Do you really need a coach?
There are few riders who have not at some time considered working with a professional coach. The reasons are obvious. Riders who have an organized and detailed plan and personal guidance have a better chance at success. And, since the average rider lacks the knowledge and expertise and time to develop and implement an effective training plan hiring someone to do it for them seems reasonable. But is working with a coach the right way to go for every rider? Before you hire a coach there are a few things to be sorted out.
First, before you know what kind of help you might need and where you might find it you have to decide what it is you want to accomplish in the sport and what you think you need to improve to reach your goals. A professional coach will want the same information before they can get started on your program so you should have it worked out in advance. You also need to be clear about what it is you want a coach to do for you that you cannot do for yourself. There are a lot of things that I don’t do for my riders and I let them know up front what those things are. It is important that you decide how involved you want a coach to be and go shopping with these expectations in mind.
How much time do you realistically have on a regular basis for (all) your cycling related activities? Time is the biggest obstacle in the path of most athletes because it regulates training and racing. Economists refer to this as “opportunity cost”. Time has to be taken away from something else for you to be able to train and compete. The opportunity costs in cycling can be pretty high and you need to know how much you can afford. A serious, recreational racer will spend an average of 18-24 hours per week on (all) of their cycling related activities. It’s like having a part-time job. With plenty of non-cycling related responsibilities like family, work, business, school, friendships or other hobbies or interests to consider your time budget can get pretty tight.
Do you have the type of personality that will function well in a formal coaching relationship? Objectivity and shared responsibility is difficult when you are the athlete and it is your training. You might really want and need professional assistance but there might be aspects of your personality that will get in the way. So ask yourself. Do you take direction and constructive criticism well? Can you be honest about your deficiencies? Are you capable of leaving the important details of your training to someone else? Are you willing and able to communicate on a regular basis and keep your coach informed? Will you be honest if things are not going well and be willing to sit down and work out solutions? All of these traits and more can be rolled into one very important question. Are you really coachable?
Now that you have some idea on what you might need from a coach you have to decide how much you are willing to pay for it. Beware of coaches who work for free. A coach who does not charge for their services puts little or no value on their time and knowledge in which case it will mean even less to you. Understand that you are paying for the coach’s knowledge, experience and time. Fees vary greatly and many coaches offer different levels of service. Ask yourself. How much input do you want or need? Do you want a daily, weekly or monthly schedule or all of the above? Will you expect your coach to examine your training reports and analyze heart rate or power meter data files? Do you want supervised performance testing and help with your bike fit? Do you expect regular face-to-face contact or will the telephone or e-mail communication be sufficient? What is the term of the coaching contract and is the fee paid monthly or up front? You need to remember that this will be a business deal as well as a close working relationship so know up front what you want and how much it will cost
If there are active coaches in your area that is the best place to start. It’s best to keep the relationship close to home. If there are no coaches in your local area you will have to go shopping for a long distance relationship; USA Cycling is a really good place to start with a list of licensed coaches by region. The next stop is a search on the Internet. There are many traditional coaching services, like Performance Sports, that maintain websites. There are also companies that use the Internet and it’s technology as the coach. You need to decide if you want a real person or a software program designing your training plan. If you want a software-generated workout plan you can buy a program like PC Coach and go the self-coached route. However, consider the time you need to set aside to program the software, input daily training data and generate reports month in and month out. It has been my experience that most athletes would rather ride than sit in front of their computer and I have yet to meet the athlete that does not like to get a call from their coach. If you want and need personal contact as much as the program you might want to consider a more traditional relationship. If not there are plenty of high tech solutions out there.
You should shop for a coach like you would any other important personal service. Set up an interview and ask some straightforward questions about how they work and what they expect from you. Ask about their experience and request a resume with professional and athlete references. What licenses and certifications do they have? Ask about their continuing education. Do they attend coaching seminars and clinics? How many athletes do they work with at one time? How long have they been coaching riders at your level? Have they had success with riders like you? Do they focus more on results in competition than progress and improvement? Can you expect a year round plan or does the coach only work during the race season? Will it be a formal, contractual relationship or one based on a handshake? Does the coach have liability insurance? Has an athlete ever sued them? What written materials, training manuals and guides do they provide? How often, if ever, will you meet? Can you expect to see them at races? A reputable, professional coach should be willing and able to answer all these questions and more without hesitation and the interview process will give you a feel for their personality, trustworthiness and ability to communicate.
You may find a great coach that you want to work with but you still need to determine if the investment of time and money is reasonable. Maybe you only have 5-6 hours a week to ride? In this case having a coach might not be a good use of your money. Working with a coach requires time on and off the bike and you need to be able to hold up your end. A good coach will want you to keep a training log and make regular reports. It is your responsibility to give your coach the feedback they need to do a good job for you. It only makes since to have a coach if you are willing and able to make these commitments. Bike racing is expensive and many riders will spend a substantial amount of money over the course of a season on equipment, travel and entry fees. If you add coaching to the budget you need to be prepared to participate on a level that will give you a good return on your investment.
Contrary to popular opinion, having a coach is not a luxury. It has become the way a growing number of riders choose to solve the problems associated with personal athletic development. A good coach will not make guarantees because they know that success depends on trust, respect and teamwork between the coach and athlete. There will be a steep learning curve in the beginning for the coach and the rider and both need to be a patient and keep the communication channels open. Even the best coaches make mistakes. I have certainly had my share. Whatever problems do arise the coach and athlete need to be able to sit down and work things out. You have to ask questions and let the coach know what you need. I have always said that I am a really good coach but a lousy mind reader.
For the record, if you really want to get the most (however you define it) from your cycling you need to get some help. That is my professional opinion based on my own racing experience and many years of working with riders at all levels. Where you choose to get the help is up to you. I hope that this article has helped your sort things out a bit. If you decide to get a coach do your homework, get some references and be patient. Trust your gut and make sure the coach you choose is someone you can trust and work with. Talk to some coaches and riders and get a feel for what is out there. You may decide that having a coach is not right for you. If that is the case at least you will be a more informed rider and able to make decisions.
Good Luck, and be safe out there.