TRIATHLON COACH??

RobBaxter

Hi Guys,

I'm new to the triathlon buz. Did a sprint in August and I'm hooked.

Used to be super-fit a few years ago. Irish rowing team, Irish squash team, Irish swimming team, all 5-8 years ago. Then got very sick - heart condition - but now i'm good to run an Ironman and so I want to break records and give it everything.

My fitness levels aren't great right now but I know they can get really high. I need a good coach who will help me avoid junk miles and set me out a program and maybe even work on some technique.

I have a fair amount of money to invest in a coach because it's what I really want right now.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm new to triathlons and don't really know what I'm doing?

Regards,
Bobby

shotgunmcos

Agree with tunney. You have the stuff required for a good race with that background. The rowing engine for the bike and I'm sure once you get a good feel of the pool again that will come back to you. If you swam to a national standard you should have a fair idea how to get yourself swimming fit again.

One concern I'd have about looking for a good coach as new to the sport as you are is that no matter how good your attitude and finances they may not be interested in working with a novice. They may just advise you to build your base, do a few more races and come back in a years time. I don't mean to be negative but a lot of calibre coaches would not be prepared to invest the time into the basics of triathlon. They would rather take someone who has had a good experience of it and plataeu'd.

Then you come down the ladder and find the coaches who would be only too delighted to take on a rookie but haven't got the credentials to get the most out of you.

You would progress considerably naturally in your rookie year anyway so you could end up thinking the coach is better than they really are.

If its Olympic distance you could throw Mark Dempsey into that pot. Rough to deal with but a good guy and knows his stuff.

For IM. Why not check out French, US, AUS IM specific coaches? Just an idea

What IM have you entered?
Best of luck with it

RobBaxter

I absolutely love boards, there's so much good feedback!

Entered for the Ironman 70.3 next September in Galway (hometown).
I should have enough time to train for that I would think.

Those credentials don't mean much right now other than that I know I can get to a very high standard again. I've literally lost all fitness. I wasn't able to do anything too strenuous for the last 4 years so basically been sitting on a couch for 4 years

My old PB times for swimming mean nothing. Right now, I'm getting around 13 mins for 750 meters but I will get that down under 10 again pretty soon hopefully. My current tun time is 48mins for 10k which is crap enough but I think I need to start working on my 5k time rather than my 10k. Bike time is 47mins for 20k so that could be improved on too.

I want a coach set my training, tell me what to work on, how to do it (avoiding junk miles), how much per week, what is too much, what is too little, what to eat, etc.. Basically everything!

I certainly have the time and the will power to do everything. I wouldn't mind getting a coach who will also look at my running technique and maybe cycling? Just so I don't pick up any bad habits.

There has been two coaches mentioned, are they in Dublin? Forgot to mention that I'm living in Dublin.

Thanks for the replies guys,
Bobby

shotgunmcos

RobBaxter wrote: »

Right now, I'm getting around 13 mins for 1500 meters but I will get that down under 10 again pretty soon hopefully.

eh? I assume thats a typo and you meant 13mins for 750??

You can get to Mark Dempsey through TI but as mentioned I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't have the time for a rookie. A mate of mine went to Peter Kern recently and has mixed things to say. Just because a Coach is good and has proven results with athletes does not make him/her every cup of tea. Sure you could ask the Mod Hunnymonster or her husband Zuppylurk for some structure too if IM is your thing.

I tried a Coach for a while last winter and it didn't work out, fell into Category 2 I mentioned in my previous post. I found what helped me to improve self coached was to return to my old rowing mentality and remember how the rowing coach would structure a winter. I also started to read a lot, ask a lot of questions and most of all make mistakes!

tunney

RobBaxter wrote: »

I absolutely love boards, there's so much good feedback!

Entered for the Ironman 70.3 next September in Galway (hometown).
I should have enough time to train for that I would think.

IM 70.30 - disregard most of what I said, I was talking about Ironman distance racing. Half ironman distance doesn't need the same prep nor the long term plan to race well.

tunney

shotgunmcos wrote: »

eh? I assume thats a typo and you meant 13mins for 750??

You can get to Mark Dempsey through TI but as mentioned I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't have the time for a rookie. A mate of mine went to Peter Kern recently and has mixed things to say. Just because a Coach is good and has proven results with athletes does not make him/her every cup of tea. Sure you could ask the Mod Hunnymonster or her husband Zuppylurk for some structure too if IM is your thing.

I think we've established its the whole mini-marathon/marathon phenomenon

Regarding coaches if personalities don't fit then the relationship cannot work.

shotgunmcos wrote: »

I tried a Coach for a while last winter and it didn't work out, fell into Category 2 I mentioned in my previous post. I found what helped me to improve self coached was to return to my old rowing mentality and remember how the rowing coach would structure a winter. I also started to read a lot, ask a lot of questions and most of all make mistakes!

Some coaches are utter cack - main thing to look for is level of access. how often how much, what media, etc etc.

RobBaxter

I think I'll go ahead and give Peter Kerns or Mark Dempsey a try then. Does anyone have a number for these guys? Or know where I can get one? Nothing on google

shotgunmcos

RobBaxter wrote: »

Nothing on google

Do Google know about that?

RobBaxter

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Do Google know about that?

What do you mean?

Anyone know how I can get a number for theses guys?

Triangla

As a newbie you might be better off joining a club. A good bit cheaper than getting a coach.

Where are you based? Any clubs nearby you?

RobBaxter

Triangla wrote: »

As a newbie you might be better off joining a club. A good bit cheaper than getting a coach.

Where are you based? Any clubs nearby you?

Based in stillorgan

Triangla

Belpark or even Wicklow Tri Club could be good bets.

Check out the clubs section on the Triathlon Ireland website for their websites and drop them a line.

Good place to get the benefit of experience from current members, also for getting to know people to car pool to races and in general to have a chat to about your progress and tri in general.

I think a coach for a beginner is expensive, there's plenty of expense in triathlon already (as you know from shelling out €190 for a half IM). No point making it more expensive.

ThisRegard

RobBaxter wrote: »

Hi Guys,

I'm new to the triathlon buz. Did a sprint in August and I'm hooked.

Used to be super-fit a few years ago. Irish rowing team, Irish squash team, Irish swimming team, all 5-8 years ago.

In the other thread you say you're only 22, so 5 to 8 years ago you were only 14-17. I wouldn't have thought any fitness you had when you were 14 would translate to what you can achieve, particularly if you didn't do anything since then, would you not be like someone just starting out from scratch ?

S. Goodspeed

Triangla wrote: »

As a newbie you might be better off joining a club. A good bit cheaper than getting a coach.

Where are you based? Any clubs nearby you?

Totally agree with this. Join a club, Belpark and Piranha are both close to you and have a lot of good sessions. Belpark in particular have a large number of very serious athletes and always have a few lads ranked in the top 5/10. They tend also to be very good cyclists, not sure if they just attract them or its the way they train but I'm sure it could only help you. I think they usually have two bike groups at the weekend, fast and slow, so for the first few weeks you could ease yourself in (47 mins in quite slow but we any sort of proper training and a decent bike you get it down to 40mins quickly enough). Belpark also tend to be crappy enough at swimming relatively speaking (I heard it joked before that its to do with their heads being so big they cant float..) so they could do with a few more people with swimming backgrounds as well.

Personally I wouldnt bother with a coach for at least a year, try to work on your endurance base and technique this year and then next year when you can comfortably handle long hard sessions and think you need more structure then maybe look into getting in touch with some of the names mentioned earlier. The vast majority of people do not have a specific coach, it is very expensive and in my opinion unless you have done two or three years of hard work on your own following some of the well known and generally accepted training principles ('the triathletes bible' for example would be worthwhile starting point) then I think you'd be wasting money. Get to a good standard yourself (i.e 2:05-2:10 for an olympic if your midterm goal is to become competitive) by training with the lads in the club and on your own and then get a coach to bring you to another level.

tunney

S. Goodspeed wrote: »

Totally agree with this. Join a club, Belpark and Piranha are both close to you and have a lot of good sessions. Belpark in particular have a large number of very serious athletes and always have a few lads ranked in the top 5/10. They tend also to be very good cyclists, not sure if they just attract them or its the way they train but I'm sure it could only help you. I think they usually have two bike groups at the weekend, fast and slow, so for the first few weeks you could ease yourself in (47 mins in quite slow but we any sort of proper training and a decent bike you get it down to 40mins quickly enough). Belpark also tend to be crappy enough at swimming relatively speaking (I heard it joked before that its to do with their heads being so big they cant float..) so they could do with a few more people with swimming backgrounds as well.

Personally I wouldnt bother with a coach for at least a year, try to work on your endurance base and technique this year and then next year when you can comfortably handle long hard sessions and think you need more structure then maybe look into getting in touch with some of the names mentioned earlier. The vast majority of people do not have a specific coach, it is very expensive and in my opinion unless you have done two or three years of hard work on your own following some of the well known and generally accepted training principles ('the triathletes bible' for example would be worthwhile starting point) then I think you'd be wasting money. Get to a good standard yourself (i.e 2:05-2:10 for an olympic if your midterm goal is to become competitive) by training with the lads in the club and on your own and then get a coach to bring you to another level.

Agree that a coach is overkill but disagree with the clubs, very very overrated. But if someone was going for a club I'd investigate carefully and learn to use google as some clubs have a terrible reputation.

BMcCrystal

This is what you need to do..

Go out and have a blast in your first year..make loads of mistakes and learn from them.. Agree with most..don't bother with a coach yet, pick up some crappy training program in one of the mags and give it a whirl. get the body used to the 3 disciplines day in day out.. Join a club and make loads of mates..

Ask loads of questions, listen to the answers and form your own opinion.. in this game youll alot of know-it-alls!..

by all accounts you look like you have the tools...youll be on the podium in no tme.. no bother to ya

Bryan.

baldykav

Just saw your main post and didn't read all replies but my 2 cents are....

Don't worry about a coach just yet, study the sport through reading, videos etc and get familiar with what's needed to perform the individual tasks efficiently and sport overall. Get a coach when you get to a point that he doesn't need to hold your hand on basics.

Get a CONSISTENT winters training under your belt then race a good few Sprints/Olympics over the summer with an eye on G70.3 at the end. Target races you want to do, register early!!!!

You'll learn a lot just by training and racing. I'd suggest you join a club because doing everything solo can be quite boring after a while especially if you don't know exactly what you want to do each session. Also a bit of craic and a good opportunity to learn and meet like minded people who can bring you on in your training. You have to enjoy training! (well most of it).

With the times you have listed it's probably a bit soon to be talking records but certainly with a background like that the engine could be developed. Consistency will be key know for you so just get in there and do it!!!!

RobBaxter

tunney wrote: »

Agree that a coach is overkill but disagree with the clubs, very very overrated. But if someone was going for a club I'd investigate carefully and learn to use google as some clubs have a terrible reputation.

Can you suggest any clubs tunney? Pirana looks good? no?

RobBaxter

ThisRegard wrote: »

In the other thread you say you're only 22, so 5 to 8 years ago you were only 14-17. I wouldn't have thought any fitness you had when you were 14 would translate to what you can achieve, particularly if you didn't do anything since then, would you not be like someone just starting out from scratch ?

Ya around the 13-17 ages. I am saying that I am like someone starting off from scratch right now, but I know I can achieve very high due to my past achievements, I presume that must count for something? higher limits maybe? maybe not? but I'll give it a good try anyways.

YFlyer

RobBaxter wrote: »

I think I'll go ahead and give Peter Kerns or Mark Dempsey a try then. Does anyone have a number for these guys? Or know where I can get one? Nothing on google

Mark Dempsey, you'll track him down in Nancy Blakes, Limerick some evenings.