Results matter. As a coach you can measure you success in many ways. Did you help people get faster, become fitter, better than they ever were and achieve things they had not? You can compare times or placings but ultimately it comes down to results. A sure fire and rather simple way to measure how people did. A coach has one job. Help his/her athletes get results. Everything you do as a coach, all the little behind the scenes stuff, the crisis management, planning, weighing options, helping with decisions, it all comes down to getting results. I applaud my athletes for their successes, the hard work they put in, their dedication and commitment.
If beating every person you are racing against is the only barometer for success, then 27 times, Accelerate 3 athletes were successful. That’s 11 more wins than last season. In a few of those races, they swam, biked, and ran their way through the entire pro field,crossing the line first overall. It wasn’t just triathlons and duathlons that they won. They won running races ranging from 5k to the half marathon and they won multiple state TT championships in multiple states. They qualified for the Leadville 100 in 2013 and already for 2014. Three athletes qualified for Kona in 2013 and one already wrapped up her spot for IM Hawaii 2014.
WTC races represent the pinnacle of long course racing. Accelerate 3 athletes finished in the top 5 at IM Copenhagen and Sunshine Coast 70.3. They grabbed top 10 overall at Bussleton, Lanzarote, Mandurah, and UK 70.3. Top 20 overall at IM Arizona, Melbourne and South Africa. They won their age groups at IM South Africa and Melbourne. Same at 70.3’s in Bussleton, Miami, Mandurah and South Africa. They grabbed top 10 age group finishes with two at IM Cabo plus Canada and Florida. In 70.3 racing they scored top 10 age group finishes at Boise, Eagleman, two at Miami, Phillipines, Raleigh and Tremblant. They finished as one of the top 3 age group athletes on the day at IM Melbourne, 70.3’s Miami, Mandurah and Sunshine Coast.
At USAT Triathlon Nationals, they placed 3rd and 10th in their age groups and at Sprint Nationals they grabbed 3rd in their age group. At Duathlon Nationals 2nd in their age group while finishing well inside the top 10 overall. They went undefeated in the Triathlon Western Australia State series winning state titles in sprint, olympic, half and ironman distance races.
At Rev 3 events they were 3rd overall age grouper at Quassy and 9th in the pro field at Florida. They placed 11th overall at Abu Dhabi, won the elite masters division at Lifetime Fitness, place in the top three in their age groups at Leadman and won both the men’s and women’s overall series titles at the NC Triathlon series. This was also the first time in the history of the series that a woman scored over 10,000 points three times. There are numerous other races where they grabbed top 3 placings in their age groups around the country and around the world.
Three Accelerate 3 athletes qualified for their elite license this past season. Six out of the seven over the last few years who have qualified for their elite license have moved into or plan on moving into the the pro ranks. As a collective, Accelerate 3 athletes padded their pockets to the tune of over $16,000 in race winnings.
My athletes often hear, do the work the results will follow. 2013 was proof of that.