Wayne Kurtz, Ultra-Distance Athlete

"I just wanted to pass on an extensive thank you for all the years of assisting me with my training and always providing “out of the box” new challenges to assist with my specific race goals. It’s hard to believe how long we have been working together – over 15 years, wow time flies by! I not only view you as my coach but a trusted advisor to always keep me focused.

I look back at all the years of your advice and expertise and remember several key items that I found to be so valuable in my racing career:
  1. Focus races – this was such a problem for me as I always want to keep adding more events and your advice of classifying races into the key “A” and “B” categories – it’ is not rocket science but works when planning the calendar
  2. Training 7 days a week given the rigors of my ultra-racing, yet creating a great balance between work and recovery training 
  3. Always keeping me centered on what’s the most important with respect to training and my extensive travel schedule
  4. Your unique 5- to 6-week training blocks and always-new strength training programs specific to my individual sport disciplines

As you know, I have been racing for 28 years and hear from so many coaches that are clueless on how to have a client focused for their specific race. It’s about strategy not just the normal spreadsheet sent across with weekly training requirements and that’s your mentality. You have always been a great listener and advisor to my training/racing and that’s what means the most to me and always being a great “sounding board.” I look back at all the training programs from Ironman’s to ultra triathlons to the big DECA Ironman events, 100 mile runs, multi-day running events and of course the biggest of them all the Triple DECA Ironman last year and there is absolutely no question in my mind that you were there right with me as I crossed the finish line in these new “scary” races. 

As we have discussed, unlike so many “coaches” you actually race year after year and incorporate your own new methodologies into my training and that’s what I love. Personally having a coach that does not race would not do it for me and an added benefit is that I always look forward to hearing about your “blood in the eyes” incredible racing mentality. It helps me always to hear your stories!

Looking forward to the next 20 years together as a team aging together with the lifestyle passion of endurance sports racing! Thanks, my friend, for everything."