Testimonial: novice coached triathlete - Andy Rowlands

I received this email testimonial today from a coached triathlete, (thanks Andy, the cheque is in the post!) and had to share it with you. We always appreciate feedback from athletes and this must have taken Andy a fair amount of time to compose, so thanks again!

So what is the point in employing the service of a coach?

Endurance sports, especially Triathlon has seen a huge increase in participation over the last few years and the number of people entering events such as Ironman Wales having never donned lycra in their lives before is staggering! 

But to get better at cycling for example, you have to buy the best bike and kit available and ride your bike as much as possible; right????

I see a lot of people spending a lot of money on shiny new bits for their bikes, making it lighter, stiffer and more aero. This expense is borne of  ‘expert advice’ gained from training partners and the dreaded Internet Forums.

Inspired by the new shiny bits and the realisation that the entry fee has been paid, training begins. Swimming as far as possible, riding for hours on a bike that doesn’t fit because everyone on STRAVA is beating you, and running half marathons every three days because we have to ‘get some miles in the legs’. All of this done without any food (because were trying to loose weight), without any hydration (because water is ‘just the same’), all in the pursuit of glory on the Ironman red carpet.

Clearly, the scenario above is far from ideal and unlikely to yield the best results. How many times have you heard the story of aspiring athletes being unable to train due to having a constant cold or being injured before the season has even started! Overtraining is very common and very easy to fall foul of especially at this time of year when enthusiasm is abundant.

If we were to use Golf as an analogy, is buying the newest driver off the internet (because there is a good deal on extra stiff shafts) and playing as many rounds as possible, reinforcing bad habits the way to become the best Golfer you can be? Sure you will see some improvement but very soon you will reach a plateau that could disillusion and eventually drive you away from the game. Conversely if you employed the services of a Coach who works with you to groove an efficient and consistent golf swing with clubs that are measured specifically to you along with specific drills and practice sessions that target your weaknesses, the chance of success becomes considerably higher.

I met Mark Whittle about a year ago through mutual clients. He certainly has the credentials of a well respected Coach with his Military Career, High Profile Clients and his personal achievements in Triathlon speak for themselves. But what makes Mark different is his manner and his personalised approach to coaching.

When I became one of Mark’s clients, it wasn’t a case of handing me a training programme and telling me to get on with it. After a period of consultation that identified my current ability, my goals and aspirations, a tailored package was designed to suit my specific needs. This plan is very much a ‘working document’ and through regular communication we are constantly tweaking it to suit my lifestyle and optimise output. The new private WhittleFit Inner Circle area is a superb resource for anyone training for endurance sports – the key is that it has limited number of members and experts that are vetted and trusted by Mark himself. The result is quality information not someone’s opinion!! 

I do not consider myself an ‘Athlete’ and many would argue that people of my ability do not need the services of a Coach. But I would argue that it is  perhaps more important for people who juggle work and family commitments with their love for Triathlon to seek the advice of a Coach.

For me, a key benefit of being a WhittleFit client is to be told what not to do as much as being told what to do! There is a very real need for trust between the Coach and the Client and Mark has a very good way of making clients feel at ease with a mixture of  empathy and banter that  compliments utter professionalism.

Never before have Athletes had such a platform to share their opinions about training and racing as what we currently have with the internet. To my mind, if you want advice on training and racing for an endurance event, speak to an expert – speak to WhittleFit.

Thank you Andy, very kind words, much appreciated!