Athlete Training Services
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DO YOU JUST WANT TO JUST FINISH A RACE OR DO YOU WANT TO PODIUM?... ARE YOU A COMPETITOR OR COMPETITIVE ?​​​
Consulting
Many people don't want a "full blown" triathlon or duathlon plan that covers several months -- sometimes it's only for short-term guidance on a specific sports-related subject. I can advise you on your specific needs, be it nutrition, strength training, etc. You name it and I can provide consultation one-on-one or to a group of folks.
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There's really no set training menu to choose from: your individualized request can be for a one-on-one meeting or specific group presentation, providing background material on a topic, recommending a sport website, or putting you in contact with a particular physician, therapist, masseuse, etc.
Some of the topics I can help you with are:
Swimming, Cycling, Running, Sports Psychology, Nutrition, Strength & Flexibility, Sport-Specific Equipment, Sports Websites, Race Strategy, Sports Physiology, Training Plans, Race Selection, Injury Recovery, Goal Setting.
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I can just about guarantee that if you consult with me, I KNOW the answer, have a resource to GET the answer, or know who to ASK for the answer.
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Cost is dependent on the duration and detail of the consultation; you won't know unless you ask and there's no charge for that!
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Interested? For further information, email me.
Coaching Principles
I don't have a "box of training plans" or a file entitled "plans-in-a-box". I like the K.I.S.S. O.F.F. principle -- Keep It Simple Stupid, Or Face Frustration. There are a lot of training plans out there that are based on optimum conditions -- a rich, unemployed, young, extremely talented, highly dedicated, very well-organized athlete. That combination doesn't exist and that's why coaches get paid -- to encourage, direct, explain, and step back and look at the "big picture". You can't successfully take an inflexible, highly structured pre-planned plan and make an athlete fit into it.
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In discussions with the athlete, a lot a questions need to be specifically asked and honestly answered BEFORE a plan is developed.
Here are my top 10 questions to ask before developing a training plan:
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What are your goals, objectives, races: have you prioritized them? (A, B, C races; specific times or distances for one or more events)
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Why have you now decided to plan and pursue this athletic challenge? (what's your motivation; what do you want to get out of all this)
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When do you want to achieve them; i.e., how much time is there between now and then?
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How will you measure progress or identify any need for adjustments? (what tests or gauges are there to be and when; does one build towards the next one)
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What is your athletic background and your present level of fitness? (how much experience and expertise in different skills is there; what's the start point)
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How much time, per day and per week, can you devote to training? (what daily and/or major constraints are there; when can and can't training be done)
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What is your family and personal health history. (are there limitations, physical or medical, that impact training capacity and capability)
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Who, if anyone, do you plan on training with? (are there individuals you know with similar talents and goals; any local clubs/groups)
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Where are the facilities and/or training venues available to you? (how hard or easy will it be to train, inside and out; what's conveniently available)
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What training needs to be addressed more strongly than the basic performance skills? (is it nutrition, mental skills, etc.; have you thought about it at all)
If an athlete can truthfully answer the above questions, they can begin to develop a training plan -- it's highly recommended, however, that serious thought be given to obtaining the services of a coach. The pitfalls of poor planning and training, resulting in injury, disillusionment, and disappointment, far outweigh the cost of a good coach. And you don't want to pay the most expensive one; check around, talk to athletes that are coached, and make the right financial decision Whether or not you coach yourself or obtain the services of one, take the answers to the above questions and begin to put a "strawman" training schedule together. Test, adjust, and make it more specific periodically.
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In essence, for a training plan to be successful (and a coach can be a great help), it must be personalized to the athlete's abilities, understanding, and goals; can be monitored for effectiveness by the coach's expert use of experience and knowledge and the athlete's performance and feedback, and modifications must be mutually agreed-to by coach and client for appropriateness and acceptance. Never stop checking, adjusting, and monitoring a training plan to enhance it's basic purpose: to document the right activity, at the right time, at the right intensity, for the right duration, for the right reason, for the right athlete.
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No, I don't have packaged training plans, but I have and can develop a plan for any goal -- from completing 5k race in a certain time to finishing an Ironman Triathlon. Regardless of the distance or type of event, every plan is created with inputs from the athlete based on several initial variables and always has to be modified as time passes.