Triathlon Training Schedules

HOME

› TESTIMONIALS ‹

home » testimonials
	JOHN DEDONCKER - Took 1:46 off old Ironman PR at Arizona! "As a 43-year old bank executive, creating an Ironman training regime was something I lacked the time or the expertise to accomplish. Prior to working with Coach Steve, my workouts were monotonous. I was putting in the hours, but missing the results. Worse yet, by overdoing the running, I'd developed plantar fasciitis. Coach Steve provided customized workouts tailored to my schedule and abilities. I worked up to higher miles slowly, and with the combination of varying intensities and types of workouts, went well beyond my plateau. Core workouts, stretching and nutrition advice from Coach Steve helped the lingering ailments subside. I found myself injury free and in the best shape of my life on race day. I beat my prior Ironman PR by over 106 minutes! On a day when 17.7% of the field went DNF, I finished in the top 22% of my age group. My 4:27 marathon beat my prior two marathon-only times, and it was 96 degrees when I got off the bike! I could not have done it without Coach Steve."
	CAROL WILKE - Eleventh place at her first Olympic Distance World Championship! "I started working with Coach Steve in March 2007 for my upcoming second season of triathlon, and I couldn’t be happier. One of the most valuable benefits of working with Steve is the combination of his extensive knowledge of all three sports in triathlon and his many years of experience as an athlete. He is a wealth of information on everything ranging from race strategy to injury advice. He recently gave me a tip on my swim stroke when I told him my shoulder and elbow were hurting. He was exactly right, and my stroke is now stronger and pain-free. My main goal for the 2007 season was to compete in OD Nationals and make Team USA for the World Championships in Hamburg. I couldn’t have been more pleased with my results. I made Team USA, and in Hamburg finished 11th in my age group overall, 3rd of the U.S. women in my age group. Other highlights of the season included overall wins at several regional events. My primary reason for deciding to hire a coach was to take the guesswork out of training. I was looking for someone who would design a training program specific to me and my race goals/distance plans. Steve’s workout plans are client-specific; it’s not a pre-packaged program where only the name of the client is changed. The workouts are easy to understand, and you can look at the whole month to see how the training will progress/change with upcoming races etc. Steve makes the workouts easy to follow. Moreover, something that was very important to me was the fact that Steve is very careful about not overtraining. Through years of experience, he knows what it takes from a training perspective for specific distances, which eliminates the tendency of triathletes to overtrain. I am excited to train for another season with Coach Steve."
	SEAN THOMPSON - First time Olympic Distance World Championship finisher! "It's been exactly one year since I started with Steve as my coach. I had been away from triathlons with recurring injuries for six years. Every time I re-started running, nagging injuries would return. I had a friend coached by Steve and was amazed at the low mileage she was running and still getting results. Then I met Steve at Olympic Distance Nationals, and we decided that if I could actually train for the run I might be able to race the following year's Nationals, maybe even make Team USA to the World Championships. Early on I had some hamstring issues, but the right 'prescription' from Steve got me back on track. This season I raced two duathlons placing first and second, and eight triathlons, winning my age group in four. Without a doubt if I self-coached I'd be DNS for many races this season. I qualified for OD Nationals and made the World Championship Team! In Hamburg I was quite proud to finish mid-pack considering the caliber of athletes competing. This past weekend I challenged myself with a 15k. I had never raced that distance, and at this point last year had no idea I would be able to run more than ten miles a week, much less compete at that distance. I was second overall, first master, and negative split the race. More than Nationals or Worlds, that race points to my success under Steve's coaching practices and philosophies."
	KARI and ERIC DISTAD - Finished IronMan Wisconsin with PRs! "My husband, Eric, and I started training with Coach Steve in order to prepare for Ironman Wisconsin. We had been self-coached triathletes for 4-seasons and fumbled through a lot of beginner mistakes. For a big endeavor like the ironman we wanted to use a coach to get through the rigors, and we wanted to make certain we had a good plan in place to get to the finish line. Coach Steve got us to the starting line of a 10-mile road race, 2 half-ironman events, andthe ironman, feeling confident, injury free, and ready to race. We set PR's in every race this season, taking off large amounts of time for our half-ironman races; Eric improved by 25-minutes, and myself by over 80-minutes. At IronMan Wisconsin Eric took almost 100-minutes off his previous Wisconsin Ironman time and I finished my first Ironman with a huge smile on my face in just under 13-hours. The icing on the cake was that I set a new marathon PR by 19-minutes, during the Ironman! Steve put our training time to good use. His schedules were clear and very effective, and the volume of training buildup was done so gradually that we hardly even noticed it. Workouts were tailored to our specific strengths and weakness which definitely showed in our race time improvements. Eric travels for work and Steve was able to rework his schedule when out of town travel limited his training time. Steve was always willing to answer our questions via email or by phone, and we never had a problem with the fact that we are thousands of miles away from our coach. Initially we planned on going back to self-coaching after the ironman but now we plan to keep using Steve indefinitely and look forward to continued improvement. We really cannot say enough how much we've benefited from Steve's coaching and could not be more pleased with our race season and our improvements."
	KATHY SALVADORE - Moving up the results page at all distances! "As I reflect back on my race season, I look at what helped me succeed, stay motivated, as well as my weaknesses. Coach Steve was there to motivate me, keep me focused, and give me the feeling that someone was there to push me forward. I also became aware of my weaknesses which I plan to conquer next season! I decided to try Steve’s coaching regime after an early season swim session where his pointers resulted in a significant drop in my swim times. Swim tips, goals for bike mileage, and speed workouts on the track kept me focused and motivated throughout the season. I feel working with Coach Steve this season helped me in many areas of my triathlon competitions. I followed his concise, direct, and 'to the point' workouts. They were easy to adhere to, and I enjoyed having a set plan each day with a workout that was geared specifically for me. I also enjoyed Steve’s 'no fluff' approach and prompt responses. I trusted his expertise and knowledge in part due to his years of race experience. If you're looking for a coach who gives you high goals to strive for and leaves the cheerleading for high school football games, Steve is the coach for you!"
	ED BEUSSE - Set a new IronMan PR in Canada! "I heard of Coach Steve through friends in my triathlon club who had success with his coaching. After several Ironman races and no significant improvement, it was time to try something new, so I signed up with Coach Steve almost a year ago. I told him my goals and what I felt my strengths and weaknesses were (also gave the other requisite info like age, weight and heart rates), and he gave me a training program with specific times and heart rates—I followed it (or so he thinks). Seriously, I followed it with about 85 to 90% accuracy. The part I missed was mostly due to work and family getting in the way, and some old—bad—habits. I just got back from Ironman Canada where I set a PR by almost an hour! I was thrilled. I also set PRs at the Olympic and Half Iron distance this year with Steve's coaching. I felt the key to what Coach Steve gave me was the consistency and frequency of workouts. He established a base for me, manageable builds, tempo and speedwork, then eventually high volume leading up to the IronMan and it worked. On race day I relaxed, had fun, followed his nutrition suggestions and went as hard as I could—within what I knew I could do as proved in training. I feel I can improve from here with Steve's help!"
	JAY CARNEY - Moving up the results page with each subsequent event! “As a newbie asking a lot of questions, I was advised by more seasoned triathletes to get a coach. I asked around, interviewed a couple, and decided to hire Steve. I was afraid a long distance coaching relationship would be very generic and not meet my unique needs. I found that with Steve it only took a few questions and answers to build a personal and trusted relationship. Although I had only been doing triathlon for three years I decided to complete my first Ironman. Steve got me to the start line with all the confidence and conditioning to finish; I RAN the entire marathon and did not walk any of it. Steve will be my coach for next year's ½ IronMan in St.Croix and I expect he will have me ready to ride the Beast."
	SONJA FEUTH - Qualified for Duathlon World Championship and set a 10k PR! "I started training with Steve in November and have since been sticking to him like glue. I've seen a great improvement in my times since I started training according to his training programme as it was specifically designed according to my ability. I got to know Steve via the internet, as I was looking for a coach who could give me feedback on my training. I got in touch with Steve by e-mailing him and he replied back to me straight away. Coach Steve is very specific in each of his workouts and techniques which were great as I saw great improvements on my time from the first triathlon I did. He was also wonderful in helping me find the right bike and setting up the proper fit. I was disappointed in my cycle times so he taught me techniques of efficient riding which improved my times. He always was on the other side to hear of my complaints of illness and training and always gave an encouraging word or two. He gave me nutritional advice which also helped me greatly. I lost weight and became leaner, healthier, and stronger. I've achieved a lot in one year of just training according to Steve's programme; I came 1st in my first triathlon, 1st in my regional champs as well as in the top 10 for RSA Champs. For duathlon I came 1st in my first duathlon, then 6th at RSA Champs and was selected to go to Worlds. I've even broken my personal best time for the 10km, getting my time down to 37:30. I'm always speaking about Steve as he has done a lot for me even though that I live in South Africa, it is like he is with me all the time. He is just a phone call away if I need to talk to him."
	STEVE CHRISTOS - Finished his first IronMan at Lake Placid! "Thanks to Steve, I feel more than ready to compete in my first IronMan (Lake Placid). Coach Steve has tailored my training to fit into my very busy schedule. Because of him, I have been able to train while working full-time and committing time to my wife and two little kids. Coach Steve saw me through avoiding the common pitfalls and myths of training and had me pushing myself harder than I thought I could, all while avoiding injuries. We stuck to a training regimen that was grounded in facts and versatile enough to allow me to balance my training with my family life. I could not have done it without Coach Steve."
	KEVIN 'WOODY' WALSH - Set a PR at Gulf Coast 1/2 IM! "After stumbling through my first 3 triathlon seasons doing sprints and Olympics on friendly advice and magazine articles, I was advised by a top age group top finisher to get a professional coach. She told me her coach, Steve Pyle, is the best in the area and I was so impressed by her personal records and emphatic recommendation that I emailed Coach Steve the next day. He helped me with swim and bike technique and created a workout schedule based on my training availability. Coach Steve helped me with goal setting for both short-term accomplishments and long-term results. Almost immediately I began to feel the difference with my workouts, and it showed in my fitness level at my first race of the year, Gulf Coast 1/2 Ironman in May. I continued to train with Coach Steve for the whole year through my first IronMan in Florida. I emailed my race reports and workout questions or concerns and he responded that day. I often added a race here or there and Coach Steve would modify my training schedule to accommodate. He was willing to discuss any nutritional questions I came up with. Coach Steve got me to the start line prepared and ready, and I finished my first Ironman that November in the top 40%. I'm looking forward to this year's season and anticipate improvements."
	BEN WOODARD - Finished Wildflower, his first 1/2 IronMan! "In my rookie year doing anything even remotely competitive, Steve's been there done that experience and up-to-date but traditionally grounded coaching philosophy kept me on track for my goals and guided me away from the many 'new revolutionary training technique' fads that I would have been apt to fall into. He took what seemed to me to be a practically impossible pipe dream of mine and laid out the training path to achieve it so clearly that the event actually seemed rather anticlimactic. As an online coach, Steve also provided a good value. In comparison to other online coaches, he provided a level of direct interaction and personal customization I only found in other services costing twice as much."
	FRANK TANTILLO - Took almost 2 hours off his IronMan time at Lake Placid! "I first contacted Coach Steve after signing up for IronMan Coeur d’Alene on a dare from a training buddy. I’d been involved in multisport for two seasons at that point and had absolutely no idea how to prepare for such an event. Steve assured me that if I was willing to put in the time, he’d get me to the finish line in Idaho…AND get there in reasonably good shape. True to his word, he nursed (and in some instances, pushed) me through injuries, sickness, work conflicts, periods of self doubt, equipment malfunctions, etc…adjusting my schedule where necessary, while providing feedback to the scores of questions waiting in his inbox each day. That June, I finished IM CdA with ninety-minutes to spare and a smile on my face. Coach Steve was confident that he could improve my performance at any distance I attempted. He assured me that with more training consistency—and a personal commitment to “get lean”—we’d see greatly improved results. Once again, Steve delivered. I moved from the bottom of my age group to consistent placings in the top third—setting PR’s in each triathlon and road race I entered this season. Now, my sights are set on a top ten results, which was virtually inconceivable eighteen months ago. Thanks Coach Pyle."
	KEVIN CUNNINGHAM - Raced in Kona after qualifying at IronMan Lake Placid! "When I first started working with Steve 5 years ago, I just wanted a coach to give me a training schedule, getting me to the finish line of an IronMan I just wanted to train and let someone else figure out what, when, and how much. What I received from Coach Steve was so much more! As I've eased into my third year under Steve's tutelage, his program for me has evolved to build and improve upon the base developed last year and results have followed. Recently, I set a PR at the ½ IM distance with a 12% improvement over the previous year's time. Steve is there to answer every question by phone or email. Beyond the personalized training programs, he provides assistance with nutrition, injuries, race strategy, post-race analysis, proper technique, and state-of-the-art equipment advice. He even showed up at a recent event to encourage and make sure I got to the start line on time! I feel like I have access to Steve 100% of the time - as if I'm his only client. Because of the individualized schedule and instruction, I never think of him as an "on-line" coach. His coaching has already far-exceeded my expectations. Perhaps best of all - I trust Steve."