105 reasons to get a triathlon coach

Did that grab your attention? Good!

There are truly hundreds of reasons, as each triathlete has different needs. However, there are 5 good reasons that I believe are universal.

I have been a triathlete for 35 years and have been coaching my peers for over a decade. One thing I come across a lot is having to explain what VALUE coaching really provides.

Some of the questions I tend to get as a coach are:

How do you add value to what I am already doing? Is it simply about improving performance, technique or just getting a programme? What can I expect from my investment? What coaching certifications do you have and why do they matter?

Here are my top 5 reasons to get a coach:

  1. Expertise:
    • When you want to learn to play an instrument, you go to a music teacher. When you are ill, you see a doctor. When you are serious about your sport, go see a coach! Top endurance coaches will have important knowledge about physiology, nutrition, sport psychology, sport-specific skills, race tactics, athletic injuries, age and goal-appropriate training, plan individualisation, and much more! Also, they will know about the latest techniques, as that is their job. Certifications matter. Ask your future coach which ones they have.
  1. Structure:
    • Self-coaching via canned programmes can be useful to build base fitness, but they will not be specific to you. One size doesn’t fit all! A bespoke coached programme is tailoured to your individual needs, goals and lifestyle. This should include long easy runs, hard hill climbs, strength training, recovery days. Your coach can also advise on race nutrition and hydration.  A good coach will work with you in partnership and fit a programme around your work/life/training time.
  1. Corrective action:
    • No matter what level of experience you have as an athlete, coaching helps you to adopt good technique and proper training practices from the beginning. A coach will provide objective feedback on a regular basis and offer corrective action, either in person or via online coaching. They will keep you on track, so that you’re not doing too much or too little. Use your coach as sounding board for questions along the way.
  1. Motivation
    • A coaching relationship is a partnership! Coaches are used to working with different personality types. Some athletes need a coach to be their cheerleader, some want the coach to add variety to a training plan, some prefer the hands off approach and are motivated by receiving their weekly training plan. Whatever makes you tick, your coach will support you. It’s also more difficult to slack off, when someone is watching over your shoulder. Your success is your coach’s success!
  1. Maximise your investment in the sport:
    • Investing in a coach saves time and money in the long run. This may seem counterintuitive, but you may be spending 10-20 hours per week on your training and you may just have spent a lot on a big race entry, plus travel and gear! That’s a lot of time and money wasted, if you train incorrectly or inefficiently. You will want to have your best possible performance at every race.

A good coach will do more for you than just providing a training programme. They will be a mentor, teacher and motivator.

Why Aloha Tri?

At Aloha Tri, we have decades of experience and the right coaching certifications from Ironman University, British Triathlon (Level 2) and TrainingPeaks.  We offer bespoke coached programmes via the Premium TrainingPeaks platform, giving you structure and visibility into your training plan. You can choose from weekly or daily progress reviews, which provides corrective action.  We have worked with hundreds of athletes of all ages and abilities and improved their performance, skills and mindset. What motivates us is the “Aloha spirit”, a powerful way to achieve a desired state of mind and body, which we translate into how we coach you. Contact me (rav@alohatri.com) to maximise your investment in your sport!