We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chris Phelan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chris below.
Chris , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea of coaching came to me. I mean, a prospective client, someone I was already helping to run, approached me. Debbie asked me to coach her for a specific race. I was flattered. Who wouldn’t be?
After I began working with Debbie, others saw or heard the work I was doing with her. More people signed up. All my athletes had success at their goals. In fact, since 1989 when Debbie came aboard, every one of my athletes has met their goal.
I’ve been brought to tears when they do.
I had the good fortune to learn under a fantastic coach when I was coming up. But I also studied and watched many athletes on my own. This may sound unexpected, but I learned a lot from bad coaches, too. How NOT to treat/coach athletes.
Though it required a lot of time (watching, waiting, attending, writing, analyzing, talking), it was worth it to me to help others. Surprisingly, it was athletes who were too shy to join an expensive team or felt pushed away from “supposed” pro teams.
Not everyone can do this or want to do this. I am very thankful I was lucky enough to fall into it. Regular jobs couldn’t compete.
This is not to say everything was rosy the whole time. They weren’t. When dealing with an immature 15-29 crowd, occasionally things got off track. But when the athlete crossed their finish line, all was forgotten.
Chris , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
First, I coach runners and triathletes. Distance people, almost exclusively. Second, I publish at a monthly hardcopy runner/triathlete newspaper. I write, photograph, and lay out the paper.
Third, I recently finished my first book.
Fourth, in 2003 I created The Ride Of Silence, a worldwide silent bike ride to show respect for cyclists hit by cars.
Fifth, in 1989 I began a free track workout for the public.
Sixth, in 1996 I started teaching the first and only treadmill running class, in Texas.
Seventh, in 2020 I began handing out chocolate chip cookies to homeless people for their enlightenment.
Accomplishments:
Have coached 1,000 athletes.
First-person to swim 5-miles across Lake Ray Hubbard. I’ve done it three times.
I bicycled across the U.S. in 30 days.
First-person to crisscross Texas by bike.
Have biked crossed Oklahoma and Costa Rica.
All-American Triathlete 5-consecutive years
Carried Olympic Torch
Nominated Master’s Road Runner of the Year (twice)
Nominated to Texas Sports Hall of Fame
My PR’s include:
2:27 marathon
15:40 5K
10:00:52 Ironman
3:54:00 100-mile Hotter ‘n Hell
Have you ever had to pivot?
I was doing very well in 2013, athletically and business-wise. But as happens to all of us, my body began to slow down with a medical condition unforeseen. I had to make changes to my own training, but to those around me as well. I persevered through a turbulent time. It was friends who came alongside to assist and encourage me. In the time after that period, I swapped my time, not coaching as much, but writing more. I’ve since begun a graduate program that I want to use for athletes and those in convalescence. I still feel for the athlete.
We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.
Yes, this is a good story. My business partner is my wife. I met her as part of the same running team in 1988. I was attracted to her sense values, which are sterling. If I’m the train, she’s the guardrails. She has been almost always right when there’s been a differing point of view. Almost.
Also involved with the health industry, her intelligence has been great to bounce ideas off of.
Contact Info:
- Other: [email protected]