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Ruth is Very Thorough!

Monday, 21 December 2015 00:10

By Ruth Brennan Morrey (ruthbrennanmorrey.com)

Starting the sport at age 35 in 2011, I burst into the triathlon scene and hit the ground running. Consistent overall age-group wins and course records at local triathlons, 70.3’s, then an ITU world championship title at age 37, I thought, “Now or never RBM!” With a fire in my belly and the genetics to do well, I decided to take my professional license and start competing against the best in the world....

During the age-group years, my triathlon guidance was fueled by triathlon magazines and online pla

ns. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. All sources were beckoning my need for a coach to “get to the next level”—a phrase which now pierces my ears like fingernails down a chalkboard. Nevertheless, I was convinced and a search for the best possible coach ensued. Enter website rummaging.

Truthfully, I didn’t know what I was looking for in a triathlon coach. My soccer background taught me well about the unique qualities of a skilled soccer coach—they were easy to spot. But what about an individual endurance sport like triathlon? What was important? Was it possible to be coached remotely? What qualities crafted a so-called “good coach” anyway? At this point, I barely knew the names of top professional female triathletes, so I certainly didn’t have insight into the big pro coach names. For example, Emma-Kate Lidbury mentioned that her coach at the time was “Matt Dixon from Purplepatch” to which I replied, “Never heard of him.”

Then, Emma-Kate suggested Dr. Philip Skiba from Physfarm. After all, I had a duel interest in duathlon, and Phil had coached Catriona Morrison to four Duathlon World championship titles. Ok, great—another coaching website to pick apart to decipher the fact, from fiction, from fuzzies, from false promises. READ MORE