Announcements

QT2 Systems, LLC (LLC) has announced a partnership with ZWIFT.

Under the new agreement, ZWIFT will be QT2 Systems, LLC’s preferred choice of multi-rider virtual cycling and/or running races, virtual cycling and/or running events, as well as individual and group training sessions.

Read about Coach Doug MacLean's journey from back surgery to 100K finish line.

“What’s your A race?” This is a pretty common question among triathletes heading into a new season. For many of us, we have just one race a season that is most important to us. For others it might be two. You may want to be able to treat every race in a season as the most important race, but the fact of the matter is that for most triathletes, it’s simply not possible to truly peak more than once or twice a year. 

One of the most significant life changing moments for me was when I became a Mom.  The added responsibility of taking care of another human being has been extremely overwhelming, and the sacrifices along the way have been endless.   The days of just worrying about myself have come and gone.  Today it is all about balance and finding that happy medium, which does exist…if you let it.

When I first entered the world of triathlon almost two decades ago, I followed the path of so many - I dove in head first, not knowing what I was taking on.  My first race was an Olympic Distance, followed quickly by a Half Ironman Distance, and then by an Ironman distance.  Although an athlete growing up, more than 10 years had passed since my high school glory days, and to say that I lived a sedentary lifestyle was an under-estimation.  I was an attorney in New York City and all what I did was work.  But as I approached 30, I became tired of being stressed and unfit, so in January of 2000 I hopped on the treadmill and did a two mile run.  It nearly killed me.  

I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with a variety of athletes, their abilities ranging from beginner triathletes participating in their first event to experienced, elite age group athletes. Regardless of their experience or ability level, the common thread for all is their pursuit of a personal goal.  Being integral to helping athletes achieve their personal athletic successes is highly rewarding. What makes it such a positive challenge is the fact that every athlete is different. Each athlete has different means and availability for training, differing levels of motivation, and individual attributes that make them respond to training stimulus differently. What is consistent, however, are a number of factors I believe will result in individual success. Outlined below are what I consider these top eleven factors to be. Why eleven?  Because we know that #11 always misses out on the top 10 list.

Rest in peace old friend…I know nothing of the man, other than what was available, to me, on Wikipedia. He was an author, and he died in 1936. I didn’t get much further than that. Having said that, he helped me to, in a single line, sum up what coaching is really all about. At least to me, and all of us at QT2 Systems, OutRival Racing, The Run Formula, and The Cycling Formula.

Being in sport, especially triathlon, requires much from the body.  We do what we can to recover well, rest, prehab before we rehab, foam roll, stretch; but sometimes, injury creeps up, and BAAM, the season has been diverted or finished before due time.  Our grandeur thoughts and visualizations of an epic race season do not come to culmination, and will most likely NOT happen.  It will happen to anyone in sport.  I guarantee it.  A setback or injury will sideline us from either a short term, or the long-term goal. 

Running the Boston Marathon this year?  Join our Run Formula community of athletes!  Let us help you get to the finish line, with our 2019 Boston Marathon Mission Plan Package!

Winter can be depressing for many runners, cyclists and triathletes. It can often mean more time on the “dreadmill”, the indoor trainer and/or bundled up for slippery runs. I’m not going to lie I spent many years doing that- hours upon hours on the trainer in the winter, running on the dreadmill several times a week when conditions were nasty outside. However too much of this indoor training over time can eventually burn you out. If it hasn’t happened already consider yourself lucky. If you live in an area that sees a fair amount of snow there are other options you can build in to supplement your base training that will not only offset the boredom factor of indoor training and be a lot more fun, but also can build significant fitness! Wherever possible I try to build adventure into my own training and the athletes I coach.