Erin finds time for racing around her busy schedule as a graphic designer. (She's the one who designed our awesome logo and team uniforms.) She's also one of the Social Directors for the Tri Club of San Diego. Read about her 12-week half marathon training program with us.
After I told Brian I was planning to do the Run to Remember Half Marathon in Boston, he asked if I wanted a coach. My initial reaction? No way! After completing my collegiate swimming career in 2005, I had been a coached athlete for 13 years. I turned to triathlon to stay fit and maintain my competitive spirit, not to have a coach telling me what to do and when to do it.
After some consideration, however, I decided I would work with Triathlon Lifestyle Coaching for three months leading up to my race. Why not give it a whirl? Before even starting my 12 week training plan, Brian assured me that I would run well under a 1:57, my 13.1 PR. I didn't know my limits with running because I had never tried to reach them. As far as I was concerned, 1:56:99 would be a victory.
Every week for 12 weeks, my email inbox pinged with a weekly training plan from Brian. Nearly every week, the numbers, both in distance and time, seemed impossible to me. But nearly every week, I was able to meet or beat those numbers. Brian knew my limits better than I did and designed a plan specific to my wants, needs and abilities. I saw consistent improvement, felt a sense of accomplishment each week and, most importantly, stayed injury free. I never felt forced to run because I always looked forward to pushing my limits a little further each week. Each run was unique, so I never got bored.
Not every run was perfect. During my slumps, Brian always
had confidence in me, shared encouraging words to raise my spirits and
adjusted my training plan to put me back on track. After traveling 3,000
miles to run 13.1, I crossed the finish line in 1:47 and set a 10 minute PR.
I was thrilled with my achievement and was in the best running shape of my
life.
My experience with Triathlon Lifestyle Coaching was fantastic. I learned how
to push my limits and go beyond my comfort zone while staying healthy. While
my training plan was only three months long, the training methods I learned
while working with Brian will last a me a lifetime.
Riikka (Nökö) Aramo
Nökö and her husband Ian are recent citizens of the U.S., immigrating from Finland and Scotland. For years they sailed around the world captaining and crewing yachts. Now they've settled on land for a spell, and in between work and throwing legendary dinner parties, they've discoverd triathlon.
This spring, in her second year of racing, she's had amazing success. At her first half ironman (Super Frog), she took third place in the amateur division. And at Wildflower, she placed 2nd in her age group and 11th overall on the hugely competitive Olympic course.
Below, Nökö describes her training with Triathlon Lifestlye Coaching...
It was December 2009 when I had my first meeting about my triathlon training and goals for
the future with Brian.
He had all my sports and previous triathlon information analyzed in front of him. Of course I’m a bit concerned about the verbal news telling me how I have trained so wrong and how we are going to change everything.
Well, that was not the news; he actually was very positive about my own workout program and how well I had done.
I told Brian which race I would like to be as my main race of the season and which other races I have planned to do. He threw in one half marathon to make me feel more comfortable to race my
first 70.3 later on, and pointed out which work outs are more important at a given
point in the season's plan.
You see, my bases for this hobby have being “train hard till you drop, and extra info about triathlon you can get from internet”. But if it REALLY would be that simple, I think everyone would be doing this and without injures. During that few hours meeting Brian found out what I really wanted out of my first real race season and informed me how much time and work it will take. We had to improve my running and get my biking stronger, plus keep up with the swim...that pretty much covers it, right?
My background in sports is swimming for 10 years when I was in school and a few years of waterpolo. Fitness wise it really does not warm me up much, as that was 25 years ago, but apparently I still had the technique left. I had done some road biking as a fun hobby with my husband, and running was pretty much a nightmare every time I even thought about it. People tell me that I’m a pretty competitive soul, fair enough, but I have never really raced against anyone else than myself.
I had no idea about techniques of how to race against someone on a bike or running-- meaning the psychological side of racing. And let me tell you, there are lots of things that will get me to the finish line easier and feeling not so guilty for fellow racing mates now days.
At that meeting Brian gave me my first week's work out plan and that’s how it all started.. There came tempo and interval work outs into my life, together with Great Western Loop brick work outs. And running track work outs that did not make me puke, but have made me so much faster. I had never even heard of tempo or interval workouts ..what, “do not go flat out till you bonk and then go home?”
Brian kindly offered to come out on a bike and to the track and tell me why and how we are doing these. A whole new window opened up for me and my sporty lifestyle.
Along the winter months Brian has educated me mentally how to deal with ups and downs of training days. Dealing with the long runs when you just simply do not want to do it and when I finally go out and run, I feel like I have a dive lead belt around my waist and the day is just simply way too gray in anyone’s standards. When my daily job gets the better of me and there is no more energy, he forgives me to miss a work out but he does have this (cannot put your finger on it) tone in his voice if you try to bail out of the next one. And suddenly I feel better cause I went and did my work out and life is so much better again.
As Brian has a back door to my training life--called "Garmin"--on the good days he always remembers to mention how well I’m doing and throws in a few mathematical facts to compare times with my previous ones. I really think that he checks my workout schedule everyday...he does not tell me so and I really do not want to know but hei...it makes me go out and do stuff as I know that if I do not...the (cannot put my finger on it) tone of voice will come some point soon!!
It was January this year when during our monthly lunch meeting, while he was showing me my work out history and times and graphics how things are going, he just casually mentioned that my half marathon should go to 1.40, taking the hilly course and how I am getting better. I just laughed as I thought that time would be absolutely absurd. Well I ran it 1:40:27.
My main race for the beginning of the season was Super Frog. Brian told me on that same meeting that I should be doing it to 5:10. Well, it ended up that the swim was pretty rough, but apparently I had a great bike...and my time was 5:06. What I’m trying to say here...he does not build “cloud castles” to your head about how you will do and really does not expect things from you that are not possible.
Brian is very realistic about your abilities and he will give you all “the tools” to make you better. He is always there for you rain or shine. There really are no words to thank you enough Brian. You have given me a new life style and I’m loving it!