A good triathlon coach can offer so much more than effective planning of your training. Much is made of AI and smart training plans and we agree that they can be very good for providing the framework of a great plan. We use smart management platforms such as Pillar for exactly this.
The major limitation of training plans on their own however, is they do not help you when your life in reality diverges from what is programmed. Training plans don’t teach athletes how to manage a niggle or when to take the foot off the gas if other aspect of their life are crazy. A training plan rarely helps a triathlete improve their skills or teach them race pacing strategies. It definitely doesn’t help them put together a fuelling and hydration plan or teach them how to recover after a session.
A triathlon coach however, can do all these things and more! They are in the trenches with you and are probably the only person that cares about your training and performance as much as you do!
We look after a very broad spectrum of athletes. From people doing their first triathlon up to people pushing for the podium at a major championships and this is how we like it!
It’s easy to just focus on the more elite athletes and bask in their reflective glory but so often we’ve gotten immense satisfaction out of athletes at the other end of the spectrum as they take on board our advice and really push forwards.
Another way of thinking about having a triathlon coach is that it is much the same as having a personal trainer. We just tend to be much skinnier and be more into our data!
The primary difference between our two tiers of coaching relationship is the level of support and communication. Squad Members benefit from the on-going support of a coach who is there not only to create an awesome training plan, but to help them navigate the hurdles they meet along the way. For example, helping them retain some sort of consistency when work gets busy or steering them through returning from an injury.
No plan is ever executed perfectly. The real value of a coach is their expertise in helping you problem solve when things don’t match up to the nice sparkly plan.
Online Members do however, benefit from a tailored plan and on-going amendments communicated over WhatsApp and at any point, for a small additional fee, they can seek the help of a coach via a coach consultation. The emphasis though, is on the athlete taking responsibility for navigating the aforementioned hurdles.
Our athletes compete in a really broad array of events and the simple answer is, with enough time we can help you prepare for any type of triathon. Here are some examples of what our squad are up to this year:
– preparing for their first ever 70.3 and Ironman
– pushing for age group qualification over sprint, olympic, 70.3 and iron distance
– competing at the european and world championships for aquabike
– competing at the 70.3 world championships
– preparing to take on extreme triathlons such as the Brutal, which is a double iron distance race involving a run up Snowdonia
– Xterra and off-road triathlon
There are a lot of good triathlon coaches out there. The area where we really excel though, is helping busy individuals find balance between their training and the rest of life’s stressors i.e. work, relationships, family life etc.
We also think we provide more than any other coaching outfit when it comes to the extra stuff on top of training plans and great coaching advice.
This includes things like:
There is always a lot to get sorted when onboarding a new athlete and often a lot to teach them if they are relatively inexperienced. This all takes time and we have a lot of experience of looking after athletes in these contexts. The key point is that your triathlon coach does not expect you to know everything and they will not judge you if you ask what you perceive might be a silly question.
One of the first things we do though is to set up an online dynamic screening. This is just a few squat movements, mobility tests and conditioning assessments. It is not a tough session, so don’t be anxious. It just allows us to assess an athlete’s strength and mobility needs so we can build them a bespoke strength and conditioning plan.
In terms of their general training, we always seek to build an athlete’s confidence before subjecting them to any testing. So don’t worry, your first few weeks won’t involve any kind of fitness assessments.
We run two weekly online workouts exclusively for our Squad and Online Member athletes that run between November and April.
A Tuesday evening structured cycling session leveraging Training Peaks Virtual and a Discord coaching feed. Both apps are currently free to use. Each week in the coaching feed we discuss a particular topic e.g. nutrition, pacing, key metrics etc. Sessions are recorded and made available if athletes aren’t able to attend.
The second session is a pre-recorded run session. This is a structured ‘tempo’ session and much like the cycling session, each week there is a discussion topic the coach will cover. The videos and audio files are made available via the Members Area and athletes can perform the session when suits them whilst still benefitting from expert coach advice.
Below are links to examples of what each of the squad sessions are like:
Bike Session
Not as such. However, we do require a certain amount of notice if an athlete wants to roll off at any point. The specifics depend on the coaching relationship but it is typically one or two months.
We require a notice period to enable us to manage our coaching resources and ensure athletes are spread appropriately across our coaching team.
As a general rule we only offer discounts in two scenarios:
1) Squad members have the opportunity to benefit from a discount when recommending a friend to one of our triathlon, cycling or run squad memberships. If that friend signs up, both will enjoy a fantastic 20% off their squad member fees for 3-months!
2) Squad members can enjoy discounts for committing to a 6 or 12-month block. Currently, they receive a 15% discount for purchasing a 6-month block and a 20% discount for a 12-month block.
Ready to begin working with your dedicated triathlon coach and build that tailored training plan? Hit the link below to set up your free coach consultation to discuss which of our training plan options is most appropriate or drop us an email with your requirements.
If you are someone who knows strength training is important but perhaps lacks the motivation or knowhow for consistency, our endurance athlete specific personal training service could be the difference.
For more information, check out our dedicated Personal Training page.
Want to improve your swim stroke but not sure where to begin?
Our expert coaches are ready to help you take a big step forward by analysing your swim stroke, walking you through the results and providing you with the tools to make the improvements you desire.
How it works:
£80 for analysis of your footage and 30-min coach consultation
So often recurring injuries and postural issues find their source elsewhere than the site of discomfort. Typically, a lack of joint mobility or a muscular imbalance are to blame.
Our Strength & Mobility Analysis Service includes not only a full run through of the areas of concern, but also provides you with the tools to take matters in hand.
How it works:
£150 for a full analysis and 8-week strength & mobility training plan
If you have a specific topic or issue you really need guidance with, our coaches are here to help.
Perhaps it relates to how to approach your training/race nutrition, or maybe you need help pacing your upcoming race.
Our coaches are at your disposal.
Simply book yourself in for a coach consultation and we’ll do our level best to steer you in the right direction.
£30 per hour