Written by Suzanne Atkinson

Background

I am a board certified Emergency Medicine Physician who has been coaching triathletes, cyclists and mountaineers since 2006.  A former Outward Bound instructor, I completed my first triathlon on a whim in 2002 (the Endless Mountains Triathlon in Wilkes-Barre, PA). Soon the demands of residency took their toll and further training was put on hold.   In 2004 I suffered a back injury resulting in permanent nerve damage to my right leg.  While recovering from back surgery, I began swimming as part of my self-directed physical therapy, and it was at this time I first discovered Total Immersion. Four months after surgery I competed in the swim relay of an Olympic Distance triathlon.  My right leg remained weak and I could not walk without a limp, but shortly after the triathlon, I began cycling again.

My leg strength quickly improved and I was able to walk without a limp about six months after surgery.  It was at this point I decided to try running again.  I figured that if I could walk without limping, I could learn to run again.  My first runs consisted of two 30 second jogs which wiped me out, but little by little I was able to sustain 5 minutes, then a mile, then 3 miles of running at a time. At this point I decided to train for a triathlon using a basic plan I found on the internet, and in April of the following year, completed the Pine Barrens Sprint Distance Triathlon (1/2 mi swim, 24 mi bike, 4 mi run).

I decided to become a coach while training for the Escape from Alactraz triathlon.  At that point I was teaching fitness classes for the Explorer's Club of Pittsburgh's Mountaineering school and realized that the physiology I was studying applied not only to mountaineering, but to all endurance sports.  With the encouragement of my coach Brett Daniels, I obtained my first coaching certification through USA Triathlon in the fall of 2006, and Steel City Endurance, LTD was born.

Since then I have  continued my coaching and exercise physiology education through both USA Triathlon and USA Cycling, and currently hold Level 2 certifications from both organizations.  I have also taken masters level courses in Exercise Physiology at the University of Pittsburgh, and have experience using Parvo metabolic carts for Vo2 analysis. I have been using power training for cycling since 2007 and am confident in performing field testing, computrainer MAP tests as well as lactate threshold testing using a handheld lactate meter and standardized testing protocols.

In 2008 I founded Steel City Endurance Racing Team, the first dedicated women's bike racing team in Pittsburgh. In 2009 we expanded to a mens team as well.  The team has bike racers from Cat 2 through Cat 5, and we sponsor annual women's intro to racing clinics to continue to encourage women to take up the sport of bike racing.

In the spring of 2010 I became a Total Immersion Teaching Professional which has brought an entirely new level of coaching satisfaction to my life.

I feel that my background and education provide me with a unique perspectivec to physiology and performance.

Racing Experience:

• Endless Mountains, PA (02, Sprint)
• Wilkes-Barre International, PA, (04, 05 Olympic/swim leg)
• Pine Barrens Sprint, NJ (05, Long Sprint)
• Great Lake Escape, OH (05/06, Olympic)
• Escape from Alactraz, CA (06, Unique Distances...closest to Olympic)
• Yellow Creek Sprint, PA (06, Sprint)
• Month of Mud Mountain Bike Series, PA (06-2010)
• Allegheny Cycling Association Criterium Series (07-2010)
• Boulder Racing Short Track Mountain Bike Criterium Series (07-2010)
• Western PA/Eastern OH/Northern WV Cyclocross Series (08-2010)
• Lake Placid Cable Swim (planned Aug 2010)

Favorite Race Experience:

Swimming from Alcatraz Island in the San Fransisco Bay. The morning started out sunny and half-way through the swim I heard the fog horns blowing. Looking up, I had lost sight of my landmarks, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and San Fransisco! I had mentally prepared myself for exactly these conditions and finishing the swim has been my best triathlon experience so far!

Coaching Certifications:

• USA Triathlon Level 2
• USA Cycling Level 2
• Total Immersion Teaching Professional

Personal philosophy:

"We are capable of more than we think we are."

Working with Outward Bound Wilderness taught me that we can push ourselves far beyond our preconceived physical and emotional limits.

I start your training plan with a personal evaluation of your current fitness, previous training and future goals. We work together to help select the races or events that are most important to you. I design your plan to help you reach your peak fitness for your most important event.

Taking your other obligations into account, such as work and family, we decide on how much time you are able to devote to training and then maximize that time. We all have a limited amount of time to train, so making those training hours productive is my main focus. Whether it's 2 hours or 20 hours a week, I can work with your schedule.

I use a variety of intensities in my plans throughout the year and approach a periodized training plans as a chef may plan a four course meal.  Each component services a specfiic purpose in your development as an athlete.  The ingredients for each phase of your training plan are customized based on specific goals for that period.  I do not share the traditional view of spending the off-season doing "base training", but rather mix a variety of intensities from recovery through VO2 max througout the year.  The specific mix and duration of each intensity is customized depending on the time of year and the athletes response, creating a unique recipe for your success.