How a Coach Can Make You Be a Better Triathlete
By Coach Chris Newport, MS, RDN, LDN, CISSN, EP-C
Let’s face it: triathlon is complicated. It takes gobs of gear, training time, logistics, and more. Kudos to you for taking it on!
Triathlon ain’t cheap
According to USA Triathlon, we subject ourselves to doing 3 different sports in one day for a variety of reasons, including staying in shape and challenging ourselves. The average triathlete spends over $2200 on bikes and $564 on race entries. Keep in mind, this is the average. Most short course races are $50+, while a full Ironman can cost $650+.
With all that fancy equipment, what’s the most precious resource of all? YOU ARE.
Being a strong & healthy triathlete
But how much are you willing to spend on getting that awesome body across the finish line faster, healthier and stronger? I’ve never heard an athlete say “I’d like to be slower this year,” or “I’d rather be injured all season.”
If you’re not tuning your most powerful asset (your “engine” and your body) or keeping it running smoothly (with proper rest and nutrition), then you end up injured and frustrated.
Here’s where a good coach comes in…
While books and online training programs might serve as a good starting point, they’re unrealistic, impersonal and only look pretty on paper. You, as a triathlete, are a complex being with a unique set of challenges and goals who needs attention, objective insights, feedback and accountability that only comes from a human coach.
Take the emotion out and start being successful
The author Steve Chandler writes, “the reason why coaches are so good at working with people is because they don’t have the emotional charge on a client’s problem that the client has.” To what you might add, “training’s not emotional.” Riiiiiiight. So the reason why you haven’t gotten faster or lost that weight or kicked that Achilles problem isn’t emotional? Yup, it sure is.
You…as a Rubik’s Cube
For me, training athletes is like putting together a Rubik’s cube (see? not emotional, at all!). There’s a lot of tweaking, adjusting, and moving things around to find the perfect combination for that athlete’s unique set of circumstances. There’s plenty of science (VO2Max, FTP, paces, overload, progression, etc), with a good amount of encouragement and art (figuring out why an athlete’s not sleeping well or how to get the athlete to “see” his successes and strengths). Plus, our team provides additional objective views so you can get the best care you deserve.
So how can a coach make you a better triathlete?
By saving you valuable time, energy (emotional and physical) and money so you can do what you do best: BE A BADASS.
