Not sure how old you are?
The reason that I ask this is the following:
There are exceptions to the rule, but just beware. If you are an older athlete (i'm not sure how old you are), often times younger coaches do not understand the needs of an older athlete (they have never gone thru the changes that happen as you age so they really do not understand them; and Like I said above, there are exceptions), but if you are an older athlete ask them questions about how they deal with the fact that you do not recover as well as a younger athlete will - that you need more rest time - and that people with more in their lives, i.e. jobs, children, etc. have different needs as well.
Coaches need to understand that cumulative stress from our lives, i.e. jobs, children, etc. are part of the equation when we are training and adding physical stresses to the bundle of stresses. If you have lots of these stresses, you need more rest and less work. So, look for a coach that seems to have some idea when you are talking to them, that asks questions about your personal life and needs as well. If not, you may get in over your head with training and get burned out. Also, when you interview a coach, tell them how many hours you have to train - so that they can work your training around your abilities to work out. This is really important. If you find a coach that can help you balance these things - you've found a great coach!
Finally, one of the other best kept secrets of coaching is "Can that Coach motivate you?" You need someone that can help keep the fire lit!
thanks for a great thread
Thanks Eden and Velogirl for a great thread on coaching!
I used the Cyclist's Training Bible for a year to coach myself and learned alot. This year in mid-season I was cycling with the local club and connected with a former competitive cyclist who has ended up being my coach. The second half of my season was just amazing and a lot of it had to do with the advice I got and the adjustments to my training program that my coach has made.
Velogirl, your summary about coaching was terrific and would make for a great article in a cycling magazine. I think your points about understanding why you would want a coach and if you are actually coachable are really important. My coach really took the time to understand my goals and then asked me do things like rest more than I wanted to and give up other activities (running in certain races or riding with my hammerhead friends every Sunday, for example) that would be counterproductive to my overall goals. I took her advice to heart and it has really paid off for me. Everything from my bike handling skills to my time trial times have improved significantly this year.
Eden, congrats on an awesome season and good luck finding the right coach!
-traveller