Happy return to racing yesterday at the Nottingham Outlaw Half!

5 weeks ago I was seriously doubting my ability to finish, and started looking ahead to my A race – Weymouth 70.3 in September. With a little help from Smart Endurance Solutions in adapting a newly purchased plan (for Weymouth) in order to get me to the start line yesterday I managed to surpass my expectations of the day and finished the half marathon super strong! Thanks Coach Steve 👍

I’m 11 weeks into my 46 weeks Beginner Ironman plan. This is my first try at training for a triathlon. What I liked even before purchasing this plan is that I could write an email for coach Steve and get answers for all my concerns. At the time I was in ~4h marathon shape, had some past experience in cycling, and almost no experience in swimming, so we decided that a Beginner plan will suit me the best. At first, it felt that running volume is really low and I’m detraining in my strongest triathlon discipline but in few weeks when cycling volume ramped up those thoughts disappeared. Actually, having less running and more cycling keeps me away from running injuries and I’m faster now than I ever was. I’m probably not in marathon shape anymore but there are 35 weeks of the plan left with plenty of 20+km long runs. Another thing that I liked is tests for HR zones for cycling and running. Finally! Finally, I’m training in zones that i feel are right. In the past, I’ve recalculated my zones using different approaches at least 5 times and they always felt off. Now I feel that I’m really training in the zone that workout prescribes. Swimming. I can’t really talk about that because I’ve only swum for the first few weeks of the plan then due to quarantine all pools were closed, I’ve switched to strength and mobility workouts instead. Last thing. Coach Steve quickly answers all my questions, e.g. what to do when the pool closes, what is the best approach to brick workout, and so on. Overall I feel confident that following this plan I will be an Ironman finisher.

After completing my 70.3 in Barcelona at 5:53, I joined the PB Hit squad for improved training. Coach Steve and Coach Mark’s meticulous sessions and calls transformed my performance. With their guidance, I’ve achieved numerous PB’s since then. The PB Hit squad is the ultimate training experience for progress. I am sure that by joining the PB hit squad it has transformed my training.

Coach Steve is great! He is extremely responsive and was able to come up with an excellent plan to fit my needs and my goal to complete my first Ironman later this year. I can’t recommend him enough!

I really do appreciate your help with my strength training! It’s difficult to find a healthy balance with strength training and triathlon training. I know I need strength and conditioning to rehab my body and prevent me from getting injured further, but I also don’t want my muscles to be too sore or tired to perform in key endurance sets or races. This plan is easy to understand, well thought out, and conducive to strengthening your body to complement your normal endurance training. All exercises are ones that will benefit you in the sport, rather than just going to the gym and throwing weight around.
Thanks again for this plan! You rock.

Really enjoyed your half marathon plan so I’ve bought your 20-week full marathon plan for Dublin – going to be great!

I would like to thank you so much for this training plan. My fitness level is beyond anything I could have hoped for, really loving the plan

I reached out to several coaches in July 2021 and Steve responded with not only the plan he would recommended, but also the encouragement I, a total noob needed to follow through! I went by his program and not only did I finish my first triathlon, but came in 3rd in my age group! I just signed up for an IRONMAN 70.3 and will definitely be going with Couch Steve for my training plan!

Hello Coach Steve,
I am delighted to inform that I crossed the 70.3 Weymouth finish line in my personal best of 7 hrs 21 mins and 11 seconds.
I am really happy with the result, your training plan helped. All in all, a very satisfying result. And also a demonstration that I can push more and look to bring that time to sub 7.

Found plans to be excellent. Daily feedback on sessions keeps me motivated. Big Improvements in FTP & running as a result of base work. Highly recommend coach Steve

Thank you very much for your plan. My experience was incredible, and I believe there is room for improvement in the upcoming half triathlons next year. Let’s keep in touch.

Coach Steve’s training package helped me to perform better than I ever thought possible in the 2017 West Australian 70.3 ironman. I went from being a middle of the pack finisher to finishing in the top 20% in my age group by following his intermediate 12 week plan on Training Peaks. I actually enjoyed the whole training period and went into the event feeling confident and strong. The plan was easy to follow with full detailed sets and is incredible value for money. The swim sets are particularly great with enough variety to keep it interesting. I’ve come back for another training program this year and Steve has been awesome answering my emails, almost in real time conversation. Highly recommended!