Return to : Home

The Story on Personal Coaches

When I originally got the idea of writing about personal coaches, I mostly had the on-line prepackaged programs in mind. What I didn’t expect to get were responses before even writing the article. Apparently I found a hot-button topic and I’ve been informed that some people are waiting intently to find out what my opinions are. Do I smell an ambush coming? Well so be it.

I’ve decided to make this a two-part article because there are at least three distinctly different types of “personal coaches”. Part 1 will be about the on-line type of program that relates most directly to running and general fitness. Part 2 will cover in-person event specific coaching from someone outside the coaching staff. This can fall into the category of someone the coach or athlete sought out or an individual who searches out and seeks to aid an already established athlete.

On-line Coaching

The concept of a personal coach is very attractive. Imagine having the undivided attention of someone with a proven record of success who will tailor workouts to your specific goals and needs. If this is what you’re looking for the chances are slim that you will find it on-line. But what you can find are some good basic training programs and personalization is available – at a price.

On-line programs usually offer different levels of service. More contact and individualization can be had at rapidly escalating prices. That’s not necessarily a bad thing – it’s a fact of life that you have to pay more to get more. The trick is to make sure the program is what you need.

The first question to ask is “Why do I need a personal coach?” You have to identify your needs. Are you having problems designing programs that make sense? If you are a low to average runner and your goal is to better your 5K or 10K time, or even prepare to run your first marathon, you can find some low cost programs that give you standard advice. This is the same type of information you could find in a book or by joining a running club. But if you can’t find a good local club and don’t like to do your own research this is a valid alternative. Hopefully the practice will be tailored to the answers you provide to a questionnaire. Your age, PR’s, weekly mileage and goals will help the coach select a program for runners of your general ability. Some programs term this the entry or bronze program.

The advanced or serious runner usually needs more. This runner is already accomplished and needs specifically designed programs to maximize performance. This requires more frequent dialog (still done by e-mail) with the athlete giving the coach feedback about workouts. The individualization of these programs requires more work for the coach and hence costs more. No cookie cutter approach here. There is usually a larger element of motivational support as well. Where you might be able to get into a bronze program for $25-$50 a month, a silver or intermediate program is more in the $65-$100 a month. If a runner commits to this course of action they should expect to see some reward in faster times. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to ask for references or some form of testimonial since coaches providing these services are not commonly nationally known. A beginning runner can show good results with a lesser program so they only need step up to this level if they have nothing better to do with the cash.

If you are the type of person who needs even greater attention – including direct conversation, be prepared to shell out $200. or much more per month. Apparently there is a market for this type of service. Even this might be worth it to the right person. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find research showing that these programs really work, as with all coaching it is a matter of faith. And the more faith an athlete can place in their training regimen the easier it will be to develop a successful mental attitude. Listening to a coach’s voice and being able to hear calming reassurance is priceless if it allows you to reach a goal that has been elusive.

These services are most appealing to the post college athlete, or someone who has never run competitively and needs guidance. Its biggest audience is the master’s age group road racing crowd, runners with schedules that don’t fit the local road race club. High school athletes have yet to flock to this avenue of coaching and probably with good reason. Most schools provide competent coaching and to add another voice (that may not be in tune with the goals of a high school program) can be confusing. This doesn’t mean I’m necessarily suspicious of the goals of on-line coaches, but the reality is that if they are told by the athlete that the last meet of the season is June 20th, the on-line coach will design workouts to peak at that time. But the athlete’s true season end might be two or three weeks earlier depending on how they perform at the league meet or state qualifying meet. That information is what the high school coach has to use in planning, and he/she is watching daily progress necessary to predict when peaking should occur.

If there are potential uses to the high school runner for these services it would be during the off-season. If the runner is preparing for a cross-country season and hasn’t been given a summer workout program, this may just be what they need. Especially, if they have been unable to get into a pattern of running over the summer. As I’ve said many times, “October is the month you regret what you failed to do in August.”


Now what must you look out for?

On-line coaching is still a growing trend. As it catches on the variety of programs will continue to increase. So will the chances that fly-by-night operations with fancy claims and web-sites can provide Yugo workouts at Cadillac prices. Check out a variety of programs. See if you can find people who have used them. Try to go with a proven company or at least investigate the credentials of the coach.

If you are a high school student or parent, it might be appealing to grab for any perceived advantage, but trying to listen to two coaches at once can be confusing at his age and the athlete may lose more than what can be gained.

If anyone out there has experiences with personal coaches they would like to share with me and my readers I would like to hear from you. Please contact running.com and share your story with us.