Question: you hire a coach. what are your expectations in terms of coach’s expected involvement (besides a training plan)?
I personally, would expect him/her to be involved in at least one training session per week, and be present at at least 1 or 2 races.
any other suggestions? I understand improvement is not guaranteed…
thanks
How much are you paying? Local or distant?
local, definitely. money is not the issue, but for posterity let’s say 200$ a month
$200 is low for your needs.
like I said, forget the money, what would you expect. say it’s 300$.
like I said, forget the money, what would you expect. say it’s 300$.
I guess I don’t get the premise of your question. How can you forget about the money? Money is what will drive their involvement. Hell you could find a coach to wash your hair, clip your toenails and tuck you into bed if you paid him/her enough!
this is a question i ask myself… well sorta.
i’d like to get re-imbursed for the time i DO spend coaching athletes, only i don’t ever ask for loot.
how much would you PAY for those features? i could use an extra $300/month but i’m not sure i could get any of the folks around here to pay that.
the posted question was a very generic one.
ok, let’s say I get a coach, local. he is asking a lower rate than usual (for whatever reason, blame the economy), say about 200$. we both agree on a plan,
one day a week or there about training session, unlimited emails, and since he is a lot faster maybe even pacing in a running event (no banditing).
would that be enough, not enough, too much???
It’s funny, in endurance sports and especially in tri, it is common for athletes to never meet their coaches in person. I believe that an emailed or posted training schedule can be a great help to an athlete given that is of sound design and designed around information collected from the athlete. Although it’s very gratifying for a coach to see (in person) an athlete have a great event/race, I’d offer this. Consider that to get that great performance, it takes many training sessions. Having a coach work with you in person in training is of higher value because you are provided with feedback on your form while also receiving positive motivation. A coach should also evaluate your performance during training and use what he/she sees to create the subsequent training plan. That said, the more $ the more interaction and hopefully in person interaction. Working with a good coach should enhance your performance. I would argue that good coaching will help more than anything else. Good luck with it!
I think you’re looking for a triathlon butler.
I think you’re looking for a triathlon butler.
FYI I never said this was for me. The use of the first person was a literary device.
For just the one-on-one training, you could pay $75, which is why I believe $200 was low.
*Google *Dave Scot or Troy Jacobson: See what they charge.
Maybe Fleck will chime in!
It’s funny, in endurance sports and especially in tri, it is common for athletes to never meet their coaches in person. I believe that an emailed or posted training schedule can be a great help to an athlete given that is of sound design and designed around information collected from the athlete. Although it’s very gratifying for a coach to see (in person) an athlete have a great event/race, I’d offer this. Consider that to get that great performance, it takes many training sessions. Having a coach work with you in person in training is of higher value because you are provided with feedback on your form while also receiving positive motivation. A coach should also evaluate your performance during training and use what he/she sees to create the subsequent training plan. That said, the more $ the more interaction and hopefully in person interaction. Working with a good coach should enhance your performance. I would argue that good coaching will help more than anything else. Good luck with it!
thank you
honestly $200 a month is really cheap for what you are ‘asking’
consider this
4.33 weeks to a month
that’s <$50/week
or depending on WHERE you are getting the hands on training session there is mileage involved. so that comes out of the <$50/week
then there is a high likely hood that the shortest training session that week is an Hour making that time spend with him/her <$50/hr (personal trainers get a lot more than that)
then training plans and travel and entry into races…
$200 is SUPER cheap for what you are asking/expecting.
For just the one-on-one training, you could pay $75, which is why I believe $200 was low.
*Google *Dave Scot or Troy Jacobson: See what they charge.
Maybe Fleck will chime in!
Just because a coach may be famous does not mean he/she will provide a better value. Dave and Troy are definitely up there but their advice is probably better geared
towards a seasoned pro than a beginner triathlete.
honestly $200 a month is really cheap for what you are ‘asking’
consider this
4.33 weeks to a month
that’s <$50/week
or depending on WHERE you are getting the hands on training session there is mileage involved. so that comes out of the <$50/week
then there is a high likely hood that the shortest training session that week is an Hour making that time spend with him/her <$50/hr (personal trainers get a lot more than that)
then training plans and travel and entry into races…
$200 is SUPER cheap for what you are asking/expecting.
that’s all the confirmation I needed. thanks!
the posted question was a very generic one.
ok, let’s say I get a coach, local. he is asking a lower rate than usual (for whatever reason, blame the economy), say about 200$. we both agree on a plan,
one day a week or there about training session, unlimited emails, and since he is a lot faster maybe even pacing in a running event (no banditing).
would that be enough, not enough, too much???
It’s like saying that you want a car. With leather seats. And a sunroof. And a premium sound system. Is $20,000 enough? Well you could end up with a 5 year old Lexus or a new Mazda. The two cars are night and day.
The point is YOU and your coach have to find that middle ground. Is it too much to ask of a coach who you pay $200/m. Maybe or maybe not. That is for the coach to decide what their time is worth. And for you to decide what your investment is worth. There is nothing wrong with you wanting that level of service. And if that is the most important issue to you, then put it out there. A coach will eventually say yes. S/he just might not be your first option.
Whatever you pay, you both should agree on exactly what is expected ahead of time. Without a prior agreement there will be misunderstanding on both sides.
" . . .a better value"
You said money didn’t matter. 
If your friend is a beginner, they could look for a tri-class. See if they like it before investing in expensive coaching.
" . . .a better value"
You said money didn’t matter.
If your friend is a beginner, they could look for a tri-class. See if they like it before investing in expensive coaching.
+1. Agree entirely.
After 8 IM’s(0 for 8 on KQ), I hired a Coach for this year because it occurred to me that while I may have the ability, I certainly do not have the brains to put a properly formatted training program into effect. I can tell you that all of our interaction is via email or phone virtually every day-he is very involved and wants to have updates daily. Granted, this arrangement might not work for all(especially a newcomer who needs to build confidence and learn), but I trust him implicitly and that, I think, is the most important aspect of the coach-athlete relationship.
JM