes my workouts. During my break from triathlon, I spent a lot of time lifting. I got a coach for that and did really well with it. Been thinking about doing the same thing with triathlon. I’m in the 50-54 AG now and I’d like to maximize my training hours. A coach might be the way to go.

6

I like my coach because it gives me someone to talk to / engage with in my training, and also who puts a plan together with my best interests in mind

When I ” coach” myself, i go too hard, too often. I also don’t really progress

Using a coach hasn’t gotten me to train less hours, but be way smarter with those hours

I hope you do great with it, and learn!

7

A wise decision. I am a tri coach and have a tri coach. Lots of benefits

8

The race I am doing is the Kona of trail running …

I thought you said you were doing the 100km?

9

That is exactly my issue - seemingly too much
.

10

I am currently coached, and a big reason is because I have found that in periods where I haven’t been coached, I expend way too much mental energy on thinking/worrying about what sessions I should be doing, whether I’m doing too much, too little, the wrong kind of training etc. It takes over my brain.

I like getting the headspace back by outsourcing the thinking to someone else and just concentrating on executing.

11

Interesting. Since I am mostly a stay at home dad these days time is not my enemy. But yes clearing head space is good

12

I am currently coached, and a big reason is because I have found that in periods where I haven’t been coached, I expend way too much mental energy on thinking/worrying about what sessions I should be doing, whether I’m doing too much, too little, the wrong kind of training etc. It takes over my brain.

I like getting the headspace back by outsourcing the thinking to someone else and just concentrating on executing.

Exactly my reasoning as well. I have always searched for coaches that agree on a some kind of “purchased program +” approach (since basically buying a program also clears head but has some higher risks) where they dont need to do any fine tuning, massive analysis or interact with me constantly, maybe adjust once or twice a month based on how I feel (and I pay accordingly).

13

I know you meant this as a swipe, but I have never intended to do either UTMB (100 miles) or TDS (120km). From the start I wanted to do the 100km CCC as that is quite sufficient to capture the challenge and beauty of this course. Plus the average runner who does UTMB runs those first 79k pretty much in the dark so I really never felt I would miss much in terms of scenery.

I actually think 100k is already a crazy distance - actually in my view anything beyond a half marathon is crazy.

14

I have been self coached since my first triathlon 41 years ago!! Although I’ve had some successes, I’m sure I have never been “optimized.”

My lovely wife Cynthia started this year being coached by Desert Dude (just for running) and is having for fun, getting faster, and injury free. I will vouch for that young man whom I have known since he was a teenager that is is amongst the very best coaches out there.

My problem, besides maybe not being coachable, is that my schedule is so crazy that I fit training in when I can. If can be haphazard, but I do the best I can. Maybe when I retire . . . which is getting closer than I would like to think.

15

CCC & UTMB are on my bucket list - I’m doing a 100km race in July to start earning the required points for CCC.

I tend to think that 100 miles for the UTMB may be too far for me - and if I only ever do one 100 miler I want it to be UTMB. I could be a little naive here but it’s not the distance that bothers me - it’s the sleep deprivation I think I’ll struggle with!

I wish you all the best!

16

The only 100 miler I want to do is Western States

Best of luck
.

17

Desert Dude is a good man and Cynthia is awesome.

As for you not having time - I think you do have the time. My coach does not tell me what time of the day I need to do it - only which day. And I can alert the coach if “life happens”

I have been self coached since my first triathlon 41 years ago!! Although I’ve had some successes, I’m sure I have never been “optimized.”

My lovely wife Cynthia started this year being coached by Desert Dude (just for running) and is having for fun, getting faster, and injury free. I will vouch for that young man whom I have known since he was a teenager that is is amongst the very best coaches out there.

My problem, besides maybe not being coachable, is that my schedule is so crazy that I fit training in when I can. If can be haphazard, but I do the best I can. Maybe when I retire . . . which is getting closer than I would like to think.

18

I know you meant this as a swipe, but I have never intended to do either UTMB (100 miles) or TDS (120km). From the start I wanted to do the 100km CCC as that is quite sufficient to capture the challenge and beauty of this course. Plus the average runner who does UTMB runs those first 79k pretty much in the dark so I really never felt I would miss much in terms of scenery.

I actually think 100k is already a crazy distance - actually in my view anything beyond a half marathon is crazy.

I certainly wasn’t taking a swipe at you for your choice of race. Your decision to run the 100km is perfectly reasonable. I wouldn’t consider it crazy at all.

I also think the coaching question you pose is quite interesting. I think many “Should I get a coach?” questions in relation to ultra running seem to be from runners who require “less coaching, more training”. The simple answer for them is “If you want to improve, just get out and RUN!” You’re different though, in that you’re clearly putting in the miles.

What I do question is your talking up the 100km at UTMB as “the Kona of trail running”. It’s more the equivalent of if Kona had instituted a 70.3 in more recent years as something of a supporting event to the main race.

Ironically, if there is a trail ultra with parallels to Kona it would be probably be another that you mentioned. Western States 100 Miler.

WSER began in 1974 (four years prior to Kona), and is the single race most responsible for developing the culture and tradition of US trail running, which has subsequently been exported with increasing popularity around the globe. Nearly 50 years on, a place on the start line in Squaw Valley remains a coveted among those in the sport. Sound familiar?

Prior to the popularity of trail running taking hold outside North America, the most esteemed ultras were road races like Comrades, London to Brighton, then later European races like the Spartathlon and Italy’s del Passatore (50th edition next year).

UTMB appeared relatively late to ultra/trail running scene in 2003, with its shorter events coming in 2006 and 2009.

Despite Ironman’s recent ownership and marketing of UTMB and its associated events, drawing comparisons with Kona ignores the history of both sports.

19

I hear you loud and clear about the historic value of WSER and it is an event I want to do.

When I talked about Kona this was mostly for the average triathlete who is unfamiliar with trail racing - to have context. And was not meant as a slight on WSER. Although I think that while WSER is much more storied and harder to get into because of the tiny field size, it is mostly a US race. And isn’t as much on the radar of folks around the world. But the amazing festival atmosphere of UTMB is quite unique and as many have noted has a World Championship feel. And with 10,000 runners plus families in town for up to 2 weeks in Chamonix that makes it was actually bigger than Kona and likely why Ironman wanted a piece of it

20

https://fordycefusion.com/.