The Coach

I've engaged the services of coaches maybe 4 or 5 times over the years in my athletic pursuits. People who are not in the "endurance" world never quite understand. They either think the mere fact that I have a coach means:

1. I'm really, really good, or...
2. I THINK that I'm really, really good.

Neither is the case. It's hard to succinctly define what a coach does and means for an obsessive amateur like me. A good coach may fall somewhere between personal trainer, friend, therapist and cheerleader.

I found my first coach when I was living in NYC and training for my second marathon, the New Jersey Marathon. I ran my first, the Chicago, just about 6 months after I started running. What you'll learn about me is that I never do anything half way, which may be why I registered for my first IM before I have competed in any REAL triathlons yet. My goal was to finish NJ in 3:30 or better. I was about seven minutes off, but my coach did lead me to a PR (personal record) by 9 minutes; nothing to shake a stick at. I did ultimately achieve my 3:30 several years later. Actually, I finished the Wineglass Marathon in 3:28, and I prepared for that one all on my own, without any coach guidance. But that mere fact doesn't call into question the role of the coach in my pursuits.

I've been bike racing on and off for about 23 years. It wasn't until I hired a coach this past season that I finally won a race. In fact, under my coach's guidance, I won 5 races, 2 multi-week race series, and achieved two more podium finishes. To make things even sweeter for me, it was my first season ever competing off road. I've never raced a mountain bike before and, honestly, I was not terribly secure with my technical skills going into the season. I took my first 4 races. I thank my coach for that.

Now that my goals and sport have changed, I felt it would be important to find a coach who specializes in triathlons. I don't even know what I don't know yet. But among my biggest personal challenges facing me in the IM are:

1. Swimming 2.4 miles
2. Nutrition- I have a touchy stomach and unless I eat and drink properly, I'll be left for dead somewhere along the route
3. Bike tech. I'm embarrassed to say it, because I know everything there is to know about road bikes and road cycling, but tri bikes and tri biking are a different animal
4. Transitions. I know there's more to it than just ripping off my wetsuit, parking my bike, and lacing up, especially in an IM.
5. Everything else

I did my research and I found Coach Dan. After spending some time communicating on the phone and email, the first thing he wanted to do was to meet me at Canandaigua Lake for a swim to see where I was in my most challenged discipline. Later that day I got an email with a lengthy video podcast, analyzing a video recording of my stroke (if I dare call what I did back then a stroke). Having had maybe 4 coaches prior, all of whom I liked and who served me well, I have never had a coach who was so thorough and seemed so invested in my success as Coach Dan. I was pleasantly surprised.

Working with Coach Dan continued to go well and then I got another email. He wanted to meet me again. This time he would schlep all the way from Canandaigua so he could, again, record me swimming and assess my progress. Again, pleasantly surprised. It felt above and beyond to me, and his efforts and concern gave me greater confidence in my pursuit of IMOO.

But, while Coach Dan takes interest in my fitness, training, technique, etc., I soon learned that he also takes interest in my life, my values and my causes. I told him that I would not be wearing a Team Nice Tri (the name of his team) jersey when I race because, in my effort to raise awareness of and $ for eosinophilic esophagitis I would be racing in the Team Pig Vomit colors. Anything that surprised me about Coach Dan's attentiveness was then overshadowed by his concern and his kindness. "I may have some ideas to support your fundraiser," he said.

People offer this and that all the time, but ideas often have a way of dying soon after they are uttered. Not with Coach Dan. He meant what he said, and now he's putting his money where his mouth is. He is organizing an informal fundraising evening in late October to support my efforts to help CURED and to help Noah.

I've never discussed religion with Coach Dan, but I know his Christian faith is a core element of his being. I may just be a rabbi, and therefore not fully qualified to say so, but Coach Dan is a good Christian, motivated to perform acts of kindness and charity.

After I try to secure a few sponsors to support Team Pig Vomit with significant donations to CURED I will have my custom race apparel made. When I do, I'll be proud to place the "Nice Tri" logo on my jersey.

Coach Dan, if you're reading, thank you! As we say in the Jewish community, may you go from strength to strength.