"I was supposed to "hold back" to a specific wattage on the first 30 minutes of the bike as I warmed up. I kept my power meter on the interval setting where all I could see was wattage, average wattage, cadence and heart rate. People passed me quite a bit... but I just trusted the process. I hit the wattage goal exactly for that first 30 minutes though, and when I finally checked average pace, it read 17.6 mph. I couldn't believe it -- already faster than last year??? Then we hit the hills and I stuck with the other planned wattages for the rest of the race – one for the flats, one for long hills and headwinds, and one for steep hills. Naturally I tend to hammer up hills and then go easier on the flats. Instead, Patrick had me holding back on hills and using the power meter to monitor my effort. I was so surprised when I was passing people up the hills even though I was just spinning along -- the power meter helps to maintain a consistent effort up a hill rather than pounding it early on and then petering out by the end (which I guess is what everyone tends to do), so when I kept a consistent effort the whole way, it paid off. A big guy even looked over at me and said -- It's nice to be small but I'll catch you on the flats! I smiled back because he had no idea I was just pacing myself carefully...and he never caught me :). The whole time on the bike computer I couldn't see my speed. Ever hour I would check the speed for the previous hour, and each time I was surprised by the numbers. For the hour between 30 minutes and 1:30, I averaged 19.8 mph!! That freaked me out a bit, but I kept up my mantra: This is my race! I can do this! I'm a biker! Suspend Judgment! I found comfort in that and stuck to my nutrition plan -- something to do every 10 minutes -- and pedaled on-ward. The next hour I struggled a bit on the way back from the turnaround, in the rain -- I think it's slightly uphill most of the way, or else we just had a headwind. I tried to keep my wattage at the goal – I ended up only 5 or 10 watts below it which was a huge victory for me. I passed people and was passed, but was actually RACING the bike for the first time. I stayed in my big chain ring -- that was a first. My cadence was over 90 (91 average for the whole ride). I felt strong and happy, and I was having fun. Even as I struggled with the roads and conditions, I still managed to average 18 mph for that hour when I checked at 2:30 into the bike. Doing well...suspending judgment, trying not to freak out about going "too fast" ...trying not to worry about how the run would feel on burned legs. The last 35 minutes I struggled to keep focused. Focus doesn't come easily to me on the bike, and that last part was so hard. Coming up the last hill into Ellacoya, though, I felt a wave of emotion come over me. I realized I was going to beat my bike split from last year by over 11 minutes. I couldn't believe it -- I've never had tears of joy and satisfaction during a race before, and I think it must have come from pushing myself outside my comfort zone and actually succeeding at it. I came in at 3:05:10 -- so much faster than expected that my boyfriend missed me and only saw me leaving for the run!! My legs didn't feel shot -- I had something left, and more importantly I realized that I had just achieved my goal for the whole day. Anything that did or didn't happen in the run could not change that."

"Hi Patrick, Here are two articles that have been done on my swim. Thanks for all of your direction, motivation and support. I could not have done it without your positive energy and enthusiasm. You got to know me so fast and really tapped into what makes me tick and were able to use that to provide me with good guidance and important perspective. THANKS!"

"Can't believe what I accomplished last week (and this year) with your teaching/mentoring. I've reached "local legend" status among the local tri scene for last week's events, even among some of the elites... all with no more volume of training than last year. Oh and, by the way, I feel like I could run another marathon this fall if I wanted to... Holy extreme fitness, Batman!"

"Without Matt Guinta's coaching and responsiveness, I would not achieved my goal -- and bettered my half ironman PR by an hour! With his focused, insightful guidance, I not only did better than my goal with a 5:37 half ironman, but am seriously thinking that I can achieve my dream goal of a sub 5:30 half ironman. I have a long history of marathons, triathlons, adventure races, etc, but my training was not been efficient and I often ended up very displeased with my performance. Makes you wonder why I bother doing them if I just kick myself and am ticked off after every one. In June, just 3 months before my targeted "A race" and before Matt's coaching, I did a 6:40 half ironman. I had trained pretty seriously for it since January and I was relatively pleased with it -- although it looked like a 5:30 was a pipe dream. Triathlons followed the same pattern: struggling in the swim and near last in getting out of the water, hammering during the bike (my strongest leg) to make u p! time, and trying to hang on during the run. Patrick was able to give me a short 1-on-1 swim clinic that immensely improved my swimming. My strong base gave Matt a lot to work with, and simply put he artfully coached me to a new level. For the first time during a triathlon, I was in control. And it was a pleasurable event."

- Gary

"Coach P -- I wanted to send you a personal thanks for getting me started training on the right foot for the marathon! Determining my accurate heart rate zones really helped to set me up for a successful training season. Your encouragement along the way was really motivating too! Thanks again!"

-Kelly

 

"I thought I had heard enough advice about swimming and running that you couldn't possibly say much that wasn't somewhere in my memory banks, but you very much impressed me with **several** good pointers and the reasoning behind them. I appreciate the expertise and its delivery."

"I owe you and your training plans -- and your encouragement -- a lot of credit here because I have seen such great results this year with my racing. My running has just taken off, even though I don't feel like I'm training harder or more with it (and even though I've started putting a lot of time into my new triathlon obsession). I just feel like I'm training smarter and with more patience, and I'm loving running more than ever. So thanks!!I just ran the same 10k Turkey trot I ran last year, and I beat my time from a year ago by FOUR minutes!! I came in somewhere under 43 minutes -- no chip times, but my watch said 42:45 (6:54 pace), we'll see what the official time says tomorrow. There were over 4000 racers and I was the 16th woman I think. Needless to say, I'm thrilled -- my old PR was 44:03 (from April) so this blows it away, and I had enough juice in me to really sprint the last .1 or .2 miles. Also, for the first time I negative split a race, the 5k was 21:40, I was hurting until mile 4, and then my legs just kicked in and off I went up the gradual uphill to the finish. This totally made a great end race for 2005."

-Nisha M.

Thanks so much for everything you've done to help me reach this. Suzanne and I were talking at your bbq about what a wonderful coach you are- you figure out how to talk in language that makes sense to us individually, and articulate what we're feeling and thinking better than we could, and then come up with a simple thing to do to move to the next level. I know that I was the one out there doing it, but you helped me move in two years from being an over- and under- confident whippet into a zen master ironman, for which I am forever grateful. We'll start talking about next year in a few weeks, but I'm going to enjoy rehashing this one and not training for a while.

- Nick

"I learned how to swim three years ago - pretty much just before my first triathlon. Even though I've done okay in the bike and the run in races, I was usually not in contention for placing well in my age group in triathlons due to my slow swim splits where I'd come out of the water near the end of the pack. I felt like I was playing catch-up for the remainder of the races. I really wanted to improve, but I was too intimidated to attend regular masters swim classes for fear of being the slowest one in the slowest lane. Since those days, Coach Patrick has helped me immensely with my swimming - both in the pool and in open water. In open water, with Patrick's help, I learned how to swim better with a wetsuit. In my last tri of 2005, I placed 3rd in my age group (my swim split was 4th out out of 15 comptetitors - something I previously didn't think I could do) In the pool, I attend Patrick's masters swim class that's inclusive to triathletes and swimmers of all levels - I have moved from the slowest lane to swimming with people I didn't ever think I'd be able to keep up with. This has helped out my confidence and I defintely enjoy swimming much more than I used to. Thanks! "

-Pam R.

 

"I would never attempt an Ironman event without PTS, given all the variables and temptation to over-train in this type of triathlon. Working with Big Al for my first IM, he took me from a 'standing start' to a great finish (top 20% w/in age-group) in 12 weeks. By committing all my limited training time to Al, I stayed focused on the quality work and positive mind set that would make a difference on race day. So the night before the race, I was relaxed and calm, confident that my coach and training had prepared me for the 140.2 miles ahead of me -- and I slept even better the night after the race having totally nailed my IM goal. Without a doubt, Big Al and the PTS program absolutely paid off."

-Tom H.

 

"I had been running since I was 16 years old and had done shorter triathlons for years and thought I knew a fair amount about training, diet, racing, etc. In 2002, I decided to take on a half Ironman. It was the Timberman Half in New Hampshire, and it was a really hot day. But that was just the start of my problems. The farthest distance I had logged on my bike prior to the race was 40 miles, mostly on flat roads. Needless to say, by the time I got to the run after a 1.2 mile swim (oh, that was my longest swim, too!) and the 56 miles with some brutal hills the first ten miles, I had totally bonked and was headed to the medical tent. It was hot, sure, but I knew my biggest problem was that I hadn't prepared properly. Determined to get revenge, I hooked up with Patrick McCrann at PTS with a goal of surviving, enjoying and finishing the Timberman Triathlon the next year. Patrick was extremely supportive of me throughout this process, coming up with a program that allowed me the flexibility I required (due to my job and travel) but ensured that I got in the training necessary to meet my goals. The photo here is of me finishing my bike in Timberman 2003, which is where I was a crying and dehydrated mess the year before (no photo necessary). I was so happy that I felt GOOD, and although a little tired, I had confidence in the training I had done and finished the race. My experience with Patrick and PTS was truly fantastic. Patrick has a great sense of humor, knows his stuff because he does and lives this sport too, but is also a sensitive and supportive coach - there were times during my training I gave up on myself. But Patrick believed in me and the training he knew I had done, and his encouragement and positive attitude helped me achieve my goal. Thank you Patrick -- I'll be back for more!"

-Sheila D.

 

"The Training Camp weekend was great! You and Maura did an excellent job focusing on the specifics for Timberman and tailoring it to the needs of participants. It was also very helpful to get tips and hear about experiences from the other campers. And I love my new PTS shirt! I am REALLY excited about my swimming progress. (You will only have to hear about it a few hundred more times.) If I keep talking about it I am hoping the positive experience will carry over to race day."

-Lisa C.

Coach Patrick put together a plan for me that was easy to follow, challenged me where I needed it, and gave me the results I was looking for. His feedback was really helpful throughout the season. I spent a lot more time on the bike than I had in the past, worked on my technique, and became a stronger rider. In the past I had problems with heat and nutrition in the longer races I had been in. Coach Patrick knew this and worked with me to find the right balance for me. We did some HR testing/ training and found the right mix for my nutrition intake needs. When I raced at Timberman this past summer I felt like everything really came together, it was a real positive experience for me. I had a clear plan to follow throughout the race, really stayed with it, and finished nearly an hour faster than when I had previously raced there. Overall working with Coach Patrick made me a more confident, knowledgeable, and stronger triathlete. Thanks Patrick!

-Robin M.

 

"I was so impressed by what you taught and what I learned in the class, I have been recommending it to my friends. You made the experience fun and energetic. I looked forward to getting up at 5 am and going to the pool to train/learn and the open water day I never thought I would not go, even in the rain. I hope you have an advanced class or just some open water swims in which I can participate."

-Patrick S.

 

"Great news. I weighed 180 this morning, down 17 lbs. from November! I went for a 2 1/2 hour ride on Friday at Gordon College. At the end of the ride I decided to sprint and threw down a huge power burst, surprising myself and my friend who was riding with me. On Saturday I rode to the Fells, jumped into the woods, then rode home for a total of 3 1/4 hours. I only ride like this at the end of every season in October. Thank you for your guidance - can't wait to see what this October brings."

-John G.

"When I began training for my first IM on my second tri season, I had no idea how many long rides, runs and swims I had to do to complete the race in one piece. I had constant nightmares about bonking during IM Florida. Being prone to training long hours, I was afraid of overtraining. Al from PTS helped me get through my last key 9 weeks of training with detailed daily workouts and guidance. He helped me deal with a shoulder injury 3 months prior the race and design a plan that would focus on my weakness and healthy recovery. His nutrition advices were key to my IM success. On race morning I was confident and ready to rock’n roll the 140.6 with no worries. I was happy all race long and finished feeling well in 12:55!! Al was extremely supportive all times, researching on my injury, understanding my goals and schedule and always giving priceless advice. He also has a crazy schedule and lives and breaths the sport, so it was good to learn from his experiences. I couldn’t have done it without Al’s coaching and the PTS program! You rock Al!!"

-Mariana P.

 

“After completing the Boston Marathon I wanted to do something that offered more than just running a marathon. That is when I decided to enter the world of triathlons. I joined Team Envision and attended their yearly training weekend in New Hampshire, which is where I first met Patrick. He gave an interesting and funny presentation on periodization training and I was determined to sign up! After meeting with Patrick for the first time my life began to change. I not only decided to train for 5 sprint triathlons that summer but I also wanted to train for the Chicago marathon in October. From that moment on, my life became all about training. I worked out 6 days a week, something I had never done before. I found myself waking up at 5:30am with an excitement to run, bike, or complete a brick workout. I was hooked. I successfully completed all the sprint triathlons that I had signed up for and I saw my time and my strength improve with each race. I always knew that Patrick was there to answer my questions and show his support. Never before had I such a sense of accomplishment when I would complete a race. The challenge to finish and get through the swim, bike, and run was exhilarating and so much fun. In October, when I finished the Chicago Marathon with a PR of 4:23 I knew that I could not have made it without Patrick’s support and coaching! Joining PTS was the best decision that I have ever made for my physical and mental happiness! Now I am looking forward to the next racing season and I am even pondering a Full Ironman one day all because of my kick ass coach and friend, Patrick McCrann. He is a miracle worker because he even got my fiancé on a training schedule as well!!!!"

-Jennifer W.