A Multi-Modal Case Study of a Distributed Communication Ecology in Remote Endurance Coaching

The growth of digital technologies has transformed endurance coaching, with many coach–athlete relationships now occurring entirely at a distance. Despite the increasing prevalence of remote coaching, little is known about how multiple communication technologies operate together to create and maintain coach–athlete relationships. This study explored a remote endurance coach–athlete dyad using a qualitative case study design. Data were collected over a four-month period and included coach and athlete interviews, seven video coaching calls, instant messaging communications, comments recorded on an online training platform (TrainingPeaks), race-planning documents, and performance data. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four interconnected themes were generated: (1) coaching through a distributed communication ecology; (2) athlete self-monitoring and co-regulation; (3) relationship quality during periods of uncertainty; and (4) coaching beyond the training plan and performance realm. The findings suggested that effective remote endurance coaching was not dependent on a single technology but emerges through the integration of multiple communication channels that supported monitoring, decision-making, relationship development, and performance preparation.