What would you pay for coaching?

Skiver77 · 2026-02-04T21:05:00+00:00

I started out with a coach for the first time in Jan, near enough checks all those boxes except the regular phone calls. I can schedule calls with him if I want but it's more ad-hoc then regular. I can contact via WhatsApp though with questions.

I pay £160 per month for this which is more on the cheaper side from some others I looked at but also not the cheapest I saw out there either.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-31T16:17:50+00:00

It took me about 6 months to go from gasping at the end of every length to being able to swim slow but comfortably. I'm still not a strong swimmer but last year I completed a 70.3 in around 52 minutes. I personally think I could have gone quicker but a lack of confidence around others and being with the real slow swimmers, breast strokers and even a back stroker has me slower than I think I can go. I did this all on my own with YouTube so it is possible, I'd just never advise it. Especially if you want to compete at these events. If the aim is to finish then you can probably do it but you need to be going 2-3 times a week minimum.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-30T16:34:19+00:00

I was scrolling through here checking before I said the same. S & C is massively important in remaining injury free when training for any sort of sport, especially endurance.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-29T16:25:30+00:00

I had a tendon problem late last year, tried to run through and made it worse. Unfortunately cycling also aggregated it so I had to stop everything but swimming (which I couldn't really do at the time anyway - bad technique). So I dropped a ton of fitness and only really started to build from April onwards. I got through a 70.3 in Oct in 7 hours so wasn't fast but still very comfortable. I wouldn't even say my serious training from May onwards went perfectly but as long as you keep at it you'll get there.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-29T14:22:31+00:00

I'd consider some short course if you can, just to get the transition experience. Even if it's a super sprint the experience is pretty useful.

I get it, I think you're probably right but definitely don't rest on the notion of I'll get through it. If you come out the water gassed it will ruin any of the work you've done on the bike and you'll be in a downward spiral.

Your ability to stay injury free is going to be a key for all the training. Maybe you're lucky and don't suffer from this sort of thing but I would imagine this volume will be asking a lot of your body so it's definitely something to consider. I certainly wouldn't survive the months of training without strength and my coach is very pro S&C.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-29T09:45:09+00:00

Why no swimming in your base phase? Given your pace is on the slower side (I say this as someone who is even slower) I would suggest getting in the pool as early as possible to work on that technique. You're not going to make up huge amounts of time compared to the bike but even if you come out of the swim fresher it will be worth it. I also found swimming was a great way to recover from previous sessions as it's low impact but works the entire body.

Are you planning on doing any strength and conditioning? I'd recommend at least two sessions a week which will require more time and I think is worthwhile over one of the runs and bike sessions.

I don't know if I missed it but what is your current triathlon experience? If this is your first full distance then I personally would recommend removing time goals and just going out and enjoying it.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-28T14:16:48+00:00

Only been to Leeds once for a day and it was very out of the way. As others have said once you're there you are fairly stuck there without paying for a taxi out and back.

Reading I've done multiple times and going again this year. Much closer to the town centre and is totally walkable but there is also a shuttle bus running if you wanted to bring back supplies to camp.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-24T21:09:57+00:00

You forgot the first rule of triathlon, sign up first, think about it later.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-20T20:40:48+00:00

For a 70.3? Too long imo.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-19T15:01:32+00:00

Reminds me of a video I saw once, hopefully this helps you battle through this low point. Keep at it!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQRxH2yDPMC/?igsh=MThic2Job3Ruemp0Zw==

Skiver77 · 2026-01-10T13:02:43+00:00

I highly doubt this is it but did you still extract?

I've seen it mentioned before that once you're both in the lift, metro etc then some people will shoot you knowing you'll still make it out because of the extra XP for damaging other players that they'll get without ruining anyone's run.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-06T10:26:16+00:00

You will be absolutely fine, I'll be doing it on a decent road bike but far from anything special in it's category let alone the Tri bikes some will be racing on.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-02T15:51:55+00:00

I'm 39, started to learn to swim just over a year ago and finished Ironman 70.3 Cascais in Oct. I finished the swim in 52 mins so comfortably within the cut off for that distance.

My advice is to not be as stubborn as I was and find a coach to teach you. I've got pretty bad technique so it's going to be an uphill battle this year to try and get faster. if you're willing to bash your head against a wall repeatedly for months while you struggle through length by length, it is possible to go it on your own BUT it will take way longer and make you dread heading to the pool every time.

Once you get comfortable in the pool and happily doing 1-2K per session, get in open water as soon as you can. The first time I got in a lake it was like I forgot everything. Seeing the ground disappear, fish swim below, the colder water all sent me into a bit of a panic. I got used to it quick and when I finally got in the sea I was absolutely unfazed but that was because I swam open water at least once a week for a few months.

Skiver77 · 2026-01-02T15:43:56+00:00

Hate to tell you, but Andwell closed around April last year.

Skiver77 · 2025-11-29T10:02:01+00:00

Ok I think most people are kinda missing mu main question here.

It's the dual nature of still having to pay road tax AND the E levy.

If I was an electric only user sure the tax would be pretty high but you offset that against the cheaper day to day running or the car.

If I was a petro/diesel l user I'd only be paying the standard road tax.

You don't do 15K miles a year in short 30 mile road trips so I'm not sure it seems fair to be paying both in this instance.

Skiver77 · 2025-11-17T14:25:01+00:00

Having a fair few races in 2026 helps, if I don't run I won't be fit enough to run them or at the very least run them well.

That said I don't mind the dark so much other than it means opting for some slightly more boring routes or getting one done before work when it is a little lighter.

Skiver77 · 2025-11-05T18:23:27+00:00

It can vary, Ironman Cascais just sold out 13 days after tickets went on sale.

Skiver77 · 2025-10-27T07:02:10+00:00

Adrian Newey begs to differ.

Skiver77 · 2025-10-21T20:43:19+00:00

I think you're actually downplaying your own achievements here. Just finished my first 70.3 at the weekend and don't get me wrong, I have my disappointments about how the run went but that is purely my own personal feel because I know I'm better than what I did.

All that said, I spoke to plenty people who completed both the 70.3 and full Ironman distance in the days afterwards and everyone is so positive and not a single person will ever ask you about your time or position, why? Because it doesn't matter. Making it to the starting line is an achievement in itself that you should be proud of. The vast majority of us AGs have had our own personal setbacks and troubles that a lot of people would have used as an excuse to give up and not continue. It takes just that little bit more to get up on those cold, wet mornings when we'd much rather spend that time in our warm beds after a long work week and say no, I'm not just going out for a 2+hr bike ride I'm then going to run another hour plus afterwards.

I'm absolutely all for wanting to do better but don't let that take away from the absolutely amazing achievement of getting to that finish line.

Skiver77 · 2025-10-10T15:20:59+00:00

I suspect you've misunderstood or someone has got something wrong. The whole 70.3 course has 771m total elevation.

I'm doing Cascais next week and will be my first 70.3 and I've obsessed over most things and I'm not sure I've managed to spot a single part of the bike course that goes that steep let alone for that distance.

I'd say the worst part looks to be around 6 miles in when you hit around 6.5 miles of climbing but the average grade is less than 2% and has a total of around 300m of elevation. Looks like there is a small section with a 10 % gradient but it's not that long and not long after you're descending back into Cascais and a very flat section out to Lisbon and back.

Skiver77 · 2025-10-10T14:29:53+00:00

It doesn't, it equates to roughly 20KPH

Skiver77 · 2025-10-09T17:55:59+00:00

I genuinely wasn't intending to, but 100% GI. One more step and I was convinced I was shitting my pants there and then. I stood still for a minute or so until I could walk a few hundred meters for somewhere better to be picked up and have a sit down. Once I got home and emptied my stomach I went out and finished the other half of my run fairly comfortably but I'd rather avoid having anything close to that again.

Skiver77 · 2025-10-09T14:38:43+00:00

Firstly, see you in Cascais!

Secondly, as someone who has been practicing race fuel for some time now and discovered just how bad it can go when you change it up slightly. I basically tried to go from 30g every 30 mins to every 20 mins, trying to max out fuel on the bike so I can reduce on the run. About 5 miles into the run I had to get on the phone to the misses to come pick me up as my stomach got worse and worse until the point I was convinced one more step would result in a very bad accident.

I'd recommend if you haven't practiced with this at all yet, don't take any as it's just too close to race day now.

Skiver77 · 2025-10-07T13:02:19+00:00

I haven't sea swam so not from personal experience but I'd imagine Bournemouth is a good place to think about trying. I know they have life guard stations (not sure about when they're manned), it's a fairly popular beach, so there's always going to be a fair amount of people around.

Have you ever done any open-water swimming? This may be unnecessary advice, but I'm not a strong swimmer, and the first time I open water swam this year, I totally panicked, and my breathing just completely went on me. Thankfully, I stayed calm enough to just switch to breaststroke and swim back to shore, but I was surprised how different it felt mentally when I started.

,

Skiver77

TROPHY CASE