Potential value of coaching for a non-competitive cyclist (me)?

[SheFly]

What Irulan said. Talk to the coach first about your goals, limitations and what you are looking to get out of it, and see if it will be a good fit. You don't need to be a racer to take advantage of some coaching. That said, if this coach is focused on power workouts, it might not be the right fit for you. I interviewed coaches before selecting one, to be sure it was right for me. I have been coach-less for quite awhile now, though, having gotten what I wanted from the experience.

SheFly

[Crankin]

AZ, I could have written your post. I am *exactly* the same kind of rider, the only difference being, I am lazier! I have thought of getting a coach at times, but I don't ride with a group like yours. The main group I ride with is slower than me, but there's a growing segment of this group, who call themselves spirited. I rode with them twice last year, and while I did it, I felt like I was going to die for a day after the rides. They always encourage me to come with them, as I am clearly faster than the main group.
I say if you want to spend the $, try it. Me, I think I'll just make DH crack the whip on our rides. I cry most of the time I'm in those situations, but it works.

[OakLeaf]

What I would want to know is, since it's a team deal with the coach, would some of your team rides be prescribed workouts in a group, or would you be expected to do those on your own, in addition to the team rides? Especially since you mention a time restriction.

I'm working with a running coach for the first time now, and so far I'm pleased ... though I'm still six weeks from race day, and that will be the real tell. I hired him mostly because I knew I needed help setting goals. He's got me doing workouts that I could have sworn there was no way I could do them ...

I too interviewed a few coaches before making my choice. I found a very wide variation in pricing. I think you can pay a lot for a company's reputation, but flexibility and individual attention were more important to me, and I know my body well enough that I wouldn't be especially shy about backing off if I felt an injury coming on.

[azfiddle]

Thank you very much for your thoughts.

I have met the coach and she is extremely sensitive to individual needs and already has an idea of my goals and limitations. She is very personable and introduced herself to the team on Monday night, talking about her own experiences being coached in running, helping coach runners, and then turning to cycling and bike racing over the past few years. She is currently on a professional team (Team Cloud, formerly Team Kenda) but lives and trains here in Tucson.

The registration form is about 7 pages long and asks a lot of specific questions. Also, she mentioned that there is a network of 35 other coaches around the country, and if there is an issue she doesn't know how to address, then she can put it out to the other coaches for their input.

I think she could definitely incorporate some of the routines into the long Saturday rides.

I am leaning toward doing this.

[shootingstar]

Sound as she really wants to understand her clients and their needs with type of questionnaire.

Let us know how it goes!

[TigerMom]

If you can afford it for 3 months, I think that it is worth it. Especially since you will be using these lessons for the rest of your biking life....maybe all you need is only 3 mo of coaching as a recreational cyclist rather than a competitive cyclist?

Heck, I just signed up for a 2 hr mountain biking class to work on my downhill flow and switchbacks....$125 for only 2 hours of NON-Private 4-6 person class. This is not something that I will be paying for regularly due to cost, but I am excited to try it though.