Pros and Cons To Paying For A Run Coach
I’ve had a long break from posting on Medium as I’ve been working on a number of other projects including certifying as a run coach and finishing up my newest book “Stop Overthinking And Start Running".
To get back to it I thought I’d provide a breakdown of some of the pros and cons to getting a run coach. I don’t think it’s something you just want to do without considering both sides of the coin. A coach can be a big investment that may not always be worth the cost but there is is definitely something to consider if you need some help achieving your running goals.
Reason You Might Want To Pay For A Run Coach
This isn’t an exhaustive list but some of the main reasons why you might want to invest in a run coach.
- A run coach had made all the mistakes before. A run coach will know the easiest way for you to get to where you need to be. A good run coach will help you train smarter.
- Buy-in and accountability. A good run coach will hold you accountable and with the added buy-in of paying for the training, it should give you extra incentive to do the work.
- A run coach will help you achieve your goals. Your perspective coach has probably been in your shoes before and knows exactly what you are going through as well as what you need to do to achieve your goals.
- A run coach can help with time management. A coach should have good experience working around family and work responsibilities. They will have a lot of good ideas on how to fit in all your training sessions.
- A run coach can help you meet other runners. Even if you are connecting with a coach on line, a coach should be able to connect you with other like minded athlete’s.
A Few Reasons Why You May Not Want To Get A Run Coach
There are probably just as many people who are able to run and race without a coach as there is. The list below are just some of the reason why you might not need to worry about getting a run coach.
- If all you want to do is just run. If you are just concerned with getting out for a run every second day, without any goals on the horizon, as long as you can motivate yourself and you are able to stay healthy and uninjured, you are probably better off not having a coach.
- There are a lot of free resources available. There are so many free resources available in books and on the internet. With a little study, there is no reason why you can’t get yourself started with no or only a little money down.
- You know your body better than anyone else. If you’ve put together a basic training plan to get you from week to week, you are going to know better than anyone else when to push and when to ease off. Just make sure you are listening to your body and taking a break when you need to.
- You can always join a running group. Running groups can be free and are a great source of motivation, are a social connection to other runners and can be a great source of information. Just don’t believe everything you hear when talking to other runners as what what might work for them may not work for you.
There Is A Halfway Point
There are a lot of resources out there to educate yourself on how to put together a training plan for your running goals. When looking for a run coach, you also need to remember, it is not like a mariage where you need to stick with this coach forever and this is why I will usually put my own training plans together for most of my races. When I come across a race that I haven’t done before or if I feel like I have plateaued and need some extra help, I will hire a coach for a short period of time or for that specific race.
Found this post useful? Kindly tap the clap button! :)
Vince Sesto is a DevOps Engineer, Endurance Athlete, Coach and Author. One of his passion’s in life is endurance sports as both an athlete, coach and author. He is a certified running and triathlon coach with a goal to inspire people through his coaching and competition and to encourage people to live active and healthy lives.
His motto in life is, “I am trying to change the world, one run at a time”.
