Is there a right time to have a coach?

richieg

Just a general thought as the season nears an end and people start to think about winter training and next year.

Is there a right time to involve a coach in your training? Should you be at a certain level, or number of years racing before you will truely see the benefit?

For example I started sportive and group riding last year and moved to racing this year. I had a few good placings in A4 including a win and moved to A3 during the summer. Did my first stage race a couple of weeks ago which was a real eye opener both in terms of pace and distance but got on well and happy with how I did.

Beasty

Moved from Cycling training logs

Beasty

Structured training with a coach to help is likely to lead to improvements for any rider that has never had such structured training. However my own approach was to see how much I could improve on my own. Spending time on here understanding a bit more about racing and seeing what others do in their own training regime, and then seeing what worked for me in practice. Obviously there is a cost involved also - some are more than happy to fork out for a dedicated coach's input, whereas others are happy to work on their weaknesses and build their strengths under their own steam. Once you're no longer seeing material improvements through your own devices is possibly the best time to approach a coach.

outfox

Just out of curiosity, OP, how much training have you done over the last year to get up to A3 so quickly?

richieg

I did regular club group rides last year with a midweek spin during the summer/autumn months and maybe 1 of my own so probably 5-6 hrs a week. Decided in Spetember to have a crack at racing this year and signed up to trainerroad in Nov and followed their plans from base upwards and continued the weekend group rides. Usually doing around 8 hrs a week from Jan on. Good bit of turbo work through Feb/MArch/April.

dermabrasion

Just thinking about this. I should start by saying that in my mid 40's, I have no ambition to move to A1 from A4. But, I don't think I have pushed myself enough to be better. I had so many false starts and re-starts this year, and never built any form. Work has huge part to play in derailing any momentum. So, if I can afford it, I would like to have a training program. It would like to have a program built around me and family life, for diet, base training, strength and speed.
Anyone have an idea of what it costs?

kumate_champ07

you cant buy discipline

dermabrasion

Nope ya can't, but insight, experience, knowledge and expertise usually have a fee attached.

kumate_champ07

well you can get that here for free

Beasty

Have a look round this site
It's run by one of the top coaches in Ireland, and the site can certainly give you a feel for the sort of stuff out there. I'm not in a position to recommend anyone specifically, but I am sure there are plenty of coaches out there who may fit your needs.

In terms of price, some coaches offer different packages, depending on how much support you feel you need or indeed can afford, which can range from weekly e-mail updates to regular face to face sessions

There are also some disciplines such as track where there is a regular coaching programme available to accredited riders - it will focus on specific track disciplines and not really stuff like nutrition. However it is a very economical way to get out training within a group and pick up a lot of useful tips both from teh coaches and indeed other riders

fondriest

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

well you can get that here for free

So you get someone on here to look over your training files and develop a plan , look after your specific training and nutrition requirements and change it to suit your lifestyle as your circumstances change , for free . I don't think so .

Inquitus

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

you cant buy discipline

I disagree, I think having a structured program to stick to and a coach to answer to would go a good way towards getting out the door on a wet winters day rather than staying on the couch.

hammerheadjack

I'm not a coach but have coached a family member for a good few years until recently. They now have a dedicated coach and its a weight of both our minds. The same insecurities and reservations we both had are what you are experiencing now.
My tuppence worth is that if you can aford it then go for a coach now rather than later. You can waste a lot of time building experience and trying to work out your own thresholds or creating and following your own plans and never really trust that they are what is required. Find a local coach if you can, that will meet you face to face periodically rather than getting emails with prescriptions. Learn from him as you go. If he's a good coach he will tell you why he has prescribed specific workouts and outline objectives. If you want to go it alone after that, you have at least learnt something from him to base your future training on.

kumate_champ07

fondriest wrote: »

So you get someone on here to look over your training files and develop a plan , look after your specific training and nutrition requirements and change it to suit your lifestyle as your circumstances change , for free . I don't think so .

for A4/A3 racing? it's not rocket science

fondriest

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

for A4/A3 racing? it's not rocket science

Nobody said it was , but any information tailored specifically for someone is obviously going to be better than some pieces of information mashed together from an Internet forum .

harringtonp

dermabrasion wrote: »

Just thinking about this. I should start by saying that in my mid 40's, I have no ambition to move to A1 from A4. But, I don't think I have pushed myself enough to be better. I had so many false starts and re-starts this year, and never built any form. Work has huge part to play in derailing any momentum. So, if I can afford it, I would like to have a training program. It would like to have a program built around me and family life, for diet, base training, strength and speed.
Anyone have an idea of what it costs?

My advice would be figure out your available weekly hours, find a general plan and stick to it. If you can stick to it and it is your first time doing it, you are likely to see considerable gains even if it is not the perfect plan for you. Because any plan is usually far better than unstructured cycling once you have a year or 2 cycling under your belt.

Attached is a plan, have read it but not used it myself (yet that is). There may be too many hours for you, there is a little more time commitments than other plans I have used myself. It contains just enough theory to give a good understanding and then the plan itself.

dermabrasion

Thanks for that. I was considering getting a coach because I have a job (doctor) which makes routine impossible. I have been racing for a few years now, and have started into the winter with plans and goals. But, I hit periods of work which include prolonged periods without sleep leaving me exhausted needing me to recover from work let alone a hard training session. Pushing the envelope frequently leaves me getting sick, and loosing any gains.
I want to get a coach that can re calibrate and recognise this so to get ready momentum over the winter. I think it would mean starting earlier and build slow.

fixie fox

dermabrasion wrote: »

Thanks for that. I was considering getting a coach because I have a job (doctor) which makes routine impossible. I have been racing for a few years now, and have started into the winter with plans and goals. But, I hit periods of work which include prolonged periods without sleep leaving me exhausted needing me to recover from work let alone a hard training session. Pushing the envelope frequently leaves me getting sick, and loosing any gains.
I want to get a coach that can re calibrate and recognise this so to get ready momentum over the winter. I think it would mean starting earlier and build slow.

Given your circumstances you will certainly benefit from a good coach, using the best analytic techniques. Apart from optimising the stress/recovery balance, there is also a certain stress induced from 'stressing' about your training programme and having somebody else do it takes that away. Goal analysis might also help.

12 sprocket

dermabrasion wrote: »

Thanks for that. I was considering getting a coach because I have a job (doctor) which makes routine impossible. I have been racing for a few years now, and have started into the winter with plans and goals. But, I hit periods of work which include prolonged periods without sleep leaving me exhausted needing me to recover from work let alone a hard training session. Pushing the envelope frequently leaves me getting sick, and loosing any gains.
I want to get a coach that can re calibrate and recognise this so to get ready momentum over the winter. I think it would mean starting earlier and build slow.

If you have some control over the extended work reduced sleeping periods a coach might be helpful. If you don't have much control over when you have to work mad hours it might be more important that you just learn some principles of training and be realistic about the lifestyle and train accordingly and stop "pushing the envelope" during the heavy work periods or before or after to try to make up for the lost training... remaining healthy could be the first goal and life - work - training balance is key to that.