The Art of REAL Coaching

With the Tour done, finally the TV isn’t a distraction—so that means now it is time to rise up and get out the door with only 10 weeks to Kona. I qualified at Ironman Coeur d’ Alene for the 13th time in my life…only this time I actually took the slot to Hawaii. Normally I would pass on it (but marked on the application I was competing for a slot), as it has been about seven or eight years since I had been there. After the last two disastrous seasons with declining training, declining results and increasing pain, 2009 became a mission of redemption or acceptance. For starters, I did not accept my 2008 April race at Ironman Arizona as being my fate from there on. It was a PW (Personal Worst) race, though I thought I had prepared fairly well given the fact I was in constant pain—especially on the bike. The only thing actually making it feel better was to do nothing, which I did a lot of up until about January of 2008. A crash course in high volume training normally would bring things around but this time it was to no avail.

I contemplated not racing for a few years after Ironman Arizona, so at that time, it was a matter of healing before getting back at it. As luck would have it, I stumbled upon a new procedure that allowed me to heal to a certain degree—come back fairly strong and prepare to tackle another Ironman only seven months post-surgery. It was one of those competitor things that just happens, we never want to give in to the obvious. It is always train, train, train, when we should be seeking out the real issues of injury. I have had the opportunity to work with two interesting athletes this year, both who are very talented yet will not be able to realize their true potential unless they a) stop b) heal. There isn’t a valid reason to keep pushing until the problems get fixed, simple as that. Healing takes longer if you are trying to heal and train at the same time. Sometimes light exercise helps healing along, depends on the hand you are dealt with. One of these athletes has so many problems that he would be best doing nothing else but swimming and aqua jogging. Yet, he has a fall and winter schedule he wants to compete in even while he doesn’t know what is causing the pain for sure. This is an example of complete disconnect with reality and could cause permanent damage. Luckily, I was able to find a fix to my hip issues and bounce back, but should have taken my own advice here and just stepped away for a time. This athlete has been told to step away by me on more than one occasion. Finally, (thank God!) he did…but will resume shortly with a fairly full schedule and forge on. He needs to just step away at this time all together and focus his training on his recovery instead.

Another athlete of mine, crashed on her bike up in the mountains and when asked what I thought she should do from this point (recently)…I told her to step away. It does not one ounce of good to push through injury, while still trying to prepare for an A-race. Heal, then go at it again. That is all there is to it in all three of our cases. Experience teaches you a lot about being a coach. Coaching gives you a lot of experience. This works both ways and the result is always the same, a dependable and wise source of information. Sharing information and teaching is largely what coaches do in their profession. Sharing is the key here…when you do this for a living, then the motivation becomes less about sharing and more about the dollars they can rake in. Not that coaching is that good a profession to get rich in…but if you don’t share the information, the credit for helping one another and just look out for your own pocket book, it isn’t a profession you should be in. Share because you CARE. About the athletes, about the sport, and use that experience to help others become their best. Be honest with them and strengthen the sport rather than trying to monopolize it with marketing and cheap gimmicky words of wisdom. Believe in the athletes and the profession. I say to all coaches out there…remember the real reason you got into coaching and the sport. It was because you love the sport and your experience to improve not only yourself but the wealth of knowledge in hopes of sharing it someday for the sake of helping others. At least that is what the REAL coaches and athletes I know got into the sport for. Keep it real, keep it honest.