“Ray has been coaching me for a number of years now. Initially I approached him when, as a 50 year old, I started doing the women’s only triathlons.
At the time I was training myself for a range of distances in the indoor rowing competition at the Wanganui Masters Games. Ray developed a training plan specifically for me incorporating swimming, running, cycling and indoor rowing. This took into consideration my family and work commitments.
After a successful first year, I started to look at increasing distances, doing new and different events along with challenges outside my comfort zone. I love competing and do so to the best of my ability.
I’ve achieved several “you must be kidding” events in the last two years, including twice finishing the Taupo Cycle Challenge Maxi Enduro (4 laps totalling 640km) and the one-off Graperide Mammoth (10 laps totalling 1010km). I’m not yet a World Champion, but I can say that by following Ray’s training programmes conscientiously over the years, I have always been at every intended start line in the best possible condition.
The minimal injuries/niggles I have needed to deal with along the way have never been as a result of my training programme. Recovery after events has generally been optimal with Ray’s training. Ray has a professional manner and I know that his feedback is genuine. It’s important to me that Ray keeps up-to-date with technology, because I train with it and need Ray to understand it.
Having a coach is a two way relationship, heavily based on trust. I recommend Ray to any athlete who has goals they want to achieve. This could be a newbie who feels too embarrassed to tell anyone their goal for fear of being laughed at (aim for the sky), to a regular athlete wanting to get to the start line in better shape, target a better time, do something new.”
Di Chesmar 28 January 2015