Let me tell you about my friend Jay’s amazing journey with triathlon coaching. It all started when Jay decided to take on his very first triathlon at the age of 63 in 2018. His main goal was to improve his overall fitness and health and, believe it or not, to try and slow down or even reverse the aging process. Quite ambitious, right?

At first, Jay tried coaching himself and even completed an Ironman Atlantic City 70.3 race in 2019. However, he faced some challenges and made a few mistakes along the way. That’s when he realized he needed some expert guidance. So, he turned to Google and found T2 Coaching, where he discovered me as an Ironman Certified Coach.

After some phone interviews and filling out online athlete profiles, we got to work. Together, we created a training plan that fit Jay’s schedule—no training on weekends, just Monday through Friday. Our initial goal was to prepare him for Ironman Maryland in 2020, but unfortunately, the race got canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this setback, Jay and I kept pushing forward, focusing on Ironman Chattanooga in the fall of 2021, when Jay turned 66.

Throughout our coaching journey, we conducted detailed questionnaires, had phone consultations, and performed baseline workouts to understand Jay’s strengths and weaknesses and establish clear goals. We were meticulous in tracking his training data and even used an app called Training Peaks to capture his comments and provide valuable insights and suggestions after each workout. One of Jay’s biggest challenges was swimming. When he was coaching himself, he struggled with freestyle and mostly stuck to breaststroke. However, with determination and hard work, he made great progress and eventually completed a 2.4-mile open water swim in just 62 minutes. It was quite an achievement!

Jay wrote to me: “Coaching helped me become much more disciplined with my time and diet. I noticed improved sleep, increased energy levels, reduced aches and pains, and a brighter disposition. At the age of 68, I now weigh just a few pounds more than I did in college. Working with Wendy, I can honestly say I’ve reversed the aging clock over the past four years.”

In 2021, at the age of 66, Jay accomplished his dream of becoming an Ironman by successfully completing Ironman Chattanooga. Our coaching relationship continued, with intermittent 12-week training blocks for other 70.3 events in 2022 and 2023. Looking ahead, Jay’s goal for 2024 is to participate in Ironman Lake Placid alongside his son as they embark on the journey toward the Ironman World Championships when Jay turns 70. It’s truly inspiring to see his dedication and determination in pursuing his dreams with his family.