coaching

[Mr.President]

Many of you have used or are coaches. Is there a right or wrong time to utilize a coach. Does having racing experience make a better student for a coach to work with?

Some of the popularly advertised avenues say yeah sign up immediatly and shoot me a link to get my money.

I know there are training books out there and have lots of info and direction. Any thoughts on working with somebody versus simply doing it yourself?

[WadePatton]

If I had somebody local who was a genuine coach, then I'd pay for some level of input. So it's a roll yer own or online deal for me. And I'm still working on the "ride lots" (Merckx) part of it.

[Too Tall]

I'll take the 5th. ;) Depends alot on you. The folks I coach by and large have accelerated progress using a structured program and leave the big picture to coach. Personally, I really REALLY love having my own coach and dearly miss having H.Allen guide me thru daily grinds. He was always there for me with answers and is still that silent hairy eyeball watching me to make sure I'm doing it right. There are times when a coach is the only way to go...for instance Race Across America. ZNFNDL's team needed someone with ultra and RAAM experience who had insight how to prep. for and execute training and a race plan. In this case a combination of hard to find abilities required a coach...well it did not REQUIRE but hey ask znfndl...it sure helped :)

"I take the 5th" reminds me of OJ "If I did it" yeeeeeeeeesh.

[imike]

Speaking for myself I will say that my desire is to push my fitness to the idea of "genetic potential". To reach this I have been riding with a power meter, juicing, using a hypoxic simulation device, changing my diet, compression hose, a half a dozen training books, etc. By doing all this I feel I am darn fit but I believe that having a coach would make me accountable to someone and maybe that someone has some experience pushing towards that genetic potential that I simply have not been able to get to. I do all the wattage training but I would think that a coach knows all the combinations of endurance, rest, threshold workouts etc that I simply don't have the experience of having objective gains.
It would be nice to be able to afford it and if I could I would seek the best like Mr. TT had.

[Mr.President]

Thanks folks.

Especially Jonathan for the PM.

I suppose it makes sense as J put it to gain experience and then identify what goals I need help with.

Great advice!

Cheers

Prez