Rockstar Triathlete Rodrigo Teixeira de Abreu
Coach’s Notes: Rodrigo is one of my Online VIP athletes meaning we mostly work together online with occasional training together when he is in town. A very busy man, happily married with 3 kids and a general manager of a large company, organized training is key. After our face to face evaluations and video analysis on swim, bike fit (with Coach Dennis), run, strength and nutrition, I created his custom program which allows time for periodized training, travel and family. His attention to detail and asking questions every time he was unsure of a workout and unlimited email and text contact that I give my VIP’s are what allow this type of success. He went from just finishing the Olympic distance triathlon to the podium in just 4 months, in a very competitive age group. Thank you Rodrigo for choosing me and Full Circle Coaching for your triathlon journey and we are just beginning!
Age: 41 year old
Profession: General Manager at a Trading Oil Major, father of 3 and last but not least husband to a French wife!
Why you chose FCC to help you on your triathlon/health and wellness journey?
SSome might call it the 40 year old crisis, others the need for change or simply the realization that nothing should be taken for granted. That if you don’t take care of your mind and body, sooner or later the boomerang effect will hit you harder than you think.
Being the father of 3 demanding young kids gave me the prime opportunity to realize that the healthier you are, the better it is to manage all that raw energy! Due to the nature of my job which combines a decent amount of stress, a number of social events and enough travel around the world to be mistaken for a American Airline pilot, I realized that it was time for me to make a drastic change to my lifestyle. My family had recently moved to Miami so timing was great for a change.
In August 2018, I came across an advertisement about the Miami Man Tri and thought to myself: Why not? Let’s give it a go. Let’s see if you can finish an Olympic distance Triathlon. I “trained” on my own for 3 months leading to the event and finished it. As coach Erinne would say, that feeling of fulfillment, achievement and pride when I crossed the line was incredible…. The adventure could begin! I decided that I wanted to give myself a real chance to improve. I started to “train” harder on my own and what was meant to happen, happened: I injured myself, damaged my IT band and my shoulder.
On 25th December 2018, Santa brought me a book called the “Triathlete’s Training Bible” which made me realize that it was time to get some serious coaching. This is when coach Erinne and I crossed paths (we had actually met during the athlete briefing at Miami Man, but only realized it months later).
To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect as I had never been coached in the past. We agreed on a first meeting…. After our call, I knew that coach Erinne and I could work well together despite the fact that most of it would have to be done remotely. What I didn’t realize at the time was all the areas of development and the scope of life enhancements I would unlock by working with Erinne.
The holistic approach of the training, the incredible camaraderie and support she nurtured in the Full Circle group are amazing. The flexibility Erinne and the coaches provide me with, make the experience all the more meaningful and fascinating.
What is your “A” race for this season? My answer is going to show you that I am really new to this…. I had to ask what an ‘A’ race was! It is hard to choose only one, but I would say “Escape to Miami.” In the coming months, I am hoping to learn from the mistakes I made during the “South Beach Triathlon,” train hard and improve my overall time.
I have also registered for The Cartagena 70.3 Ironman, this is a format I have not yet experienced and look forward to. I heard that the course can be super-hot but I am also told that the food and scenery after the race are fantastic… So I look forward to it! Vamos Colombia!
Please share your BIG goals: My big goal would be to finish 1st in my age group at South Beach Tri 2020….. hopefully before I change age category!
Tell me about your successes so far: Since I have only done two races, this one is easy to answer! My first success was actually to finish my first Olympic distance triathlon back in November 2018. More recently, I finished 3rd in my age group at the South Beach Olympic Tri. I had set myself an objective of 2:25 to complete and finished in 2:23.
What were some of your biggest improvements in performance for the each of the following? Swim: Bike: Run: Nutrition/Health: Please include any Personal Records and Goals achieved: As we discussed before what is unique about Full Circle Coaching is the holistic approach taken by the coaches and therefore limiting the benefits or improvements to an improved chrono would not do justice to the process but in the span of 4 months, I have improved:
Swim: From 1:59m/100m to 1:40m/100m in OWS
Bike : From 1:20 to complete 40 km to 1:05:00
Run: 10k run from 53 minutes to 46 minutes.
Health/Nutrition: I lost 9kg/20lbs.
Name 2 or 3 things that have made the biggest difference in your journey:
1. Erinne’s ability to really tailor your training to your profile and objectives has been the biggest life changer in my journey so far. The way she also allows to benefit from her wealth of experience as a coach and as a competing athlete is second to none.
2. The support of my family. For work reasons, I live away from my family during the week and we know that training as a triathlete is all the more time-consuming. Therefore having their support and knowing that they accept and understand what I am doing is paramount to me.
3. The commitment: I used to practice Skydiving at a competitive level prior to having kids. One thing I loved about it was the absolute commitment you had to make prior to getting out of the plane, there was no half-ways: either you jump or you don’t but if you do there is no coming back. I feel the exact same way when it comes to Triathlon. You have to commit. You have to commit to wake-up early, to train hard, to not miss a training, to push yourself beyond what you thought you were capable of. I find that feeling very exciting.
What excites you the most about being involved in triathlon? Above and beyond any ranking, Chrono, performance, I want to set a good example to my 3 kids, to act in a humble way as a good role model. I want them to see through my commitment and what I have to do to train for my triathlon that things should not never be taken for granted. I want them to feel the satisfaction of achieving something you really worked hard for. Someone said “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary”… I really like that expression.
The admiration that transpires in their eyes each time they see their father crossing the finishing line is the best thing I can ask for. I try to remember it each time I am struggling during the race or during a training session.
What would you say to another person who was on the fence about joining our training program? I would say, give it a try, you have nothing to lose, it is a risk free environment where no one will judge you, no one will put you down. It will be all the opposite. What brought you here so far might be a personal reason or objective but this is only the key to entering a new dimension in your life and training.
P.S. This could be you! If you are interested in learning more about Full Circle Coaching, call us at 786-586-6057 today, or click this link to schedule a complimentary triathlon strategy call: http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU
Erinne Guthrie is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. She has been training, racing and coaching triathletes since 1997, Member of Team USA and Competed in over 150 races. She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Level 2 Master’s Swim Coach, Metabolic Efficiency Expert and Motivational Speaker, Mom, and much much more.
