Brett Weick always wanted to coach, but instead of teaching the perfect golf swing he's made it his goal to send an athlete to Kona. Bets are on that he can make it happen this year.
How did you get into triathlon? How did you get into coaching and think of going back to university to study Exercise and Sport Science?
Gold Coast Marathon Festival used to include an 8-kilometer walk and I did that with a group of friends. Seeing the different people doing the marathon and half marathon was super inspiring.
I used to run cross country in school, so got in touch with a run group and it all sort of snowballed. Years later the opportunity came about to pace for the half and full marathon at the Gold Coast which is something I have done a number of times since as my way of giving back to what the event did for me.
The coaching had come about as something I have always wanted to do. I played a lot of golf when I was younger and always wanted to be a golf coach. Unfortunately, due to work and life getting in the way I wasn't able to put in the time to get my professional ticket.
When I started doing triathlon and in particular Ironman I could see a lot of people struggling with coaches, how the coaches communicate with them and having unrealistic programs set and sessions that don't fit with their life circumstances. So, I really wanted to be able to help people in that situation and I think how I deal with my athletes covers that pretty well.
The exercise science degree came about from spending a lot of time reading and talking with my nutrition mentor Peter Defty on utilising lower carb diets for performance. Some of the things he spoke about were super interesting but very difficult to follow so I decided that I was going to change my direction and dive into a degree that can help me with coaching, understanding better why our bodies behave differently utilising the different fuel sources, and incorporate rehab for injuries in a clinical way once a physio has diagnosed a problem.
The degree is really there to give the athletes I work with a broad range of knowledge that can help them achieve great results. I'm also a real nerd when it comes to exercise testing so I would like to move in that direction when I do finish my degree mainly focusing on metabolic rates and how or if diet and different supplements can help shift the crossover point so we can go faster for longer.
For many athletes, getting to Kona is their big dream. What are your ultimate goals as an athlete?
Kona was a huge dream of mine, I feel like I kinda got there a bit earlier than maybe I was ready for and my experience was kind of dampened by an injury in my qualification race, which put me out for a period of time post-race.
Ultimately my biggest personal goal is to get back to Kona, I had the chance in 2018 but turned the spot down due to our baby arriving in May 2019. It was the right decision but I would have loved to have gone there.
Distance-specific goals in triathlon: I would love to run a sub 80-minute half in a 70.3 and a sub 3-hour marathon in an ironman. If I can achieve those run times the overall time/result will take care of itself. I feel like the run is the one leg you can realistically set a time goal on as the swim and bike can be impacted by so many outside factors.
In regards to coaching goals I want to help send an athlete to Kona. I'm confident that will happen this year.
What kind of athletes do you work with? How would you describe your coaching style?
The people I work with are driven. I have chatted with different people over the years and I am pretty up front with how I coach; it isn't for everyone it takes a lot of self-control and discipline but I know it reaps results. I feel like anyone who wants to race long course triathlon needs that drive. I always have an extensive chat (sometimes multiple times) before taking an athlete on to ensure we will both be a good fit for each other.
The best description for my coaching style is "personal"; I am in constant contact with my athletes to make sure the program works for them, their work and their family situation. The overall structure of the program gets tweaked to fit in with life. I am not working with professional athletes; I am working with everyday people who have to balance the challenges we all face and it's important I understand what it is that's impacting these guys outside of the data I receive from each session.
When you're not doing triathlon, what takes up your time?
Outside of triathlon I am a father of 2 kids, an 8-year-old step son and a 20-month-old son. I am a mad keen Brisbane Lions supporter and since moving back to Queensland I just signed the family up for membership for the season.
I have also been known to have a sneaky punt on the horses on a Saturday afternoon and have owned a small share in a couple of horses with some mates over the years. We have never landed any champions but we were lucky enough to get one of our original horses running at Eagle Farm (which is the main Brisbane track) on a Saturday last year and he got up paying 50-1 which was a pretty fun experience for me and the group of mates who had the share in him.
Brett Weick is a multiple Ironman athlete, Kona qualifier, and triathlon coach based on the Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. MX Endurance is proud to work with Brett and share in his passion to see people succeed and enjoy the sport they are investing their time and energy in. Get in touch with Brett.