It seems like every month I am more and more obsessed with the project of coaching. If I weren’t also training and racing myself, I swear I’d be coaching 30 athletes—or as many as I could handle! I just love it.
While I am employed to help and guide my athletes, they give me so much. They really do inspire me every day. Sometimes they think I am crazy because I will respond to their training logs while on a recovery interval on the trainer; but what they probably don’t realize it that reading about their smashfests inspires me to push that much harder on my next effort.
Right now I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be working with a few young iron-women who are looking to turn pro within the next couple of years, and another who will be racing her first year as a pro this year. I put these girls through some really tough stuff and their enthusiasm in tackling it serves as a constant reminder for me—as I’ve realized I’m now an old (“veteran” ??) pro. They remind me to stay on top of my game and make every session count because if I don’t, there are any number of up-and-comers preparing to run right over the top of me!
My all-in shoes: Saucony Kinvara 3.
I especially loved this quote from one of my girls’ logs this week. She’s a non-swimmer in the midst of hardcore swim camp:
I started the first interval and quickly realized I was gonna have to WORK for this session. Honestly had a mental battle during the second interval where I said "well are you all in or not?" Sort of begrudgingly decided there’s never really a choice because this what it takes. Got over it and…swim hard I did .
Obviously, doing well on race day requires making a choice to go “all in” when the suffering hits. But being mentally and physically prepared for that moment is the culmination of dozens of choices made in training in the months and years leading up to that day.
Are you all in?
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Similar “all in” experience the other day. I was doing a 5 1/2 hour training video on my bike trainer. It got really tough near the end and I almost caved. But, something led me through it and convinced me to be “all in” and finish this workout. Surprisingly, once that decision was made the remainder of the session didn’t bring me down like that …and workouts since have been better. Like a preacher once said, “find out where you stand and stand there.” Be all in.
marvin! i love this anecdot and the preacher’s quote. in awe of your 5.5-hour trainer ride. that is “all in,” indeed.
that last question is going on the front of my log book, beside the question my swim coach asks at the end of his weekly emails, “what have you done today to make yourself better?” Love that question & has got me thinking tonight…
I’m glad that you are so pleased to be a coach as well as a competitor. The time will come when your students will be waving as they pass. That will be when you will realize that you are a coach. Your success as a coach is will be every bit as satisfying as anything that you will accomplish in your sport.
Well done. Remember that the least of them is as important a the best of them!
YES! Mr. Woodling you taught me this…as I am usually “the least of them” and you were one of the rare coaches in my athletic career who invested as much time and energy in me as you did with your “best.” And this was life-changing. I strive to follow your example!
Your World Class Swimming backround (certainly the most technical event in triathlon), your training backround with Brett Sutton and now with Siri, as well as your upbeat attitude and experience with the difficulties of making a living in triathlon make you one of the more completely prepared coaches out there.
and it’s a never ending cycle of energy and inspiration between you, your trainees and your followers on this blog
Love it boods! Lots of stuff in here is applicable to writing!
(Also love the shoes.)
When I connect the dots, to use that over-used phrase, I realize you were probably born to do something in coaching. I remember how when we were kids, you were always so happy for everyone else’s success and you remembered their times off the top of your head!
Fantastic post Hillary! Came at the perfect time. Also read Alyssa’s post on packing a shovel. Great stuff. Thanks for all you do!