TRIATHLON COACHING SERVICES
USA Triathlon Level 1 Certified Coach John Bye
TESTIMONIALS
I have been coached by John for 2 years and our combined results speak for themselves. Before his coaching, I raced a handful of smaller distance triathlons (finishing middle of the pack) and a single IronMan70.3 race in Atlantic City whereI finished 31st out of 203 in my M45-49 AG. After just 6 months of John's training, I raced IronMan 70.3 Virginia, and with a 24th AG finish and qualified for the IronMan 70.3 World Championship in the Fall at St George. At WC I finished a grueling course and endured extraordinary weather conditions to finish in the middle of the pack of the best racers in the world. Then, in October, I raced my first full IronMan at Waco. I managed to finish 9th AG and secure an invitation to the 2021 IronMan World Championship in St. George, UT. At the World Championship, 17 months into John's coaching, I far exceeded my expectations finishing 69th AG (top 20%) of the best IronMan racers in the World!! The next month I raced a local half-IronMan race (Poconos, PA) where, for the first time ever, I won my age group and was the first 50+ year old racer to cross the line. I finished my year with my "A" race returning to IronMan Waco. With baking temps breaking 100 degrees, I finished first in my 50-54 AG, 19th overall and was the again the first 50+ year old racer to cross the line!! That AG win secured me an invitation to the 2024 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona Hawaii. Our successes aren't accidental. Put simply, I followed John's plan! In doing so, I vastly improved across every discipline, gained confidence, and did my part by executing our plan on race day. Before John's coaching, I NEVER thought it was possible for me to win my AG in an IronMan race. I am so thankful that he helped me achieve my personal goals and dreams!
Jim Dion - New Jersey (M45-49)
Having never competed in triathlon, I entered the world in June and started working with John a few months later per recommendation by a work colleague. I had just completed IronMan 70.3 Boulder in early August and John offered to coach me for last few weeks to IronMan 70.3 Wisconsin. Despite the short amount of time, he still helped me shave over 45 minutes off my finish and then, two weeks later, qualify for USAT Nationals at my next race. Fast forward to end of the year and my off-season numbers are pushing stats I never thought possible. John’s workouts are great because they are tailored to my individual needs and he breaks down the data and science behind them. He is always willing to jump on the phone to talk through any questions I have and is incredibly knowledgeable about the sport and everything that comes with it. John has also developed a very tight knit community within his team, The Wolfpack, so I always know I’ll have a group of like-minded people to join me on a Sunday morning run or a weekday Zwift ride as his team members are all around the country. In less than a year, I’ve gone from just wanting to finishing to now calculating the numbers I have to get to podium and I couldn’t have done that without John!
Taylor V - Colorado (F25-29)
I had not competed in a triathlon in 10 years, but when I saw IronMan was doing a local race in Iowa I decided to get back on board. It was January and the race was in June. I reached out to John and we decided to meet up and I am so glad that we did. He took me from the couch to a projected 12 hour race day in just shy of 5 months. His experience and knowledge about the sport is second to none. I have learned more about racing and the sport of triathlon than I ever knew existed. What I thought my capabilities were and the potential he has drawn out of me have completely changed since the day we met. His training is efficient, effective, and always exactly what my race needs. John is more than a coach and his team, the Wolfpack, is a family. I couldn’t be happier starting with John at the helm of my race season as I ramp up for another IronMan in the spring and the 70.3 World Championships in the fall.
Jason Smith - Iowa (M40-44)
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John is a patient and encouraging coach. As a 55 year old woman who planned to do my very first half-iron distance, I wanted to find a coach who understood the challenges of racing as an aging athlete and would get me across the finish line. I found John to not only be insightful and understanding of the limits that come with an aging athlete, but also how to work through these limits to make age an advantage, not a barrier. He helped me in so many ways, to include, smartly, figuring out when I could handle doubling up my workouts and getting me across the finish line at IronMan Boulder 70.3. Further, as a bonus, at a Sprint race a few weeks later, I found myself on the Podium for the very first time in my life. Very successful season!
Kellie Strawbridge - Colorado (F55-59)
I have been working with John for 2 seasons now and my performances have been transformed from a middle of the pack age grouper to a competitive age grouper. This included multiple top 10 age group race outcomes and qualification for the 70.3 World Championship and IronMan World Championship within 6 months. Across all disciplines my performance, strength and overall endurance has improved such that I am now racing IronMan distances vs just finishing the race. This was demonstrated at IronMan Wisconsin with the worst race conditions in the history of the race and I was able to execute a strong race and finish in 8th position. What I like about John’s training is the diversity and creativity of the sessions and they replicate race day conditions so your body and mind are prepared for the those tough closing miles. I am still learning new methods, techniques and improving my capabilities across all disciplines which is motivating and enables growth. Anthony Booth - Australia / New Jersey (M45-49)
I'm what you might call a 'powerlifter-turned-endurance' athlete. I came across into John when I was looking for a triathlon club to join. He's a coach for the Rocky Mountain Triathlon Club and is an active, copetitive triathlete himself - therefore he's doing what he's teaching - and I was aware of his experience competing as a high-BMI athlete was a motivating factor as well. The most notable thing about John's programming is that it is not just a program he hands out - he's eager to jump on the bike and join you for a century ride, or if you just need some motivation, he's more than happy to tell you stories of overcoming some serious barriers over the phone or dinner. He might even let that dinner be a cheat meal! In just 4 months, John transformed me from a 4:30 open marathon runner to, at that miserable day at IronMan Wisconsin in 2022, a 12-hour IronMan athlete that ran a 3:50 marathon and included a 45 minute bike mechanical! What's more is that I'm able to continue training at a high level year-round with the camaraderie and accountability of The Wolfpack members in the Denver area which is an absolute game changer for me.
Evan Vaughan - Colorado (M18-24)
I went from a middle-of-the-pack age grouper to being in-the-mix—chasing down other athletes and trying to nab podium spots. I originally went to John because I wanted to be on the AG podium at the Jersey Girl Sprint Triathlon. I was turning 40 and finally decided to make the time and invest in myself as a birthday gift to myself. It was clear right off the bat that John's program was going to be a game changer for me but that it would require commitment to myself and to the sport.
After just 6 short weeks of working with John, we tested a new race strategy and my training at a local 5k. I blew my old PR out of the water by 4 full minutes, taking 5th place overall for women, and 1st place Age Group in this local summer race. I honestly did not think I was capable of that moment or those pace times. But John did. This was a moment I will never forget and it is all thanks to John's programming, race strategy, and realistic and honest assessment of my capabilities.
Throughout that first season, we made incredible progress and came close to grabbing some podium slots but I kept falling short at 4th, 5th, and 8th place finishes. But I still had Jersey Girl on the books. Until the kicker - Jersey Girl was cancelled again. It was a tough blow but then an email came that changed it all...I made USA Triathlon AG Nationals for 2022!!! Another moment and feeling I will never forget.
The truest testament to John's training program may have very well come at Nationals. Two days before the race, I received the extremely sad news that my dear co-worker of the past 8 years had been killed. I was an absolute mess at the race. Couldn't pull myself together and frankly I didn't want to. The water was 57 and the air was 97 and my grief was crushing my motivation. But it didn't matter that my mind and heart were elsewhere that day, because my muscles remembered the months of workouts that John had me do and just moved me along the course to, despite all that adversity, a new Olympic distance PR.
After a 2-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Jersey Girl Sprint Triathlon was back on the calendar for September 2022 and at new venue to boot! John had me more ready for this race than I had ever been. My times were still getting faster working with John for a 2nd season. My whole heart was in this race and my head was securely on my shoulders this time. I set a big PR, surpassed my competitive AG bracket entirely, and took 7th place OVERALL!! Just 6 minutes shy of winning the whole, frickin' thing.
John Bye sees your potential and then creates a program that will push you to that next level. Further, John has been investing a lot in the team during the off-season by treating us with custom seminars with other experts in the field. He also works hard to build a community of like-minded athletes – The Wolfpack -- that you can connect with, and he pumps us up with his weekly newsletters and social media shout-outs. You can feel the love and pride for the team.
If results are what you are after and you want a coach who will keep it real with you, call John.
Lisa Rosynsky - New Jersey (F40-44)
I have never participated in a triathlon prior to signing up for IronMan Lake Placid. I first started training on my own with a very disciplined workout routine that I hoped would lead to the goal of crossing that finish line. However, after being introduced by John, helped me understand that 1) I had a lot of potential and was selling myself short by setting my goals far too low; and, 2) even though I was pushing myself physically, I was completely missing out on the technical, mental and strategic components of the race that I hadn’t considered.
Physically, I found that training with John allowed me to blow through personal bests that I never thought were possible. The workouts were purposeful and, although tough, found them to be extremely rewarding and I never felt that I pushed myself too hard to the point where I couldn't continue. Further, when it came to strategizing for training and the race itself, the conversations with John were packed with valuable insight to the point where I wouldn't let him start talking unless I had my note pad in front of me. His knowledge of the sport and his ability to transfer that knowledge to others is absolutely priceless.
With John at my corner, I truly felt that I went into IronMan Lake Placid with years of experience under my belt. Although I was going into a triathlon for the first time, the knowledge, mental strength, and physical strength that John was able to build in me throughout training allowed me to go out there on race day and just kill it while keeping a smile on my face the whole time. I owe it to John for setting me up for success on race day and giving me such a solid foundation in this sport!
Christopher K - New York (M30-34)
I’m a former D1 swimmer, usually on or near the overall podium at local races; but, at the larger regional/national races, as I am a time crunched athlete with a young child, I’ve never been able to maximize my full potential on the bike. Therefore, in preparation for the my tri season, I decided to let John take over my cycling workouts for me. Immediately, the workouts pushed me out of my comfort zone on the bike; but, in a good way. The workouts were tough, but still manageable given the swimming and running I needed to do in parallel. He effectively pushed me to my limits, but didn't destroy me in the process. I quickly began to see power numbers I have never been able to achieve or sustain. My FTP jumped within 8 weeks and my bike fitness is more robust than it's ever been. What most surprised me is that all of this is happening without the crazy hours I believed I needed to be doing on the bike each week. The training is time efficient and very productive. Trainer rides are engaging with Zwift racing or very structured intervals and outdoor rides have very specific goals and structure. John’s feedback is always encouraging, timely, and honest. I look forward to racing this year with my new bike legs and cycling confidence thanks to his coaching!
Jennifer Finotti-Sheppard - California (F40-44)
I was referred to John through a close friend of mine who worked with him when he completed his first ever triathlon (IronMan Lake Placid). I was nervous at first as I had never done a triathlon race and had limited skillset in any of the disciplines. I started taking swimming lessons during the early months of the year and was working with another coach when my friend, who noticed I was struggling, suggested that I give John a call. With John's meticulous training structure that he adapted as needed through constant communication on how I was feeling and how the training was going, I was able to complete my first ever triathlon at IronMan 70.3 Atlantic City. I must say that John had a tremendous impact on my capability in the short period of time we had before the race. I'm grateful for meeting John, we have smashed PRs, and made what was once a dream into a unattainable goal which finished with me bringing home that finishers medal. John thank you for all your support and I look forward to working with you for years to come.
Marko Begonja - New York (M35-39)