Half Ironman

SwtHedgehog
SwtHedgehog Posts: 175 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
For those thst have completed there first half ironman, did you use a coach or train yourself? I keep reading things about how you should have a coach, but the reasonable price ranges available for a coach doesn't seem to provide much more than what I can/am doing on my own.

Replies

  • Bari_Tone
    Bari_Tone Posts: 45 Member
    Not an Ironman person, but I do participate in Sprint Tri's which is nowhere close to a half Ironman. But, I used You Tube as a coach for that. I bet you can find some guidance there for free.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    edited January 2020
    I haven’t done 70.3 but have done shorter distances and frequent the FB groups. A lot of people like the book Be Iron Fit. There are 2 books and one has the 70.3 plan. People like coaches for accountability and help in tailoring a plan to their schedule and to reach specific performance goals. If you’re a woman, check out the FB group Women for Tri.
  • craigfaggionato
    craigfaggionato Posts: 2 Member
    My own training plan, coaches are quite expensive. If your looking to place or need the help, spend the money. Tons of miles, cross training, and many brick workouts and you have this!
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    I've completed six HIM's and a full IM, as well as numerous shorter distance events. I've done my training builds both ways, the first two HIM's on my own following Matt Fitzgerald's free 16 week HIM plan.

    For the last four years I've trained under two different coaches. I really enjoy working with a coach, since I"m a bit of a training data geek and I like having a coach map out a training build, then tracking my progress using a software tool (Training Peaks) to analyze my increasing fitness, accumulated fatigue and ultimately "race readiness" on game day.

    I train with a good sized group (8-12) depending on the year. The group is a 50/50 split of men and women. Most of the men in the group train on their own, and most of the women use coaches. I think the reason may be that the men are more experienced in long course triathlon (multiple IM finishes) and most of the women come from a marathon background and like the support of a coach for the multisport challenge. (No knock on the women, there are 3 Boston Marathon qualifiers in the group who leave me in the dust, lol!) With that said, there are also many women in our larger tri club who train on their own. As @lorrpb mentions, the book Be Iron Fit is popular among our "do it your selfers".

    For someone considering a coach vs going it alone for a first 70.3 race, my two cents would be that it comes down to how you'd answer a few questions:

    1. Am I comfortable with putting together my own plan or following a written plan to prepare myself for race day?

    2. Do I understand my limiters (swim stroke, bike handling, etc?) and how to address them during a training build?

    3. Do I have previous experience with endurance sports (running, cycling, etc.) that lends itself to understanding how to manage fatigue, nutrition, pacing, etc.?

    4. Am I self motivated to train consistently, so that I perform at least 90% of the workouts during the 12,16, or 20 week training period chosen?

    Many people enjoy learning and doing this on their own. For people who look for and use coaches, a few thoughts:

    1. What would you hope for in a coach, as far as interaction, education of the athlete, etc. be specific:
    2. Are you comfortable working with a coach who is remote, or is a local coach a better fit. (With gps enabled devices, video analysis and great software apps, remote coaching can be just as effective. I use this option today).
    3. Being honest with yourself: How well will I follow a coach's plan and am I a communicator if there is an issue?

    I've worked with a number of running and triathlon coaches and all of them have said the same thing to me: 1) We can't guarantee a good result if the athlete doesn't follow our plans(skipping workouts, etc.) 2) We can't read the athlete's mind! If an athlete is sick, tired, facing family/work stress or hiding an injury from us, we can't help them to the extent needed if they don't communicate the issue to us.

    I've enjoyed the teamwork of working with a coach. I recognize that hiring a coach is an expense and not for everyone. If you do pursue a coach, I'd say that finding one who "clicks" with you during the interview process is the key to getting the most out of the relationship.

    Good luck.


  • jhanleybrown
    jhanleybrown Posts: 240 Member
    I've done a ton of Olys and used to be pretty competitive at that distance (now I'm 90% cycling) and have done a couple half IMs.

    I would say this - you can get training plans for less. More important than a coach is a group of people to train with. Find a tri club or even better join a masters swim team, join a running club and a cycling club. I would say having training friends is more important than a coach if you've got a decent plan. Caveat: if you are very competitive and think you can place, then I take it back, get a coach.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    I joined triathlon training groups for my first couple olympic distance ones (the first ones I did). Mainly because it was fun to have people to train with, and to get advice on things like transitions and open water swimming. (During open water swim training it was nice to have someone there to watch your stuff too.)

    I did my first (and only, so far) 70.3 after doing multiple olys, so I decided to train on my own. It was fine, but I think I'd find a group to join if doing it again.
  • SchweddyGirl
    SchweddyGirl Posts: 244 Member
    Djproulx wrote: »
    I've completed six HIM's and a full IM, as well as numerous shorter distance events. I've done my training builds both ways, the first two HIM's on my own following Matt Fitzgerald's free 16 week HIM plan.

    For the last four years I've trained under two different coaches. I really enjoy working with a coach, since I"m a bit of a training data geek and I like having a coach map out a training build, then tracking my progress using a software tool (Training Peaks) to analyze my increasing fitness, accumulated fatigue and ultimately "race readiness" on game day.

    I train with a good sized group (8-12) depending on the year. The group is a 50/50 split of men and women. Most of the men in the group train on their own, and most of the women use coaches. I think the reason may be that the men are more experienced in long course triathlon (multiple IM finishes) and most of the women come from a marathon background and like the support of a coach for the multisport challenge. (No knock on the women, there are 3 Boston Marathon qualifiers in the group who leave me in the dust, lol!) With that said, there are also many women in our larger tri club who train on their own. As @lorrpb mentions, the book Be Iron Fit is popular among our "do it your selfers".

    For someone considering a coach vs going it alone for a first 70.3 race, my two cents would be that it comes down to how you'd answer a few questions:

    1. Am I comfortable with putting together my own plan or following a written plan to prepare myself for race day?

    2. Do I understand my limiters (swim stroke, bike handling, etc?) and how to address them during a training build?

    3. Do I have previous experience with endurance sports (running, cycling, etc.) that lends itself to understanding how to manage fatigue, nutrition, pacing, etc.?

    4. Am I self motivated to train consistently, so that I perform at least 90% of the workouts during the 12,16, or 20 week training period chosen?

    Many people enjoy learning and doing this on their own. For people who look for and use coaches, a few thoughts:

    1. What would you hope for in a coach, as far as interaction, education of the athlete, etc. be specific:
    2. Are you comfortable working with a coach who is remote, or is a local coach a better fit. (With gps enabled devices, video analysis and great software apps, remote coaching can be just as effective. I use this option today).
    3. Being honest with yourself: How well will I follow a coach's plan and am I a communicator if there is an issue?

    I've worked with a number of running and triathlon coaches and all of them have said the same thing to me: 1) We can't guarantee a good result if the athlete doesn't follow our plans(skipping workouts, etc.) 2) We can't read the athlete's mind! If an athlete is sick, tired, facing family/work stress or hiding an injury from us, we can't help them to the extent needed if they don't communicate the issue to us.

    I've enjoyed the teamwork of working with a coach. I recognize that hiring a coach is an expense and not for everyone. If you do pursue a coach, I'd say that finding one who "clicks" with you during the interview process is the key to getting the most out of the relationship.

    Good luck.


    Pretty much this.
  • SwtHedgehog
    SwtHedgehog Posts: 175 Member
    Thanks for all the info/advice. I've been talking to people at the gym that have done several, getting a feel if what will work and not. Of course, I've been reading a lot of articles. Since I'm still 20 weeks away, I figured I'll reevaluate as I become closer to the next common training plan timeline (i.e. 16 and 12 week plans). I trained with a program the first sprint I did (I was lucky enough to have won a free training program). Because of my scheduld T the time, I basically ended up using that for open swim. The rest of my training was far fetched (Ultimate Frisbee as my running training and my 8 mile bike rides to get to the concert on the squares and the 8 mile bike ride back (similar thing on weekends but to the Farmers Market). I was fortunate enough that I'm able to do the sprints without training (althought the times are not pretty).

    This time around, I'm trying to train properly so I can finish the race and finish it strong.

    My main "fear" is that I do/will feel prepared, but in reality, I'm not.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    I've never used a coach. Had some very good results, and some not so good results. Assuming the coach is decent, it's a good way to ensure your training is efficient and effective. But you can certainly train effectively on your own.
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    SwtHedgehog wrote: »
    My main "fear" is that I do/will feel prepared, but in reality, I'm not.

    The 70.3 distance is a big step up from Sprint distance racing, so you're wise to follow a plan. Following a plan (any structured plan) will both prepare you physically and give you confidence on race day.

    The short version is simply this:

    1 Pick a plan, whether online, in a book or from a coach.
    2 FOLLOW THE PLAN CONSISTENTLY.
    3. On race day, trust your training.
    4. Be sure to SMILE for the Finisher Picture!
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    But you can certainly train effectively on your own.

    @jjpptt2 - Absolutely agree. With that said, this reminded me of a comment from my last tri coach: "My primary job is to protect you from yourself."

    Apparently some of us have a problem with balance. :smile:
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    Djproulx wrote: »
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    But you can certainly train effectively on your own.

    @jjpptt2 - Absolutely agree. With that said, this reminded me of a comment from my last tri coach: "My primary job is to protect you from yourself."

    Apparently some of us have a problem with balance. :smile:

    balance what is this balance you speak of.....
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    like others said - i've done it both ways - i've done coached and self-coached half-ironman - and i've done coached and self-coached ironman

    benefits of a coach:
    someone who can customize your schedule for you, taking into account work/family/injuries etc
    feedback from someone who isn't you

    Risks of a coach:
    let's be honest, not all coaches should coach - so how do you know yo uare getting a good one?
    do they truly do customized plans or is it more cookie-cutter? (I had one who said they did customized and yet when i needed to shift workouts because of conflicts it became an issue)

    benefits of online training plans:
    cheaper
    most of proven (personally I'm using Matt Fitzgerald's 80/20 plans right now)

    risks of online training plans
    no feedback aside from you and any devices
    not really customized to you and your needs

    thoughts:
    you are 20 weeks out right now - most online plans start in the 16-18 week range - most coaches are going to want to start sooner rather than later (i don't know many who would only want to do 5 months with you and then an event - many want lead-up and base building before they hit race specific)

    you could try something like tridot - i think its $10 a month and is supposedly customizable - although i've never used it, i've had friends who have
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    Djproulx wrote: »
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    But you can certainly train effectively on your own.

    @jjpptt2 - Absolutely agree. With that said, this reminded me of a comment from my last tri coach: "My primary job is to protect you from yourself."

    Apparently some of us have a problem with balance. :smile:

    balance what is this balance you speak of.....

    Neither you nor I have any idea. ;)
  • SwtHedgehog
    SwtHedgehog Posts: 175 Member
    Thank you; I am definitely going to look more into the tridot; taking a quick glance at the website this morning, that looks like way more what I need, and for a lot cheaper. :-)
  • snwjunke
    snwjunke Posts: 5 Member
    I trained for 1/2 IM without a coach, well, actually 2 70.3 races last year. Went couch to 1/2 (2x) and finished with a 50k trail run last year. Self guided training, watched number of You Tube video, read a bunch, made up own training schedule. Completed Santa Cruz and Indian Wells 70.3. Looking to do several this year and will seek coach soon.
  • SwtHedgehog
    SwtHedgehog Posts: 175 Member
    Thank you; another person mentioned Be Iron Fit. She followed it to the tee, in 23 weeks, she missed only 2 workouts. I found that it seems like most weeks I'm adjusting my schedule/workout plan due to unforeseen events (life/gym).
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Is there a triathlon club where you live? That may be a more affordable option than hiring an individual coach and you'll be associating with like minded people. I joined the Ottawa Triathlon club more than a decade ago and have benefited from both the coaching and the shared wisdom of other triathletes (I've found it to be a very welcoming and inclusive community).
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Some people need a coach for accountability and organization of workouts. If you can do that on your own, you should just be able to follow/adapt a reliable training plan, and there are many out there. If you have specific performance goals, a coach can tweak your workouts to best help you accomplish that.
    Have fun!

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