Meet Christopher Carpenter of Phoenix Endurance

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Carpenter.

Christopher, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
After graduating from college, my wife and I moved to Phoenix for work. Growing up we were both competitive athletes – we met in high school on the swim team – and missed the thrill of competition. Seeking adventure, we began mountain biking, hiking and running road races in the Phoenix area. It was a natural progression as I signed up for my first sprint triathlon – Bartlett Lake – I was hooked!

My wife and I spent our evenings training and our weekends racing. In June 2015, I was given the opportunity to compete in Ironman Arizona (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run) and despite not training for more than an Olympic-distance race, (1600-yard swim, 24.8-mile bike, and 6.2-mile run) at that time, I jumped in feet first. It was in that moment, as I crossed the finish line, I realized through hard work and determination, I could achieve whatever I set my mind to. Looking to grow as an athlete, over the next few years I studied, trained and became an expert in the sport. With my new mindset came a new perspective on life.

So, in search of a career I was passionate about I heeded the advice, “if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Building on my natural talent and having “trained” since childhood, with the support of my wife, I took a leap and established Phoenix Endurance, an endurance coaching company.

Has it been a smooth road?
I would compare my journey to that of a mountain bike ride – a bumpy, arduous climb with speedy downhills and full of excitement. As a sole proprietor, I must be the expert in all business activities, beyond the coaching. From website design to accounting to customer service, I’ve learned a lot about how to run a business over the past year and a half. However, it has not come without its struggles. For example, I would undertake a large marketing campaign and not get a single lead. What I’ve found instead is my business has grown more organically by word of mouth than by spending lots of money on marketing techniques. As such, the pace of growth has been slower than expected, but I am not easily deterred and enjoy the challenge of building my business.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I am a full-service endurance coaching company. That means I create personalized and adaptive training plans and monitor the daily performance of my athletes. I work with individuals at all levels and race distances – whether it’s to finish your first 5k, full Ironman or any distance or discipline in between.

I coach triathletes, cyclists, runners, and swimmers and provide one-on-one coaching in each of the disciplines. I offer accountability and support and strive to ensure my athletes maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

One aspect that sets me apart is I don’t expect my athletes to blindly follow. Instead, I encourage questions, explain why they are doing a specific drill or training in a certain heart rate or power zone and share my opinion on the latest theories or gadgets. Additionally, because everyone responds differently to training methods, it is my responsibility to analyze the objective data but also listen to the needs of my athletes. My goal as a coach is to provide all the tools necessary for my athletes to succeed which includes improving their skillset, inspiring confidence and celebrating their accomplishments.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
First and foremost, I would like to thank my wife, Sharon for her support in this endeavor and adventure we call life.

I would also like to thank Jesse and Rachel for being my first clients and helping me work out some of the bugs along the way.

I am most appreciative for the guidance of Cheryl, another coach in the valley who has become a mentor, answering the many questions I’ve had and sharing her advice.

Lastly, I would like to thank my clients who allow me to be part of their journey. Monitoring their daily training, I see the improvements made but it’s that moment – and there are no words to describe it – when they see the progress for themselves. The confidence gained when they push themselves during a hard workout, cross the finish line of their first race or conquer a tough course – that’s why I coach.

Pricing:

• Triathlon Coaching $169 / month
• Duathlon Coaching $149 / month
• Individual Discipline (swim, bike or run) Coaching $69 / month
• One-on-One Coaching $79 / session

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.phxendurance.com/
• Phone: (602) 633-5716
• Email: chris@phxendurance.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phoenix_endurance/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhoenixEnduranceCoaching/
• Other: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/coach/phoenix-endurance-coaching#trainingplans

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