I’ve had the privilege of coaching endurance athletes for over two decades, and not once during that time have I had regrets about the opportunity to coach in-person. While technology offers the ability to extend the reach of numerous coaching aspects, there’s no replacement when it comes to sharing geographical space with an athlete.
Recently, I had the opportunity to crew and pace an athlete I’ve coached for several years at a local 100-miler. It was our first time meeting face-to-face, and I was reminded how much can be learned about athletes in a more intensive setting compared to coaching remotely. I was able to see how this athlete organized their race gear, handled themselves at aid stations and how unexpected challenges were navigated when things didn’t go as planned. It’s one thing to strategize a race with an athlete on the forefront, comb through the details of a post-race write-up and analyze data files on the back end, but when coaches have a front row seat at a race, we can grasp an understanding of who the athlete is to a much larger degree. The level of reward when it comes to witnessing them achieve their goals as they cross the finish line is unparalleled. We also know that an athlete’s performance improves when they have one or more individuals present who are invested in their success. It’s a win-win.
Races are not the only opportunities for coaches and athletes to share time together. Training camps can be a great chance for athletes to receive direct guidance from their coach on the trail. These situations can also be low-pressure environments with more space and time for slowing down, addressing weak points and noticing where an athlete excels—information that’s not readily available in a training file or the subjective feedback provided after a workout. After years of coaching both running and cycling camps, I’ve had “ah ha” moments in which I understand why certain issues continue to crop up, or why an athlete may be confident in some spaces and not others. These situations give me a chance to make my coaching much more personalized.
Don’t overlook the value of connecting in-person with an athlete who might be injured or unable to train for a certain period of time. These can be the most challenging situations for athletes, and being able to commiserate or brainstorm strategies for the future together can reassure the athlete. Coaches need to show up when athletes are at their best, but also when they are struggling, in order to cultivate more meaningful, long-lasting relationships.
When it’s just not possible to interact in person, there are solutions that come in as a close second: hybrid, in-person coaching. Examples are online conferencing for everything from regular coaching calls to digitally capturing technical-based workouts like strength sessions or downhill/technical trail running. We know that words are only a small part of what is conveyed in a message. When looking at the bigger picture, it doesn’t make sense to limit communication to written words or simple phone calls. Explore the many options that work for both athlete and coach that will offer greater insight and improvement.
While it’s probably not realistic for most ultrarunning coaches to attend events every weekend for their athletes, it’s worth making the sacrifice to create one-on-one opportunities when feasible. There’s a good chance in-person coaching will improve the athlete’s acute performance and offer a stronger personal connection that is invaluable.