Everybody has different reasons for hiring a triathlon coach.  Perhaps you are a beginner looking for basic guidance on navigating the potentially daunting world of triathlon, or perhaps you are an advanced athlete looking for accountability and an edge to propel you to the next level.  Either way, there is much to be said for the relative power of multiple people working towards a goal. Here are five top reasons why working with a coach can be a good idea.

1. Your training will be structured appropriately

Many athletes go out and do whatever they feel like on any given day.  They swim when they want to swim, bike when they want to bike and run when they want to run.  There is often little structure.  Although haphazard training like this can be conducive to a healthy lifestyle, it is not the best way to get faster. Good coaches will instill structure into your training in a scientifically proven way that will maximize your performance on race day.  They harness principles such as periodization, specificity and peaking to construct a macrocycle that will allow you to get the most out of your training.   And what is more, you will not have to sweat the details—that is your coach’s job.  Which leads to the second reason you should hire a coach:

2. You can exert all your mental energy into nailing workouts

Boiler-plate training plans are difficult to stick to and are probably not ideal for anyone; however, developing your own idyllic training plan that fits your life but still covers everything you need to do to get faster can be difficult.  Apart from being technically difficult, building your own schedule often leads to anxiety that you're missing something.  This undermines your confidence and often leads to poor plan alterations and haphazard training. Having a coach takes the guesswork out of your scheduling, allowing you to have one sole focus: getting the training done.  This is mentally liberating and allows you to channel your energy into nailing workouts--not worrying about if you're doing the right thing on any given day.

3. A triathlon coach can deliver consistent motivation and accountability

By their very nature, triathletes tend to be disciplined individuals who have the ability to get it done on their own; however, that doesn't mean it's easy.  Discipline requires will-power, which is a finite resource and even the best of us can slip up.  Having a coach invested in your success and monitoring your workouts simply makes it easier to tackle your workouts.  You never think "do I really need to do this today?" or "nobody will know if I skip this last interval or session."  When you have someone holding you accountable, those little voices subside and it is much easier to simply get it done.

4. You will learn more efficiently and make fewer mistakes

Good coaches have been through the ropes.  They should be experts in all things triathlon, including swimming, biking, running, racing, nutrition, strength training, exercise science, kinematics, equipment, etc.  Their expertise should eliminate the learning curve for you.  Many people learn with trial and error, but having a coach can eliminate a lot of those trials so that you have fewer errors in training and racing.  A good coach will convey their knowledge and expertise to you in a distilled version, allowing you to learn exactly what you need to know in the most efficient manner possible.

5. You will get faster

It’s simple logic.  If:

-Your training is structured appropriately

-You can devote all your energy into simply nailing your workouts

-You’re more motivated to execute training

-And you have a coach who can guide you on your journey in the most efficient manner possible

Then you will get faster.

Which is exactly what we are all trying to do.

Conrad Goeringer is an Ironman Certified Coach based out of Nashville, TN. He is the founder of Working Triathlete and author of the book The Working Triathlete. His passion is helping athletes of all levels and with all schedules achieve their endurance goals. Reach out to learn more about coaching packages and for a free consultation.