Who needs a coach?
There is a short, interesting New York Times article here about running coaches, and the reasons why some people like to use them, and some don’t. In short, the author hypothesizes that people who like coaches tend to like the individual attention, having a schedule made for them, and gain confidence from having someone else tell them they are ready for competition. People who don’t like coaches tend to crave flexibility in their schedule and sometimes can’t find the right personality match in a coach.
Obviously, that is a very shortened list of the reasons someone might or might not want/need a coach. But of course, it got me thinking about running coaches (or coaches in general).
Would you like to have a coach (for any sport)? Why or why not? Would you like to be a coach?
Picture from here
The article mentioned self-coaching – either making your own training plan or following one found online, in a book, etc. That is what I have done for all of my training. I started with Fitness magazine’s 6 Weeks to a 5K in fall/winter of 2006 and have used that multiple times to get back in to running. For my first half marathon (spring 2009), I used Runner’s World’s Double-Your-Endurance plans from 3-6 miles then 6-12 miles. For my first attempt at the marathon, I tried one of Hal Higdon’s plans and was injured and never ran the race. For my second attempt, I somewhat used the FIRST training plan (I started my marathon training late because of injury and had to adapt the plan). And for over the last year I have been writing my own plan!
So, obviously, I like to self-coach. Now the question is whether or not that is doing me any good. I set personal records (PRs) from time to time, but I don’t do any sort of structured running (speedwork, tempos, fartleks, strides, blah blah blah). I think for me, my weight has more to do with my success in running, than anything else. The lighter I am, the easier it is for me to run fast. But that’s not the point of this post. Moving on…
Sometimes I think it would be fun to have a coach, but only if they were going to be there to push me to do the workout. Otherwise, I would see 8×400 on the schedule and just go out and run a few miles at a “fast for me” pace.
I’ve found that I really like my running to be flexible. At the beginning of each week, I usually don’t have any runs planned, except for my long run and sometimes a lunch run, and that really works well for me. Well, in the sense that I don’t feel stressed out about meeting any sort of schedule. I suppose I am such a naturally anxious person about so many things, that it’s nice to have running be more flexible.
Whoa. That is a lot of running talk. I have a few more things to say, but I will make it brief.
- I think it’s smart for first time runners to follow a run/walk plan to get in to running. A lot of people I know just go out for a 5 minute sprint and get incredibly winded and proclaim they hate running and don’t try it again for awhile. I think you have to work up to that (5 minute sprint)! Start small!
- I think being in a running club can kind of be like having a coach because you inevitably have SO MANY people telling you their opinion on your training. This can be good or bad.
- In the same sense, reading running blogs can help you self-coach as well. You see ideas from other runners and try things out.
Themocracy
I’ve had a running coach in the past, and it didn’t work out well for me. He had me doing some really crazy workouts that left me feeling out of gas several times a week. Unlike the article was saying, he wasn’t telling me to slow down he was telling me to push more. But I really like that article and this posting because I am actually really interested in coaching these days. I think that it is difficult to find a coach that meets your needs, but I think I would be decent at it. I’m like you and have been making up my own training schedules for awhile and they’ve been paying off somewhat. Who knows if I’ll be a good coach or not, but I’m going to try anyways.
I do think you would make an AMAZING coach! And I bet you could get a lot of virtual clients from your blog alone!
I don’t think that I need a running coach at this point (not because I’m awesome but because a coach can’t help my real running issues – bad knees), but I’d love a personal trainer to make me do strength training and/or a cycling coach. I’d love someone to help me work on cycling. That would be pretty awesome because I am super slow!
I really love having a personal trainer. I would not be doing half the stuff I am doing on my own. Okay, I would not be doing ANY of the stuff, or anything AT ALL, on my own 🙂
I wish I had had a coach for my IM training. At the time, I didn’t think it was worth the money. As I look back, I realize I should have spent the money. I over-trained but I don’t think I would have if a coach was planning my training.
I would love to have a coach (as long as they could work with my crazy schedule!). I think I push myself hard now, but could always work harder!
I have a coach, her name is Koach Kim. Ever hear of her? She’s pretty good. I have a run today – looking forward to it!
Aww, thanks! I am excited to hear about today’s run in your NEW shoes!!!
I loved having a coach in high school but I’m not so sure I’d want to answer to someone now. Maybe if I was genuinely trying to PR at a certain race or something. Mostly I run for fitness and because I enjoy it. I do enjoy getting faster but it’s not really a priority right now. So far I’ve been doing alright being self-coached.
I think it depends a lot on personal preference and what you want out of running. At some point, I might look into a coach, mostly because I have a mentality that works well with “having an assignment” (read: I’m much less likely to slack off). But my life is so nuts that I’m not sure it’d be good for my family right now. I know what I need to do, and speed isn’t all that important to me (which is good, since I’m still slow, but faster slow than last year).
What I’d REALLY like is to be as strong a runner as you are – with consistant splits, still at 20 miles in. THAT’S what I struggle with, and I think it’s a combination of not putting enough miles in and lacking mental strength. I’ll get there, but I don’t think it’s something that is necessarily coachable.
Thanks for your nice compliment. I think it is exactly what you said – putting the miles in. Then your body starts to go on auto pilot! I am still working on the mental thing though. I really struggle with it!
So I had coaches in high school and college for running and they helped to make me a good athlete. Then I graduated and started running on my own. I was doing ok but I injured myself a bit because I didn’t know what I was doing and I just went out and ran alot. Then I joined my running club where we pay a very small amount and get coaching all year long. And its great. Its not like my coach is over bearing, he is there when I need him or ask for help which is nice. Its a lot better than a college coach who basically controls your life.
So all in all, I love having my running coach right now. He is supportive, encouraging and provides me with a training plan that I have been following for 9 months now and love it. It works for me and having a group to push me helps to. I am running faster and longer than I ever have before. I think its just about finding the right fit for you.
I have been using a coach and I love it because it gives me someone to answer to. It means a lot and does a lot for my training.
Your #2 sums it up for me.
I’ve never been coached and never considered hiring one until this past year when I’ve struggled. Maybe I’ve taken myself as far as I personally can by myself. Maybe my desire to improve just isn’t there. Joining a running club and having fun appeals to me more than hiring a coach right now.
Interesting topic!! I personally like self-coaching. I think it’s fun reading as much as I can online and finding a plan that I like best. I also like to have flexibility and I’m not sure I would like someone telling me what to do.
I actually think that coaching would be fun, but I also think that it’s pretty easy for anyone to call themselves a “coach.” I took the RRCA running coach class, and I really didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know from being involved in the sport for so long. (Plus background knowledge of nutrition, etc.) I’ve given advice to friends about running, so while I’ve never been an official coach, I like to think I’ve contributed on some level. That being said, working as an official coach would be a nice way to get in some extra money on the side! They’re not all the cheap, from what I’ve seen. (Also, I’m a cheap person, sooooo yeah…)
I think some people need the direction from a coach and like having someone tell them what to do. I started running in junior high and high school, so when I no longer had a coach telling me what to do every day, it was a little weird. I consulted good old Hal Higdon and went from there! Definitely have gotten to the point where I feel that I can self-coach myself, which is nice. I think it would be very rewarding to coach someone and then see how they do and be proud of them…then again, I wonder how much do I really know that qualifies me to coach someone else.
I think a coach can be a good thing…if they really work WITH you. Sometimes I think coaches just do a one-size-fits-all approach and that’s how people get burned out or injured. I sort of have a coach in our track leader, Holly. I’ve learned a lot more about race strategy and how to approach a race than I learned about how to get faster but I think that’s what I needed. I don’t think that’s necessarily something you can teach yourself. Having someone more experienced who has seen you race and seen you run and knows you and who can give you good advice is what I think I’d want out of coaching that I couldn’t get out of a training plan or even out of random people in my running group.
When I had a gym membership, I liked going to the classes. I was guaranteed an hour-long workout. If I just hopped on a machine, I knew I’d get bored and leave after 20 minutes. In the classes, I had someone telling me what to do for an hour.