I consider myself to have a high level of gut instinct that is accurate and reliable, but in my coaching practice, I’m cognizant of balancing it with science. That’s where the art of coaching emerges. But how much should we be guided by what our gut tells us and when should we let science take the wheel?
A recent experience coaching an athlete for an ultramarathon in Snowdonia, the largest national park in Wales, highlighted the idea that both are important, and using intuition to let science do the work is probably a wise choice. This athlete had been able to recon most of the course, and the route had been run (a lot) including rest/recover and repeat for several back-to-back weeks. Race day weather was predicted to be especially cool and wet, but the day prior, I had a hunch I should remind him to drink less than normal and relying on liquid for a large portion of his calories wouldn’t be a wise choice. I second-guessed myself because he had hired a nutritionist. That’s her lane, I thought, as I didn’t want to step on toes, and kept it to myself.
I tracked his race from the start and watched as he placed himself in a good position. He often gets stronger as the race goes on, so being with the lead five runners or so is typically where he’s comfortable for the first few hours – and that’s exactly where he was. He gained ground but then stopped moving up, which seemed strange knowing his competition. In some communication with his wife, his incredibly well-dialed race support person, she said that he didn’t have a good stomach. I immediately kicked myself because I had a strong feeling that I should have inquired about a backup fuel plan from his typical go-to plan the day prior to the race. Through messages to his wife, I suggested a few solutions, including salt tablets and/or more gels, and that is ultimately what re-oriented him to getting back to normal. But of course, these things take several hours, so he battled for first place with a sour stomach and almost zero visibility at times on an incredibly technical course.
Thirty-six hours later and a second-place medal in hand, we realized, in fact, that stomach issues held him back for much of the race. A full post-mortem discussion revealed that the culprit likely was over consumption of fluids in an attempt to get down the planned (and necessary) calories. Admittedly, I was happy for a solid result and simultaneously disappointed in myself for not suggesting what I had been thinking.
This is one example of many that I can look back on throughout my career of 25+ years of coaching where I didn’t listen to my intuition. There are plenty of times in which I followed my gut, which often led to terrific outcomes. In situations where we have that predisposition to act or say something, it can be pretty momentous. The key is to learn to trust that inner nudge that is in all of us, from everyday runners to elite athletes, coaches and those being coached. It’s a a lesson that takes time, patience and attentiveness, but one that is worth investing in to refine your gut instinct.