Professional Standards

Standards and Expectations

What we expect. How to set boundaries. When to escalate.

We are clear about expectations because clarity prevents misunderstandings. This is professional, thoughtful work.

Core Standards

Reliability and Responsiveness

→You respond to athlete messages within a reasonable timeframe (e.g., within 48 hours). You set clear expectations about your response time at the start.
→You show up for agreed conversations (calls, check-ins, etc.). If you're unavailable, you communicate early.
→You complete plan personalisation within an agreed timeframe (typically 1–2 weeks after athlete intake).
→You are consistent. If you commit to a check-in schedule, you maintain it.

Race-Specific Decision Making

→Your decisions are rooted in the race itself and the athlete's circumstances, not generic theory.
→You explain why you're making decisions. "Because I did this and it worked" is good. "Because the template says so" without context is not enough.
→You stay within the race. You don't attempt to mentor for a race you haven't completed.
→You bring judgment, not just plans. A mentor's value is in thinking, not just handing over a document.

Respect for the Athlete's Life

→You honour the athlete's actual constraints. If they have 6 hours per week, the plan fits 6 hours. You don't push them toward 10.
→You respect their feedback. If something isn't working, you listen and adjust.
→You acknowledge their effort and progress. This is a supportive relationship, not a judgment.
→You are realistic about setbacks. Injury, illness, travel, work disruption—these happen. You adjust without drama.

Professionalism and Boundaries

→You maintain professional communication. Text is fine; excessive personal chat is not your role.
→You set clear boundaries about your availability. "I reply within 48 hours and I'm not available on weekends" is clear.
→You don't take on roles outside your competence. If an athlete has a medical concern, you suggest they see a doctor.
→You charge the agreed rate and communicate about payment clearly.

What You Are Expected to Do

Plan Personalisation

✓Review the athlete's complete intake carefully
✓Spend time personalising the race-specific template to their circumstances
✓Make explicit decisions about volume, intensity, and focus based on their goals and constraints
✓Document your thinking: why you made these changes and what matters for them

Plan Review & Communication

✓Review the personalised plan with the athlete (call, email, or both)
✓Explain your reasoning for key decisions
✓Answer questions about the plan
✓Ensure they feel the plan is realistic and achievable
✓Set clear expectations about ongoing communication and check-in frequency

Ongoing Progress Monitoring

✓Check in at the frequency you agree (bi-weekly, monthly, etc.)
✓Review how the athlete is responding to the plan
✓Provide feedback and encouragement
✓Notice when things are off-track and discuss why
✓Use the platform or agreed communication channel

Plan Adjustments

✓When the athlete is injured, ill, or facing major disruption, adjust the plan
✓Use your experience: "Here's what worked for me in a similar situation"
✓Keep the athlete focused on what's still achievable
✓Document the changes and explain the logic

Race Week Support

✓Final check-in on fitness and readiness
✓Race-week plan adjustments if needed
✓Available for questions in the days before the race
✓Optional: race-day communication (text, check-in)
✓Post-race debrief and learning discussion

What You Are Not Expected to Do

These boundaries exist to keep the relationship sustainable and focused.

You are not a sports medicine doctor

If an athlete has a persistent injury, medical concern, or pain that concerns you, direct them to a doctor or physio. You can offer perspective ("I had similar pain and this helped me"), but diagnosis and treatment are outside your scope.

You are not a nutritionist

You can share what worked for you. You can suggest they practice nutrition strategy. You cannot prescribe specific diets or supplements or claim medical nutrition knowledge.

You are not available 24/7

You set your availability and boundaries. "I respond within 48 hours and I'm not available on weekends" is clear and professional. You stick to this.

You do not provide daily coaching

You are not doing daily check-ins, constant feedback loops, or run-by-run adjustments. That is not the role. You mentor; you don't coach daily.

You do not write nutrition plans or prescribe supplements

You might suggest a nutrition strategy based on what you did. Beyond that, refer to a qualified nutritionist.

You are not responsible for their race result

You provide the best mentoring you can. They execute their training. The race outcome is a combination of preparation, luck, conditions, and day-of execution. You are not responsible for DNF, missed goals, or performance issues beyond your control.

You do not take on athletes you don't have bandwidth for

If you're at capacity, you say no. If midway through you realize you're overcommitted, you communicate early with the athlete and platform.

When to Escalate or Ask for Help

Part of professionalism is knowing when something is outside your scope. Contact us if any of these come up.

→The athlete reports persistent pain or injury concern

→The athlete reveals mental health struggles or emotional distress beyond normal pre-race nerves

→The athlete mentions substance use or concerning behavior

→You realize the athlete is not actually qualified for the race (e.g., they claim to have done it but didn't)

→The athlete is asking you to do something outside your competence (medical advice, nutrition prescription, etc.)

→There is a conflict between you and the athlete that's not resolving

→You need to drop the mentorship partway through

→The athlete is not executing the plan and you're unsure how to proceed

When in doubt, escalate. We're here to support you and ensure both you and the athlete have a good experience.

Why These Standards Matter

We are selective about this because we care about both mentor and athlete experience. Clear standards mean:

•You know what you're signing up for. No surprises.
•Athletes trust you because they know you're professional and boundaried.
•Relationships stay healthy because expectations are clear.
•You're not overcommitted or doing work outside your scope.
•The focus stays on race-specific mentoring, not generic coaching.

This is what serious, thoughtful mentoring looks like. Clear. Boundaried. Professional. Focused on what matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common concerns and questions about the mentor role.

Read the FAQ