June 2018 – Steve Keller

I grew swimming (age group, high school, Div 1, and Masters) and found triathlon after being asked to coach a new triathlon club.  After spending some time in the US Air Force and then aIMG_5502s an IT project manager, I decided to retire (or maybe semi-retire) and move to Gallatin.  I’ve been married to my college sweetheart for 32+ years and have two boys, both married and on their own.  My wife, Denise, teaches college English at Volunteer State Community College and enjoys running and racing in half marathon distance events.  I am a Certified Personal Trainer and have experience coaching athletes in a variety of disciplines and abilities.  If I am not out training, you can usually find me at the lake doing my best to catch a fish or two but mostly just relaxing.  In my 11 years doing triathlons, I have completed 3 sprint events, ~15 Olympic events, 8 half Ironman events, and 4 full Ironman events.  Throw in about 10 marathons and other running events, I have kept myself pretty busy over the years.

I love to teach and coach and look forward to passing on my successes and what I learned from my failures to fellow HEAT teammates.  Strive forward and you never know where it may lead you.  Cheers.

  1. How many years have you been in triathlon?  11   
  2. How many years have you been apart of HEAT? 1
  3. How did you get started in triathlon? In my previous hometown, they were starting a Triathlon Club and asked me to be the swimming coach for the new team.  After several weeks, I said, “Hey, I think that looks like a something I would enjoy doing.”  In the fall I did my first Triathlon in 2007.
  4. What is your favorite discipline?  Swim
  5. What distances have you competed in?
    • Sprint
    • Intermediate
    • 70.3
    • 140.6       
  6. What has been your favorite race?  Ironman Wisconsin and Ironman Lake Placid are tied for first.  The venue and the city support in unmatched.
  7. What is your go-to nutritional product for training/racing? Tailwind for Biking; Gels for running; Replay for recovery/hydration.
  8. What serves as your motivation to keep going when the training or the race seems too hard? I always look at the challenge, training or racing.  As I get older, maintaining speed and strength also motivates me to “just keep going”
  9. What does your normal training week look like?  MWF – Swim/Yoga/Run; TTH – Bike; Saturday – Long Bike and Brick.  Speed session in each discipline each week.  Recovery every third week.
  10. What is your first thought after finishing a triathlon?
    Wow, that was fun and I bet I can improve.

Swim. Bike. Run. Eat. Sleep. Repeat