ESCI
Back to coaches

KATHLEEN MCCARTNEY

San Diego CA

BikingMiddle of the Pack & Back of the Pack RacersRunningSwimming

Location

San Diego CA

Languages

English

Pricing

$$$$$

Race Distances

Long DistanceMiddle DistanceOlympicSprint

Athlete Types

BeginnerHighly CompetitiveIntermediate
Swim
Bike
Run
Nutrition

Certifications

ESCI Level 1ESCI Level 1
TriDot Pool SchoolTriDot Pool School

About

I live in San Diego, California and am passionate about triathlon, encouraging and inspiring others, and living a well-balanced health and fitness lifestyle for life! I have been a triathlon competitor since 1981 and have no plans of stopping. I am a proud mother of 3 amazing adult children, all of whom have competed in triathlons, including my two sons who are an Ironman! I feel so grateful every day to live this incredible life as a triathlon coach and to be part of the best community in the world.

Philosophy

I love to share with my athletes and others, my passion, enthusiasm and knowledge that I have gained and experienced over decades of training and competition in our great sport of triathlon. My philosophy is to encourage and support you no matter where you are in your triathlon journey. I discovered that if you choose to focus on what you CAN do, not what you can't do, we can overcome challenges together and great things will happen and dreams will be realized. I will take a very personal approach to your training, taking the time to listen and really get to know you so I can understand your unique goals and challenges and as a team, help you to get across your finish line and achieve your goals!

Credentials

IRONMAN U Certified Coach TriDot Triathlon Coach TriDot Pool School Instructor 2012 Triathlon Business International Female Triathlete of the Year 2001 Ironman Legend Award, Competitor Magazine

Accomplishments

IRONMAN World Champion IRONMAN Hall of Fame 11x IRONMAN World Championship Finisher 3 Top-Six Ironman World Championships (Women Overall) Triathlon Career Spanning 44 Years, competing in numerous triathlons of all distances, bike races, runs and swim events worldwide.

Experience

My triathlon journey began in Kona, Hawaii as a spectator at the 1981 IRONMAN. Before the starting gun blasted, I made the life-changing decision to enter the 1982 IRONMAN the following year. I won the 1982 IRONMAN in epic and dramatic race with Julie Moss, who ended up crawling across the finish line in second place 29 seconds later. Since then, I have made triathlon my lifelong pursuit and passion. I am proud to say that prior to my first triathlon in 1981, I had no competitive or structured background in swimming, cycling, or running. I share this with to remind everyone that it is NEVER too late to try something new and make progress. Thanks to the sport of triathlon, I discovered my personal gifts of perseverance, hard work, mental toughness, and endurance. As a pioneer in the sport, I have had the unique opportunity to watch a sport grow and change over 4 decades. I have embraced triathlon and have been an IRONMAN competitor throughout all stages of my life-as a college student, a mother of three, divorce, a single mom, a pancreatic cancer mentor and the oldest female IRONMAN World Champion to finish 11 IRONMAN World Championships. I love to share with my athletes and others the gold-nuggets and gems that only experience can provide.