Sonic Endurance
Train Smart. Race Bold.
Belong to Something Bigger
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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
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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.
Sonic Endurance
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Cold Water, Warm Water, and Everything In Between: A Local Technical Official’s Breakdown to Triathlon Swim Safety
If you’ve ever stood in transition at 5:30am wondering why the Head or Local Technical Officials look like they’re fishing off the docks, you’ve witnessed one of the most important — and least glamorous — jobs in our sport: the water temperature check. As Technical Officials, our goal on race day is to gather this information early, so we spend a good chunk of the pre-race morning thinking about wetsuits, water temps, and making sure everyone gets a safe, fair swim. So, I wanted to break down how this all actually works, straight from the rulebook (v.2026.01.01 USA Triathlon Multisport Competition Rules and the 2026 USAT Rules Variances and Equipment Clarifications), in plain, human language. First Things First: Why Do We Even Care About Wetsuits? Wetsuits aren’t just about staying warm — they also add buoyancy and reduce drag, which can be a real performance boost. So USAT has built a whole framework around when they’re prohibited, allowed, permitted, or mandatory, balancing three things: safety, fairness, and performance and Section 3.4 of the rulebook lays this out in detail. The Water Temperature Chart Breakdown For most of us racing in USAT Sanctioned Local Races, here’s the chart that governs your swim, straight from Section 3.4.1: Category Temperature Range What It Means PROHIBITED 84.0°F (28.9°C) and above No wetsuits allowed, period. ALLOWED 78.1–84.0°F (25.6–28.8°C) You can wear one, but you give up awards/ranking eligibility. PERMITTED 60.7–78.0°F (16.0–25.5°C) Wetsuits welcome, no strings attached. MANDATORY 60.6°F (15.9°C) and below You must wear one — safety first. Now, Let’s Talk Safety and Concerns This is really the heart of why all these tables and thresholds exist. A few things I think about constantly on race morning: Risk of Overheating Wetsuits are built to trap body heat — great in cold water, dangerous in warm water. Above 78°F, that insulation can work against you, pushing your core temperature up even while you’re swimming. That’s a real heat-illness risk, not a hypothetical one. Safety Concerns This is exactly why race organizers (and the rulebook) get conservative above 78°F. It’s not about taking away your gear — it’s a proactive move to keep athletes from overheating in open water, especially in smaller, more exposed venues where temps can swing quickly. Loss of Competitive Advantage Wetsuits boost buoyancy and cut drag — real advantages in cool water. But in warm water, that edge shrinks (or even backfires), which is part of why the rules draw a line: it keeps things fair across the field. Rule Compliance and Awards Eligibility This one trips people up every season: if you wear a wetsuit in the 78.1–84.0°F “Allowed” band at a non-National Age-Group race, you can absolutely still swim — but you’re not eligible for rankings or awards unless a specific variance is posted. I always remind athletes at check-in: it’s not a DSQ, it’s an eligibility issue. Practical Swim Performance Ditching the wetsuit in warm water means a bit more kicking and a touch less glide — but you also lose the drag and overheating downside. Most athletes find that trade-off is worth it once the water gets warm. Practice and Comfort Level My biggest piece of advice as an official (and fellow athlete): don’t wait until race morning to find out how you swim without a wetsuit! Train in a range of conditions throughout your season — wetsuit and no wetsuit — so you’re not caught off guard by whatever Mother Nature (and the thermometer) decides on race day. Comfort and confidence in the water are just as trainable as your bike and run splits. Beyond Just the Suit – What’s Permitted vs. Not This is where things get interesting, because it’s not only about the wetsuit itself: Wetsuit specs (always): · Max 5mm thickness anywhere (Section 3.2.1) · Must cover at least torso and back when mandatory · Must fit snugly — no baggy suits flapping around When wetsuits are PROHIBITED (warm water): · Swimwear must be 100% textile (no rubber/neoprene) — think standard tri suits or swimskins · Can’t cover the neck, can’t go past elbows or knees · Neoprene/wetsuit bottoms (buoyancy shorts) are banned in this scenario at most competition levels When wetsuits are PERMITTED/MANDATORY: · Neoprene boots/socks? Allowed — but no webbing between toes (no “helping” your propulsion) · Gloves are only allowed when wetsuits are mandatory, and again, no webbing Always prohibited, regardless of temp: · Snorkels (see 2026 USAT Rules Variances below), fins, artificial propulsion devices, and personal flotation devices in competitive races (Section 3.3) Now, here’s a fun local-race nuance from the 2026 USAT Rules Variances and Equipment Clarifications doc — at the Local Race level, we actually have more flexibility than Elite/National races: · Buoyancy shorts: Not allowed at Elite/U23/Development/National/World Qualifier level — but allowed at USAT Sanctioned Local Races and Adaptive Triathlon races (must stay above the knee, below the hip line, max 5mm). · Snorkels: Same story — banned at the higher competitive tiers, but permitted locally (with a heads-up to race management beforehand). · Swim buoys: Must stay undeployed in competitive local waves, but can be deployed in Non-Competitive waves (with the athlete starting at the back of the final wave). So as a Local Official, part of my job is knowing that “the rules” aren’t monolithic — what applies to a Local Sprint might be totally different from what applies to someone chasing a Nationals qualifying slot. The Bottom Line Every one of these thresholds, charts, and equipment rules exists for one reason: keeping you safe while keeping the race fair. As officials, we’re not out there to nitpick your gear (well…..sometimes ) — we’re making sure that whatever the water temp throws at us, everyone gets a fair and safe shot at the finish line. So next time you see us out there with a thermometer at dawn, know that we’re doing it for you. See you at the swim start!
Training as a Masters Athlete
Masters athletes aren’t fragile versions of their younger selves; they’re a distinct training population with real physiological differences that gain rewards with a different approach
Why Unilateral Training Matters
Endurance athletes spend countless hours moving forward in a repetitive pattern, we are great and doing the same motions over and over. While this develops exceptional cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance, it can also create movement imbalances, reduced stability, and weaknesses that increase the risk of injury and limit performance. Strength training is important in helping you become stronger, more resilient, and more economical in their movement. This becomes especially important as we age. Unilateral strength training is a valuable tool for endurance athletes. Performing exercises one leg or one arm at a time. Because running is essentially a series of single-leg hops, and every stride during the run phase of a triathlon requires balance and force production on one leg, unilateral exercises closely mimic the demands of the sport while exposing and correcting strength asymmetries. Why Unilateral Strength Training?During every running stride, the body must absorb impact forces of approximately two to three times body weight while maintaining stability through the foot, ankle, knee, hip, and trunk. If one side is weaker than the other, the stronger side often compensates, increasing injury risk and reducing running efficiency. Benefits of unilateral training include: Improved balance and coordination Better hip and pelvic stability Reduced side-to-side strength imbalances Increased force production in each leg Greater core activation Improved running economy and stride efficiency Reduced risk of common overuse injuries such as IT band syndrome, patellofemoral pain, Achilles tendinopathy, and shin splints Rather than replacing bilateral exercises like squats or deadlifts, unilateral work should complement them by targeting movement quality and stability. Some Key Unilateral Strength Exercises: 1. Bulgarian Split SquatThe Bulgarian split squat is often considered one of the most effective exercises for runners because it simultaneously develops strength, balance, mobility, and hip stability. Benefits include: Strengthens the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings Improves single-leg stability Enhances hip extension during push-off Corrects left-right strength differences Perform 3–4 sets of 6–10 repetitions per leg using controlled movement. 2. Single-Leg Romanian DeadliftThis exercise develops the posterior chain, which is essential for propulsion and injury prevention. Primary muscles: Gluteus maximus Hamstrings Lower back Foot stabilizers The single-leg Romanian deadlift also improves proprioception and balance while teaching athletes to control pelvic position. Perform 3 sets of 8–10 repetitions per leg. 3. Step-UpsStep-ups closely resemble the mechanics of climbing hills and maintaining running posture. Focus on: Driving through the entire foot Controlling the lowering phase Avoiding pushing excessively with the trailing leg Use a box approximately knee height. Perform 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions per leg. 4. Walking LungesWalking lunges strengthen nearly every muscle involved in running while improving dynamic balance. Benefits include: Increased hip mobility Greater stride control Improved glute activation Better coordination Adding dumbbells progressively increases strength without compromising movement quality. 5. Single-Leg Glute BridgeWeak glutes often contribute to poor knee alignment and excessive hip drop during running. Single-leg bridges improve: Hip extension strength Pelvic control Hamstring coordination Running posture Perform 3 sets of 12–15 repetitions per side. 6. Single-Leg Calf RaisesThe calf muscles absorb and generate significant force during every stride. Strong calves improve: Running economy Achilles tendon resilience Push-off power Foot stability Slow eccentric lowering provides additional tendon benefits. Perform 3 sets of 15–20 repetitions. 7. Lateral Step-DownsRunning occurs primarily in the sagittal plane, but controlling side-to-side movement is equally important. Lateral step-downs strengthen: Gluteus medius Quadriceps Hip stabilizers These muscles help prevent excessive knee valgus and improve pelvic control. Don’t Forget the CoreA stable trunk allows the arms and legs to transfer force efficiently. Excellent unilateral core exercises include: Suitcase carries Single-arm farmer’s carries Pallof presses Side planks with leg lift Bird dogs Endurance athletes can benefit more from anti-rotation and stability exercises that mirror the demands of running. How Often Should You Strength Train?This can depend on time, race schedule and age but in general: 2 sessions per week during most training phases 1 session per week during peak racing periods for maintenance 30–45 minutes per session Heavy strength work should ideally follow harder running workouts rather than easy recovery days, allowing easier days to remain truly easy. There’s also a specific physiological rationale: heavy lifting mostly taxes the neuromuscular system and fast-twitch fibers, while hard cardio work taxes the aerobic/metabolic system. Stacking them means the interference between the two (where endurance work can blunt strength/hypertrophy signaling, or vice versa) happens once, on a day you’ve already budgeted for high stress, rather than compounding across separate days. This can also vary depending on the athlete and where they are with their season, injuries and age. The strongest endurance athletes are not simply those who log the most miles—they are the ones who balance training stress with intelligent strength work and purposeful recovery.