# So I just got a coach.



## Hyder (May 30, 2013)

I just purchased my first Power tap wheel set and wanted to make the most of it so I hired a coach. I must stress that I do not race and never plan on racing, but like to do local events and fast group rides. I am an A rider and a group junky. I am always riding with just about any group I can find. I am never the best guy, but I can hang with the fast group just fine. Really I just want to improve.
What should my expectations be? I do not have a lot of time to train during the week Maybe around 10 -15 hr. Is this enough time to justify hiring a coach or should I just read a few books and go on my own?
I hired him for 2 months so I at least wanted to see if I had any improvement. Also what do you guys think is a reasonable amount of time I should be spending on the bike. With such low hours will the coach do me any good? Basically will I truly get any benefit out of a coach?

Thank you..


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

You need some concrete goals. "want to improve" is too vague. Want to improve what? How will you know when you have reached the goal?
The coach should work with you to figure out what your goals are. If they give you a plan based only on what you shared here, they suck.

How much time you can spend depends on your life. Are you willing to get up early? Can your family deal with you riding more? Figure out how much time you can realistically spend and tell the coach what that is so they can build the plan around that.

I ride a LOT and I average 12.5 hours a week. That's a true average taken by dividing the number of annual hours by the number of weeks, not a bullstuff internet average where you cherry-pick some good weeks and call that average. So it factors in the weeks where I don't ride at all because I am sick, the break in the fall where I cut back for a month or so, family emergencies, work, etc. Meaning that many weeks where things go to plan I'm doing more like 15-16 hours on the bike, not counting time in the gym or stretching.

BTW even if you have a coach you should track and analyze your power data. Training Peaks (pay) and GoldenCheetah (free) are the two most popular software packages. Both let you upload to training peaks web site which is probably where your coach will want to receive the files. You should always make copies of the power files before uploading them. That data is valuable, don't trust it to some web site.


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## Hyder (May 30, 2013)

ericm979 said:


> You need some concrete goals. "want to improve" is too vague. Want to improve what? How will you know when you have reached the goal?
> The coach should work with you to figure out what your goals are. If they give you a plan based only on what you shared here, they suck.
> 
> How much time you can spend depends on your life. Are you willing to get up early? Can your family deal with you riding more? Figure out how much time you can realistically spend and tell the coach what that is so they can build the plan around that.
> ...


Good advice thank you, I do have some specific goals in mind. my problem will be getting in quality hours on the bike. A good bulk of my hours are commuting to work, 30 miles one way. I try and ride three days a week and hope to really get in some good training on the commute. Other than my normal loop I do my group rides on Saturday morning, not sure how much training I will get in on a group ride. I am willing to change everything up to get better, I just hope I can get in the proper training that I need.


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## jmorgan (Apr 13, 2012)

Hyder said:


> Good advice thank you, I do have some specific goals in mind. my problem will be getting in quality hours on the bike. A good bulk of my hours are commuting to work, 30 miles one way. I try and ride three days a week and hope to really get in some good training on the commute. Other than my normal loop I do my group rides on Saturday morning, not sure how much training I will get in on a group ride. I am willing to change everything up to get better, I just hope I can get in the proper training that I need.


You can always do intervals on the way home from work. Structured intervals alone will help and with a powermeter its much easier to stick to a plan. Start out 2 days a week, then 3 if you can recover from them. That alone for a couple of months and you will see big improvements.

I don't think you need a coach just yet, you do need a plan and you need to stick to it. Figure out what works for you and stick to the plan. Group rides often don't end up being good training rides but let them be your longer days on the bike.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

There are some very good masters racers out here who get much of their training in on their commute. It takes discipline to go hard when its time to go hard and go easy when its time to go easy.


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