Coach motivation: When the weather is shit it can make it harder to train. The motivation is dampened. The athletes' enthusiasm is rained on. Its dark, cold and generally miserable. Your bike shots are soggy, the sunnies mist up, the bike is filthy, your runners are wet... and you wish you were a duck!
But here is the thing... and there is really no getting away from this...
That's when the tough get going. That's when the foundation for your triathlon season is laid down. That's when Ironman triathletes step up.
I love turning up to the sessions and coaching the athletes who are committed to developing and getting better they are there ready. Skin is waterproof, as long as it is safe to train... get on with it.
It brings a smile to my face when I turn up and the triathletes are ready to go.
THAT is a coach's motivation for coaching.
Guess that means I have been mega motivated this last couple of weeks! Jeez... it feels like Autumn in Britain! Its been rubbish... but I am already now getting bored of washing my bike!
So I would like, for my birthday, a period of several weeks with nice weather, not too hot, not soaking wet and with just a little sunshine. Thanks!
Oh and an Aston Martin DB9.
So what else has been going on in this little triathlon world?
Well, to be honest not a huge amount... its that time of year. Aye, right'oh...
There's is so much happening. New clients signing up for training, old ones returning after a hiatus... I have always said, "You rarely really leave F4L."
On top of that, there is all the things a self-employed triathlon coach has to do... stay on top of accounts, website updates, advertising, session plans, training camp planning, race plans, coach mentoring, etc... I am not complaining... I love the diversity it brings... just wish it allowed me that Aston Martin though.
All in all, no rest for this coach... onwards. Now, where are those mudguards?
Paul Jones is a British Triathlon Federation Level 3 Coach and a Triathlon Australia Performance Coach.
He is also an IRONMAN Certified Coach and a Level 2 Training Peaks Coach. F4L Triathlon Coaching offers triathletes and other endurance athletes a full coaching and training service that caters to all levels of triathletes. F4L offers professional triathlon and endurance coaching and the reliability triathletes and endurance athletes require. Each athlete is an individual, every athlete has different needs.
