I was first introduced to TFP by a friend who said Coach Matt did swim training. I was thinking about attempting a sprint triathlon after doing a couple of 5Ks one year, but was petrified of the swim. Lucky for me, I won the Triathlete by TFP drawing. Winning the TFP package entailed taking someone who had never done a triathlon to completing an Olympic distance triathlon in less than a year.

Coach Matt had his work cut out for him. I started out having never run more than 3 miles at a slow shuffle. I'd only ever ridden a mountain bike and was scared of riding on the road (I never even owned a road bike until this year). I had no clue how to swim correctly since I hadn't swam with my head in the water in years. I also had some extra weight I was still carrying around after having my 3rd child that I had accepted and was convinced I'd never lose.

We started out with base numbers for EMRs, RMRs and body fat. Learning about training in my correct heart rate zones made it easy to know exactly how to train and more importantly how to push myself. My experience in the past with exercise had been to always back off when I felt uncomfortable. Coach Matt taught me how to push past all that and how to become an athlete. The RMR made nutrition easy, knowing exactly how many calories I needed. I wrote everything down and the weight I'd been stuck at for six years eventually started to just fall off. I lost 13 lbs. and went from 22% body fat to 17%!

My training was intense, but super fun. I took weekly computrainer classes and learned how to bike competively as well as on the road. TFP running classes were challenging and it's great to have the support and camaraderie with others from TFP to push through workouts together. This helped me take 5 minutes off my 5K time and I completed my first 1/2 marathon. Yoga was excellent for flexibility and helped the mental and physical aspects of training come together. Personal training sessions were key in weight training and Coach Matt was very patient as I learned how to use the TRX and become stronger. And the swimming that I was so intimidated by was eventually mastered with Matt's help. He took me from not being able to swim the length of the pool six months ago, to doing intense 1 mile swim workouts in the lake!

Coach Matt gave me lots of insight into what to expect and do for my first triathlon. I completed my first sprint and then the Olympic having complete trust in my training. This gave me a ton confidence and made it fun. He pushed me to do my absolute best and I accomplished times that I never imagined were possible for me. Not only did I meet my goal of finishing an Olympic triathlon, I gained a love for the sport and I'd like to do a half-ironman next summer. The support I got from the coaches and everyone at TFP made all the difference. I surprised myself and my family with what I was able to accomplish with The Fitness Pursuit in a short amount of time.

If you have a goal and you want it - you can achieve anything.