Coach Madi

We joined a new gym with the New Year. With our membership we each received a personal coaching session and a group coaching session. I was fortunate enough to be able to trade my group coaching session for two more personal coaching sessions. I took my three personal coaching sessions and scheduled time with the triathlon coach. So far I've had two 'strength' training sessions. These have consisted of being coached on exercises which target muscles used in triathlon racing.

My coach is Madi Ruether. When I met her I was taken back by the fact that she's a beautiful, young, fit blonde. Make no mistake, she's all business. We got right into it. She asked questions about my history and goals and from that we moved forward. Everything we covered was demonstrated and how it applied to triathlon was fully explained. Whether it was to stabilize the hips during the bike and swim or holding proper position in 'aero'...it was all explained.

The first coaching session started with proper warm up and activation. From there we went from exercise to exercise. I worked my core, my balance. my shoulders and back. I was pushed to my limits without overdoing it...until the end. Stability Ball Squats showed my weaknesses. You lean against a large exercise ball then squat and squeeze a smaller ball between your knees...then you walk your feet forward. This exercise lit up my quads and really tweaked the ACL in my left knee. By the time I was finished I was a little worn out...and just a little concerned about the pain I had been feeling in my ACL.

For the four days following this workout I couldn't walk properly. My quads were screaming and I was really guarding the pain in the ACL. BUT...after the fourth day everything quieted down.

My next visit to the gym, before my next coaching session, consisted of a run on the treadmill. I did three miles...run about 3/16th (5.2 mph). walk 1/16th (3.2 mph). The last 1/8 I kicked it up to 6 mph. I was ready to quit after about two miles but stuck it out. This was important. I allowed myself to think that stopping was an option. No, no, no! Stopping is not an option. I overcame that and completed the target. That's a big deal in triathlon.

My second coaching session was also strength training. I arrived early so I jumped on the treadmill for a warmup. Madi came by and told me to finish my warmup then meet her by the weight machines. We went through more floor exercises. During these I was a little shaky, guarding that ACL...but no real pain. We then moved onto the machines. Madi showed me a few strength training exercises using three of the machines. These were all for the shoulders and back.

So far the shoulder is holding up. Sometimes I feel a little pain that has me 'concerned' but it goes away. I definitely need to do my shoulder exercises.

As for Madi...I think at this point she doubts I'll see this through. I'm having a slow start and I have a long way to go. It's discouraging because I'm not seeing or feeling any progress yet.