I am so fortunate to have found such a knowledgeable and supportive coach for my first experience with triathlon. As a newbie, I was a little overwhelmed by the sport but with Charles’ support and encouragement, I’ve fallen in love with triathlon. He’s helped me every step of the way from understanding how my training plan is structured, to learning what gear I need, to helping me through an injury, to going with me on my first open water swim. I feel totally prepared and confident for my first race. Charles has helped me choose which races are best and even helped me select places ideal for training to get the most out of my workouts. He always helps me understand what my data means and how it impacts my overall fitness. Perhaps most importantly though, he doesn’t hesitate to push me to work as hard as I can! I cannot recommend Charles highly enough. He’s helped me transition from someone who just works-out into an athlete!
Peter sees the big picture and prepares me for races so much better than I could do on my own. After completing 4 ironmans and a handful of half ironmans, I have always arrived at the starting line feeling healthy, strong and well-prepared.
Peter has found potential in me that I didn’t know I had! His knowledge, experience, wisdom and enthusiasm are responsible for my tremendous growth as a triathlete.
I have been coached by Coach Brian Leonard for the last 3 years. Over that time I have completed 12 full Ironman’s, multiple half’s and marathons. My times have improved drastically to the point that I have repeatedly set new personal records. In addition, my physical build and health have improved. I cannot thank him enough in helping me achieve my goal of racing in Kona.
I spent years doing triathlons without a coach. I did ok. I got by, but I wasn’t changing or improving despite how much or how hard I worked. It wasn’t until I met Pete that I became open to the idea of taking on a coach. Once we became a team, I never looked back. In the last 4 years that Pete has coached me, I’ve become a completely different (better) athlete, mentally and physically. I’ve gone from being a back and middle of the pack triathlete that never thought I was capable of anything more to being a confident competitor regularly standing on the podium and believing I am capable of even more still. I am positive I wouldn’t have made that transition without Pete’s coaching, mentoring and support. I can’t wait to see what accomplishments the future holds as we continue to work together.
I thought I had everything figured out before I started working with you. I was dead wrong! Each year that I work with Coach Pete, I continue to learn more about myself, shatter my expectations and barriers, to push myself past the edges of my limits, and to expand my fitness and achievements far beyond what I even began to dream possible while working alone. I wanted a coach who was honest and dedicated, be the voice of reason and reassurance when I was doubting myself, and could give tough love and advice if and when I needed it. Coach Pete is all that, he’s among the best in the country, and he will transform you from a casual local triathlete to a world athlete if you have a dream and passion to be the absolute best!
Thank you for everything you did to get me there and to keep me going on the day. I am surprised how well I feel…after my other IM I was a train wreck for ages….I know I gave it my all. I think good training can set us up not only for good racing but for good recovery. Thank you for that!
Kathy Alfino, my coach and my friend. Your unwavering confidence in my ability and your passionate way of believing in me is contagious. You are a motivator and a tough (in a good way) coach -only 10 days rest in 8 months!. You set and believed in goals for me that one year ago I did not even think about setting for myself. There is no way to know exactly how Sunday will unfold for me but I am going to give it all I have. I feel physically and mentally confident and stronger than I ever have in my life. Thank you for pushing me, getting to know me and my family, and making me “believe”! You and Pete have created a special training company – thank you for letting me be a part of your MHM family.
Thanks to your great coaching and encouragement (combined with my following your advice and doing the hard work!), I am sure the result would not have been as pretty had I tried to wing it training on my own. And your advice about how to approach the race itself saved my bacon. I tend to not get enough nutrition or hydration during races, but this time I really focused on both and I’m sure it paid off.
Pete–thanks again for everything! I had such a great race experience and I couldn’t have done it without your training plan and advice!! I thought about it and honestly I don’t think I would have wanted to do anything differently–the schedule worked out great with the school days and I felt like I was well prepared.
Get ready for a new level of triathlon achievements and success! Brian is great and I would use adjectives like calm, cheerful, pleasant, respectful, focused and driven to describe him.
I live in Texas and hired Brian a week before he moved to Denver. Brian is always available to me – and I don’t consider myself an easy client. Brian had to address many challenges with me – mental and physical. I started training late August (less than 90 days out from the race). On August 26th, I fell on my mountain bike got 14 stitches and was unable to do any training for 12 days and after that only swam and lightly biked on my trainer for about 10 days. In late September I was able to put in a solid week of training but began to get a shin splint and some achilles tendonitis. My training into late october was mostly on the trainer with some walks and swimming mixed in. At the end of October I got in my longest training run of 10.58 miles. The marathon was on November 6th and I didn’t know what to expect. I had done NYC last year at 5hrs 59min and San Antonio the year before 5hrs 42min. I was hoping to improve but didn’t know how my body was going to respond. Brian gave me strict instructions on pace, HR, nutrition and fluids – and I followed them. Ran NYC at 5hrs 7min – 11:45 mile pace! That was 2 minutes per mile faster than last year! My splits were within seconds of each other and all my friends were texting how strong and consistent my pace was….I didn’t plan it that way but apparently Brian did 🙂
On my way home from the marathon, I was speaking with a friend, who also happens to be a coach, about the race and told him I didn’t know going longer distances could feel great and be so consistent. My friend said, “that is a sign of being well coached”. I am continuing under Brian’s coaching guidance for St Croix half ironman in may2012. I have not even done an olympic and never considered the longer races because I didn’t want to suffer. However, after the marathon I felt great and realized with a good coach you can be much better prepared to attack the longer distances.”
Thank you so much for coaching me to a successful race @IMAZ. I overshot my time goal by a healthy margin, and as importantly, I felt great throughout. I know much of this was a result of being properly trained and prepared, and I credit you for setting me up as wall as you did. I look forward to working with you again in 2012…
Thank you Peter. I couldn’t have asked for harder conditions especially given the way my body hates heat since treatment. I also had a flat and chain came off 3 times. I welcomed the rest with the chain. The run was my typical 90+ run this year – I didn’t get through one of them all year.
But… I’m proud. And got emotional 3 different times at thinking about the last year and all the trials and tribulations and support and love from friends and family. Given radiation and chemo 8 months ago, today was a personal best that I will cherish! Thank you Pete!
Just wanted to touch base now that I am feeling human again :). Thanks so much for being at the race, all the fun leading up to the race was great, but really your impact was on the bridge. When I think of some of the high’s and lows of the day-they occurred on the that bridge. The first loop was great, me making fun of you and the jacket, the second loop with the lip balm and the third and final time I saw you there I felt like I was on my 5 mile death march. I didn’t expect to see you each time, and with every interaction I was so glad you were there with your humor, encouragement & smile.
I’m so glad I did another, and choose Arizona to do it. The whole day was so nostalgic for me-the last time I was there with my Mom, Sean and his parents was the day we graduated from college. Sunday was such a pleasant reminder of all the good that has happened in my life in the last 17 years since our college graduation & it was a really cool feeling of how the circle of life works.
I was a little disappointed in my time at first, now that its been a couple of days, I realize that I really did try my hardest that day and that was what I was looking to do- I know I couldn’t have done it better. The irony of the swim was that I actually did enjoy that long time in the lake and despite being crawled over what felt like 500x never did I panic or want to turn and go back-that alone shows my maturity in the water-I may have not improved in my time, but in my head swimming is a much nicer experience.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, just wanted to let you know how thankful I am for you to have seen me through another Ironman and more importantly I am thankful for the cool friendship we have developed over the last 2 years. It was exactly 2 years go today that we met at Panera, I only remember because I was rushing home to brine my Turkey. Have a great holiday with your family!
Thanks so much for the pictures and your great coaching Pete! David said on the way home from the race that he wants to do the next race…he’s already planning his training schedule. You’ve really excited him about this sport!
Thanks again to you and Julia for making this such a great experience for David!
I have been coached by Kathy and Pete for the past 5 years and I couldn’t be happier with my results. Every season, at every race, I have gotten a personal best!! Each year I think I can’t possibly improve further yet I have. They really know how to create a schedule which works for me and I have three small children and a job.
Pete, I must thank you many times over. The Ironman is one of the toughest one-day endurance feats a personal can do. However, to finish the Ironman means more than showing up on a particular day to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run a marathon. A real Ironman is fashioned in the early morning swims, the late night runs, and the long grueling days of forming that bond between man and bike – Pete reminded me of this. When I decided to take that leap of faith to join the ranks of “Ironman”, I had finished one sprint and one Olympic distance race. This is where Pete Alfino stepped into the picture. Pete took me under his wing and taught me the necessary aspects of triathlon training. From how to train with a heart rate monitor and what to eat before, during, and after training days, to fixing a flat (something I had sadly never done before), Pete carried me through the entire experience. He provided me with every necessary tool to finish 2008 Ironman Wisconsin in 12:45 and was there to encourage me across that finish line (something I will never forget). Between his training program, personal guidance, and dedication to my success, Pete did it all. There is no possible way I could have heard Mike Reilly tell me that I “am an Ironman” without Pete Alfino. Thanks Pete… I can’t wait for another!
First off, thanks for everything. I had one of the most amazing experiences of my life at the Ironman Coeur d’Alene in 2008. Having never done more than a duathlon in my life, first off, thanks for even taking the time to train me. Looking back on the experience, there is absolutely no way that I would have been able to prepare myself for this race like I did with your guidance. The routes you chose for me to ride, the distances for the runs, and all the swimming you had me do made me feel like an Ironman before the race even started. Thanks again, and look forward to working with you on my 2nd Ironman (hopefully soon)
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, for an amazing season! There were a lot of external factors that went into my PR at Ironman Wisconsin this year, and none of them were more impactful than having you as my coach.
This was my fourth Ironman and I am truly amazed at the sheer volume of stuff you taught me. Your support with my nutrition, gear, and focus was two or three notches higher than anything I received in the past. The most valuable part of the entire season, however, was the training schedule that you created and frequently modified throughout the season. Your attention and understanding to my specific schedule, strengths and areas to improve was so far superior to a generic schedule that there isn’t any way to compare the two.
I also loved being able to pick up the phone and call you to talk about any situation that was going on at any time. Your enthusiasm for the sport and for my success was very evident in each of our conversations.
I wish you all the best and hope to have the opportunity to work with you again. Be Free!