I work with a cycling coach. Yeah, I know, I am one and I've been coaching athletes across a dozen different sports and disciplines for years. You'd think I should know how to coach myself right? Well, yeah, of course I do, of course I know how to build a program using progressive overload, fluid periodization, linear periodization, peaking, super compensation, etc. That's not why I pay someone else to handle my programming. I enthusiastically work with another coach because I need someone to pull me back.
As an athlete I have always struggled with going too hard, doing too much, and eventually overtraining myself. It happened when I was a professional cyclist, it happens now if I allow it. Working hard has never been my struggle, I thrive off it, I feel it as a cleansing fire. That, however, is what gets me into trouble. I don't always listen to my body, I sometimes find myself with a "if some is good, more must be better" mindset (not healthy btw). So, I pay my coach to make me do less.
As endurance athletes we tend to ignore our bodies, because aches, pains, the burning of lactic acid in our system, and the shortness of breath are all common experiences. Feeling those things, oftentimes, is the entire point of the training session! The problem comes when we ignore the stress signals in our bodies for too long and dig a hole too deep. Over time, if we don't allow ourselves to bounce back, that hole becomes a canyon leading to burnout and eventually overtraining.
That's why I work with a coach too, not because I have no clue what to do, but because I need someone to keep me from digging that hole. An objective opinion to counsel me when I'm burning the candle at both ends, and when work and life stressors build up and my training needs to be modified to account for that. None of us live in a vacuum, and chances are you're not a professional athlete who only has to worry about training, competition, and recovery, so that balance between life and sport becomes delicate.
I see my coach as an investment in my own health, and considering the alternative, the returns far outweigh the monthly investment.
Looking to balance your life and sport? Let's talk about how we can help, simply fill out the athlete application and we can help point you in the right direction. See you on the road!
Coach Chris, CSCS
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