It may seem like a very obvious (not to mention self-serving) question, but while on a run today, I was pondering to myself... as runners, why do we need a coach? Surely in this day and age, we could just pop onto Chat GPT and ask for a recommendation of what training to do to get ourselves to the finish line of our next 5k. And yes, technically, you could. But in a world of automations, algorithms and data, there's still a lot of factors that you can only get from another human being.
In my life, I've had a lot of different coaches. As a kid, I played both netball and cricket to competitive levels - and that's before I took up running and worked with Mat Lewisham at Mat Lewisham Performance Coaching. Even now, I still work with two different coaches (other than myself!) - Don Saladino for my strength (and general business, life and fitness!) and James at NTS Nutrition. Over my time being coached, I've experienced the good and the bad, the supportive and the emotionally distant, the involved and the arm's length. And ultimately, my answer to "what's in a coach" is... "it depends on you".
One thing that AI will never be able to completely replace is the ability of a coach to adapt to the nuances of what different clients need. Not just what different clients need from each other, but what they need at different times depending on what's going on in their life. A good coach will have a holistic view of things going on in your life and work with you to navigate them. They'll understand when you're feeling a bit low and need a pick me up; they'll understand when you need accountability and a harder line. (And they won't always get it right, and sometimes they'll say 'it's Christmas Day, you choose what you do!' and you'll have to tell them you want to be set a non-negotiable session instead!)
For me, I've realised that what I need in a coach is somebody I can prove right. I want someone who believes I can work hard, who will push me to do the work, and who thinks I can achieve anything. For someone else, what they might need is a coach who tells them to just go out there and have fun. Someone else might need someone who tells them that run wasn't fast enough, or to give them a kick when they've skipped three runs in a row.
I've been asked for my coaching style before, and the same as what people want to get out of a coach... that too depends. No two of my clients need the exact same thing, so they don't get the exact same thing. Some need what they've called 'the Fleur hug'; some need me wondering at them if they're just going to keep skipping runs for the fun of it; some need light cyberbullying; some just need to know I believe in and am proud of them no matter what (which is always true for all of you!). Ultimately, that's the beauty of working with a human rather than an artificial intelligence - you get someone who works with you to understand and adapt to your changing needs over time.
So the next time you're turning to AI to write you a training program, have a think about whether that's getting you what you need - or whether maybe you need someone to join your team instead. Whether that's me or someone else (and if I'm not the right match for you I'd love to help you find someone who is!) - I simply love seeing people being cheered along and pushed to their goals by someone who has discovered the joy of helping others. Because ultimately, that's what's really in a coach - someone who has made it their job to help other people achieve their dreams. There's something quite special in that.