I completed my first Ironman this year in 13 hours…it was my first triathlon in over three years. I signed up and began my training six months before with no base other than running. I am signed up for Ironman CDA next June and would like to improve my time dramatically. I know this will be possible but it will take a lot of hard work which I am willing to do. I am looking into online coaching and was wondering if anyone has experience with any of the annual training plans and how in depth they are. I am deciding between that or singing up for a few months of coaching. The annual training plans I can purchase are less but I am concerned that they won’t neccasarily be tailored to me or provide much detail. Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thanks.
While I believe a number of the online plans are quite good, they are one dimensional. I would recommend finding a coach and telling him/her what you want is a training plan for your Ironman and not monthly coaching advice. What you are likely to get for a slightly higher price than your off the shelf program is a plan tailored to your strengths/weaknesses and a number to call if you need help. That number can be very valuable if you get injured or life throws you a curve. Most dedicated coaches will work to realign your plan at little or no cost to you. Think of it as cheap insurance.
As one who was in the same place you were conundrum-wise not that long ago, I would say to take the personal approach. The online options available are likely better than nothing but as you surmise certainly won’t take into consideration your own personal details, at least not to the extent a “live” person will do.
In my own situation, after 20 years in the sport (on and off) I can say that I have learned much in the last 4 weeks and am excited about the progress made thus far. Lots of work yet to do but I’m comfortable (in a manner of speaking) with what has taken place and where I’m headed. Don’t know that an online service would have done, or would do, the same thing but I do know that there seems to be lots of folks signed up for those things…so there are likely some success stories from there. Hopefully some of them here will chime in for you.