Find the right triathlon coach for you
With so many options out there and the seemingly endless supply of expert triathlon coaches and influencers, it is easy to get confused about finding the right triathlon coach for you. Below, we discuss some key points on what to look for when seeking that match.
Coaches rarely coach all athletes. They will often specialise with certain people. And, in the same way, not all athletes' needs are the same, so the same coach for your friend, partner or training buddy could be the worst coach for you. Some factors contribute to making coaches more senior, but those senior coaches will have vastly different levels of success for an individual athlete. So the first step in finding the right coach for you is to recognise that the coach doesn't have to be for life.
Understand the pricing differentiation
Coaches come at various pricing points, and we found that the following factors impacted a coaches price globally:
Their experience in coaching: time in the sport, time coaching etc.
Their reputation: regional, national, international, Qualifications, articles/papers published etc.
Their branding: the performance and success of their athletes their social media representation.
These factors subsequently underline our own coaching pricing structure and are the basis of most successful coaching entities. With Tri Training Harder, these factors impact the price you will pay for ou senior athletes.
Recognise what is marketing and what is a successful coaching
Unfortunately, point 1 takes a long time, but a social media advert campaign takes a shorter time, so often athletes are bombarded with loads of distractions. The reason you almost certainly want a coach is to improve, so keep that focus when looking at different coaches.
Understand the coach that you need to achieve your goals now
Coaches also coach effectively at different points within an athlete's lifecycle. Club coaches are usually excellent at helping new athletes develop basic skills and progress to a moderate coaching standard. They subsequently may pass on responsibilities to another coach as the athlete makes the leap to the next phase of their performance and racing at Age group teams. They may look at a different coach if they pick up a professional card. Some coaches work specifically with masters athletes and others with females. Find the coach who works best for you and your goals.
Avoid athletes-turned-coaches unless they have other credentials
Athletes turned coaches are usually a red-herring of a good coach. Often, they are excellent at coaching themselves or athletes almost identical to themselves. This means they have a very narrow bandwidth of coaching and unless they have a huge array of coaching experience, end up over-priced and ineffective. Those who are successful would stand up as a coach themselves without the need to mention their athletic success. Unfortunately, this is the normal route for many coaches. Remember, the aim is to improve your times, not to do things as they did. One of the worst phrases we hear from "athletes turned coaches" is "When I did...[insert athlete's experience and the lesson they want to teach you]". This isn't evidence or science-led coaching, and really can be improved.
Find the coaching relationship that works best for you
We have several coaches within Tri Training Harder. We know that they are developed to a set standard that we are proud of before letting them coach clients. However, even then, when an application comes in, we choose the coach most appropriate for the athlete. Not all coaches coach in the same way. Even within our company. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and one coach will wok better with certain athletes. The relationship is exactly that, and therefore, both parties need to click!
Finding the right coach for you doesn't need to be an ordeal. Find the key attributes of a coach that are important to you, recognise what you want out of that relationship and don't be distracted by style over substance. If the coach gets the most out of you for the phase of your triathlon life, then that is a great outcome! Don't be afraid if you feel it is time to move on from a coach. Coaches should be evolving as an athlete is evolving, but perhaps you need to take the next step, and they aren't the right coach for that move. It is ok to move on and may be the best thing to do.
Whoever you end up working with, it is our experience that great coaches often bring so much more to the table than a training plan, so don't settle for anything less than great. These are your dreams that they are playing with after all.
Philip is the founder of Tri Training Harder LLP. He’s a British Triathlon Level 3 coach, and has been coaching for over a decade and is involved with mentoring and developing other coaches.
Philip has have coached athletes to European and World AG wins, elite racing, many Kona qualifications, IRONMAN podiums and AG wins.
Alongside the conventional development through many CPD courses, he has also been fortunate enough to work alongside experts in the fields of Physiotherapy, Strength and Conditioning, Nutrition, Psychology, Biomechanics, Sports Medicine. Putting this knowledge into practice he has worked with thousands of athletes to various degrees, from training camps in Portugal and around Europe, clinics in the UK and online coaching.
Visit Philip's
Coach profile
We’re here to help
Tri Training Harder are one of the leading Triathlon coaching providers in the UK, using our wealth of experience to unite scientific and technological research with already well-established and successful best practices, to create a formula for triathlon and endurance coaching that works.
The result is an honest, dynamic, yet simple new way of constructing an athlete’s training to allow them to reach their potential.
If you’re planning your next season, just starting out in the sport or are looking for extra guidance at the very top end of the field, we are here to help, and our coaches would be delighted to hear from you. You can contact us via the website, and one of the team will be in touch.