Wow, Velogirl's comments are great!

I want to echo one of her comments - about not focussing on the coach's race resume. More important is whether the coach can watch and learn from you as to what it is you really need and then if he or she can put commnets into a description that you can follow. One of the best coaches I've worked with, Mike Cox, isn't necessarily a super fast or super long distance rider. But literally every time I ride with the guy, even when he isn't actually "coaching" me, I learn something about bike handling, timing of power moves, etc. When I do ride with him for actual coaching, he just has a way of making things somehow more clear.

It's hard to describe. But I guess what I'd suggest is to see if you can ride with a potential coach as sort of a preview (paying for the time, of course). But see how the coach actually works with you - is the coach watching you and learning from you what it is that you need? Can you understand the comments and instruction? How do you "fit" with the coach?

Have fun! Good luck!