JASON MCFAUL
Chino Hills CA
Location
Languages
Pricing
Race Distances
Athlete Types
Swim
Bike
Run
Nutrition
Certifications
ESCI Level 1
ESCI Level 2About
I was born and raised in Vista, California. My mom was a marathoner, my dad was a Category 1 bike racer, and we had a pool. So it was probably my destiny to become a triathlete. My wife and I have been married for 9 years, and until recently we had a wonderful dog named Kona. (Naturally, she was named Kona because she was the best, and in our sport, Kona is where you go to race with the best.) We live in Chino Hills, California, with our son, and we're constantly redefining what is required to perform optimally when balancing the responsibilities that come with being a parent. Coaching triathlon is a great honor and opportunity. The honor is specific to having people put their trust in me, letting me play a small role in their development as triathletes. And the opportunity is specific to sharing what I've learned from this sport about nutrition, exercise physiology, training adaptation, injury prevention, motivation, psychology, and consistency.
Philosophy
I have an athlete-centered coaching philosophy. What that means is that we begin with this question: What are your short-term and long-term goals? If your goal is to finish your first triathlon, I'm your guy. If your goal is to earn a Kona-qualifying slot, I'm your guy. If you simply need guidance, strategy, and motivation, then I'll guide, strategize, and motivate. In other words, your time is valuable. Let's not waste it on anything that does not directly benefit you and those around you. My number one priority is to unlock your potential. If you know what you want (within the context of triathlon), I can help you get it. And if you don't know what you want (within the context of triathlon), I might be able to help you find it. I stumbled upon triathlon, almost literally, while over-training for my first marathon and injuring my knee, which compelled me to swim and bike in order to maintatin the cardiovascular endurance that I'd begun to develop through running. I still remember that first triathlon, back in 2001. After accidentally mooning the spectators in T1, I completed the 15-mile bike and then persevered through the most grueling 5k of my life. I continued in this state of trial and error for two years of sprint, olympic-distance, and half-ironman races. But there was no way I'd sign up for a full-Ironman . . . until I finally put my trust in a coach who believed I could do it. For several years, I was a middle-of-the-pack and a back-of-the-pack triathlete. In fact, I know what it’s like when the nutrition plan fails because the race organizers ran out of water, and I know what is required to finish, even though it took more than 15 hours on that day in Langkawi, Malaysia. I know what it’s like to lead a blind triathlete in Ironman Korea. And I also know what it’s like to make the jump from a 12-hour Ironman to a 10-hour Ironman to a 9-hour Ironman. What Tim DeBoom said is true—even though a full-Ironman is twice the distance of a 70.3, it feels like it’s four times the distance. And it’s worth it. Whether it’s a sprint-distance, olympic-distance, Ironman 70.3, or full-distance Ironman, it feels so good to cross that finish line. I became a student of the sport in 2001, and it’s imperative that I remain a student of the sport so that I can contribute to the success of athletes and coaches. You can reach me via gmail at coachmcfaul. For more on my background, please check out this article from Slowtwitch: https://www.slowtwitch.com/news/random-ag-jason-mcfaul/
Credentials
Ironman U Certified Coach TriDot Certified Coach TriDot Pool School Certified Coach • Bilingual — English/Japanese
Accomplishments
Completed 34 full-Ironman races. Ironman All World Athlete (#1 in the USA, 40-44 age group, in 2014) (#2 in the USA, 40-44 age group, in 2015). Kona Qualified in 2014 and 2015.
Experience
I have coached people to their first-ever triathlon. I have coached people to their first-ever Kona Qualification. I have coached people who didn't know how to swim. If you are coachable and willing to put in the work, I am eager to hear from you.