thinking of leaving my coach

Where do you live?

There could be a quality coach in the area.

Are you male or female? What are your PR's?

Not sure I understand the dilemma - your current coach is the only one you trust, but you are considering other options? And one of the options is coaching yourself - how much outside enthusiasm will that provide? Since you have a history with your coach, talk to him about the "canned" workouts. Tell him how you feel.

Are you paying this guy? If so (and you are displeased with the service offered) then by all means get a new coach.

Supply and Demand buddy.

I would ask your coach to tell you what the reasoning is behind the workouts. Explain that it's not that you are questioning it, but that it's easier to focus if you know what the goal is.

Check out Dane Rauschenberg. He's a fun guy, and very knowledgeable. He'd love to hear from you:

http://danerunsalot3.blogspot.com/

If it's your college coach, and you're not competing for them anymore (assuming you were), they are just likely putting their energies with the current team and upcoming standouts which is natural. College coaches are busy busy busy as it is. Find a reputable coach with a focus on post-collegiate athletes. Your current coach should want to guide you and give you contacts and it sounds like you probably have your own as well if you've been competing this long. If they don't give you any advice on next steps (assuming you've asked), that's just weird.

again, are you paying your coach?

the number of college kids who just think free post collegiate coaching is a right baffles me.

My bet is this athlete has been competing for the coach but they've since graduated. If they can't afford to pay anyone and obviously weren't paying before, they should find a very competitive club with coaching support. It should be an easy task for a motivated talented runner. If you're a super talent with untapped potential, then it's possible the college coach you had would want to take you to the next level. It doesn't sound like the coach has that intent however.

If he is coaching you for free, you have no complaints; if you are paying you have a right as a client to full service, including explanations of why you are doing certain workouts etc.

Maybe it's not so much that he isn't fully invested anymore so much as the fact that he only has so many ways to divide himself up. College coaches are just that--COLLEGE coaches. I had a wonderful coach in college, who coached me (for free) a two years after I was through competing for him, and helped me make some contacts (which is VERY important if you're looking to really keep things going competitively beyond college), I would've liked to have kept him forever, he just didn't have the time and energy to keep on coaching people outside of his team. There's more to coaching than just writing workouts, as you know, and it gets to where they just don't have the same time to devote to someone no longer on their team scoring points--especially for free--it's just the nature of things. Thankfullly I learned enough from him to take matters into my own hands till I found someone else to help me out (for a fee of course). But I second what the person said about finding a club to join, that enables you to train with others as well as make contacts and have possible access to potential coaches.

You can still keep in touch with your previous coach on a personal level if they're that important to you, but forge ahead and find another coach.

I agree that college coaches have time only for their team and recruiting. The exception is the graduated athlete with incredible talent who could compete on a super high level (and they know who does and doesn't have it) my bet is the coach won't want to invest the energy. They can still be a great friend!!

thinking of leaving my annoying athlete is more like it

Ha, when I first read this I thought it said "thinking of leaving my couch".

Me too-- that may start a better conversation.

Mrs. M wrote:

Ha, when I first read this I thought it said "thinking of leaving my couch".