Jennifer Harrison: Chicago Area Triathlon Coach

Jennifer running to a 3rd place Overall amateur finish @ Blackwater
Eagleman 1/2 Ironman 2005, Jennifer @ Blackwater Eagleman 1/2 Ironman 2005, Jennifer @ Accenture Chicago Triathlon in 2005, Jennifer running to a 4th place Elite finish @ Accenture Chicago Triathlon
2005

Athlete Testimonials

I am a working mom with 4 young kids and a passion for triathlon and adventure racing! Jen has helped me tremendously to keep balance in my life as I train and race! Without Jen's help, I over-trained and did not have much purpose to my workouts. Thankfully, Jen keeps an eye on the big picture for her athletes. Each workout is monitored, well thought out and has purpose. Each year, Jen has her athletes write out their goals for the upcoming season. Jen takes time to review our goals and then gives us honest feedback. With our goals in mind, Jen then guides her athletes to plan their race season. From that point, our workouts are all custom written. One of the greatest things about having Jen as my coach is her eye for the big picture, enthusiastic and amazing knowledgeable base that guides me and keeps me moving toward accomplishing each one my goals!! Additionally, Jen provides lots of feedback on our progress, nutrition, strength training, paces, running, biking, and swimming form, motivation level and race mentality! She has always been available to me when I have questions!! Jen helps keep me motivated with her passion for the sport, enthusiasm and down to earth approach. Jen has a passion for this sport that is crystal clear! She lives triathlon everyday and everything that comes along with it!! Jen has a passion for competition!! Her drive is fantastic and she works hard to give her passion and love of sport to her athletes. Jen has always been available to me when I need her!! Before Ironman Florida, Jen called numerous times just to check in and make sure I was ready for the race. She helped me with race day nutrition, strategy on the course, and then was the first one to call after I completed the race!! She tracked her athletes all day!! I knew Jen would be yelling at the computer as I raced that day!! Thanks Jen!!! Without Jen's help, my experience at IM would not have been so memorable and amazing!!! Jen also has an amazing ability to communicate with her athletes by using a down to earth approach. We all understand that she is human and struggles with a lot of the same issues we do!!! That makes Jennifer very approachable and along with everything else I feel so lucky to have Jen as my coach!!! And when I have had a bad race, Jen has been there!! She offers words of encouragement and has us think about what we could improve on for the next race!!! Somehow Jen knows just what to say!!! My enthusiasm and understanding for what it takes to become a strong triathlete has grown tremendously thanks to Jen!! As I plan to race another Ironman, I am 100% confident that Jen will help me create the best race day possible!! It is her confidence, meticulous planning for her individual athletes, drive, continued efforts to go "above & beyond" for all of us and well rounded knowledge base that makes me feel like I have the best coach possible!!! Thanks Jen!!! A very happy athlete,

Carrie Kimber

First Ironman in under 13:00 hours (12:43!)

Jennifer started coaching me in January 2009 as I began preparing for my first Ironman. While I have only raced Triathlons since 2006, I have been a competitive athlete since age 8. During my life, I have experienced many different coaches and coaching styles. Good coaches need certain skills and qualities. Jennifer is absolutely one of the best coaches I have been able to work with. I feel very lucky and proud to be one of her athletes. Jen is extremely capable. She has years of experience and uses that knowledge to coach with smart & well thought out plans. Each athlete is an individual and she trains us that way. Her understanding of the body, mind and the sport itself allow her to train us each to our full potential. Her workouts are interesting! I live in the volatile climate of Maine, and therefore spend many many hours biking on the trainer. Amazingly, I never get bored riding on the trainer because of Jen’s specific workouts. They are tough and require focus. Just like racing. The swim and run workouts are just as interesting and challenging. I love looking at Training Peaks to see what each week will bring. Every week of training is different and every week is challenging. I know my workouts are specific to my goals. I believe this helps athletes stay motivated and interested in what they are doing. Jen is always available to me. She makes me feel like I am the only athlete she coaches. She makes me feel important and that she always has my back. She answers all of my questions and concerns almost immediately. She is extremely accessible and always there for her athletes. I absolutely trust Jen. She listens carefully to me and as a result, my training plans reflect my personal needs. I can tell that Jennifer honestly believes in me and what I can accomplish with constant dedication and hard work. She is genuinely interested in my success and has always been there quickly to ‘pick me back up’ when I have had a bad day. Jen is very encouraging and understanding but knows what it takes—hard work and few excuses. I absolutely thrive on her “just do it” approach. Also, Jen sets an amazing example for her athletes with the way she works herself. She is an incredible athlete and the hard work she has put in to get there is inspirational. Jen prepared me for my first Ironman with utmost success. I achieved every single goal I had set. It was with her guidance and training plan that I was able to place 2nd in my age group and qualify for Kona on my first attempt. From there, I had 10 weeks to turn it around. Jen miraculously helped me to first, rest and recover from Lake Placid and second, head to Hawaii fully prepared to rip up the Queen K. It was a very successful year thanks to Jen. I can’t wait for 2010 to see what we can do together.

Ange Bancroft

2009 Highlights:

Overall win at Polarbear 5K

Overall 2nd at Polarbear Sprint Tri

Overall 3rd / Age group Win at Mooseman Half Ironman

Overall 6th amateur, Age group 2nd place at Ironman Lake Placid Qualified for World Championships in Kona, Hawaii Time: 10:46 (57min swim, 5:50 bike, 3:49 run)

Hawaii Ironman Finisher Time: 11:26

I’ll never forget when I first contacted Jen in the summer of 2008. I emailed to ask about coaching, and within 10 minutes time I received a reply from her. Twenty-four hours later I knew I had found the perfect coach. She talked with me at length on the phone about my training, my planned races, and my hopes and goals for my future in triathlon. Just speaking with her got me excited about training again. She was vivacious, funny, totally engaged, and clearly knew everything there was to know about how to get me faster and stronger than I had ever been before. Jen’s coaching is phenomenal in dozens of ways, but probably the most incredible thing about her is that manages to be there for each of her athletes 24/7. To be honest, if I didn’t know she had other athletes, I would be convinced I was the only one she coached! She gets back to her athletes immediately if one has a question, a request, a problem—or just wants to chat, and when she does get in touch she invariably conveys positivity, patience, confidence and knowledge. Although Jen plans each athlete’s training on a macro level--carefully measuring how to get an athlete from A to B--she doesn’t send workouts to her athletes in monthly blocks. Instead, she designs each week of an athlete’s training after examining how that athlete responded to the assigned training of the week before. Jen understands that sickness happens, travel happens, LIFE happens—and she also knows that each athlete responds uniquely to training. By coaching in this way she is able to carefully monitor her athletes. She refuses to just write down a month’s work of workouts and then forget about the athlete until the next month. She insists on being engaged and present every single week, and as a result she crafts individualized plans that truly ARE individualized. When I first began to work with Jen I voiced my frustrations with my previous training experiences. I love to race, I love to run (a lot), and I love to go fast—but I had been told that my racing, excessive running, and love of being speedy would hinder my efforts at becoming a top age grouper. She heard me. She understood. She didn’t promise me that I could race whenever I wanted, or run more than I biked or swam, and she certainly didn’t promise me that I would always be able to go fast in my training. But she nevertheless she honored what I felt I wanted in training—and she always has. When it’s appropriate to race, she tells me to go for it. When she knows I need to run, she assigns me just a little more running than someone else would. And as far as going fast? In some of her workouts she has worked me so hard I have questioned whether fast is REALLY all that! She has allowed me to run, bike and swim fast, and she has balanced that with very healthy doses of recovery training and endurance training. As a result, I have become both a faster triathlete under her guidance and also one who can go the distance. When I began with Jen I lacked confidence that I could race with the top girls in my age group. Jen convinced me that I could—and then she showed me how. While being coached by Jen I have set personal records in every distance and event I have competed in-- from sprint to Ironman—from 5K to marathon—from 100 yard sprints in swim meets to 2 mile open water swims. In my first season under her direction I placed in the top of my age group in every race in which I competed, and in the top three overall in seven of those races. With Jen’s help I dropped my ½ Ironman time by 25 minutes to a 4:56 and dropped my marathon time by 13 minutes to a 3:19. I feel honored and lucky that Jen Harrison is my coach. I have no doubt that all of her athletes feel this way about her.

Mary Holt-Wilson

In the past two seasons, Jennifer Harrison has helped to take my triathlon performance to a new level. Jennifer is an excellent coach that shares her own experiences, knowledge, and talents to make each of her clients the best athlete they can possibly be. She takes the time to help me plan the season out with meaningful and challenging goals. Each week, she plans out high quality and focused workouts to help me accomplish these goals. Jennifer takes the time to listen and respond to my feedback about workouts. She is understanding, supportive, and positive throughout the season, keeping me motivated and focused on my goals. From her own experience as an All - American triathlete and duathlete and from her coaching certifications, Jennifer truly knows how to put together successful training programs for all levels of triathletes.

Elizabeth Fedofsky

OA winner Half Ironman Championships

2nd OA Long Course Triathlon National Championships, 1st AG (30-34)

OA winner Powerman Ohio

PRd in the 5K: 18:15

1st AG at LifeTime Fitness Triathlon

I am a married 40 year old mother of 4 young children, who works part time. I have known Jennifer as a coach for two seasons of training for duathlon and triathlon.

I am beginning my third year as a coached athlete. have most certainly exceeded my expectations of what I thought I could achieve in terms of my physical and mental abilities to train and race.

For me, a busy working mother, Jennifer's approach to coaching emphasizes goal setting, balance and flexibility. With Jenny's patience and ! expert guidance I am learning how to balance physical training, mental training, nutrition and rest and recovery with the rest of my life's responsibilities. This has paid off, allowing me to take care of my family, have a career, and achieve amazing personal goals.

Jennifer's high level of athletic accomplishment and her willingness to share her personal experiences make her an excellent and motivating role model.

Jennifer has an unwavering postive attitude and belief in my potential which makes her coaching so successful. A! s an athlete committing large amounts of time, energy and emotion to an endurance sport I could not have a better coach.

Sharon Bielski

Coach Jen helped me to finish my last 3 Ironman races. She not only helped me with my daily physical workouts but assisted my mental side, too. For the most recent IM Malaysia in Feb. I talked to her almost every day throughout the winter while I was training by myself. I would have gone insane if I was all alone. She even made her husband assemble my cycle cross bike so I can ride in the snow. She solves your problems with you!

She is very professional and very punctual. She is a great athlete herself, but none of her ego is involved when she is helping her athletes.

When I was running my marathon leg in Malaysia, I was so tired, but I kept running with her voice in my head. I did a PR by 50 min.

Michiko Perry

I'd highly recommend it!!! I am a mom of 2 and I don't have much free time to spare and I know I get the most out of my time by working with Jennifer.

I started with Jennifer after my first season of triathlons, because I was hooked and wanted to see just how much faster I could go, without hurting myself. As an aside, years ago, when I was training for a marathon, I ended up with an overuse/mis-training injury that knocked me out 3 weeks before the race and keep me from running for 5 months--not fun. I had read a couple of books--enough to know that there is so much science and experience to racing well, it was time to call in a pro....

I got Jennifer's name from a friend who had a friend that was really happy with her experience. I chatted with Jennifer about her experience and her philosophy and just hit it off right away. I really like working with Jennifer because she bears in mind my time constraints, my group training sessions and keeps me from freaking out when I am missing sessions when life pops up--as it does.

I took 10 minutes off my Chicago Tri (international distance) time last year after working with Jennifer for about 5 months This year, I took 9 minutes off my Harbor Lights sprint time. So...it works:-)

Cynthia Clarke

I have worked with Coach Jen for the last 10-11 months. Marathon times have improved from 3:20 to 3:13, half-marathon from 1:29:45 to 1:28:20, and 10 K from 41 to sub 39:30 (last year).

Most of us could use or have used on-line training programs. There are at least 4 advantages to a Coach like Jennifer Harrison, motivation, objectivity, involvement, and real-time adjustments.

Compared to other coaches, for example from high school or college, Jen is far better in all categories.

Specifically, motivation is based upon our own internal desires. This is what I imagine, is the most difficult area for coaches. School coaches frequently do this by fear, sarcasm, and ridicule. What’s required, and what Coach Jen delivers, is a genuine empathy and understanding of a client. She knows when to push hard, when to ease up, always positive. There is a silver lining to every race, every workout, no matter how bad I think I did, or how awful the course or weather, I know I can count on a positive outlook from Coach. It turns every defeat into a victory, and makes me want to go back out and run better, smarter next time. She has helped me find that simple joy of just running, or swimming, or biking all over again.

Specifically, objectivity is another important aspect of a good coach. Sometimes I am too close or too emotional about my goals and progress. Coach Jen sees workouts objectively and knows what to call for in the next race, what workouts to write for the next week, and how to find that small daily improvement that attains my goal.

Specifically, involvement is where Coach Jen is superior to on-line training programs. Injuries, foods, travel, and schedule adjustments are a nightmare for me to figure out. Jen knows how to work in other ways toward better overall performance. My sprained ankle last year turned into fewer running miles and more swimming and biking. When I was ready, we eased back into running and didn’t push it too far or too fast.

Specifically, real time adjustments are more than those in previous paragraph. Coach Jen knows how to manage the progress, when to add plyometrics, when to add weights, when to swim, run, or bike. She especially knows when to cut me a day off and not feel guilty about it.

Coach Jen is the consummate professional. Initially, I admit to being a bit hesitant about our gender and age differences, (I have a daughter her age), but I am totally satisfied with my progress. I have great value for the money invested. She earns every penny.

Al Neil

Marengo

Having three kids under three years of age and having a goal to be in the best shape of my life means I have to be effective and efficient with my time. My wife and I have been attending the Triathlon World Championships in Kona, Hawaii for the last few years and decided it was time for me to give it a shot. I have been a competitive triathlete for the last eight years and I knew I needed a coach if I was to be serious about this attempt. I knew of Jennifer Harrison from the triathlon arena. I recall hearing nothing but great things from her clients. I even recall seeing her at races with her clients going over last minute details and coaching them on the course. I decided to give her a call and see what she was all about. She wowed me with her attention to detail from the beginning. Her coaching plans are well thought out and always challenging. What I am pleased about most is her availability and communication skills when I have questions or need motivation. I can say without a doubt that I am in the best shape of my life. I am PRing in everything I enter and I am just getting out of my base building. I can't wait to let it rip on race day!

Thanks Jennifer.

-Glen McGowean

Triathlons are unique in so many ways. The race, itself, is unique because you have to participate in three different disciplines. But also, there is an opportunity for everyone at every level of ability. You see people of all shapes, all sizes, from all walks of life…and all participating.

Jen is a world-class athlete who has the ability, the expertise, and the approachability to work with anyone at any level. She works with you to define your goals and tailors a training plan specifically for you.

For me, I simply wanted to finish an Ironman. In developing our plan, Jen took daily life into account and built in flexibility. In fact, before starting our training, Jen took the time to meet with my wife, Leslie, and me to lay out what it would take to accomplish this goal and to make sure we were both on the same page. She even offered to watch our two sons so that I could join a group open-water swim.

Jen is more than just a “coach.” She invests herself in you. She shares in your sacrifice, celebrates your accomplishments, and cares deeply.

So much of this sport is the belief that you can do it. Jen builds your belief as well as your ability.

Daniel C. Mollsen