Coaching BS

From time to time I have enlisted the services of a coach and or paid for a general season outline. I have had great success with a coach and a pathetic existence as a bike racer with a coach. All have been professional. meaning they fulfilled their end of the deal. They provided training plans and general season guidance. So in that sense I don't mean to coach bash, because their are some really good coaches out their and I'm sure they know their poop backwards and forwards. However, I think it takes the right mix of coach and athlete, and frankly a fast responding athlete for it all to work. I also think most of the "mail-order" coaches need a somewhat naive or a less than common sense rules athlete to see good results. Just from my experience telling me to get a good night sleep before the race,and eat a good meal just wasn't the keen insight I was looking for. Also I found coaches are really good at telling you your power numbers. You did x watts for x minutes. Thanks my free software already told me that. Or you did x watts more than in a similar interval last month. Again thanks, I knew that without looking at any numbers, but I'm still getting my butt kicked at a race. What is that power number? Thats the one I want. Or if I show you a race file, and I can pinpoint the time where the field rode away from me, why are we not simulating the events leading up to that point in training?

So I say eff-it. I'm going to ride how I feel when I feel like it. (yes I will have a general big picture in mind) I'm not going to give two-poops if I'm out of my zone 3 wattage in the base period, I might as well get used to it. The old Russian addage was to throw eggs (athletes) against the wall, and keep the ones that don't break. We'll my friends that is what a Mtn. Bike race is, and you need to be a tough egg. So I've decided this will be my best season ever. If I fry my egg so what, at least I'll know it didn't work for free.