Joining TCM’s summer collegiate triathlon program with coach Gunnar was exactly what I needed to take me to the next step in triathlon. After having coached myself based on knowledge I accumulated through reading and other triathlon research, I felt I needed something else to break through a training plateau and achieve an ambitious sub 5 hour goal for 70.3 Santa Cruz. Gunnar’s well engineered training plan picked me up right at my current fitness level and started building me up from there. Gunnar reliably provided week by week training calendars with fun workouts that were challenging but also achievable. My time conflicts and commitments were also always taken into consideration and Gunnar never failed to plan sessions that accommodated balancing both an internship and 70.3 training. As race week approached, the expertise of a coach with countless races under his belt was also invaluable: Gunnar provided game changing pacing and nutrition advice as well as a taper that left me feeling powerful going into the race. Despite an early season wrist fracture that kept me out of the pool for a month and nagging running injuries to work around, I finished the race nearly 20 minutes faster than my goal, surprising myself in the best possible way. I’m both thrilled with this result but more so the countless insights and lessons I’ve taken away from 12 weeks of one-on-one coaching.