April 3, 2017

Meet Gareth Thomas of coachgareth.com in Westside Los Angeles

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gareth Thomas.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve been professionally coaching endurance athletes, by which I mean, Triathletes, Runners, Cyclists and Swimmers for 23 years. I started out as a runner myself then raced Triathlon professionally. It gave me firsthand knowledge of what athletes truly feel and go through and really allows me to guide them as a coach. I was also lucky that very early in my career I was trained in the sports science lab doing blood lactate and VO2 testing. I still use these today with all my athletes from professionals to beginners to set up optimal heartrate training zones and track progress. It has allowed me to have a high level of success as all the training is based on facts and not guesswork. I’ve worked with world and national champions (both professional and age-groupers) in Triathlon, Ironman, Cycling and Running and guided hundreds of beginner athletes through the marathon and Ironman.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I’m very lucky in that athletes often stay with me for many years. We find a system that works and fits in with their lifestyles and family so it makes it realistic to hit high levels of performance and have another life too. For example, one of my professional athletes I’ve coached for 11 years straight. I’ve also got an attorney who despite hi huge workload has been with me for 12 years and a top Hollywood producer who still does Ironman despite travelling extensively and being responsible for $100Million budgets. You can have your (athletic) cake and eat it!!

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the coachgareth.com story. Tell us more about the business.
My unique factor is the use of sports science in an innovative way so we are always on the cutting edge, plus longevity. You learn a lot having done something professionally for 23 years!!!!

The big wins I’ve had with my athletes are of course satisfying but really, the most joy comes from taking the regular person through a marathon or Ironman. 90% of my clients are LA people with regular jobs who just want to be in amazing shape and do something people think they can’t do.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I was lucky that I discovered lactate testing early on in my coaching career. It allowed me to make very few mistakes so my reputation and resume grew quickly.

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