Why do you coach?
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.
What is your primary philosophy of coaching?
Each athlete is their own person, with their own goals. There are no cookie cutter plans when an athlete chooses me as their coach. I have even had athletes training for the same race with very different training plans.
I think that it is important to take the athletes whole life picture into account when developing their training plans. Most have families and lives outside of racing and do this for the fun and challenge of it. It is important to me to keep the training enjoyable and something that you want to do, not that you have to do.
What do you look for in a client?
I find the most success working with athletes who are engaged in their training and openly communicate with me. Communication is the key to success in a coaching relationship. I really enjoy working with age group athletes, especially those new to the sport.
Why are you different than other coaches?
Unlike most coaches, I did not have an endurance sports background when I made my debut into racing. I came into the sport in 2016 when I ran my first Ragnar race. I had no idea what I was doing because I was never a runner and I was on a team where I did not know everyone. The words of encouragement from my team and fun of the challenge were enough to hook me. I want to be that for others. I want to be a cheerleader, confidant, friend, and a coach.
I do not believe that the entire relationship of an athlete and coach is putting together training plans and doing workouts, the end. I hear coaches that say they “don’t hold hands” for their athletes, and I personally don’t agree with that. If an athlete has questions about their training plan, gear, racing, or really anything, I want them to reach out to me. Some coaches also add additional charges for phone calls, whereas I feel it is all a part of the overall training package.
What’s your history in sport?
I started racing in 2016 with Ragnar Cape Cod, and was hooked! That following year I completed 6 sprint distance triathlons and my first Olympic distance. (The bug bite me hard!). The following year I took on my first half marathon, 70.3 and 140.6 distances. My big races have been Hyannis Half Marathon, Quassy 70.3, Ironman Lake Placid x 2, Ironman Atlantic City 70.3 x 2, and Ironman Mont Tremblant. I would say my favorite run distance is the half marathon and triathlon is the 70.3.
What are your credentials?
USAT Level I
Where you can find me:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/thebestlauraever/
Instagram – @lauratrainstri
Athlinks – https://www.athlinks.com/athletes/287004260
Coach Laura is Available to Coach Athletes Looking for the Following:
- First time runners and athletes
- Short or Long Course
- Athletes returning from injury or working with chronic pain
- Athletes who want to take their training to another level
- Clydesdale/Athena athletes
One on One coaching starting at $200 a month for single sport athletes and $225/month for multisport athletes
Want to inquire about coaching with Laura? Fill out the form below.