BESPOKE COACHING

"Having joined both the Newbies to Open Water swimming and Improver Open Water training sessions with Coach Jo, I would wholeheartedly recommend Jo as a Coach. We covered a whole range of skills including equipment, safety, breathing, sighting, buoy turns, mass starts ready for my Debut Triathlon at the end of September, and exits and much more, all in a fun and supportive environment. Thank you Jo!"

I have been on five Tri50 Training Camps in the Canary Islands, albeit in happier times!!. They were an excellent blend of fun holiday, hard work and top notch information from the professional and experienced Triathlon Coaches. Somehow they managed to cater to everyone from the “back of the packer” to Age Group athletes aiming for medals. Everyone felt valued and welcome. During this difficult year Jo has gone the extra mile to keep all her Bespoke athletes motivated, engaged and involved, with Zoom S&C Classes, Challenges and, when possible, real events. Jo is empathetic, dedicated to her work, and interacts sensibly and fairly with her athletes, challenging them on occasions and rewarding them with praise, when it’s due ………….!

Jo Lewis changed my life! With both my daughters having flown the nest I was finally able to turn my attentions to triathlons. I trained myself for 3 years, increasing the distances from sprint to 70.3s. Although I trained harder and harder the results didn’t reflect this increase of intensity. In my last event of 2016 I managed to qualify for the 1st Challenge Championships in 2017. It finally dawned on me that I didn’t have the knowledge or experience to maximise my potential so I decided to get help. I spoke to many L3 triathlon coaches, who almost all promised to increase my speed and endurance by high intensity training regimes they have finely tuned over the years. I then found Jo. During our first meeting Jo discussed her philosophy on getting the best out of the, shall I say, more mature athlete. Over 50’s did not need cookie-cutter training plans; they needed a plan that took into account the person, their circumstances and their 50 year old body. I was sold. However just because you were over 50 didn’t mean the training was going to be easier, just different. In January 2017 Jo started training me. What surprised me about the training was that I trained less and with less intensity but got much faster. The training was varied, challenging and enjoyable. 5 months later, after following Jo’s training plan to the letter, I entered the Challenge Championships in the best form of my life. I woke up on the morning of the race, feeling absolutely confident that I couldn’t have done any more (the race went well apart from a puncture on the bike). I have been with Jo for three years now. It doesn’t matter to her that I am an average athlete, what matters is that I want to be the best I can be. Jo’s lifetime of triathlon knowledge and experience have allowed me to far exceed what I thought I could achieve. Her knowledge of the types of training required for varying race distances is phenomenal; her plans have always resulted in me turning up to my A race in peak condition; whether the race distance is a Pool Sprint or a Full Distance triathlon (unfortunately delayed because of Covid-19). The detail of the training plan and the comments of the resulting session, often make me feel that I am the only athlete she trains. Her session comments cover the technicalities of the session as well as other physiological, psychological and motivational components. I have to mention this year’s training, it has obviously been different because of Covid-19. Jo has used all her abilities to make sure the training focus on the A race was not lost but also included a bit more positive motivation given the continuous challenges we had during the year. One of the unseen results of Jo’s training has been the lack of serious injuries. It is no coincidence that I have been relatively injury free over the past 3 years, compared to when I trained myself. Yes, there have been minor ones, but Jo’s attention to my session feedback comments have always been taken into account, in the following week’s training plans. Jo’s training plans are person and race specific. She is my trainer, my therapist and my friend. Again I say, Jo Lewis changed my life.

My training has become more organised, focused and productive since I met Jo seven years ago. Previously, I had found it very difficult to find Bespoke Coaches, who were attuned to the many physical and mental issues of senior athletes. Over the last couple of years, Pre-Covid, I represented GB at the Age-group level in both Standard Distance Triathlons as well as Aquathon, and have new PB's in both disciplines which, I believe, would not have happened without the support and huge experience of Jo, who demonstrates empathy and, at the same time, challenges me to training sessions which I otherwise would not have considered doing!

I have been working with Jo for more than 5 years since I started on my triathlon journey. With her help, I have competed in a number of National, International and GB Age Group events ranging from Sprint to Half Ironman distances, as well as single discipline races.  Jo's experience and assistance have guided me to be physically and mentally stronger in achieving my goals, something that I know wouldn't have been possible without her guidance and commitment.  Jo's knowledge and understanding of working with mature athletes has enabled her to push me on or reign me in, as needs be.