I go with #1, but also with having a decent understanding of the WHY behind it. I have tried other coaches/plans because you have to find the one that works well with you (there is definitely a personal factor to it).

And yes, I believe up to a point you will get better just because you are still doing. But at a certain point you need more to your training to improve or you will plateau.

TryScott,

Great post!! I'm going through this right now. Having signed up for my first IM I figured it might be time to get a coach but am a little overwhelmed by the options. Of course everyone says they are the best but how do you discern what is really the best for your goals, race, and time constraints.

Hopefully some of the regulars can post with some insight on coach selection.

When I first started, I went with #4 (Roll the dice on the first one that catches your eye.). Then after a few races, went with a modified #5 (Discard all the result-orientated plans and train at what you enjoy needs improvement.) Now I go with the (unlisted) #8, which is a personal experience-based plan: Start with a freeby-plan and modify it heavily based on what areas I need/want to work on.

You better believe they have the same issues we do. "The only question" of reps and sets is basically the same as what sport for how long and when. There is many ways to skin a chicken in any sport. Seeing how thick those bodybuilder magazines are, there are many, MANY ways to get pumped.

+1 to Kylie...sorta. If you move from just doing workouts to a structured plan, you're bound to get better regardless of which coach/plan you choose. But in the long run, I do think you need to find a coach whose philosophy and approach to coaching meshes with your needs. Whether it's "far then fast" or a more traditional winter base training approach to me isn't the first question you should be asking. I personally believe that you need to think about what you want out of that coaching relationship and let that narrow down your search for a coach or training plan.

Are you happy with the structure of an off-the-shelf plan without any additional coaching? If so, there's a lot of great plans out there. If you want some contact with a live human being, then in what form? One-on-one personalized programs, or group formats the way something like EN or a tri club might offer? Some coaches prefer to only work with local athletes, believing that coaching must involve seeing the athlete, knowing them and working with them in person. Is that important to you?

What are your distance goals, and what does a particular coach focus on? What I mean is, most coaches will coach you at any distance. But if you are a beginner or a mid-pack athlete, you probably don't want to pay big money to a coach whose real interest is in coaching fast iron-distance athletes training with power and all the latest gear. Can you get a sense of who a coach's target audience is?

Clearly I spend a lot of time thinking about this, but to me if you can answer these types of questions for yourself, it will considerably narrow down the list of options in terms of what type of training or coaching you are seeking. Personally, I constantly revisit these questions in terms of whether I'm maximizing the return on my investment from year to year. As a result, I've personally decided to change coaches in the coming year. The coach I've worked with is/was great, but my goals and his business model have diverged and it's not meeting my needs/expectations.

+1 to Sooner.
I picked a plan for my first IM 6 years ago. I've tweeked it here and there and found some things that worked better and some things I'll NEVER do again.
All this is a self discovery kind of thing for me. Coaching never tripped my trigger and I came into this sport with really good self knowledge of what was possible for me.
++1 (You know...there is something Orwellian about that.) To Ironmom. I get into stuff for the long haul and know many "used to be" folks who have been burned out and injured and dropped from view.
Most of them were coached.
There is no fool proof way to pick a plan...and here is the kicker... there is no fool proof plan.
You won't know till it's all over, if it was right for you or not.

Coaching and training plans are such an individual thing. But when you are starting out on this journey - you need a real helping hand to get started. A basic plan is a good place to start. There are plenty of good freebies out there on web sites and in books etc.

I have immersed my self in every book, article, web site etc that I could for the last 5 years on triathlon, nutrition, goal setting, running, cycling, swimming etc etc. There is so much stuff out there and so much is contradictory. So much is aimed at pros or at least the top age groupers who have lots of time to train. I have learnt so much from all my own research and have used bits and pieces of it in my own training (3 x HIMs, 1 x IM)

The EN approach makes so much sense to me and it is backed up by science and facts, along with a string of results for ordinary avg people like me and most of you... I have not as yet paid for any plans or coaching - but the philosophy and approach of the EN guys and all the free stuff they publish has really opened my mind and made me question the so called experts who make money from selling their ideas. Who is right? Is there only one right? Who to trust? What is right for me? Why is this so? The biggest thing I reckon you can do is get a program that will fit your lifestyle in the long term and help you achieve your own goals over the long term. There is no one best way - it is a journey anyway - you never actually get there. There is no magic formula or workout to lift your performances. It is just good old hard work applied in a scientific and repeatable manner over time...

Hopefully the Aussie Dollar will bounce back to the levels it was 6 months ago against the Greenback and I will purchase an IM plan off the EN guys for my next attenmpt at that distance. But in the meantime I am applying all the principles and the are going great

i just found one that suits my recovery time and work schedule. being new to triathlons, luckily i wasn't new to fitness, so i knew what my recovery capabilities were. thats the key to any program for any sport or fitness goal, is knowing your body and designing, or choosing a program around your abilities.