Get Coached
Jennifer Faraone
Running with Clint Cherepa,
Take Your Running to a New Level
“Champions are everywhere, all you have to do is train them properly.” Arthur Lydiard
Elites, Olympians and collegiate runners have them, and so can you. Coaches are becoming increasingly prevalent in the world of amateur and elite endurance sports. Endurance athletes everywhere are finding that being coached gives their training more focus, builds their confidence and keeps their training fresh.
Do You Need a Coach?
Joel Filliol was head coach for Triathlon Canada from 2006-2008, and is now working directly with select athletes. He feels a coach is for, “anyone who wishes to improve their performance.”
Coaches are the perfect choice for athletes who are trying to bring their training and racing to the next level.
Coaches have experience helping athletes break through plateaus and reach new goals.
Filliol feels that coaching helps with, “objective planning, accountability and simplification of the training process.”
Jennifer Faraone lives in Ontario and coaches with Marathon Performance; she also coaches privately, and holds a two-day trail-running camp.
Faraone says having a coach, “provides a plan or roadmap to help achieve your goals. A coach can help to take the guesswork out of figuring out what to do and when, how hard to push yourself, and when to hold back.”
Personalized Training
One of the best parts about having a coach is the one-on-one personalized training. This can be done even when your coach does not live nearby. The internet has made it possible for a person to be coached by someone across the world. Filliol coaches runners from around the world. He suggests an athlete find out about what type of communication is preferred and how much access and interaction is expected.
What to ask:
Does the coach change their training from person to person or do they have a generic plan?
Mentor and Cheerleader
Zoe Webster is a runner from Ontario who is coached by Jennifer Faraone. She feels that watching her coach train and race shows her what she wants to achieve herself.
Good coaches will cheer you on and mentor you. Having a coach that is positive will affect your training. Some coaches will even try to be at your races to give you that extra pump.
What to ask:
How involved will the coach be in your races? Will some of the training be face-to-face, whether via internet or in person?
Consistency
If your training undulates like the roads you ride or run, a coach can give you a steady helping hand. A valued coach is intently interested in all your workouts, and will keep you aligned with a weekly plan.
Faraone says a good coach, “holds you accountable; for some people, this makes the difference between getting their foot out the door or not.”
A coach can help you set your goals in stone, and help you reach them. The right coach will be coaching other athletes with similar goals as you.
What to ask:
Ask if the coach writes weekly, bi-weekly or monthly plans.
Goals
It is easy for a runner to drift aimlessly when their goals are not concrete and well thought out. A coach can not only help you set goals in stone, but also help you reach them. The right coach will be coaching other trail runners with similar goals as you.
Running Coach Andy DuBois says, “If you are an elite training for a 100-mile race, then look for evidence that the coach has experience with elite runners at 100-mile races. Similarly, if you are a mid-packer moving from road to trail marathon for the first time, look for evidence the coach has experience with athletes of a similar ability to you making that change.”
What to ask:
What are the goals of the other runners that they coach?
Zoe Webster
Injury
“With a plan, you are less at risk of injury, over-training and set-backs. It is easy to take on too much, too soon, and to make decisions about your training only to regret them later; your coach can be your voice of reasoning,” says Faraone.
Webster says that her coaches have provided her with specific strength exercises to prevent injury.
What to ask:
Does this coach have any training in nutrition, physiology and biomechanics?
Keep in mind Faraone’s advice, “A good match is based on experience and personality, and it can be hard to assess that match when simply reading about one’s credentials or experience. It is a good idea to have a conversation with them first to help assess that suitability.”
Coaching will cost you. Prices really do vary per the level of interaction and the experience of the coach. You can expect to pay anywhere from $50 to over $300 a month.
The decision to get coached is in your hands, but without a doubt, coaches benefit our sports.
Three Common Coaching Styles
Every coach is as different as their own personality. Their coaching styles will vary, but their coaching can be categorized in three main styles:
Relaxed: This the least-structured coaching style. Your coach will only get involved in your training when asked.
Cooperative: You as the runner will share in the decisions about your training. Your coach will outline a program and schedule based on your opinions and goals.
Authoritarian: Mostly in elite-type coaching. Your coach makes all the choices. You follow the structure completely.
What to ask:
How much say will you have in your training? Is there a limit to the weekly correspondence?
Sources:
Jennifer Faraone– [email protected]
www.runningthetrails.wordpress.com
Joel Filliol– [email protected]
www.joelfilliol.com
Zoe Webster– [email protected]