Age Grouper Athlete Spotlight: Johnan Ratliff
Age: 39
Location: Denton, TX
Sport: Triathlon, Cycling, Mountain Biking
Coach: Brian Leonard

1. How Long Have You Been An Athlete and What Got You Into Your Sports?
I moved from Pittsburgh, PA to Hallsville, TX in 1984 and country living quickly accentuated my tomboy tendencies.  Horses, soccer, baseball, track, swimming, biking and anything else I could do outside and with friends appealed to me. I played soccer throughout high school and into my mid-20s, then marriage and step children became a larger focus. In 2008 a friend was sharing his experience of competing in his first triathlon and it sounded like a challenging, fun and exciting way to be healthy and meet new people. I quickly signed up for my first sprint triathlon that September. All the new people I have met through triathlon have introduced me to several other sports outside of triathlon; half marathons, marathons, mountain biking, mountain climbing, trail runs and adventure races.

2. Do You Have Any Upcoming Goals For The Season?

• Pittsburgh half marathon
• Vineman 70.3
• 24 mountain bike race

3. What Made You Decide To Pursue A Coaching Company For Your Training?
In 2011 I was accepted into the NYC Marathon via the lottery. I was not being coached and was not consistently training. With less than 60 days until the race I suffered a gruesome knee injury. I realized I was going to need a specialized and strictly monitored training plan to make it to the NYC Marathon start line. I knew MHM Coach Brian Leonard when he had lived in Dallas for a brief time in 2011. I hired Brian because of his NYC Marathon experience and success. Coach Brian was able to take my constraints of time and injury and create a training program that not only got me to the finish line, but I had a PR by 50 minutes!

4. What Do You Like Best About Having A Coach?

• Direction – am I doing enough?
• Accountability – am I doing too much?
• Knowledge – am I doing this right?
• Experience – am I reaching my potential?
• Recognition – PR, Podium and/or compliments from family, friends, coach, or other athletes

5. What Types Of Things Are Important To You To Maintain Your Motivation For Continued Training?
Getting to train with other athletes is important for me to maintain motivation as triathlon training can become sterile.

6. What Is It Like To Train Remotely With An Out Of State Coach?
Getting to train with an out of state coach is a tremendous benefit to me because of the different knowledge and experience that I get access to through my coach. Outside of that benefit, there is no difference to me whether my coach is out of state or if my coach and I lived in the same city. We talk, text, email and send videos or pictures as often as necessary.  I find my daily workouts in my email or on my mobile app with lots of instruction and detail.  Then upon completion of the assigned workout I upload the data from my Garmin into Training Peaks.

7. How Is It Balancing Your Training With Family, Work and Social Life?
Tough question. My husband and no one in my family participate in any kind of sport. My family often doesn’t understand my commitment and enjoyment of training and racing. My husband and I own several businesses with over 200 employees. The mental, physical and time demands of family and operating successful businesses can inhibit the training of even the most dedicated athlete. Group rides swims and runs are the best way I have found to incorporate socializing. I often go for a meal or drinks with my training partners after the workout. Family, business, training, and social life in that order of importance, some days everyone is happy and others no one is happy, including me.  I know that tomorrow is another opportunity to try to get the balancing acts right.

8. What Advice Or Recommendations Do You Have For Anyone Who Is Considering Hiring a Coach For Their Training?
Know yourself and your goals, but use a coach to learn more about yourself and fine tune your goals. A coach can see outside of numbers, time, and feedback. A coach can see the athlete in a way the athlete could never see themselves, objectively from the outside looking in. No matter how self-motivated, intelligent, fast, slow, good or bad you think you are as an athlete a coach has the best understanding, knowledge and experience to direct you toward your goals and beyond.

Questions about Johnan’s training schedule, or working with Coach Brian Leonard? Please email him at Brian@milehighmultisport.com.