Training for an Ironman is not easy. It’s not just the physical training that is hard. There is also the mental aspect of putting all of your eggs into one basket and training so long for one shot at huge race. Then there are the time issues of trying to fit in all the training you think you should be doing. And you can’t forget the recovery, the massage, the strength & conditioning, the Yoga, the bike maintenance, the technique, the training nutrition, the daily food prep… I’m tired just thinking about it.
If you are going to invest all that time, money and effort into one big race, then you need to be sure that you are doing everything correctly. You need to be ticking every box and not forgetting anything that may leave you vulnerable or under prepared on race day.
This is where spending a few more dollars on a high quality triathlon coach becomes so important. It can’t just be any coach. It has to be a coach who will listen, adapt, review and modify your Ironman training plan to fit around you.
You need to find a coach who you relate to. A coach who is willing to work just as hard for you as you are willing to work for yourself. Like most Ironman athletes, you are probably a full time worker, or full time student, or parent. Or you might be all three! You need a coach who understands the hard grind of working life, who understands the tight budget of student life, who understands the sleepless nights and constant sickness of parenting. Basically, you need a coach who understands you.
In this day and age with so much access to blogs, forums and social media, it is an easy trap to fall into to think you can rely on these things to support you as you try to do it all yourself. I am constantly seeing athletes training for an Ironman ask questions on these forums. Hundreds of replies come flying back from people from all over the world with all kinds of experience and skills. But 99% of the time, the answers have no consideration at all for the individuals own unique life circumstances.
This is where a personal triathlon coaching is so invaluable. You will receive your own personalised Ironman training plan that fits around your work, family and social life. You will have full access to a real expert in the field, ready to answer all of your questions. If you have found a high quality triathlon coach, then those answers will take into consideration your life stressors, your budget, your family, your injury history, the weather, your goals, your location, your access to facilities, your equipment, how well you slept, how hard you’ve been training, how well you are eating and that’s just the start.
The more feedback you give your coach, the more specifically they can alter your Ironman training plan to make sure you are training as efficiently and as smartly as possible. You don’t have to tick all of the boxes, because your coach will be ticking them for you. All you have to do is do the work and turn up to the start line on race day.
So don’t waste your precious time trying to learn how to train, eat and recover, then sifting through the garbage answers to find the answers that are right for you. Get yourself a good coach. Get yourself an Ironman training plan that is written and delivered by a good coach. Give yourself the knowledge and security that you will get to the start line as well prepared as you can be. Give yourself the confidence that you will get to the finish line in the best time you can do.
For a free week of training and to see if you have found the right coach, contact Triathlon Ireland and Triathlon Australia Performance Coach Steve Davis and give yourself the best chance at your big day. steve@daveyblackfitness.com