We think that coaching is a great gift to oneself (in addition to a new Tri Kit, of course), so we've been profiling a few of the great options for endurance sports athletes to consider. Today, we're chatting with Heidi Lueb who is not only a Coeur sponsored athlete, but also a coach for the Valor Triathlon Project.
Coeur: First, congratulations on joining Valor Triathlon Project as a Coach. What prompted you to add coaching to your already busy schedule?
Heidi: I started coaching a running group from the Luke’s Locker location in Plano, Texas years ago and quickly it became the highlight of my week. I loved helping the runners through their first race or talking with experienced runners about their goals. When I got involved with Mary Eggers we had some wonderful conversations about triathlon, life and coaching and it quickly became something I realized that I wanted to do in my life. I’m so passionate about my athletes and helping them succeed. In a very selfish way it fulfills me to help people reach their goals. It’s almost something in my life that I need to do, I don’t think I would be as happy if I didn’t have coaching in my life. I love when athletes think that something is out of their reach and I help show them with determination and hard work, anything is possible.
Coeur: So, tell us how Valor got started and a little bit about the coaching Philosophy?
Heidi: Valor got started in 2014 when Mary Eggers and Jenny Hansen came together to form the team. Mary likes to consider herself more of a lemonade stand kind of girl and they wanted to create that small town feeling where the athletes are the focus. We don’t have a lot of frills, but we make up for that in substance. Our biggest goal is to be athlete focused. We are lucky that we have a variety of coaches with different coaching styles and strengths, but we are all athlete focused. It’s important to us to provide quality coaching at a reasonable price.
Coeur: What sports are covered in the program? Is Valor it triathlon specific?
Heidi: We are not triathlon specific. Our coaches can coach a variety of athletes who have different athletic goals. Coach Cristina also specializes in nutrition and has a great new website that suggests meals on your specific nutritional breakdown needs. It’s a great tool for busy athletes, it even comes with a shopping list!
Coeur: We know that one size never fits all, so can you tell us about the different coaching packages that are offered?
Heidi: Actually we try to make it easy for the athlete and us. For me, it’s a one price, all access. I had a great conversation with David Bertrand at my USAT coaching clinic where he said he started out with tiered pricing and it became difficult to when some athletes were paying one level but really needing a different level of coaching. He switched to one price and it has worked out much better. One price, all access gives us the ability to focus on what the athlete needs, and not the amount of communication and changes they are allowed to have on which plan.
Coeur: Who are the other coaches at Valor and how are responsibilities divided?
Heidi: Mary Eggers and Jennie Hansen are the founding coaches. We also have Cristina Caldwell, Curt Eggers, Kurt Lindboom-Broberg and Ericka Hachmeister. We have a really great collaborative environment where we are able to coach in our own style, but if we have questions or need some feedback, the other coaches are there to help out. We also have a group environment where all of the coaches and all of the athletes on the team are on an email group where we connect and share advice and experiences. All of the coaches provide advice and experiences with the entire team.
Coeur: How would you describe your target market?
Heidi: I think any athlete wanting to achieve a goal is someone I would like to work with. Whether that is completing their first half ironman or improving their marathon time. I also work really hard to get your workout schedule to work with your life, not against it. Coaching is also a very intimate experience where you are sharing your hopes and dreams so you want a partnership that works. There are lots of coaches out there, which is really great there are so many options, I think it’s important to find one that works for your communication style and personality.
Coeur: How do people apply for coaching?
Heidi: You can reach out to us through our Facebook page or our website at http://www.valortriathlon.com/wp/. You can learn a bit more about each of the coaches on the website to see who might be the best fit for you.
Coeur: Thank you so much for chatting with us. Is there anything else you’d like to share about Valor?
Heidi: We have lots of different coaches all over the US, but we are a really close team. We are super proud of all of our athletes who work really hard and achieve their goals, but also know how to have fun. Thanks for interviewing us today!