Sonic Endurance
Personalized Training
Unlock Your Potential
|
Sonic Endurance is dedicated to helping athletes of all abilities achieve their endurance goals. We understand that no two athletes are alike and the response to training is an individual process. We regularly incorporate field-based testing and functional movement testing in order to assess an athlete’s progress towards their goals. It is our mission to develop a plan that uses your training time efficiently while preparing you to accomplish or exceed your goals.
Sonic Endurance
Personalized Training
Unlock Your Potential
|
It all begins with culture—and Sonic’s culture stands above the rest. Coaches and athletes unite as a team, supporting one another through training, overcoming challenges, and pursuing personal goals. At the heart of Sonic’s success are acceptance, mutual respect, and a deep appreciation for each athlete’s individuality. The coaches are not only highly knowledgeable but also genuinely invested in helping you achieve your goals.
Through strategic partnerships with athletic trainers, physical and occupational therapists, training camps and trusted vendors, Sonic ensures every aspect of your training experience is optimized for your success.
At Sonic, every finish line marks a victory over your personal limits.
I signed up with a Sonic coach to improve personally as a triathlete, and almost immediately I started training smarter. I was working harder in many sessions, but I was also less tired overall at the end of the week. I was meeting my primary goal of sustainable fitness for years to come, and as a nice bonus my race times improved dramatically!
But more importantly what I have gained from Sonic, which I didn't know I needed, is a culture of community and support. This is a team focused on affirming each others' wins no matter what they look like, providing support through successes and challenges, and generally bringing a positive attitude to endurance sports. I came for myself, but I'm now proud to be a part of this team team!
My Journey all start in the summer of 2021 when I found myself unhappy with my current fitness level. I had not seen a gym in roughly 10 years, or even attempted any type of cardio workout. I set my goals a bit high without really knowing what I was getting myself into. I registered for my first full Ironman in Lake Placid! In this process I found Sonic Endurance and started working with Maribeth. One of my first times meeting Maribeth, was also my first time EVER swimming in a lap pool, and it showed! Maribeth evaluated my skill level, and spent countless hours teaching me how to swim, while improving my technique and endurance. Swimming was my absolute biggest challenge of the three disciplines. Maribeth was always available for encouragement, support and a good laugh throughout my journey. Working with Maribeth not only kept me accountable, but without her, my goals would not have been met. From Swimming, biking, running to fueling properly for races, Maribeth was there every step of the way. I have continued to work with her as my Endurance coach now for 4 years and have never felt more accomplished in my endurance goals! Working with Maribeth and Sonic has given me some of the best years of my life, the value of working with Maribeth one on one is priceless. Forever grateful!
Joining the Sonic Endurance team and being a 1 on 1 coached athlete has been a life changing experience. I achieved goals I never even dreamed of, including my first full Ironman finish. Coach Stacey gave me the confidence to sign up for Ironman Lake Placid and with her guidance, I never once thought I would not finish. On top of that, the Sonic team has literally become some of my closest friends and chosen family.
Sonic Endurance is more than a coaching company.
Sonic Endurance is a collection of like-minded individuals
We’re Endurance Coaches – and we are athletes. We like to get our hands dirty. We train, we race, we fail, and we succeed. We understand what you experience throughout your seasons of training and racing because we are right there beside you, on the same journey.
Through years of training, racing, and coaching, we’ve learned our athletes benefit most from a team approach. We each bring something different to the table and want you to benefit from each perspective. You’ll have your 1-on-1 coach, combined with the knowledge, experience, and expertise of all our coaches. Together, we bring our passion for triathlon to coaching in support of your goals and behind the process of uncovering your potential.
Join Our Team
Sonic Endurance
Our Mission & Visions
Our Articles
Coach Debra
It took me a while but I found my calling in teaching. I have been teaching in one form of another since 2004, whether it is teaching physical activity, or in an academic setting. Coaching to me is another form of teaching. I am teaching my athletes how to meet their goals. Which is the other reason I coach. I love to set goals and help individuals..
Coach Jen
My number one motivation in coaching is to help my athletes achieve their goals. Often these goals are big and scary and beyond what they thought was possible. There is absolutely no better feeling than getting that text that they nailed their key race, or being on the course when they accomplish something huge. It’s incredibly rewarding.
Coach Laura
I get such a sense of joy seeing my athletes achieve things that they once thought were out of reach. It is amazing to me to watch the development not only in their technical skills and endurance abilities, but also to see their confidence take shape. I am grateful to each one of my athletes for allowing me to be a part of their journey.
State of The Sport – Endurance Exchange
Last week, some of our coaches attended Endurance Exchange in Orlando Florida. It was great to be back at an in person event to catch up with other coaches, attend some educational sessions and learn more about the state of the sport. It was also good to catch up with some new sponsors and find out what new gear is in the pipeline. I always find it interesting to see the data and insights from USA Triathlon on where they see our sport headed. We came away from the confererence with a few big takeaways. 20-29 age group the age group growing the fastest. Up 18.2k over the past 3 years. This shows promise to the sport if we can keep them engaged and racing. This age group primarily buys one day licenses and not annual. 40-59 age group continues to decline and these indivudals were the ones who were racing multiple events each year. I think we have seen a shift in this age group, they are racing different things like gravel or trail running. The Sprint and Olympic distance continue to rise, 73% of athletes are racing in shorter distances. The gender split in racing the Super Sprint adn Sprint is around 40% women and 60% men with the longer disances the men are closer to 70% vs 30% women. We know that there is work to be done to even the gender racing field. Our races are heading back towards the pre COVID levels with 160 new races in the US over 2024. While this is only the races that are Sanctioned through USAT, I do believe the grassroots racing is important. Interesting that athletes are trying AI generated plans and then moving to hiring a coach, showing that AI can fill some of the need in a basic plan but athletes are still looking for the personal support of a coach. We have seen growth in our group programs, specifically looking at beginner athletes. This aligns with the trend of shorter distances and how coaches can impact athletes. It will be interesting to track the trends in the age groups and sport over the next few years. In general, the growth in both races and sports seems to be positive.
One on one coaching vs AI plans: What moves the needle
After spending the weekend at Endurance Exchange, we know that athletes are using AI to write training plans. We get it, sport is expensive and where you spend your money matters. You can train for a triathlon with a spreadsheet, a templated plan, an AI chatbot, or a human coach. And honestly? AI can be great for quick structure, ideas, and “what should I do today?” guidance. But if your goal is to progress faster, stay healthier, and show up on race day feeling ready, 1-on-1 coaching still has some unfair advantages—especially for 20–29-year-olds juggling work, social life, travel, late nights, and the occasional “I forgot I agreed to a weekend trip.” Here’s the real breakdown. What AI is genuinely good at (and why people love it) AI shines when you need: Instant answers (fueling ideas, workout swaps, technique cues) A plan “good enough” to keep you consistent Low-cost structure without commitment Motivation on demand (“tell me I can do this”) Some studies suggest AI-based coaching can improve physical activity in certain populations, showing it can be helpful for behavior change in scalable ways. But triathlon is not just “be more active.” It’s three sports, plus recovery, plus life. Where AI starts to fall short for triathlon training 1) AI doesn’t truly know you (and triathlon is personal) A plan is only as good as how well it fits: your injury history your stress + sleep patterns your biomechanics and technique gaps your training age your schedule constraints your personality (do you need a push, or do you need permission to back off?) There’s a growing body of evidence that individualized, evolving training—adjusted based on how the athlete is responding—can reduce “non-response” and improve adaptation compared to fixed plans. That’s basically the core job of a coach: make the plan respond to your reality. 2) Coaching helps you do the right work, not just more work One common failure mode for ambitious 20-somethings: you stack intensity because you can—until your body invoices you later. Triathlon coaches commonly focus on training load management (especially run load) to reduce injury risk, and research on age-group triathlon coaching highlights how coaches monitor and adjust training load—particularly to minimize injuries. There’s also triathlon-specific work emphasizing that training load monitoring and smart controls matter for performance and injury prevention. AI is not going to text you and say, based on your feedback and your metrics – we need more REST. AI can talk about “recovery,” but it won’t reliably catch the subtle pattern of: “Your run volume spiked, your sleep dipped, your mood is flat… and you’re one more hard session away from losing 3 weeks.” A good coach will. 3) Accountability isn’t a “nice-to-have”—it’s a performance tool If you’re 20–29, life changes fast. New job. New city. Weddings. Travel. Random busy seasons. Coaching creates a feedback loop: you report how things went your coach adjusts the next steps you stay consistent even when life gets chaotic And consistency is the quiet superpower in endurance sports. Even outside triathlon, research comparing training approaches often shows more supervised / coach-led formats can improve outcomes like adherence and performance vs. self-directed methods. We learned this weekend, athletes are using AI and then hiring a coach. (Yes—triathlon isn’t resistance training, but the behavior pattern carries: structure + feedback + accountability tends to beat “do it yourself” when the goal is measurable progress.) The biggest advantage of 1-on-1 coaching: decision-making Here’s what most athletes don’t realize until they’ve been doing this awhile: The hard part isn’t finding workouts. The hard part is deciding: when to push when to hold steady when to back off how to adjust when something goes wrong how to peak for your specific race AI gives you options. A coach gives you decisions. And fewer decisions = more energy for actually training. Why this matters specifically for 20–29-year-olds In your 20s, you often have: enough fitness potential to improve quickly enough motivation to overdo it enough life volatility to need flexibility So the best coaching isn’t “harder.” It’s smarter: building durability (especially run durability) adding intensity at the right time protecting recovery keeping training realistic so you don’t burn out AI can generate a plan. A coach builds an athlete. Where Sonic Endurance fits in If you want that personalized approach, Sonic Endurance is built around one-on-one coaching with a team support model—meaning you get your personal coach plus the collective experience of the broader coaching staff. A few practical things that matter for modern athletes: We coach triathletes, swimmers, cyclists, and runners (so you’re not getting a “generic endurance plan”). We also offer structured training programs delivered in platforms athletes actually use (TrainingPeaks), which makes execution easier even when life is busy. If you’re the kind of person who likes tech, data, and structure—but also wants a real human to connect the dots—that hybrid is powerful. The “best of both worlds” approach (what I’d recommend) You don’t have to pick a side like it’s a rivalry. A high-performing setup often looks like: Coach = strategy, personalization, load management, accountability AI = quick Q&A, workout substitutions, fueling ideas, race-day checklists In other words: let AI be your assistant. Let a coach be your guide. Quick self-check: do you need a coach right now? 1-on-1 coaching is especially worth it if you: keep getting minor injuries or “niggles” plateau despite training hard struggle with consistency because life is chaotic want a specific result (first Olympic, sub-5:30 70.3, Kona slot someday, etc.) are unsure how to balance intensity across 3 sports want confidence that you’re peaking correctly If you’re just trying to finish your first sprint and you love experimenting solo, AI + a good beginner plan might be plenty—for now. But if you want to level up and protect your body while doing it? That’s where coaching earns its cost.
2025 Year in Review: The Year I Prioritized Strength & Power
As the new year approaches, many of us reflect on the year we had and look toward setting goals for the next one. For me as a triathlete, 2025 took on a different focus after training for triathlons and endurance running for over 15 years. This was the first year I purposely stepped back from endurance events like triathlons, half marathons, and marathons—other than the years I was pregnant. The Breaking Point In 2024, I started Ironman Lake Placid and didn’t finish. I maintained IM training and completed Ironman Maryland in September. After a little downtime, I jumped into half marathon training for the Disneyland Half in January. That’s when I realized I was completely burnt out from endurance training, and my body was starting to feel it too. I haven’t felt good in a race in a long time, or felt like it was “fun.” Most of the time during my long races, I was miserable and asking myself why I was even bothering. Not to mention my hips started hurting and continued to give me issues for another month or so until I decided I needed to have them assessed. Twelve years ago, I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and some arthritis. I knew it was possible that it had finally been catching up to me. I found out that the arthritis hadn’t progressed too much, but now I have a superior labral tear and arthritis on my pubic bone as well. This explained some of the pain I was having while training for the Ironman as well as discomfort during running. Making a Change In February, I told my coach that I was going to focus on shorter distance triathlons when I felt up to it, working toward an Olympic distance at some point. I made a decision: I wanted to focus on increasing my strength and power, which I needed to keep my hips healthy and to address the changes I was going through with perimenopause. I had strength trained in the past but didn’t prioritize it. I made a conscious effort to attend Burn Boot Camp, where I’m a member. These workouts focus on either strength, power, or high-intensity work—a perfect refocus for my brain instead of long hours on my bike or running. If I couldn’t make it to the studio, I utilized their on-demand workouts, especially the “quickie camps” that could give me the same strength benefits in 20 minutes. I also decided to focus more on my ballroom dancing, which I usually have limited time and energy for when training for longer distance events. Instead of scheduling a race-cation around a triathlon, this time I did it around a dance competition, attending one of the bigger competitions in Orlando. The Results So, what happened? Why am I sharing? Taking this new focus in 2025 allowed me to improve my performance and motivation all around! I saw increased improvements in strength and power throughout the year. I found myself performing exercises without modifications I once needed. I was once scared to do a 20-inch box jump, and by the end of the year I was able to do a few at 24 inches. For my long-distance fun this year, I did two weekends of double triathlon races: an Olympic distance on Saturday and a sprint on Sunday. And for the first time in years, I felt good during BOTH races. I managed to PR one of the courses and saw some of my fastest bike times. I was able to make the podium in multiple races. My run times are back to some of the ones I saw pre-pregnancies. Adding in the strength training also allowed me to maintain my swim without needing to be in the pool for hours. I also know I am preventing further damage to my hip and hopefully pushing off surgery for a long time. Not to mention my dancing became easier too—I was able to more easily perform some challenging movements and steps without as much effort, and I had less pain in my knees and hips. Application for All I am an exercise scientist, a teacher, and a coach. I read the research, and I tell others what to do and how to do it. It was time I tried it myself and became my own case study. Understanding Perimenopause After my DNF at Ironman Lake Placid and struggles through training, I started looking into the effects of perimenopause on exercise. Once I read up on the science, so many things made sense to me—why I was struggling with training that I’d done before with no issues, why sport nutrition that had always worked for me was no longer working. I kept hearing that as you transition into perimenopause and menopause, the focus needs to shift to strength training and HIIT. After completing Ironman Maryland, I decided I needed to prioritize this and see what happened. Benefits of Strength Training for Endurance Athletes There has been a lot of misinformation about strength training and endurance performance. For a long time, it was thought that endurance athletes should not strength train because it would add weight or take away from prioritizing endurance training workouts. Over the past few years, more research has been done to explore the benefits of strength training in endurance athletes. Here are some of the benefits found from those research studies: Improved movement patterns and power output: Stronger muscles allow for better movement patterns over longer periods. Increased power output can improve running economy, cycling power, and swim propulsion. Injury prevention: Strength training prevents injury by strengthening connective tissues, correcting muscle imbalances, improving joint stability, and activating stabilizing muscles. Better running economy: Strength training can improve running economy, which is the energy cost of running. Strong muscles allow for less energy needed to produce the same amount of force—important over long events. Enhanced anaerobic capacity: This improves short bursts of high-intensity effort such as running or cycling up hills, passing, or