Hiring a coach to help train can get expensive, but today we are going to hear from Dirk Friel, the Founder and President of TrainingPeaks about why it’s a good idea to consider a coach.
Or, If you are an experienced runner and thinking about becoming a coach, Dirk has some great advice for you.
Some of the topics that you’ll hear about include:
- Dirk’s background growing up with fitness.
- Dirks journey from chasing his dreams to Europe as a young professional athlete to coming back to set up his future.
- How the idea of Training Peaks came up.
- Some reasons why to consider hiring a coach.
- How TrainingPeaks can help you start or grow your coaching business.
- How TrainingPeaks can help better manage your training as an athlete.
Questions Dirk is asked:
3:15: How did the idea of TrainingPeaks come up?
9:42: Could you kind of explain what you meant when you said we focus on the coaches first?
12:54: So how do runners kind of come into this? You started with cyclist but could you kind of explain this to listeners that this isn’t just for cyclist anymore?
16:15: Do you want to kind of explain why it is so important to put it in the system?
21:55: Have you seen any difference between maybe between runners or any sports? Or is it pretty much across the board that people struggle with taking easy days easy or does it tend to fall in certain sports
28:32: How did your family react to that when you decided to drop out of college? Were they off for it or they go get your dreams do whatever you do?
34:37: Do you want encourage people to look for solutions for problems for their business?
38:56: What is it about TrainingPeaks that makes it such a great place to work?
41:52: Are you hiring right now?
42:22: Anyone who is coach and athletes are they still able to join now?
45:39: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
46:17: What is your favorite book or blog?
47:38: What would you like to tell a new runner or anyone starting out starting to work out?
49:02: What types of products or apps do you use?
50:37: What is your favorite pre-race meal?
- 51:09: What is your favorite fitness app?
Quotes by Dirk
“We first try and solve the needs of the coach and help them run a successful business.”
“We welcome any athlete to come and create an account on TrainingPeaks even if they are not coached.”
“If you can get expert advice that is the goal in achieving by creating an account on Training Peaks.”
“Devices are now cheap enough where you can run with an iPhone and it’s free. You can hit start stop and it will give you your map, your pace, your time and upload it to a free training app. There is a lot of value to that.”
“I think having a running background is very advantageous to running a business.”
“Anyone who is interested and helping others and being a coach, there’s a free coach trial at TrainingPeaks.com”
“You can either be right or you can be happy but you can’t be both at the same time.”
“Do the least amount of the most specific training at the right time.”
Take a Listen on Your Next Run
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Links
Last week’s podcast with Steph and Ben Bruce
Why every run should have a purpose
Dirk’s favorite book Chris McDougall Born to Run
Favorite product Salomon handheld water bottle
Favorite GPS product Garmin Phoenix 3 GPS Watch
Favorite fitness app Wahoo fitness app
Thank you so much for tuning in. Remember you can always email me tina@runnersconnect.net if you have any suggestions, feedback, or guests you would like to hear from.
Can I ask you a HUGE favor please? Would you be able to review the podcast on iTunes to help Run to the Top move up the rankings…..so we can bring on more of those running celebrities and influencers?
It can be confusing. Here is a video for the computer https://www.youtube.com/embed/XdWeIF6gu3Y?vq=hd1080
As for the iPhone…..
Go onto the podcast app
Search for the Runners Connect podcast in the search bar (bottom right)
Select the podcast
There will be 3 tabs, the middle one says Reviews, click that
It will say “Write a Review”
Thank you SO much!
Next week, we will be talking to the legendary Ed Whitlock who has over 20 age group world records (including running a 1:50 half marathon at age 85!). It’s going to be a great show, and you won’t want to miss it!
