Rockstar Triathlete Mary Liz Olazabal
Coach’s Notes:
Mary Liz is so awesome to coach and has made me better. She is a teacher and a good one because she asks me the why and how for everything I give her. I love it. It reinforces my skills as a coach and makes sure I’m giving the information in an understandable way either visually or through my words. She then takes the information and gets to work.
It doesn’t have to be hard but there is a necessary understanding required to get faster. What a gift for both of us. Her consistency and drive are what have allowed for some great improvements in swim and bike, while she is healing from running injuries. She won the overall Trilogy series Aquabike to prove it! Way to go Mary Liz – Another great Rockstar Triathlete!
Age: 51
Profession: Teacher
Why you chose FCC to help you on your triathlon/health and wellness journey?
I’ve never trained with a group before or been coached. Friends from work, in particular, Vicki Koller, decided to compete in the Mighty Mujer race in April. I hemmed and hawed, having trained several years ago for triathlons. I couldn’t figure out how to fit in the morning workouts and get to school on time. Did I really want to jump back into this fitness world? I watched over the few weeks as they managed to get it all done. They were so fresh faced in the morning, full of excitement about their morning practice. I felt like I was missing out. About a week before the race, I did a trial week with Erinne. I raced Mighty Mujer and it was fun. What made it particularly special were the others from Full Circle who were competing, too. I loved feeling part of something beyond myself.
What is your “A” race for this season? Competing in all four of the trilogy races in the Aquabike, was my goal. The swim was something I always feared and I never felt strong on the bike. The run was always my savior. Committing to an entire summer of swimming and biking was going to be an accomplishment.
Please share your BIG goals: My swim time came down by nearly 5 minutes for the International distance. My bike time decreased by almost 8 minutes. It felt good to see progress.
Tell me about your successes so far. What were some of your biggest Improvements in performance for the each of the following?
Swim, Bike, Run, Nutrition/Health. Please include any Personal Records and Goals achieved:
I’m still working on my swim stroke. Sometimes I feel it’s a one step forward and two steps backward kind of thing. It’s certainly a work in progress. Yet, some of the drills and speed work now seem doable and while I still have a lot to learn, I’m making progress.
On the bike, I’m happy to keep up with the heavy hitters and survive some of the long rides. At times I’m amazed that I ‘m now able to pass people on Key Biscayne when I’m biking. This was never the case before.
Looking forward, I’d like to improve on nutrition and strength and continue to work on my swim stroke. These are my goals for January, as well as, getting rid of my Tendonitis so I can start back to running.
Name 2 or 3 things that have made the biggest difference in your journey:
- Consistency is definitely helpful. When I take a few days off it makes both getting up harder, as well as having an effect on performance. The coaching during practice and the focus during drills on technique, have also vastly improved my swimming and biking.
- Seeing everyone work so hard is motivating. And the fact that everyone cheers each other on and posts the small victories as well as the big ones, makes it exciting.
- Lastly, I like the way I feel when I leave practice. It’s as though I’ve taken it upon myself to make it the best possible start to the day.
What excites you the most about being involved in triathlon?
I love being part of a group and showing up at races and seeing all of the other athletes. Whether it’s my day to win or not or have a great race or not, I’m excited to be a part of the experience. I also feel that showing up, stepping up to the start line, and overcoming the fears and nerves has crossover into so many other aspects of life.
What would you say to another person who was on the fence about joining our training program?
I would tell them that Full Circle provides not only a great group of coaches but a terrific team of athletes. Like I said, I never had a coach. I always thought it was simply about getting from start to finish in as little time possible.
There’s a vast difference between training for stamina vs the coaching at Full Circle. At Full Circle it’s about the mechanics of the sport, the nutrition, the mindset and the camaraderie. You’re never alone. The coaches are right beside you as coaches and athletes themselves.
P.S. This could be you! If you are interested in learning more about Full Circle Coaching, call us at 786-586-6057 today, or click this link to schedule a complimentary triathlon strategy call: http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU
Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997, Member of Team USA and Competed in over 150 races. She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Level 2 Master’s Swim Coach, Metabolic Efficiency Expert and Motivational Speaker, Mom, and much much more.
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