Megan is a rare find. She is on a short list of people who have had a truly profound impact in my life... that is why I have continued working with Megan for over 10 years now. What separates Megan from others is her genuine passion for what she does and her love of partnering with people to achieve their goals. She has been my biggest cheerleader and truly cares for her clients. Learning to eat healthy and redefining my relationship with food has been an arduous process. When I met Megan, I had spent a lifetime making unhealthy food choices as a source of temporary comfort. I was also operating under a long held belief that in order to lose weight, I had to be hungry all of the time. She has taught me how to feed my body what it needs, manage hunger, and what foods to reach for when I am stressed, bored, or just having a craving. Following my customized nutrition plan, I have learned how crucial it is to get in enough of the proper calories, macronutrients, and hydration to fuel my body for optimal performance, recovery, and overall wellbeing. Ironically, now that my primary focus is on how nutrition and exercise affect my overall health rather than being laser focused on the scale, the weight comes off and stays off. There are still times I struggle to stay on our plan, as this has all been part of a true lifestyle change, but another thing that sets Megan apart is that she has never made me feel bad about myself when this happens. She does the exact opposite...she believes in me when I don’t believe in myself and works with me for long term healthy changes that are sustainable and don’t require perfection. This has all had an unexpected ripple effect in my life and as a result, at the age of 50, I am in the best shape of my life! I am able to keep up with my 10 year old son and enjoy an active lifestyle. I have become an avid runner and under Megan’s direct guidance I have competed in multiple races, including a marathon. With Megan’s help, I am becoming the best version of myself. I am forever grateful for what Megan has done for me and highly recommend working with her.

I joined Fillnow in the winter of my sophomore year of high school after my aunt let me know about their program. After working with them for two and a half months, I took three seconds off of my mile PR that had stood for two years. Through the first year of working with Fillnow, I would take another 20 seconds off of my mile, 46 seconds off of my two mile, and 20 seconds off of my 5k. Perhaps more important than the times, however, was that Coach Liz taught me to trust and enjoy the process of getting faster. The coaches at Fillnow are a large part of why I have the opportunity to compete at the D1 level today. Joining Fillnow is easily one of the best decisions I have made in my running career thus far, and I will forever be grateful for my parents, my aunt, and my coaches at Fillnow for helping me get to where I am today.

Pre Fillnow PR’s:

• 1600 - 5:33
• 3200 - 11:50
• 5k - 18:43

 

After Fillnow:

• 1600 - 5:10
• 3200 - 11:04
• 5k - 18:03

 

College PR’s:

• 1600 - 4:58
• 3000 - 9:56
• 5k - 16:33

My triathlon journey is more than a story about training and racing.  It’s a story about how to live, discovering capabilities, and patiently pursuing “better” one day at a time.  Kelly is more than a coach.  She’s a friend and collaborator on this journey.     First bitten by the triathlon bug in 2010, twelve years and ten half-Ironmans later I’m still looking for that perfect race(!), but in 2022 I posted consecutive PRs at 44 years young after just 18 months of working with Kelly.  More importantly, I found a supportive family of athletes in the Fillnow coaching community.  That community didn’t develop by happenstance - Fillnow coaches Kelly, Meghan, Jenn, and Liz intentionally foster a family environment anchored in kindness, positivity, encouragement, and candor.  Interacting with this wonderful, diverse group has provided a welcome sense of “connection” that I was unknowingly missing during all those years of lone-wolf training and racing. A recreational runner all my life, triathlon re-introduced me to a passion for cycling that began as a boy on Sunday afternoon group rides with my dad.  Though I’d followed training plans by some of triathlon’s household names, I was confident that a structured year-long, wholistic approach with a coach would lead to fewer injuries and faster overall race times.  I knew Kelly could make me faster in the water and on the bike, but I doubted a guy in his 40s could make meaningful gains in the run.  While I am a faster swimmer and biker today, ironically my greatest gains have been as a runner, and I believe there are still more to be had.  I attribute my progress to a time-efficient strength program and the layering effects of training in triathlon’s 3 core disciplines.  But no stone goes unturned with Kelly: together we overhauled my approach to triathlon’s 4th discipline - nutrition - and I now consume 50% more carbs while racing.   Kelly has taught me that a properly trained and fueled body is capable of much more than our mind initially allows us to believe.  The mind is weaker than the body, but the mind too can be trained, and Kelly devotes much time to this topic in her individually tailored notes to her athletes.  Ultimately it’s about the process - a patient, long-term approach to improving and maturing as an athlete.  The journey is the destination, not race day.  And I’m grateful to share my triathlon journey with Kelly and my fellow Fillnow Coaching athletes.

Coach Lisa Roberts brings professional level coaching to amateurs like me. I am racing faster at 50 than I was 20 years ago. Coach Roberts is simply brilliant and the best. Not only is she a fabulous coach with knowledge you can find only from a professional triathlete, but she has also taught me how to race at the eye of the storm with steely calm, energy, and determination. Coach Roberts makes triathlon training and racing fun.

After 20+ years in triathlon, I was ready to hang it up. Most of my training partners and friends had retired from the sport. When I broke the news to a friend who had been recommending Fillnow Coaching for seven years, she implored me to give FC a try. I reluctantly agreed. When I broke the news to her that Meghan was my new coach, she responded with a beaming smile: “Perfect!  Meg will not only make you a better athlete, she’ll make you a better person. And you desperately need that.”  She was dead-on accurate, at least about the first part.  Meg is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met, but she pushes me and holds me accountable. Even at this stage of my triathlon life, I’m getting stronger and faster and setting PR’s. Best of all, for the first time ever, I actually Iove training. When she updates my training calendar, I run to my computer like a 6yo kid running down the stairs to see what Santa left under the tree. Has she made me a better person too?  Work in progress, to be determined. But she makes me want to be better.

I started working with Meghan in the summer of 2021 after running more outside during the pandemic. During that time I realized I could run more than a few miles and decided to seek coaching to accomplish a half marathon. I was new to any type of sport in general, as a female in my 40’s I had never played sports growing up or in school. I ran my first half marathon in October 2021 and finished right under 2 hours. I was pumped and very quickly went into training for my first full marathon that I completed at the end of February 2022, finishing with a debut time of 4 hours 15 mins.

I never considered myself an athlete until that moment. It was incredible how the dedication combined with the Fillnow Coaching programs allowed me to run both of those races in less than a year as a complete beginner. Meghan doesn’t just give me run workouts- she is diligent to make sure your body remains injury free. She includes mobility, strength, core, yoga and some cross training through cycling that all prepared my body to endure the 26.2 miles! Since then, I have also PR’d a 5k, 10k, and am currently training for my next 26.2! There are so many people I have met through this group that have inspired me in many ways which included adding swimming for sport, I cannot say enough great things about the Fillnow’s swim coach, Jenn Stanton. Swimming has been incredibly hard for me, but she makes me feel so comfortable and motivated to keep working at it. I still have a ways to go but I have grown tremendously as a swimmer over the last year and completed my first sprint triathlon in July of 2022 finishing in first place in the women’s novice division. I hope to continue and build off this through the Fillnow coaching team and expand my triathlon accomplishments over the years to come!

In addition to the amazing coaches, the Fillnow athlete community rallies behind the entire team, no matter what skill or level you are at. It’s truly incredible and I have developed so many friendships in this group, it’s like a family! Tuesday night run class is a highlight of my week, I look forward to the social aspect just as much as the workout! There are regular social events and many races where we are cheering each other on!

Raising 3 kids and working a high stress job took precedence over my life for over 20 years. Meghan has been instrumental in this next chapter of my life by guiding me through new discoveries of my body and mind’s capabilities. I consider Meghan not only a coach in sport but truly in life as well, a friend. She is caring, intentional and genuine in her communication. The Fillnow Coaching team has truly inspired me to keep going!

I came to Fillnow Coaching after I qualified for the 2017 USA Triathlon Age Group Championships. I needed a routine that would keep me focused and challenge me both physically and mentally without the dreaded burnout syndrome. After several years with Fillnow Coaching, I have gotten that and more. What I love about Fillnow Coaching is that the coaches take the time to get to know their athletes and structure a plan that works for all aspects of their athlete’s lives. Kelly, Meghan, Jenn, and all the other coaches care deeply about their athletes. They are all so encouraging and uplifting no matter one’s ability. After reaching a life’s milestone birthday, I began to struggle with who I was as an athlete, opening the doors to negativity in my head. I was becoming my own worst enemy. Motivation was at an all-time low. But Coach Jenn knows me. She’s always been that pillar of positive reinforcement even on (what I perceive to be) my worst workout days.  She always reminded me of what I did accomplish that day.  Coach Jenn has successfully coached me through two half IRONMAN races and opened my mind to believe in myself again. I have realized that it is not about having to be the best. It is about being the best version of yourself and doing the best you can do. So no matter what your goals may be, whether it be to just get started, to set a new PR, or anywhere in between, you can trust Fillnow Coaching to believe in you and to empower you to attain your goals and continue to reach new heights.

“From not having done a single 5k race in my life to IRONMAN 70.3 (thanks to Jenn) in less than 8 months it is kind of crazy (especially specially being a banking/venture capital CIO). Florianópolis (or Floripa as we say in Brazil), here I come.”

I am a “middle of the road” athlete, but I get to have the advice and input from an extremely accomplished coaching staff. This has been a game changer for me to improve my performance, recovery, and stress management. I have worked with Karen Wood for several years as my coach and have known her for many more years as a friend. My coach knows first hand how hard it can be to manage work and family obligations around the intensity of a training program. So, she modifies as needed to accommodate my life’s “Big Rocks items.” I appreciate how supportive she is to help me accomplish my goals. It is easy to be inspired by Karen’s work ethic and commitment to her personal training regime. She approaches all of her athletes as if each one was a world class competitor. Karen provides an enormous amount of time and energy so that everyone reaches their potential.

Before joining Fillnow Coaching, I was living a sedentary lifestyle and had never run more than a few miles at one time in my life. But since I started working with Coach Kelly (and attending Coach Meghan's weekly workouts), I've qualified for the Boston Marathon four times and completed two full Ironmans. Both Kelly and Meghan are so knowledgeable about training; they have a combined network of terrific local and national resources; and over the 10-plus years I've worked with them, they've managed to assemble a tight-knit group of athletes that feels not merely like a team, but like an actual family."

Karen Wood from Fillnow Coaching has helped me stay on track with my goals no matter how big or small!  I completed my first half ironman in 2022 and had amazing support from the coaching staff!  Also, with being a single mom and a full time job, I have a limited amount of time to workout. Fillnow coaching crafted a specific workout plan to fit my needs and busy schedule! I have enjoyed trying new things and learning from a great coaching staff!