Eleanor Reznek

My first sprint triathlon was in 2012, three weeks after watching my son Will competing in his
first sprint triathlon. I had felt uncomfortable as a spectator and decided that I could do it too. At
a whim I then entered the Muskoka 70.3 for the following year. I had 10 months to prepare. My
cycling experience was minimal, my running was mainly 5km distance and I had never swum
competitively. I am in the 55-59 age group. I became aware there was a community of triathletes
out there and there were coaches who could help me achieve my goal. I found NRG on-line
and sent Nigel Gray an email. So started my coaching relationship with Nigel. ! !


Nigel got me through Muskoka and the following year Welland and Barrelman. My cycling and
running improved and I became comfortable in the open water. I decided I was ready for an
Ironman distance race and entered Mont Tremblant in 2015. To optimize my chances of
succeeding I joined the NRG training camp in June. Disaster struck for me when I came off my
bike descending a hill at 60km/hour. I sustained a bad fracture of my right shoulder and a
concussion. Nigel was there minutes after the accident and helped with the emergency care.
There was no Ironman for me this summer and I considered ending the coaching relationship.
But I found that even though I could only walk in the month that followed, the on-line support
from Nigel was integral to my recovery. I wrote to him once that he he had become my
psychotherapist. He replied that happens more times than I could imagine. We set a new goal of
running the Toronto half marathon and 2 weeks before the race he suggested I could break 2
hours. I made it, partly paralyzed arm and frozen shoulder came for the ride. It was very hard to
hold back the tears when I went through the finish line.! !


Nigel has been a truly supportive, encouraging, and positive coach for me. The on-line format
with Training Peaks works very well and the daily planned workouts take the decision making
out of the workouts. I have succeeded more than I could have imagined and find that I think of
myself now as an athlete, something I never did before. I asked Nigel once why he had agreed
to take me an as a complete novice when he trains so many highly skilled athletes; he replied
that he gets as much satisfaction from seeing a novice progress as he does a pro-athlete. I
would encourage anyone, of any level, to consider coaching with Nigel and the other excellent
coaches at NRG. ! !


Eleanor Reznek !