You Don't Need A Coach (If)...

Wouldn't it be great if we could all go to some of the national coaching conferences and get advanced coaching certifications like the USTFCCCA has?  Or if we had the time to peruse the many voluminous works some of the worlds top coaching minds have written?  Of course it would be, and if you could then you would be able to coach yourself because you would be up with the top science and literature in the coaching field.  

Furthermore, if you are highly disciplined and can get out the door for a run every day, plus be able to handle the proper workout paces and distances for your workouts, then you are probably well on your way to being a great self coached athlete.  Then also, if you had access to training equipment and gear and could keep track of meets and races to sign yourself up for, you'd be very self sufficient and definitely would not need to spend time having someone else help you.  

Now let's get back to reality. The person I described above certainly is an adult, not a school aged athlete, and even as an adult they are few and far between.  For the 99% of athletes out there, if they want to succeed, they need someone to guide them.  They don't have time to do their normal daily activities plus gain the necessary knowledge to coach themselves to the highest level.  They need someone to be accountable to.  Someone who will challenge them in different ways every day.  They need direction.

Whether it be joining a local club, joining the school team, or just finding a training group that has organized goals is important.  Getting with people, or a coach, who has good knowledge of the sport and can offer direction and guidance is really the difference maker for the success of most athletes.  

Now if you can't find a local group that has the same goals as you, or can't find local coaches to meet with, there is still hope.  The great thing about today's day and age is that not only can you use the internet to find coaches, you can even use the internet to be coached!  It's crazy, I know, but online coaching is trending upwards and is probably much safer than online dating.  There are many online coaches, including myself, who have put together successful training programs for athletes of various ages and experience levels.  Look for what each coach can offer, their pricing, and how much you believe they can help you, and never be afraid to ask them questions to be sure you are getting exactly what you need!

Are you maximizing your training with a coach?