I signed up for Ironman Arizona 2014 in November 2013.  I was looking for something that was outside my comfort zone and would be a major challenge for me to accomplish.  Never having done a triathlon I had no idea what I was doing.  If someone had provided me a manual of what training for the Ironman was going to be like, I would never have signed up.  I knew that I needed to find a coach and training program and needed to get started immediately.  When I began this journey, I weighed 235 pounds and could not run more than 200 yards without stopping to catch my breath.  I was in deep trouble and had no business participating in an endurance event.

 

I met Gabe for the first time in November 2013.  I walked away from our first meeting knowing he could help me.  He is very personal and has a contagious passion for triathlons.  He was truly engaged in MY goals and what was important to me and outlined a plan on how he and his coaching could get me across the finish line.  Even though I desperately needed his help, I wanted to try training on my own.  Gabe was persistent without being pushy.  After my second bike ride of hitting “the wall” after 40 miles, I knew I needed Gabe’s expertise to not only finish the race, but to do it without getting injured during my training.

 

I hired Gabe in March 2014 and I had a lot to learn.  In addition to providing me specific workouts every 4 weeks, he taught me about the importance of nutrition and acquired the vitamins and minerals my body needed, he showed me how to use and train with a heart rate monitor and got me tested to know where my Zones needed to be, and helped me with needed equipment.  He provided immediate feedback on my workouts usually daily so I could make the needed adjustments during my training.  Most important, Gabe would train with me multiple days per week and many times would map out the route for the bike or where we were going to do our long runs so I did not need to plan ahead and only needed to follow him.

 

During the training, I got much more value than I ever paid and more than I expected.  In addition to the physical, Gabe provided me mental and emotional support.  Like anything, there are good days and not such good days.  Gabe always provided the right level of encouragement, mental preparedness, and even “tough” love when I was falling short of my own expectations.  He celebrated my successes, kicked me in the rear when I needed it, and introduced me to other triathletes that I could train with.  I can honestly say, that without Gabe and his involvement, I would never have made it to the starting line, little alone, the finish. 

 

They say that Ironman is an individual sport.  While you do all the work and you are out on the course by yourself, I don’t believe this is true.  My experience was a sport that requires a lot of support.  If you are truly serious and committed to accomplishing a triathlon, improve in running, biking, or swimming and need help accomplishing your goals, then Coach Gabe will do everything in his being to insure you achieve.  He will give generously, care compassionately, and talk you “off the cliff” when needed.  He is focused on YOUR results.  He will push you to accomplish things you never thought possible all in the interest of getting you across your own “finish” line.  For me, my results speak for themselves.  I lost over 50 pounds, never got injured, and not only finished the race, but came in 45 minutes better than my goal.  The journey and the race were a highlight of my life.  Most importantly, I now am in the ranks of the few and elite.  I AM an IRONMAN and I owe much of that achievement to Gabe.  Thanks, Coach. - Todd Martin, Chandler