Snow Thoughts

It is snowing in Memphis. Here is a picture of Cayenne eating snow this afternoon. This dog will eat anything. Acorns, sticks, socks.... you would think we never feed her. Now she is so hungry she is eating snow. I guess it is because she lived on the street as a puppy and went through a period of time where her next meal was not guaranteed. 2.5 years later at our house and she still acts like we don't feed her 2 meals a day. As I type, she is climbing into my lap (because she is a great size for a lap dog, right? ;) and trying to drink my coffee and lick my desk.

So, on to the thinking stuff.
Lately I have been thinking a lot about coaching. What do I want in a coach? How will I benefit from a coach? I have gone through most of triathlon without a coach, and a recent longer period of time without being coached- one year with injury and one year recovering from surgery. I think I did a pretty good job of getting myself back in gear, but I am staring down the 2011 year and wondering...how can coaching help me, and what do I want from a coach?

I have evolved not only as an athlete, but as a person. As the days go by in my life, I make subtle changes within myself. My values also change as I grow, even if the changes are subtle. One thing I have really noticed is that year after year, it is becoming much more important for me to be surrounded by people that I like and respect. And vice versa- people that like and respect me! Mutual respect and interest in your friends is a precious gift!

So, in the past, I think I could say that I want a coach to make me X faster or run Y time at a race. Things are changing slightly for me, and I can say that my needs are not only about athlete development, but about surrounding myself with great people that I trust, like, and respect.

So what do I do when I want to think this over? I go run. I go run in the snow and enjoy the soft crunch beneath my feet and think! It was great to jog (there was no running) in the snow and just stop when I felt like stopping. Good for the mind.

And on to the topic of $$$ for coaching services....my married readers can probably relate- talking to your spouse about the insane amount of money triathlon can cost is not the best dinner conversation.

So...I talk to my papa (always up for these deep discussions). I asked him, "How did you pick your guitar teacher? Why him?" And I think his response was exactly "He is world class." What we discussed was the value of a coach vs. the cost of a coach. Obviously, the $$$ for a coach has to be a big consideration, especially since I share my income and expenses with another person- our goals and decisions have to be aligned- and reasonable. (And while papa can afford "world class"- ummm....not so much for me). What I concluded after talking to my papa is that value does not always mean the lowest price. Value is more aligned with expectations, delivery, and services rather than dollars. Throughout most of my life, I have thought of value in terms of a "deal." My papa put it into a better perspective- getting what you need and paying someone what is fair for those services is not about getting a deal. But if you are both happy with the arrangement, it is a deal for everyone in a bigger way.

So, there is more for me to think about with my current and future training needs as the year unfolds. My instincts will guide me to the right place (if I will ever just listen).
Isn't Rooney the best? He loves to play ball in the snow. I have been really sentimental about Roo lately, wondering what in the hell I am going to do when he is no longer with me. Dave said last night that Rooney would give his life for me- and I know this to be true. That dog protects me like nothing I could have ever imagined. He is my BFF soulmate.
Cayenne on the other hand scares people with the bully breed, but is such a baby. She is still sitting in my lap. And she just farted. I have yet to figure out what she contributes to our family besides her cuteness. She is a mess.