Personalized Triathlon Coaching

I am a Triathlon coach with 20+ years of experience as a triathlete and 10+ years as a Doctor of Physical Therapy and I help triathletes confidently return to racing after injury, using a holistic approach to maximize performance and achieve their best results.

Recharge Refine Results

I believe in appropriate recovery so you can recharge before races while preventing injuries. As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I know how to tailor triathlon training to get the most out of your workout sessions.

As a movement specialist, I understand technique and strategy is key to success in triathlon. Let me refine your skills with instruction and training plans to achieve your personal best.

My training plans are specialized to focus on your weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Whether you are new to triathlon or you are an experienced athlete ready to take your racing to the next level, my goal is to help you achieve exceptional results.

Coach Stephanie

I have been a competitive triathlete for over 20 years competing in Junior Elite races as a teenager and at Age Group National and World Championship events. As the Founder of the University of Pittsburgh Triathlon club, I helped many athletes compete in their first triathlon and 15 years later the club has tripled in size. I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy and I coach patients through their recovery journey to reach their full potential. Blending the professions of Physical therapy and Triathlon Coaching, I provide training plans which promote health, recovery, injury prevention, nutrition, and technique for best performance. I have helped many triathletes reach their goals, whether it’s to compete their first IRONMAN or to achieve a personal best after years of training on their own. I enjoy helping beginners and experienced triathletes and I have a particular interest in helping athletes recovering from a recent injury so they can comeback strong and confident.

Testimonials

  • "I chose to train with Coach Steph because she is a doctorate of Physical Therapy and felt she could help me get back to running after being plagued with injuries for so long. I feel other running groups or programs are a one size fits all and I like how she has tailored my training plan specifically to address and strengthen the weaknesses I have. She listens to you and adapts your program to your current needs. I have been able to sustain my running by following her plan and the initial aches and pains I had when I started running again have gone away, all thanks to how she developed my running and strength plan! I am able to enjoy running again!"

    Susie, 1:1 Coached Runner

  • “Stephanie is a fabulous coach for her ability to personalize what I need for workouts with a wild schedule. Her background as a DPT means that her focus is on making me stronger while preventing injuries, and can quickly give me feedback on movements and additional exercises to make sure my season isn't ended with an injury. She doesn't neglect swimming and makes creative workouts while supporting me in lifting and cross training as needed."

    Ben, 1:1 coached Triathlete

  • “Stephanie helps me readjust my training schedule when life happens, e.g. kids bday parties, COVID, travel. It helps to have her always so flexible and accessible. I also appreciate the "pep talks" via text when I get anxious about this all working out in the end! I also love having a coach because it removes "human error" of me thinking I've made a good plan when I am either over/under exerting myself without knowing. I followed Stephanie's guidance and am happy to report it worked out in a new marathon PR! I am very excited to work with her into a strong base training season and then towards PRing the half marathon :-)

    Melody, 1:1 coached runner

  • “The biggest advantage of having Stephanie as my coach is having peace of mind. Knowing that she understands my goals and challenges, and is able to create a personalized plan that fits my needs and schedule. Given that I want to do my first 70.3, I needed someone that knows the sport in and out and is able to guide me not only on my training but in my gear, nutrition, and general advice. Having her as a coach has given me the confidence to know that I will accomplish all my race goals this year!"

    Miguel, 1:1 coached triathlete

  • “Having worked with DPTs both professionally and for spinal injuries, I feel this gives Stephanie a unique perspective on triathlon coaching. Often, coaches tend to get super aggressive with their type A triathletes and that has been a turn-off over the years. Her supportive communication style, and blending her longstanding triathlon racing into the mix, makes choosing Stephanie as a coach an easy decision!

    Sheila, 1:1 coached runner

  • "Coach Steph adds a bunch of tools to my tool box. Because she's so smart, she's able to tailor the workouts to my specific needs and give me the "why" for the workouts. Sometimes my workouts don't go the way she plans for them to go but she's there to give me encouragement regardless. Having Coach Steph on my team takes my training to the next level."

    Henry, 1:1 coached Triathlete

  • “My biggest benefit from working with Coach Steph so far is the accountability in the volume of my training. I thought I was being accountable to myself before, but working with a coach takes things up a notch. Coach Steph crafts realistically executable workout schedules, helping me balance my workouts with work/family/life demands. Coach Steph has been huge in helping bring balance to my work-triathlon-life schedule, and still meet my goals!”

    Elizabeth, 1:1 coached Triathlete

  • "Biggest benefits I think of having Steph as a coach is that the training plan is set out in a way I can understand it. It's pretty easy to look at the plan and know what the focus is for the future."

    Payton, 1:1 coached Triathlete

  • "Having Stephanie as my triathlon coach has been one of the best training decisions I've ever made. She's invested in her athletes' success and provides guidance in any area you need along your journey. That means your training plan is personalized to you and adjusted to fit your schedule. From the start, she's helped me with nutrition (both daily and during race-day), strength training, mobility, logistics of race day, prioritizing goals, gearing up for winter cycling and helped me safely navigate minor running pains (and probably others I'm forgetting). I know that whatever training issues I run into, I have an experienced partner that I can turn to for help who wants to see me be the best athlete I can be."

    -R3E Triathlete-

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    FAQ

    • The short answer is yes. A lot of times self training can lead to overtraining and injuries. Given proper HIPAA approval to review your current progress and goals with your physical therapist, I can help assist from the coaching side to help you return to triathlon safely. This may include more cross-training and strengthening along with a slower progression back than what you anticipate to decrease the risk of re-injury. Open communication between myself and your medical team, specifically your PT, is instrumental in your success.

    • Making the jump from a short course distance like a sprint to long course 70.3 or 140.6 can be challenging. I have helped many athletes complete their first 70.3 by creating a training plan that fits their lifestyle, working together on race day nutrition, and refining swimming, cycling, and running techniques.

    • A triathlon coach can provide great value to beginners. There is so much to learn in all 3 sports, transition, nutrition, equipment to be successful in your first triathlon.

    • I love working with new moms to navigate the challenges of postnatal return to sport. It is so important to keep the body strong during pregnancy to prepare for delivery and postpartum period. Follow the guidance of your OBGYN and follow up with a pelvic floor physical therapist to optimize recovery in those first few weeks. I provide specific strength programs for the postpartum period (given clearance by OBGYN) to help support your goals of gradually returning to triathlon. I will provide some ideas on how to get creative with training plans to fit them in between breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pumping, work, and time with your family to provide a well rounded program.

    While I waited in line for “It’s a small world” in @waltdisneyworld, a fellow mom said she liked my shirt and thought I was awesome! I’m generally very humble and brushed it off as a quick thanks and moved on. But later, I tho
    #medalmonday Congrats to R3E Runner Melody on completing the Garden State 10 miler. This was a training race for Melody leading up to her first Ultra, the Dirty German 50k in just 7 weeks! Want to stay strong and feel confident at your next running
    Growing up a swimmer, runner, and triathlete, I had a few triathlon coaches help lead me to success in junior elite ITU and Age Group competitions. From my viewpoint, my coaches were impressive and a level above, someone I never thought I could be.

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