Weak, man. Norman won Kona twice using the self-coaching method. Crowie won Clearwater in a similar fashion. Self coach all the way...

I say that because I'm much too cheap to pay for 300/month for assistance, am much to proud to admit that I probably don't know what I'm doing, and am annoyed that the USAT level III coach in the area decided I wasn't qualified for racing/training on his team (and thus get free coaching) even though I consistently out-performed all but 2 he currently has on a team of 15...

Agreed. I was expecting you to come out and say you're coach is crap, and you'd be much better off without him. Thus solidifying my personal viewpoint. Oh, well, first race in 6 weeks, so I better not be second guessing my plan now.

Man, I wish I had a spare $300/month. Not that I'd use it for a coach right now, but it'd be nice to have :-)

Good job finding something that works for you!

Ok, I have the funds and still wouldn't spend it on a coach when there is plenty of literature/information out "there" to use. Perhaps that makes me cheap too but I also have a years worth money saved to live incase hubby losses his job (I guess it's about priorities). Fifteen years ago it was a bit harder with out the internet but even so there was a library to use for free. If I were winning or pro yes perhaps. But I am not, nor will I and thats ok by me. I have seen my own improvement just by following my IM plan (from a book) to a "t".

I believe Gsal is young (17 no?) and it's easy to do when mom and or dad is footing the bill. Even if you are "paying for it", if you live at home and have assistance in the end they are footing the bill. Nothing wrong with that at all. I wish you luck in your season and look forward to hearing about your success.

Best of luck to you. I am glad you have seen improvement! It's always nice to have that when so much time and hard work goes into your training.

I think it's important to note that it's possible to get coaching on a budget. A lot of tri clubs will have a "coach" that ranges from a USAT cert coach to a guy who read a few books to a guy who knows less than you do. Tri clubs are usually very affordable and give you some excellent resources (like a rudy project pro deal!). I'm working on getting our club to get a cervelo sponsor but I don't think it will happen any time soon.

glad the coach is working for you. enjoy the feedback.

I am a MOP'er and even if I had a coach I wouldn't be making triathlon or running my career.
$300 is a little much when you have big bill to pay like a mortgage. I am fortunate to have a little left over after paying bills to do some events and get some needed supplies every year.
I am also fortunate to have a great wife that supports my habit.

I don't think she would be so happy with me spending the $$ on a coach.

If I was 17 again and had some spare cash and had more innate ability, I might go for it.

Good luck Gsal!!

The OP never said he pays $300/month for coaching...everyone's just pulling that number from the random one thrown out by xcrunner.

For most AGer's in our position, coaching isn't the most worthwhile investment even at a lower cost, but we aren't athletically gifted and 17 with aspirations of going pro (I'm pretty sure I remember seeing that). In that situation, paying for coaching makes a lot more sense. Not saying there aren't quality self-coached pros, but there are a lot more quality coached pros from what I've seen.

Hey, I never stated what units that 300 was in. You are all assuming it's dollars. Could just as easily be Yen, Pesos, Euros, Thai Baht, whatever (yen or baht would be sweet though, and worth spending). But a fair number of coaches charge around 300 for their intermediate services. If you want one-on-one, daily contact, you're looking at closer to $1k/month for many (at least around here).

I just joined the thread with a rant of my own. Can coaching be worth it? Definitely. Can it help with motivation? Sure. But I wouldn't get a coach just because I were unmotivated. They can't force you to do the work, you have to want to get it done. My college track/xc coach certainly tried to get me to work harder, but I was the one making the decision on how fast my intervals would be. And they were never as fast as he would have liked. Then I quit.

Simple answer, if itworks for you, and your'e happy with it, keep doing what you're doing. Be it working with a coach, skipping work/workouts to watch The Tour live at 6am, or training yourself to Kona or world cup victories. All are good with me. But coming from a background in swimming since age 6 and running since 10, I'm just to proud to ask for someone else's help who doesn't have superior experience or credentials (and many coaches, especially those with a number of certifications, usually do not).

Gsal - god luck at the 2012 talent id race. Should be a lot of fun. I hope you're swim's good, because if you're in the pack coming out of the water, you'll have a lot of fun on the bike.