RTB offers 2 coaching options -  Personal Coaching and Team Coaching.

Click here to learn about RTB's Personal Coaching.

Endurance Nation joined the RTB family as a Team coaching partner in January on 2015.  EN seeks to educate athletes on how to execute triathlons through their online yet personable 'team coaching' method.  Athletes using the services and resources of Endurance Nation join hundreds of athletes across the country - many of which are members of their own local triathlon teams.  

Athletes using EN for coaching will find a vast library of resources on their website.  Articles, Videos, & Podcasts compliment a huge array of training plans written for every distance.  Coaches Patrick McGrann and Rich Strauss personally welcome athletes, learn their goals, and set them up with a Season RoadMap - which is a combination of pre-written plans chosen for that particular athlete's needs.  Then it's up to the athlete to use the available resources and tweak the plan to suit them with the collaboration of other EN athletes - many of which have been training using EN for years and have become valuable sources of information.

Team-Coaching with EN requires some work on the part of the athlete.  Coach Patrick McGrann explains it's not a system that works for everyone.  Athletes that are new to triathlon or racing at a new distance, or want a specific plan written especially for them will likely be better candidates for Personal Coaching.

But if you're the type of person that likes learning, enjoys the hunt for information, collaborating with others on a similar path - then we suggest signing up for the free 30-day trial that RTB members have as a benefit of membership.  (The regular free-trial period for the public is 7-days).

To learn more about the partnership between Endurance Nation and RTB, click Here

Because of the rapidly growing amount of resources and science behind preparing for a triathlon, more and more athletes are asking specific, complicated questions. How can we take all these theories and training variables and apply them to ourselves?  What's the right amount of time to train?  How hard should I be going?   What about rest? How in the world do I use my brand new power meter?

To help athletes get those questions answered and on their way to many successful finish lines, we have two coaching options at Raise the Bar: Team Coaching by Endurance Nation and Individualized Coaching. This article will highlight Individualized Coaching.

Our Individualized Coaching program has grown, not only in athletes using the service but also in the number of coaches available. We would like to welcome Jenn Edwards and Julie Strong to our coaching staff. Jenn and Julie are great leaders in our triathlon community. Not only have they found success with their hard work out on the triathlon courses but they have become 'go to' people within the triathlon community for information and advice. We are super excited to have them join coaches Alissa Anderson, Josh Adams and Kathy Morrisson.

Our Individualized Coaching program has 3 basic options.

1. Personalized Monthly Coaching allows you to work with a coach on a daily basis through Training Peaks, email and texts. Workouts are designed based on the athletes improvements and time constraints.
2. A Custom Training Plan is a training plan written for the athlete based on where they currently are and where they want to end up. The plan is 3 months in length (with option to extend) and is based on the athletes schedule.
3. The last option is Consults. These are short meetings (60 minutes) with a coach to help with nutrition, plan ideas, motivation, race execution etc... 

​More details and pricing can be found here.

Learn about RTB's second coaching option, Team Coaching with Endurance Nation, Here.

​Thank you so much for joining in on the fun at RTB’s run clinic by Coach Alissa Anderson! Everyone did a fabulous job PRACTICING what you learned. Keep practicing!
 
The presentation notes are posted on this blog for you to refer to. Alissa would like to point out that she's given links to videos of each of the strength and stretching exercises that are listed. Please take advantage of those and really pay attention to the form being modeled. Then PRACTICE those strength exercises and stretches often. Mastering them will make a big positive impact on your running.
 
Alissa also listed all of the dynamic warm up exercises and drills that we went over. There are no links to videos, but feel free to shoot her an email if you have questions. Remember POSTURE is KEY when you are doing those warm ups and drills, and while you’re running! Take the time to slow down and do the exercises right. Like she said, her favorite quick warm up is to do the 4 way lung matrix (plus throw in the soldier walk or hamstring backwards walk). Be very careful to keep your knee in line with your foot when you lunge and to not let the knee go forward of your toes. Also, keep the heel of the working leg on the ground and push through the heel as you stand up.
 
Lastly, Alissa points out that all of the running cues we went over are listed in the presentation. Pick a few cues that really work for you and try to bring your mind back to them throughout your runs. It’s mentally tiring to constantly think about form, so just pick some sections of your run to really focus on it. And always keep in mind that the best PLACEMENT for your foot strike is under your center of mass.
 
Special Note from Alissa: I really enjoyed working with all of you. What a fun group!

If you need more individualized help with running form, feel free to contact [email protected] and she can arrange a coaching consultation for you with one of RTB’s coaches. 

When I got the call from Kathy inquiring about my interest in writing a "Why I Tri" story, I was excited to share. We all love to talk about ourselves, so I said "yes". Then the weight of that request started to bear down on me. I felt empty of knowledge and advise, humbled by the thought of making one's story relevant to others.
 
So, buckle  up, Buttercup. This is my story on "Why I Tri":
 
As you read my story, I will actually be in Arizona doing my tenth 140.6 triathlon saying this is not meant to be a boastful statement but to let you know how far I have come.
 
I was born in .... hmmm.. not relevant. Okay, when I did start this thing called "triathlons" it was about 5 years ago. January 1st 2010. That's the day I decided to run my first 5k In Estes Park, Colorado. Yes, up in the Rocky Mountains. The local YMCA was hosting the run so on a whim I showed up at 7am, New Year's day. Five feet of snow surrounded the area and it was colder than a banker's heart. But hey, it sounded like a great idea at the time. I think the whole town showed up, at least those that weren't hung-over. The horn sounded and we were off. Needless to say, I was not in the best of shape at that time. My doctor had just given me a physical and commented to me that I was "mildly obese". Ouch!! I responded back by saying "What do you expect at 52 years young?" He then said, "lose some weight and reduce the stress in your life". Right Doc, I will get right on that. 
 
Back to the race, so I bonked, choked, bombed... whatever the cliché is and I came in last place being passed by two mature ladies and their poodles 300 feet from the finish line. What a ball buster, my pride left in the frozen tundra. Yes, I was humbled and after trying to warm up after the race, the volunteers and runners encouraged me to run again. So, feeling a little better about my pathetic self, I vowed to run again and beat those damn poodles!  
 
I know what you're thinking. Great start Dave set yourself up for failure right away. Well, here's the Good, the Bad and Ugly of my life at the time. Let's start with the Ugly. I was up in the Rockies to see how far I could get away from my personal crisis as it were, to find myself. I was going through a divorce and a financial crash of several of my companies, life was just not fun and it was downright depressing. But, one thing I had learned through my adult life was when faced with adversity, deal with the Bad in your life. Take an inventory of the Good  and be grateful for the things you have and quit beating yourself up about the past. 
 
There is a saying that I believe to be true that with every thought there are two responses. One mental "that's a good idea" or "no, reject it" and then a physical response "yes, let's do this" or "let's just lay on the couch and watch TV". Well, thanks to a great counselor who happened to be a triathlete, suggested that I watch a story on the internet about one Dad's determination to race with his son "Team Hoyt".  So after watching this story and yes I cried. But, then I told him that I don't swim and I make fun of people in spandex and as you already know, I don't run, I was never an athlete so what part of this is going to be fun? He just laughed and said believe me you'll enjoy it.
 
So, my journey to be a triathlete started. All I needed was discipline, self control and consistency. Easy right? Ha. But, I was determined and committed. I went to the local high school and hired a senior to teach me how to swim (now that's fun) then off to Big 5 to buy a road bike Hmm. I will take that one. I had no clue about bike fit then. I then enrolled in a fitness club. Check. And, I am now off on a new adventure. 
 
But, wait not everyone was excited about my new pursuit for greatness. My Pulmonologist being one who said "Not so fast, I wish you well but I must remind you of your chronic Asthma and based on all our testing, you may have only 80% lung capacity left after decades of inhaled steroid use that have scarred your lungs." I said yes, that's true, so help me. All the disciplines of swimming, biking and running take huge amounts of aerobic fitness which includes heavy breathing and which may be a challenge for you. So I said okay, what else. He then reminded me of my allergies. Again, I said, help me. and he then said, what about your Eczema? The chlorine in the pool will inflame your skin and all that sweat will sting like crazy. You see, since I was an adult I never would wear shorts or take off my shirt in public because of my eczema. So, again I asked him to help me. And, he did.
 
Decision time. "Every time  you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask yourself if you want to be a prisoner or if you want to be a pioneer to the future" Deepok Chopra

It's time to sign up for the next RTB Swim Session!
​Click Here

Feeling beat up from last season?  Phil Kriss - team member and Chiropractor - can help you get ready for next year.  Contact his office for a Free Consult!