One of the things, as lame as it is, that I like to do is get followers who train you. You can let them train you, then take the gold right back out of their inventory. I do this with my archery-focused characters all the time with Faendal.

Yeah, I know some might call it lame and lazy, but sometimes I like to get a headstart and get some decent perks before I really get into the quests.

I'm looking to create a Warrior who focuses on Block, One-Handed, and Light Armor, with Archery and Sneak on the side. What trainers will train me in Block/One-Handed/Light Armor and also follow me?

Also, do you think Nord, Redguard, or Imperial would be best to be? I know it's really preference, but which race has higher stats? This way, a race with 25 One-Handed would level up much faster than a race with 15 or 20 One-Handed.