Why don't more athletes coach themselves?

Self genius wrote:

Because most athletes are not very smart.

I coach myself and have always done much worse when coached.

The other problem is what happens when you get to know your coach and you begin to dislike them. You feel terrible splitting from them, they feel like you have used them, it's like a relationship or worse a marriage.

Subway Surfers Addiction wrote:

doctorj wrote:

Meb Keflezighi ??

Steve Ovett claims he was coaching himself. Rod Dixon was basically coaching himself too. Kip Keino.

I've always seen Dixon say he was coached by his brother John. But it was pretty common in that era to find guys who coached themselves. Tom Fleming comes to mind. Bill Rodgers kind of was and wasn't coached by Bill Squires. He did track sessions with guys Bill was coaching but Bill told me that the huge mileage BR did was his own doing. George Young was self coached. Greg Fredericks was when he set the US 10,000 record. Dave McKenzie was. Ron Clarke was. He told me that coaches are the source of all evil in the sport. More recently, I'm pretty sure Hendrick Ramalla was self coached. I think it's gotten to the point where guys are afraid they're giving their competitors an advantage if the competitors have a coach and they don't.

I would agree to that. It is particularly tough when one of your athletes goes to a rival group or coach but sometimes athletes need change. On the other post about athletes coaching themselves Harry Wilson looked after Steve Ovett. As some athletes get older and they follow the same routine year in year out then yes someone like Ron Clarke probably had a formula that worked for him. Unfortunately if he didnt have a coach it could have been the reason no Olympic medal except the one Zatopek gave him.

Clarke did have an Olympic medal.

noone2coach wrote:

I would agree to that. It is particularly tough when one of your athletes goes to a rival group or coach but sometimes athletes need change. On the other post about athletes coaching themselves Harry Wilson looked after Steve Ovett. As some athletes get older and they follow the same routine year in year out then yes someone like Ron Clarke probably had a formula that worked for him. Unfortunately if he didnt have a coach it could have been the reason no Olympic medal except the one Zatopek gave him.

He had a Bronze.

They do!

But Mslmo doesn't approve and they all go away!

HRE is a hacker btw, no decent pr's but still an expert, think Magness, Steiner, Tucker, et. al.

you're right Tokoyo 1964

Yea Mills was advised by an Aussie by the name of Pat Clohessy who ended up as a great coach! Possibly Australia's best ever.

HRE wrote:

Subway Surfers Addiction wrote:

Steve Ovett claims he was coaching himself. Rod Dixon was basically coaching himself too. Kip Keino.

Ron Clarke was. He told me that coaches are the source of all evil in the sport.

Did he really say that?

Mind you looking at the likes of Jama Aden he could be right.

Idjr wrote:

Jimmy21 wrote:

I know for me personally, it's pretty straightforward when concentrating on a single race. It's confusing as hell concentrating on multiple races at multiple distances

What is the difference between a single race vs multiple races at multiple distances? Why does this cause you so must confusion? I don't understand what the difference is.

You seem easily confused

Subway Surfers Addiction wrote:

HRE wrote:

Ron Clarke was. He told me that coaches are the source of all evil in the sport.

Did he really say that?

Mind you looking at the likes of Jama Aden he could be right.

He absolutely did. It can be a lot of fun talking to old people who really don't have anything to give much of a crap about.

Solo Stanley wrote:

Title says it all. I honestly don't know any athletes who coach themselves. I know Ben true trains solo but I'm almost positive he has a coach. With all the previous training types and talking with other runners and especially all the information available online and in books you'd think more would at least consider? Especially B level athletes.

I'll offer my humble opinion and let me say I'm fully ready to be ridiculed and called an hater. First of all, generally when athletes have a coach they can focus on what is most important in regards to their performance, which is actual training and it will give them a piece of mind and allow them to focus harder. Another individual's perspective is also very important and many coaches were former runners or have come in contact with other elite athletes. Last but not least, I'm fairly sure the majority of top level track athletes do not have chemistry degrees and don't know much about proper doping and how to pass tests and "stay clean". Not saying coaches do either but having connections sure do help.

Why invent the wheel once more? A good coach spare a lot of frustration and time for you......Do you want a worldclass coach ? COACH J.S at your service :)