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Using a Coach?
tkillion810
Posts: 591 Member
I'm looking to improve my marathon time. My best time to date is 4:09, which I got last year. Since then, I've struggled to get close to that. I have come in at 4:15, 4:12, 4:19... I know a contributor of this a slight increase in BF and reduction in lean muscle, which I'm working on. I also do hill work and speed work already. Frustrated with my slower times, I'm considering working with a coach. I'm wondering if anyone else has worked with one, and how the experience went? How did you come to find your coach? If you don't mind sharing, what can I expect for the cost range?
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Also trying to decide this on whether I need a coach or not for training for my first 50k. I did have a fitness coach last year who helped me lose some weight (but some of the weight loss was due to support at mfp from y'all too). She didn' t really help me at all with my running although she is a runner. So, yes, the coach helped me lose weight but did she help me improve my running? Not really. She was a free online coach, didn't have to pay her anything. That's hard to find anymore. I'm leaning against a coach right now as I seem to have pretty adequate support from running friends here on mfp, Twitter friends who use #runchat and/or #ultrachat hashtags, G+ running groups, and Facebook running friends. Also some local friends who are runners that help me. If I start to struggle in my ultra training that starts this month I might hire a coach. But I'm fairly independent and like to control my training schedule when needed like when asthma/allergies flare up. I did a diligent, thorough internet search to find my previous fitness coach and made sure it was someone who was a serious runner who was also asthmatic so she understood the struggles I have with that. My marathon times have crept up with age,too-that's partly why I'm looking at ultras. Slower pace, longer distance, less pressure (in some ways). Good luck. It's a great feeling to break 4 hr pace marathons, I haven't had a sub-4 in many years.0
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I started working my a coach about 5 years ago and the results have been fantastic. The best part is not having to think about what I'm doing. I just read what's on the plan and then go run it. He keeps me from being overly ambitious too. Left to my own devices, I could easily force myself to do too much.
I "met" him on a running forum. I get my workouts in 3 week blocks and we communicate via email and text with the occasional phone call. It's a really good arrangement.0 -
I think my dietitian and corresponding weight loss will be the biggest factor for faster marathon times. I study, prepare and modify my training based on how I am feeling. Carson makes a great point about overtraining. I honestly can't always assess my training in an objective fashion. The temptation to push too hard is a real issue.0
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If you aren't ready to go for a coach yet, you could always consider joining a running club if there is one near you. I joined mine in the fall and have seen great improvement in my form and pace. We meet for long runs on Saturday mornings and track workouts on Wednesday evenings. I get a lot of great hands on advice from the people I run with and they push me to do better. I've thought about a coach for myself, but after joining my running club, I'm going to put it off for a while.
My running club is free. There are some others in the area and they charge $25 through $50 per year. In addition to getting a lot of great advice, it's been great to make some new friends with the similar interests.0 -
Thanks - I've been a big part of the running club in the area in the past. Unfortunately, they've moved the days which they meet for the runs and I can no longer attend.0
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It depends largely what you want. I have worked with an e*Coach for many years. He was $35 a month and I just gave him a raise to $40 (my choice). I could really just coach myself but I think of the adage that a lawyer who defends himself has a fool for a client. I provide Mike with an on going list of races that I am doing and which are the more important. He creates a plan and then sends it to me a week at a time. I recap how the workouts went and then give him anything else to consider (i.e. I have to be in the office early on Wednesday so only have 45 minutes that day). He'll then tweak the plan for the week and send it to me. It is essentially all email once a week although i will very occasionally text him about something
I belong to a RRCA Certified Coaches group and that rate for ongoing, e*Coach only, is pretty common. Maybe the low side. There are many other options. Another is race specific. Put together a custom plan and off you go. Probably $75-$100 on time. Or the other end of the spectrum where you meet one on one with somebody x numbers of times per month.
It is really all what you want and are able to spend0 -
Oh, when I started working with Mike I was pretty exclusively race walking. He was the Track & Field coach at UWK and I heard from somebody else that he offered e*Coaching. You can use http://www.rrca.org/find-a-coach/ as a start0
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Thanks - I'll check it outOh, when I started working with Mike I was pretty exclusively race walking. He was the Track & Field coach at UWK and I heard from somebody else that he offered e*Coaching. You can use http://www.rrca.org/find-a-coach/ as a start0
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