3 Reasons You Need to Work with a Triathlon Coach

So I have been racing for almost 10 years now and have about 35-40 races under my belt. I have done so many that I lost count. The very first race I did I worked with a Triathlon Coach. He was a Doctor of Kinesiology and was a licensed Physical Therapist. Super knowledgeable about the sport of triathlon. That was the BEST thing I could have done for my first race- WORK WITH A COACH and here is why:

1. One of the main reasons you need to work with a Triathlon Coach is the ACCOUNTABILITY. My coach made it so I had to SHOW UP EVERY DAY for my workouts. There were written in BLACK AND WHITE. They were on a calendar taped to my refrigerator so there were no excuses! And I knew he was going to want to know how my workout went- did my hamstring hurt? How was my heart rate? Did I practice the form drills he gave me? Yes there was something to DELIVER to him every single day!

2. Not only was he holding me accountable, but his expertise played a huge role in SAFE TRAINING. He knew how to recognize a red flag situation. When I told him I was feeling nauseous during the run, he changed up my nutrition. When my hip flexors were tight, he gave me some important stretches to do before my workouts. He always looked at the big picture when a problem arose- could it be my running shoes? the way my bike fit? did I need to change something in my swim stroke to make it more efficient?

3. There are always days when a workout doesn't go as planned. Sometimes flat tires happen, or the gears on your bike malfunction. Sometimes you feel awful in the water for whatever reason. My coach never let me dwell on setbacks in training and always kept me FOCUSING ON THE GOAL ahead and what I had to do to get there. Bad workouts happen, but a good coach will ALWAYS help the athlete STAY MOTIVATED! Tomorrow is a new day with a fresh start and good things happen to those who stay CONSISTENT!

These are all things to consider before you just go out there and wing it with a free training plan you found in google. Work with someone who knows racing! Work with someone who knows what they are doing and has race experience. This goes a long way in helping you rock your next triathlon!! Need a triathlon coach for your next Sprint or Olympic race? Message me!! :)