There are many great reasons to hire a coach this season, whether it’s for triathlon or just a single sport like running.
If you’ve signed up for a race but don’t have a training plan, or you’re looking at online training plans, give this a read before you write off working with a coach altogether!
6 reasons to hire a coach:
1. Structure
A training plan is structured around your goal race, or what you’d like to achieve.
Training won’t look the same every year, month, or week. It’s carefully crafted to build your fitness by moderating things like workout volume and intensity in a way that will lead you to perform optimally on race day.
Not to mention figuring out how much training is too much, or too little, all while avoiding injury.
How on earth do you figure out how to set up a plan that does all of that?
You don’t have to. That’s where a coach comes in.
“I can follow an online training plan without hiring a coach,” you say. What’s so good about having a coach write your plan?
That’s where the next point comes in.
2. Individualization
An online training plan just gives you workouts. It doesn’t know anything about your schedule, fitness level, and history.
Your coach will design your plan based on where you’re at right now. They’ll make sure the workouts are appropriate to avoid overtraining, undertraining, and injury.
An online training plan won’t give you feedback along the way. Your coach will.
An online training plan won’t give you advice on what to do if you miss some workouts or get sick. Your coach will know how to best modify your schedule when this happens.
Because it will happen. I have yet to write a plan for an athlete without making modifications many times, and I expect that to always be the case. Something will come up, whether it’s illness, an unexpected conflict one weekend, the weather, anything. Your coach will know what to do to get you back on track.
An online training plan is a broad guideline written for potentially thousands of people. The plan your coach writes is specific to YOU.
They’re there to answer your questions, and they’ll work WITH you for any adaptations along the way.
3. Removes guesswork
In addition to figuring out how to set up your workouts, you also have to solve the puzzle of your schedule.
How many days per week should you train?
How many times should you swim, bike, and run?
What about strength training?
Do you need a rest day every week?
How do you set it up so you’re not swimming two days in a row and then not again for five days?
How are you going to fit all of this around work and other commitments?
It’s overwhelming. And if you have a coach, you don’t have to think about it.
They’ll solve this puzzle for you, after working with you to understand your schedule, availability, commitments, and priorities.
You don’t have to spend time and energy setting up a plan. You just get to follow it. That’s the easy part!
Speaking of which…
4. Accountability
If you have trouble being consistent, even if you have a training plan to follow, you’d benefit immensely from having some accountability.
It’s much easier to skip a workout when there’s no one reviewing it to make sure you’re getting it done.
Not only will you meet with your coach regularly to discuss progress, they’re going to have access to your workout data, so they’ll see right away if it isn’t done.
If they’re paying attention, as a good coach should, they can send you a message to check in and make sure everything is okay. An online training plan definitely won’t do that.
5. Motivation
It can be tough to stay motivated, especially during a longer training cycle.
Of course, you won’t always be motivated. You’ll need discipline to kick in and get you going (and having the accountability of a coach can help with that, too).
But your coach can help motivate you as well.
They’re not just there to write your plan and provide feedback. They can encourage you along the way, congratulate you when you crush a tough workout, and assure you you’ve got this if you miss a day and worry about getting off track.
You can shoot your coach a note to say you’re dreading this weekend’s long run, and they might know exactly what to say to get you in the right mindset, when you might have bailed on it otherwise.
6. Support
Similarly, your coach is there to support you.
Good coaches don’t just write a plan and then go radio silent. There’s an open line of communication between athlete and coach.
Not sure how the intervals are supposed to be structured in tomorrow’s workout? You can ask, and you’ll get clarification.
Not feeling great and want to take a rest day? You can send a quick email or text (depending on a coach’s policies) and your coach will tell you to rest up and feel better, and modify the plan if necessary.
You can give your coach feedback, too. You can tell them which workouts you particularly liked, what you’re struggling with, or if the pool abruptly changes their schedule and you need to switch up your days.
Just like any relationship, the one between athlete and coach is important. If you find the right fit, you’re guaranteed support throughout your entire training journey.
I’m sure I can speak for many coaches when I say that we’re in this because we want to help people succeed. We’re there for you!
Ready to make the commitment and work with a coach this season? Don’t wait! Having a solid base is key, and summer races will be approaching before you know it. Send me a message today and we can have a chat to find out if it’s a good fit!
Happy training!
-Dina
Dina Grimaldi is a triathlon & nutrition coach who helps athletes reach their goals while finding the balance they need to fit training comfortably into their lives, and who guides and supports those with nutrition or health goals to cultivate a lifestyle of sustainable habits and a healthy relationship with food.
