A PC Coach Success Story - Brandi Shipman

PC Coach is used by athletes of all levels, in all age groups, and with a wide range of goals. In this issue, we would like to shine the spotlight on a young triathlete who we expect to hear more about in the upcoming season and beyond.

Brandi Shipman of San Antonio, TX, has only been competing in the sport for five years. She competed in her first race, called “My First Tri”, on her mountain bike and still won her age group. She was hooked. Since that day, Brandi went on to place in the top three in her age group in several of her races over the next couple of years – and top ten in all. She even chalked up a couple of 1 st place overall finishes.

Then last year, Brandi realized she had hit a plateau in her training. She wasn’t showing as much improvement and was becoming bored with the programs she’d been using.

When we asked Brandi what she liked best about PC Coach, she replied that PC Coach takes the guesswork out of training by setting up the schedule for you. It also gives you the opportunity to see your progress with various tests throughout the season. By following the suggested heart rates during workouts, she’s careful not to over-train. And most importantly, she gets faster throughout the season, peaking at just the right time.

Last year Brandi experienced a career highlight when she was invited to compete in the Age Group National Championships in Kansas City in August. At that point, her training took on new meaning and she became even more committed. PC Coach kept her on track and she was perfectly tuned for the race. (Unfortunately, the National Championships were cancelled due to rain.)

Her goal now is to qualify for Nationals again, to compete in Nationals, place well and continue to the World Age Group Championships. Brandi’s longer term goals include “racing until I can’t walk”. So we do think we’ll be hearing a lot more about her.

We also asked Brandi if she had any suggestions for those who are just getting started in triathlons. She provided us with the following sage advice.

• Don’t get frustrated. Don’t compare yourself to others and give up because you don’t think you are good enough.
• Challenge yourself and try to beat YOUR previous times; not someone else’s times.
• Most importantly, always have fun. Triathlon is a great way to meet different types of people who love to have fun.
• Read as many articles and books about the sport as you can, and learn from the mistakes of others.

If you would like to read more about Brandi, visit her website at http://www.brandishipman.com

Good luck to Brandi in 2006 and beyond!

PC Coach