Name: Tom Aaker
Years as a Tristar Athlete: 3
What do you like most about your training plan?: I love the fact that my sessions are specifically tailored for my season, based upon in-depth conversations and plans agreed with Coach Cliff. I also like having the structure built out in 2-week blocks, so that I know what's coming and I can knock off the sessions one-by-one. Finally, one of the biggest improvements over training on my own plan in the past has been the use of intervals on the bike and run. I never would have known how to design such sessions myself (and probably wouldn't have had the discipline to complete them), but with Cliff integrating these into my training plan, I've made great progress.
Why did you chose to work with Team Tristar Athletes: I was in a rut. I had completed 7-8 Ironmans before meeting Cliff, but I had plateaued in my performance and I had a feeling that I was too focused on volume (aka "junk miles") and not on quality training. I wanted to raise my game, to achieve my potential. As the saying goes, "if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got". I wanted to take my training in a different, more sharply defined direction, so I was looking for a Coach. I met Cliff one day walking in our neighborhood, we got to talking, hit it off right away, and I had a feeling he and the Tristar model were just what I was looking for - and indeed they have been!
What was the best part of your coaching experience?: I am most excited about the step-up in performance which I've achieved under Cliff's coaching. I was consistently finishing in the middle of my Age Group before joining Tristar, but during the past 3 years I've made big gains and moved up to the top ranks. I even qualified for 70.3 World Champs in 2020! I also appreciate the huge amount of knowledge I've gained from Cliff - how to pace, how to hydrate, how to take in calories during a race, how to improve my equipment and use of data (ie., I started using a Power Meter on the bike and when I run and I started training with NP, IF, Pa/HR, etc . I also upgraded my tri bike and my wetsuit this year). Finally, I really enjoy the face-to-face meetings I have with Cliff every few weeks. He has become a friend and mentor for me, and I feel a real sense of pride knowing that he is tracking my progress and taking a personal interest in my success.
If you were to recommend Tristar Athletes to a friend, what would you tell them?!: 1) Trust your Tristar Coach and lean on their experience - they know what they are doing
2) Be prepared to train and race differently - for example, focus on Quality not Quantity
3) Build relationships with other Tristar Athletes - they are an awesome group of people
4) Be patient ... real progress takes time