| Mike Miller goes 9:47 first attempt! |
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| Mike Miller 9:47:52 first try! |
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In August of 2010, I decided I would take a stab at the sport of triathlon. A quick look at the local events calendar showed a perfect race to start with - Harvest Moon Half Ironman. Heck, it was five weeks away...plenty of time to prepare! After a bit of research I decided to contact Kevin, who proceeded to tell me I was crazy, but he would do what he could to get me across the finish line. Not only did he get me across the line, he got me there in 5 hours flat. Not bad for a newbie riding a cyclocross bike!
Ok so I was hooked. Over the course of the following triathlon season, Kevin had me racing duathlons, Olympic tri’s, HIM’s and eventually IM Florida. The learning curve was (and remains) steep, but this was all very achievable with Kevin’s day to day guidance. Unlike most coaches out there, Kevin maintains unlimited daily communication in order to ensure his training regimen for me is always spot on. He pushes hard and expects his athletes to work, but he understands the importance of lifestyle, recovery, threats to burnout, and injury prevention. When I told Kevin I want to go full Ironman distance, he told me to trust in his knowledge and follow his plan to a "T", and all will be fine. Well, I can testify that I did EXACTLY as he said, and it payed off. Not only did I finish my first Ironman, but I finished strong and was very happy with my results.
During my first full season with Kevin, I PR’d every event. My run splits at tri races were faster than any of my previous open run races. I improved my HIM time from 5 hours to 4:40, and finished IM Florida in 9:47. I felt fully recovered from IM Florida within 5 days of the race, which shows how well Kevin prepared me tactically and physically for long course racing. .
Hopefully the future holds more IM distance racing for me, and I would be fortunate to have Kevin as a coach and mentor.
If you need a coach, a training partner (yes, he will take you riding in the hills!), a mentor, and a friend in the information-overloaded world of triathlon or any other endurance sport, look no further than coach K!
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| Ethan Pond: All-American HM |
Under Kevin's coaching this season has been marked with numerous breakthroughs as evidenced by PERSONAL RECORDS AT EVERY DISTANCE
and at almost every attempt. While the PR's are proof of a breakthrough season, the new found direction that Kevin has brought to
my training has been the real breakthrough.
I came to Kevin in the fall of 2010, seeking to break through the plateau in my performance. I had been putting in the hours, but
I was lost in my training and frustrated with my lack of progress. Kevin immediately recognized my need for direction and crafted
a very clear approach to addressing my weaknesses and improving my performance. Rather than simply assigning a workout, Kevin
takes the time to help me understand the purpose of every workout and how it serves to get me closer to my goals. Through this
direction, Kevin has coached me to shatter my previous training plateau and reach the next level in the sport, with minimal
increase in volume. As the 2011 racing season reaches its conclusion there is absolutely NO sign of a performance plateau and I
can't wait to see what I can do in 2012 under Kevin's guidance.
Below is a summary of time improvements from 2010 (pre KK) to my 2011 season with Kevin.
American Zofingen (Middle Distance): 21 min improvement
Rev3 Quassy: 19 min improvement
70.3 PR: 27 min improvement
Short Course Duathlon: 2 min improvement
15k: 4:15 improvement
10k: 2:05 improvement
8k: 1:35 improvement
4 mile: 0:27 improvement
5k: 0:05 improvement
THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING!
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| Ethan Pond |
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You can't argue with numbers. Comparing my results from the Buffalo
Creek XTERRA last year with my results this year, I saw a 8 minute
and 30 second improvement on a 20 mile mountain bike ride. The
difference? Last year I was self-coached, this year I worked with
Kevin. Believe it or not, my biggest improvements were not on the
bike but in swimming. Through the workouts Kevin provided and his
insistence that I attend Masters, my 100 m freestyle time went from
1min 50 sec to 1 min 16 sec. For the first time ever, I went into
all my races feeling confident in the water. Kevin helped me to make
these improvements with reasonable workouts that were tailored to a
very busy work schedule. I ended the season feeling strong and
rested, unlike years past when I was self coached and had worked
myself into the ground. It was a great season, and I can't wait to
see what we accomplish next year.
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I started working with Kevin in January of 2007 at the beginning of
my third season of triathlon. Prior to that, I spent two self-coached
years competing at Xterra. My experience training on my own had been
that my season would start out well, but by mid-season I'd plateau,
and by the time the end of the season and nationals came around I was
completely exhausted, both physically and mentally. It was my hope
that working with a coach would allow me to continually improve
throughout the whole season, and to end the season feeling healthy
and not burned out. Additionally, I was hoping a coach could finally
help me improve my horrendous swimming. I definitely found what I was
looking for with Kevin.
The training program that Kevin designed for me had the right mix of
smart intensity, volume, and rest that allowed me to keep improving
throughout the entire season. Thanks to Kevin, my last race of the
year was also my best race of the year, and I'm ending the season
feeling healthy and not burned out. Improving my swimming was one of
my main goals this past season, and Kevin's focus on my swimming,
along with his insistence that I join a masters group, helped me
drastically improve my swimming to where it is now nearly on par with
my bike and run performance.
Kevin's many years of experience in triathlon and endurance sports
have provided him with knowledge that makes him an invaluable
resource for advice on all aspects of triathlon from technique to
equipment to nutrition. He helped me fine tune my race nutrition plan
over the course of the season to eliminate the stomach problems that
have held me back in the past. I'm looking forward to working with
Kevin again and an even better season in 2008.
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Swedish Power:
From 0 to ironman in 7 month it's possible....
I am a Swedish guy 35 years old in october, my sportsbackground is boxing and back then i used to run much and i did a marathon in 3.06 but it was 14 years ago and my weight was 70 kg and in september when i started to think about ironman it was 108 kg .
The first thing i did was to buy 5-7 different books about triathlon and did somekind of program and i also read a lot on internet and got in touch with coach Kevin who has alot of experience of Ironman and Hawaii races.
As soon i decided to go with Kevins program he design it to me and we started in the 18th of december both me and Kevin had newborned child and that pushed me to train early mornings and late evenings when he told me he has been running 1 am i thougt i wasent crazy , and my longbikeride i use to start 4 am ,Kevin is fast to change the program after needs when he saw my swimtime was slow he made one more swimday in the program and i finaly learned to swim when i had a little problem with my calf he took away the running and add more bike.
On the Ironman day i feldt ready to race and did it in 10.46 and had a goal in 12 hours and without Kevin i dont think i would have done it over 13 ,3 days after the ironman i feldt normal 8 month ago when i run 20 km i coldnt walk normal in 1 week so i was well preperd for this race . Thank you Kevin! You are the man i be back and thank you for all the fast and funny answer on email ,someday i will come to Boulder
/Stefan a new Swedish ironman
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I'm getting ready to leave and I wanted to drop you a quick note before I do. Thanks so much for all the guidance you've given me over the past year and a half. You've taught me so much about this sport, and the lessons I've learned from training and racing have made me a better person for all my other endeavors in life.
After my swim this morning I was thinking about my current fitness level and I'm incredibly pleased with how your plan has enabled me to train to be in the best shape of my life and stay injury-free and motivated. I couldn't ask for a better coach. I'm very fortunate to be able to work with you as you show me the path towards achieving my goals. I'm the one who has to walk down it, but without your guidance I know I would not be the athlete or person I am today. Thanks so much.
I feel totally prepared and I'm much more relaxed going into this weekend then I've been for any race before. I'm psyched, time for some redemption.
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Having been to the Hawaii Ironman Championship seven times, Kevin knows what it takes. Whether your goal is to qualify for Hawaii or to finish your first Sprint triathlon, I highly recommend Kevin as your coach.
I didn’t have a swimming, biking or running background when I registered for the Boulder Triathlon Series (sprint, Olympic and ½ IM distance races). I didn’t own a bike, I never ran even a 5K, and I learned to swim Freestyle six months before. I contacted him because I wanted to make efficient use of my time, learn proper technique and ensure a positive experience on race day. Kevin created a training plan to meet my specific needs based on my current fitness level and time available for training.
Kevin exceeded my expectations by sharing his knowledge of nutrition, equipment, transitions, web sites and race strategy. His guidance has been invaluable; for example, I wouldn’t have completed the Sprint Tri without Kevin’s suggestion to do an open water race prior to the Sprint Tri. It was a half mile swim that I tuned into a mile, I was regularly breathing water and dealing with panic that sets in with cold water and lack of ropes. Kevin not only got me through the Boulder series but also a century ride and a marathon. The goal next year is a full Ironman which I’m sure Kevin will have me well prepared. In addition, Kevin has a great sense of humor, and I consider more of a friend than a coach.
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Kevin -
I wanted to thank you for the fantastic job getting me ready for the
CDA race. You have probably seen the results by now, but I stormed across
the finish line in 11:49 which was way inside my 12 hour target. I
went through the entire race feeling confident and in control - much of
which was due to great coaching from you.
Knowing that I had my nutrition dialed was a HUGE comfort, and all the
BRICK workouts had me feeling light on my feet as I stepped off into the
run. The bike course was new and much hiller than people expected - I
kept to my game plan and kept asking myself if I could get off and run
a marathon...and let some people who had no business in front of me
grunt up the hills. As the day went on, I caught some of them on the bike,
and many more on the run. It was very motivating to pass hundreds of
people on the run! That honestly was one of the most comfortable
marathons I have ever run...in any event
Running across the finish line, holding my kid's hands and beating my
target time while the announcer screamed out "John Moore - you're an
Ironman!" was one of the great days of my life and you were a big
part of making the day a success. My sincere thanks for your personal
attention and expertise in helping prepare me for it.
Now to get ready for Chicago, and then the Boston Marathon!
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I started participating in sprint triathlons in 2004 and graduated to Olympic distance in 2005. After caving to a bit of peer pressure, I signed up for Ironman Wisconsin 2007. I knew the only way I would finish was if I hired a coach.
I read through over a dozen bios of coaches and what drew me to Kevin was his Midwest upbringing, his love of pizza, and frankly, the other testimonials I read.
Kevin had a challenge on his hands – I wanted to finish an Ironman and the longest triathlon event I had completed was an Olympic distance. Also, I’m not strong in any of the three events, and not very fast, so not only did we need to work on my endurance we had to build in speed work to be sure I would make all the cutoffs.
Kevin and I were in communication via email, on average, ONCE PER DAY from October 1, 2006 through September 9, 2007. He responded to every question, concern, and comment I had within 24 hours or less, and his enthusiasm and support never waned. Even though Kevin wears many hats I often felt as if I was his only priority – service and responsiveness like that is hard to find.
A knee injury in July added to the challenge, and I was convinced that I wouldn’t be able to participate in IM WI. However, because of all the training Kevin scheduled over the winter and early spring, I was able to rest and heal through August and COMPLETE my first Ironman!
Thanks, Kevin!
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Kevin took my racing further than I ever imagined. Finding a triathlon coach can be tough. Some are out there just to make money, and some have no idea how to coach an athlete, beginner or experienced racer. Kevin's mix of passion for training and experience in triathlons, make him a secret weapon in an athletes arsenal. Kevin not only knows how to make athletes fast, he knows how to deliver his message. Nevertheless, my favorite quality that Kevin possesses is his passion for people. Kevin is not only my coach, but a great friend. He helped me challenge myself and achieve a level of fitness that I had only dreamed about. Get smart, get fast! Thanks Kev-O!
I started looking for a triathlon coach after my first season of racing because I felt I had some natural ability to race, and wanted to develop my abilities the smartest (and fastest) way possible. I started training with Kevin in January of 2006, preparing for the Summer 2006 Boulder Triathlon Series. I will be very honest, that first week was hard, however, I could see my potential. "Heck, if I train like this until my races, I am going to be a monster." That is exactly what happen. I finished all 3 Boulder Triathlon series races (Sprint, Peak, and Long Course), while crushing my personal bests in every discipline. I became a fluid swimmer, a strong rider, and a solid runner. Although, the weekly workouts never became "easy", I saw my body transform, my mind gain toughness, and my racing become competitive. If you are looking for a coach, look no further. I strongly recommend Kevin. He possesses the knowledge and personal skills to help you develop into a solid athlete.
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