A lot of people ask me if I have a coach. Well, the answer is yes and no. I have NO formal coach, nor do I have someone specific to train with, to write me workouts or to help me with my skills and form. *I think I have the nutrition thing under control :)
However, I must also say YES that I do have many coaches in the triathlon community. I'm not sure if I should consider these people coaches or rather as training partners? Well, I look at these special people as coaches.
My friend Tony just wrote me an email and told me that he has a treadmill (speed) workout to do of 8 X 400 at 5K pace after our swim in the morning at Palm Harbor YMCA. We have run side-by-side on the treadmills the past 2 tuesdays and we both kinda encourage each other during our interval sets. Well, Tony is looking forward to me running with him tomorrow because he could use the help getting through the set. Well, I am excited to do the workout with him and have HIM push me along. Although we run at different speeds, based on our different HR thresholds, the workout is great and we both keep each other going. Especially when we do this workout after our 5:30am swim.
Another example was this morning when I spent 2 hours and 10 minutes on my bike with 2 cops that I coach (hopefully them being cops will have its benefits...so when I get in trouble with the law they will have my back! Hehe-only kidding). They said they really wanted to get in a long ride of over 35 miles and get close to 40 miles. They are training for Ironman 70.3 Florida in hopes of a great race! I was only intending on riding with them for an hour, but I said YES to the opportunity to be on my bike with them. Any chance to be on my bike is great! Not sure if it counts, but I am pretty excited that I put in 300 miles in 7 days of riding. Not to shabby for a newbie cyclist (can I still use newbie??) I worked them hard and they didn't even complain.. and at the end of our 39.5 mile ride (isn't that sad when that happens) they apologized for being so slow and for getting in the way of my normal training speed. I appreciated the nice comment of my "normal" speed (whatever that may be) but I enjoyed being with them and didn't even look at my watch to see how long we had been going. It was a chance for me to practice my skills while working aerobically on my bike. I love training with other people and no matter who is pushing who, I always feel like people are helping me with my training.
I want to give a big thanks to all my coaches out there. It is only when I am around others that I feel like I have a lot of people helping me with my Ironman training. Only 7 months until Kona and I feel strong and excited to step up the training! Although there will come a time (in a couple weeks) where I will have to tailor my training to be a bit more intensive (which means I'll be recruiting the fast triathletes in this community to really kick my butt!) I am enjoying all the help from others who consider themselves "newbies". Be strong, stick with your training plan and be sure to thank all your training buddies...for they are your true coaches!
However, I must also say YES that I do have many coaches in the triathlon community. I'm not sure if I should consider these people coaches or rather as training partners? Well, I look at these special people as coaches.
My friend Tony just wrote me an email and told me that he has a treadmill (speed) workout to do of 8 X 400 at 5K pace after our swim in the morning at Palm Harbor YMCA. We have run side-by-side on the treadmills the past 2 tuesdays and we both kinda encourage each other during our interval sets. Well, Tony is looking forward to me running with him tomorrow because he could use the help getting through the set. Well, I am excited to do the workout with him and have HIM push me along. Although we run at different speeds, based on our different HR thresholds, the workout is great and we both keep each other going. Especially when we do this workout after our 5:30am swim.
Another example was this morning when I spent 2 hours and 10 minutes on my bike with 2 cops that I coach (hopefully them being cops will have its benefits...so when I get in trouble with the law they will have my back! Hehe-only kidding). They said they really wanted to get in a long ride of over 35 miles and get close to 40 miles. They are training for Ironman 70.3 Florida in hopes of a great race! I was only intending on riding with them for an hour, but I said YES to the opportunity to be on my bike with them. Any chance to be on my bike is great! Not sure if it counts, but I am pretty excited that I put in 300 miles in 7 days of riding. Not to shabby for a newbie cyclist (can I still use newbie??) I worked them hard and they didn't even complain.. and at the end of our 39.5 mile ride (isn't that sad when that happens) they apologized for being so slow and for getting in the way of my normal training speed. I appreciated the nice comment of my "normal" speed (whatever that may be) but I enjoyed being with them and didn't even look at my watch to see how long we had been going. It was a chance for me to practice my skills while working aerobically on my bike. I love training with other people and no matter who is pushing who, I always feel like people are helping me with my training.
I want to give a big thanks to all my coaches out there. It is only when I am around others that I feel like I have a lot of people helping me with my Ironman training. Only 7 months until Kona and I feel strong and excited to step up the training! Although there will come a time (in a couple weeks) where I will have to tailor my training to be a bit more intensive (which means I'll be recruiting the fast triathletes in this community to really kick my butt!) I am enjoying all the help from others who consider themselves "newbies". Be strong, stick with your training plan and be sure to thank all your training buddies...for they are your true coaches!