Inside the Life of a Coach: Structure, Relationships, and the Long Game

Coaching may look simple from the outside — write a program, give feedback, repeat. But the reality is far richer, more complex, and more human. At its core, coaching is a relationship business. It’s about building trust, providing structure, guiding development, and helping athletes discover they’re capable of more than they ever imagined.

Building Structure in a Fluid World

Being self-employed means designing your own structure. Each week, I sit down and plan my schedule from Monday through Sunday. That structure isn’t just for me; it’s also for my athletes. Predictability matters — they know when to expect feedback, new programs, or check-ins.

Every day begins with one priority: take care of the athletes. That means answering messages, adjusting programs if someone is sick or injured, and making sure no one is left without direction.

From there, the week has a rhythm:

Training Log Reviews. I analyze athletes’ data, training logs, and journals, comparing what was planned to what was executed and how they felt. Because most of my coaching is remote, this written feedback is one of the most important conversations we have.

Program Building. I map out the next steps in training. Athletes always have the current week plus one week ahead, but I avoid building too far out — life and training responses change too quickly to be rigid.

Race Support. Before weekends, I help athletes with race plans; afterward, we debrief performances. These conversations might be written or over the phone, depending on what works best for the athlete.

Team Connection. Community matters. I regularly share educational content on training, nutrition, mental skills, and more. Just as important, we connect, share, and celebrate together — whether it’s an athlete progressing in training, telling their story, heading to a race, or simply navigating life. We move forward as a team, sharing experiences and knowledge, keeping the spirit of support, growth, and fun alive.

On top of this, there are podcasts to record, training camps to organize, articles and videos to create, and a steady stream of athlete-driven calls. My weekends blend personal time with catching up on projects or preparing for the week ahead.

And then, of course, I still train myself — usually 15 to 20 hours of triathlon training each week. My days often run from 4:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Priorities That Drive Everything

Coaching is a constant balancing act, but my priorities are clear:

1. Athletes – their individual needs come first.

2. The Team – building community and support.

3. The Broader Audience – sharing knowledge publicly.

4. Projects – developing camps, podcasts, and other initiatives.

If time runs short, it’s never the athletes who lose out.

A Career Built on Mentorship

My coaching journey started early. At just 12 or 13, I was teaching kids how to tack up horses at summer camps. By 16, I was a certified show jumping coach, and by 21, I was running my own stable of 30 horses and riders.

At 26, I transitioned into professional triathlon. A few years later, I began mentoring with Endurance Corner, learning under legends like Scott Molina, Gordo Byrn, and Alan Couzens. That mentorship lasted over a decade and shaped my philosophy before I launched my own coaching company.

The Skills That Matter Most

Successful coaching requires a blend of science, experience, and communication:

• Programming knowledge to design training that progresses an athlete from where they are to where they want to be.

• Experience to understand the journey from beginner to elite.

• Communication skills to teach and support athletes in a way they can truly absorb.

• Emotional intelligence to know when to push, when to step back, and how to ride the highs and lows with them.

Coaches inevitably wear many hats — part scientist, part psychologist, part nutrition guide, part gear expert. But it’s just as important to know when to bring in specialists like dietitians, physical therapists, or bike fitters.

Coaching in Today’s Landscape

The coaching world has changed. On the one hand, technology is extraordinary. We can measure power, heart rate, core body temperature, and more, giving us tools to fine-tune training and recovery like never before. On the other hand, athletes sometimes lean too heavily on devices and lose the willingness to simply test themselves — to risk failure and learn from it. Some of the greatest growth still comes from pushing past perceived limits, even if it ends in failure.

Another trend is the rise of inexperienced coaches who skip the years of mentorship and learning, relying instead on marketing. Being good at selling online doesn’t necessarily mean being good at coaching. Athletes should do their homework, looking for coaches with long-term results across a wide variety of athletes.

Advice for New Coaches

For those starting out, my advice is simple:

• Find a mentor. Shadow an experienced coach with a proven record of developing athletes at all levels. Learn from them for years, not just weeks.

• Choose mentors wisely. Look for coaches who don’t just maintain already-great athletes but who consistently develop people from the ground up.

• Be selfless. Coaching is not about you. It’s about supporting, guiding, and celebrating others.

At the end of the day, coaching is leadership through service. It’s about walking alongside athletes, helping them achieve more than they thought possible, and being there through both triumphs and struggles. For me, that’s what makes this profession one of the most rewarding in the world.