I’ve always been a participant in sports, from age-group swimming to field hockey and lacrosse in high school. In 2002, a co-worker talked me into signing up for a triathlon and since I swam in high school, I figured I was one-third of the way there. We ran a few times together at lunch, but mostly trained on our own. Three days before the race, she tells me she hasn’t really been training and won’t be racing, but will be there to cheer me on. So of course I raced, had a blast, and got hooked!
After the birth of my daughter in 2005, I came back to triathlon as a way to get back in shape and to carve out time for me. The more I trained and raced, the more I enjoyed all the different aspects of triathlon, from figuring out how to fit training into my busy day, to the social training rides/runs, to the rewarding feeling of setting a personal best, to training philosophies. Friends started to ask for help with their swim and the more people I helped; the more becoming a coach seemed like the natural next step. I like watching my athletes accomplish both big and little things; nothing makes me more delighted than to hear excitement in an athlete’s voice (or text) when they just had an outstanding race, or when they’ve made a change to their swim stroke and see an improvement in pace.
As a scientist, I enjoy analyzing athlete data, and experimenting with different training methods and trying new workouts. I realize that one-size-fits-all isn’t ideal and can tailor a training program to suit your strengths and weaknesses. I have an extensive swim background and currently coach an age-group team and a local high school team, so I’m able to work with triathletes of all swimming levels.
My favorite moment as an athlete was crossing the finish line of my first Ironman in Lake Placid in July! That race was the culmination of almost five years of training and racing multiple half Ironmans to work my way up to that distance. I enjoyed the training journey and the race itself and while I won’t rule out another Ironman, I will stick with sprints for the time being.
I am USAT Level 2 Endurance, USMS Level II, and ASCA (American Swimming Coaches Association) Level 1 certified.
One-on-One coaching starting at $200/month for single sport athletes and $250/month for multisport athletes.
Want to inquire about coaching with Maribeth? Fill out the form below.