The question on the table..."Is Your Coach Certified." With Ironman Louisville raising awarness of triathlons one would only expect more individuals to venture into the sport. On any given day we see these individuals come through the shop looking for advice. The "What am i getting myslef into," "Where do i sign up," "When should i start training, " & of course "How far is an Ironman," guy or gal. It is exciting to see their faces aglow with their new found passion only to see them completely demoralized after their first sprint triathlon because they went at it alone. Now some people are naturally gifted and confident in their abilities and have found the magic pill that works for them. Those individuals make it seem easy and effortless but in most situations that is not the case for the masses. They have to work harder, train longer, & discover through trial & error what works for them. Sometimes they nail it from the start & sometimes you find them huddled in a port-a-pot-sauna on mile 18 of the run with intestinal cramps that rival birthing pains.
If we could take all the collective knowledge of the seasoned Tri Vet's and put it down in a 20 week workout plan, it might work for 25% of the masses. The old saying that "No Two People Are Alike", has never been truer than when comparing Triathletes and their workout plans. This is where a certified coach can come into play. Someone on the outside looking in. Someone who know's and understand that its not just about GPS Heart Rate, and the likes. Do not assume as an athlete that because you are paying a few hundred dollars a month you are getting a customized workout plan. Is the plan periodized? Does it change with an athlete's changes in fitness and availability? Does it constantly test and evaluate the athlete, and give the athlete feedback?
In this day of training plan wizard writing software, libraries of pre-written triathlon programs, and a glut of free online workouts, it basically takes a chimpanzee to tell a triathlete when to swim, bike and run (that, or good copy-and-paste skills on the computer).What you must understand is that workouts are not the holy grail and that there is more to having a coach than this. Any triathlon coach on the face of the planet can deliver you workouts in a timely fashion, but are they effective? The catch: it takes a wise triathlon coach to intertwine a triathlete's swim, bike and run routines with changes in lifestyle, health, social obligations and injury status.
A triathlon coach must have full access to a team with collective expert knowledge that goes far beyond what they could provide to an athlete on their own. A triathlon coach must be able to call a doctor on the phone and ask them about an athlete they are coaching, check in with a Registered Dietitian to deliver a triathlete's logged meals, and refer an athlete to a higher power when necessary.
If there is no evidence that your triathlon coach has the ability to reach beyond their knowledge and speak about an athlete's status with experts in specific healing and nutritional fields, then there is no evidence that the triathlon coach is fully equipped to get ideal results
In closing if you are looking for a coach don't be afraid to ask the tough questions. You are the one making the investment, you are the one spending the money, Ask them if they are a certified USAT Coach? What makes them qualified to coach you? A good coach will be more than glad to take time and answer these questions. If they get defensive or can't produce the credentials or qualifications.....Move on.
Give us some feeback.....Whats your opinion?
the statement you made that no two athletes are the same is VERY true. It is evident in their mental ability to have their brain keep their body going forward, nutritional needs for training and during a race and recovery, and how much training time is spent on each discipline. Someone with a heavy background in swimming will not need to spend a lot of time in the pool. People need to focus most on their weakest area, but at the same time can't ignore the other disciplines either (otherwise their strength may quickly become a weakness).
ReplyDeleteFor those of you that can't afford a coach, i would at least suggest that you get a bike fit. You can't bike far and fast without being comfortable and in the right position (this is especially important because the bike length is the longest portion of the race). And then every so often have a run-gait and swim-stroke analysis done to see where improvements can be made.
But, lastly, and most importantly have fun with the training. Reward yourself for improvements and when goals are met.