TRC Performance Coaching

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TRC Performance Coaching Coach Mike delivers high performance personalized coaching to athletes looking to perform at their best in triathlon, cycling, and running.

He is also a certified Bike fitter and run gait analyzer. Independent dealer for Orbea and Ventum Bikes and more!

10/27/2026

It’s time trial Tuesday, so let’s have a chat.

You can have the best bike, fastest wheels, and most expensive aero equipment and still get beaten by someone who knows how to ride a time trial.

After one race, someone told me I would have ridden the bike leg faster if I had that bike.

My response? “I would have won today on a tricycle.”

It’s not the bike. It’s what you can do with it.

Here are 5 ways to become a faster time trialist.

1. Build sustainable power.

More Zone 2 doesn’t automatically mean a higher threshold. Combine aerobic development with structured threshold work. Start with 3 x 15 minutes at threshold with 4 minutes of recovery, then progress your intervals as fitness improves.

2. Get your position right.

Aero only works if you can sustain the position and produce power. Saddle height, setback, reach, pad height, hip angle, and crank length all matter. Don’t chase the lowest position. Find the fastest position you can actually hold.

3. Learn to pace.

Going out too hard costs time. Use power, heart rate, course profile, and race distance to plan your effort. Avoid unnecessary surges and aim for a controlled start, steady middle, and strong finish.

4. Train in your aero position.

Don’t do your intervals on the hoods if you need to produce power in the aero bars on race day. Try 3 x 15 minutes at target race effort while staying aero. Practice fueling and drinking without constantly sitting up.

5. Fix your weaknesses.

Losing power late? Struggling to hold position? Fading on climbs? Each problem requires a different solution. Review your power files, pacing, and position, then train specifically to address what’s holding you back.

Want to get faster against the clock?

Time trialing is my specialty. I have years of experience competing at a high level and help cyclists identify where they’re losing time through targeted training, aerodynamic positioning, pacing, and race ex*****on.

Stop guessing. Start improving. Let’s talk about your next time trial.

10/26/2026

Marathon pacing mistakes that expose a lack of structured training.

If you’re hitting your paces through the half marathon, then completely falling apart in the back half, you have a training problem. The marathon exposes the gap between the pace you can run when you’re fresh versus the pace your fitness allows you to sustain over 26.2 miles.

Here are some of the most common mistakes I see.

1. Running the first 10K too fast

Adrenaline, fresh legs, race day excitement make it easy to run faster than planned. Just because goal pace feels easy early doesn’t mean you should push harder. I deliberately tell my athletes to hold back through the first 10K. You can’t win a marathon in the first half. You can absolutely set yourself up for a blowup.

2. Confusing goal pace with current fitness

A goal time is an objective, not proof of readiness. Your training needs to support that pace through appropriate volume, threshold development, marathon pace work, long runs that prepare you for the demands of the race.

3. Having no pacing strategy beyond the halfway point

If your entire race plan is to hold a pace, hope for the best, you’re gambling. Your pacing strategy needs to account for your fitness, fueling, fatigue, the demands of the full 26.2 miles.

4. Falling apart after mile 18 to 20

This is where inadequate endurance, poor pacing, insufficient fueling, a lack of marathon specific preparation often become obvious. The problem usually started weeks or months before race day.

5. Making pace decisions based on feel alone

Feel matters, but it needs context. Weather, terrain, heart rate, effort, accumulated fatigue all influence what a sustainable pace looks like. Ignoring those variables can turn a well executed race plan into a survival effort.

6. Doing too much the day before the race

The day before a marathon is not the time for a hard workout, an extended shakeout, hours of walking around the expo or sightseeing. Keep it simple. A short, easy shakeout run if that’s part of your routine. Appropriate fueling. Time off your feet. You won’t build fitness in the final 24 hours, but you can compromise your readiness.

7. Expecting willpower to compensate for missing fitness

Mental toughness matters. It cannot replace the physiological adaptations required to sustain a pace for 26.2 miles. You can be mentally prepared to suffer, yet still lack the endurance to hold your goal pace.

The marathon is not simply a test of how fast you can run. It’s a test of how well you’ve prepared to sustain that speed when physical, mental fatigue starts taking over.

Structured training isn’t about blindly following a plan or hitting arbitrary paces because they’re written on a calendar. It’s about identifying your limiters, developing the specific fitness required for your goal, building the endurance to execute when it matters.

Using group runs as a substitute for structured training? That’s a whole other post.

If you’re ready to stop guessing, identify what’s holding you back, address your weaknesses, build the fitness to race at your potential, let’s talk.

Through individualized coaching, performance analysis, training built around your physiology, weaknesses, race goals, I help athletes develop the fitness to run stronger, pace smarter, finish with something left in the tank.

👉🏻Your goal deserves more than a generic plan. Let me help you build the fitness to back it up.

09/25/2026

How do I help runners and triathletes make dramatic improvements in their pace and race times?

A proven approach built on extensive oversight, continuous evaluation, and precise manipulation of training.

This isn’t conjecture. I’ve seen it for over 11 years in the runners and triathletes I’ve coached.

Frankly,I have also had athletes come to me from programs like Runna and TriDot, in a plateau and rut, and make faster progress once we started looking at their training on an individual level.

Why?

Because I don’t deliver a generic plan or the same workouts week to week, you shouldn’t pay for that. I start with your history and your limiters.

I look at:

• Race history and where your pace breaks down
• Training history and intensity distribution
• Aerobic capacity, threshold, speed and durability
• Running economy and mechanics
• Strength and injury history
• Recovery and response to training
• For triathletes, how swim and bike training affect the run

Then I build the training around what is actually holding you back.

For example, an athlete needing threshold development might get:

3 × 10 min @ threshold
2 min easy
6 × 30 sec fast / 60 sec easy

That isn’t a random hard workout.

It’s designed to develop sustained high end aerobic performance, then reinforce speed and recruitment under fatigue.

And the next workout isn’t predetermined. I build one week at a time and then I may adjust workouts within that week depending on what you and the data is telling me.

That’s what coaching is meant to be.

Not just completing workouts.

The goal isn’t simply to run more.

It’s to systematically remove the obstacles holding your performance back and make you dramatically faster.

If this is interesting to you and you need a change, send me a DM or contact me from my website (link in bio)

How to work with me in 2027 🏊🚴🏃🏻‍♀️👇🏻TRC Performance Coaching is a Triathlon, Cycling, and Running Endurance coaching bu...
09/21/2026

How to work with me in 2027 🏊🚴🏃🏻‍♀️👇🏻

TRC Performance Coaching is a Triathlon, Cycling, and Running Endurance coaching business founded in 2016, based in Stafford, VA. I coach locally and virtually all over the country.

My coaching experience has helped first time Ironman, 70.3, Cyclists, and runners of all distances cross the finish line at races big and small, World and National events.

Are you ready to elevate your performance as an athlete in a different approach?

I have a saying here, you may not have aspirations to be elite, but whether you are a beginner or more experienced, you are going to feel like one here.

Reach out today by DM or comment “Consult” to schedule a no obligation consult to see if we are a good fit.

- Coach Mike

09/21/2026

We aren’t going to be a good fit. My athletes know me as blunt and supportive. If you want a coach who tells you what you want to hear, I’m not your coach.

If you want the truth, accountability, and coaching built around you, we probably are.

So,

How long do you actually need to train for a marathon?

There is no magic 16 week plan that makes you marathon ready.

If you want to run the marathon well AND reduce your injury risk, the question is not just how many weeks you have. It’s how much running your body has already earned.

A few general guidelines:

Beginner

1. 20 to 30 plus miles per week before starting marathon specific work
2. 16 to 24 weeks of preparation
3. Long run progressing toward 16 to 20 miles
4. 4 to 5 runs per week

Experienced runner

1. 30 to 45 plus miles per week before the specific block
2. 12 to 18 weeks of marathon specific training
3. Long runs generally 16 to 22 miles
4. 5 to 6 runs per week

Advanced runner

1. 45 to 60 plus miles per week before the specific block
2. 12 to 16 weeks of focused preparation
3. Long runs generally 18 to 22 miles
4. 6 to 7 runs per week

And here is the part most people get wrong:

You don’t go from 15 miles one week to 30 because a marathon plan says you should.

Your cardiovascular system can improve much faster than your bones, tendons, muscles and connective tissue.

That is why I would rather see an athlete spend 6 to 12 months consistently building their running durability than cram marathon preparation into 12 weeks.

The marathon specific block is the final phase.

It should NOT be where you build your entire running foundation.

And mileage isn’t the only variable.

Frequency, long run progression, intensity, recovery, strength, terrain, previous injury history and how much running you can tolerate all matter.

The goal isn’t simply to survive 26.2 miles. The goal is to arrive at the start line with a body that is prepared to handle 26.2 miles.

Train for the distance before you train for the race.

09/20/2026

Fitness isn’t enough to finish an Ironman or marathon.

You can have the fitness and still have a bad race.

You need to be able to:

1. Control your pace when you feel great instead of getting carried away.
2. Hold back early because you understand that the race hasn’t really started yet.
3. Fuel and hydrate before you’re behind.
4. Recognize when something is going wrong and make an adjustment instead of hoping it fixes itself.
5. Stay focused when the race gets uncomfortable.
6. Make good decisions when you’re tired and your brain isn’t working at 100%.
7. Manage pain.

Because at some point, an Ironman or marathon is going to hurt.

Your legs are going to get heavy. Your pace is going to feel harder. You’re going to question why you’re still doing this.

That’s where mental toughness comes in.

Not pretending it doesn’t hurt.

Not telling yourself some motivational quote.

Managing the pain and continuing to execute when you know the pain is part of the race.

There is also a difference between pain you can manage and pain that means something is wrong. You need enough experience to know the difference.

An Ironman can give you hours to make bad decisions.

A marathon can punish you for a bad first 10K.

I can give you the fitness and ability to finish, but preparation, pacing, fueling, experience and mental toughness are what allow you to use that fitness when the race gets hard.

Do you want to finish your first Ironman under 14 hours or have a PR marathon? I have a plan to get you there.

09/18/2026

5 things I want beginner triathletes to know before you get started👇🏻.

It’s a simple list because beginners need to keep it just that….simple.

1. You don’t need a garage full of gear.
A reliable bike, running shoes, a swimsuit and the basics are enough. You can upgrade later. Stop spending money on things you don’t need to start!

2. Learn to swim before you worry about swimming fast.
Comfort in the water, breathing control and body position come first. Speed comes later. Proper form is effortless speed.

3. Your bike fit matters.
You’re going to spend a lot of time on the bike. Get the position right early instead of spending months adapting to a poor fit or a bike that doesn’t fit you. This is a big one.

4. Start with less training than you think you need.
Your body needs time to adapt to three sports. You don’t need 10 hours a week to become a triathlete. You need a manageable plan you can actually repeat. I see a lot of ai plans that throw you right in. This leads to injury, frustration and burn out. You don’t know what you don’t know!

5. Get a plan before you start adding workouts.
Random swims, hard rides and runs might make you tired, but they don’t build a fitness base to be able to increase power and run pace properly. Start with structure and build from there.

Thinking about getting into triathlon but don’t know where to start?

That’s where coaching comes in. I’ll help you build the right foundation, avoid the common mistakes and give you the right plan that evolves and adjust to your daily life.

Send me a message and let’s get you started the right way.

IRONMAN or Air Force Marathon, the formula is the same:Trust the work. Execute the plan. Stay in the fight when it gets ...
09/17/2026

IRONMAN or Air Force Marathon, the formula is the same:

Trust the work. Execute the plan. Stay in the fight when it gets hard.

Good luck to my athletes racing this weekend. Now go do what you trained to do.

09/17/2026

A new season is coming. If you’re considering a coaching change, don’t just look for a new training plan. Look for a better coaching relationship.

First, ask yourself about your current coaching:

1. Am I actually being coached, or am I just being assigned workouts?
2. Does my coach know what I’m doing outside of TrainingPeaks?
3. Are my workouts adjusted when my fitness, fatigue, schedule or circumstances change?
4. Do I understand why I’m doing the training I’m being given?
5. Am I progressing, or am I simply accumulating training?
6. Are my weaknesses and limitations actually being addressed?
7. Does my coach communicate when things are going well and when they aren’t?
8. Does my coach actually know me as an athlete?
9. Did I accomplish my goals?

Then ask prospective coaches:

1. How do you communicate with athletes?
2. How individualized is your coaching?
3. How do you adjust training when things change?
4. How do you identify and attack an athlete’s limiters?
5. What does coaching actually include beyond writing workouts?
6. How do you measure whether your coaching is working?
7. What do you expect from me as an athlete?

The right coaching relationship is a two way process.

You should know what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and have a coach who is actively making decisions based on you and communicating with you frequently, not just filling your calendar.

If you can’t answer those questions about your current coaching, it may be time to start asking better questions.

If you are interested in learning more about my coaching. Send me a DM and learn how I will make you a better athlete 💁🏻

09/16/2026

One thing I have learned in 12 years of coaching and many more competing, is that not every athlete needs more training, but they need the right training.

I have a degree in psychology and that experience taught me that in testing theory with different variables you will get different outcomes. Meaning what works for one athlete will not work for another.

So, I developed a process built to identify the limiters, eliminate inefficiencies, and develop the athlete through purposeful training.

My Performance Limiter Periodization System identifies what is actually holding an athlete back, then systematically attacks it.

For beginners, that means establishing the fundamentals quickly: swim technique, efficient movement, aerobic development, strength, pacing, and consistency. We eliminate inefficient habits early so athletes can progress without spending years training around the wrong movement patterns and the wrong training approach for how their bodies respond.

For experienced athletes, I go deeper.

I analyze power, pace, heart rate, race data, durability, mechanics, training response, and recovery to identify the smaller limiters keeping you from evolving to higher fitness numbers.

That includes addressing efficient movement hurdles through bike fitting and run gait analysis, performed in person or virtually, so you’re not trying to build fitness on top of a mechanical problem.

Training then progresses through linear, undulating, block, reverse, and race specific periodization, using 3–4 week blocks to continually change the stimulus as you adapt.

Beginners need the right foundation.
Experienced athletes need the right stimulus.

My job is to identify what you need next and build the training around it.

Build the fundamentals.
Fix the inefficiencies.
Identify and Attack the limiters.
Undulate the stimulus.
Raise the ceiling.

This is targeted training that will be different for each athlete and different week to week. This is not a generic delivery that you may be accustomed to.

Want to learn more? Send me a DM or email: [email protected]

ironmantri

Address

16 Ripley Road
Stafford, VA
22556

Telephone

+15713314797

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