Athlete Testimonials
Hear what our athletes have to say about being part of Team CMC!
Jeremy L.
“I started with Paul in 2022 after injury kept me off the starting line of Ironman Lake Placid in 2021. He transformed my training plan into the perfect life exercise balance and as a result I completed my first full Ironman in lake placid in 2022 and ran a 5 minute personal best half marathon a couple months later and finished the season by completing the NYC marathon. In 2023 I completed the SOS triathlon.
I’ve never been as fit and healthy as I am now and that’s a direct result of Paul’s coaching. He has a great handle on using a balance between data and direct feedback from his athletes to create training plans that are both effective and very manageable.
I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to accomplish their multisport goals.”
Karen S.
“I am a triathlete - I am an Ironman - I am a Survivor!
My first ever TRI was the (women’s only) Danskin Sprint TRI in Sandy Hook 18 years ago, when a friend suggested I join her, because ‘we should all do this once before we turned 40’. I was 37yo, had no idea what I was doing, and running one 5k that same year, was the extent of my racing career. I was terrified standing alone at the water’s edge, but some how made it through.
Since then I’ve completed multiple half marathons and two full marathons, all the while using website training plans where I never quite reached my desired goals (other than just finishing).
When I signed up for my first Half Ironman, I knew I’d need a coach to get me there. I turned to Coach Paul Capuzzo & Capuzzo Multisport Coaching.
Paul designed a training plan that fit my life. Not only did I finish, but on my 53rd birthday, I felt great at the end of 70.3!
Next up was Ironman Lake Placid - a full distance Ironman triathlon. When I started doing TRIs, in a million years I never thought I could even attempt such a feat! I truly believed that was someone only ‘others’ could do.
But Paul was there. He trained me, coached me & dealt with all my various aches & pains, all the while adjusting my training as necessary. I made it to the finish line in one piece, pain free and heard Mike Reilly say those infamous words, ‘You’re an Ironman!’
Then came SOS, Survival of the Shawangunks - an 8-stage TRI where you bike, then run & swim (multiple times!) with your sneakers on … what ?! I’m easily talked into these crazy events, rarely believing I can do well, or if I will even finish. I was more terrified at the beginning of this race, of the cutoffs and all the different moving parts to deal with, than I’d been since my first TRI. Getting some words of wisdom from one of the CMC coaches (thank you, Peter Skutnik!) pre-race truly put my mind ease.
And thanks to Paul’s coaching, I WAS ready. I not only Survived, but I actually enjoyed myself and felt pretty damn good. Happy to say for the first time ever, I crushed my finish time goals, by an hour!
Thank you Coach Paul and Capuzzo Multisport Coaching. I could not have done this without you.”
Ann E.
“Last year, I decided I was going to sign up for my first 70.3 in Atlantic City. I thought about researching what to do and figuring out a training plan on my own, but very quickly decided against that idea. I did an online search and thankfully CMC popped up. I reached out to Paul Capuzzo and he matched me with coach Laura Abbey. I am SO glad I had her guiding me, creating my training plan, and answering all my questions. She was super responsive and encouraging. I loved having someone to be accountable to. Also the added bonus of all the supportive athletes and other coaches within CMC. Group workouts were always an option. It was great to ask questions and get feedback from the athletes who had done races before. I wasn’t able to meet everyone in person, but anyone I did meet and speak to were so kind and helpful. Completing this race was a huge accomplishment and I had no idea my body could do this! My best advice is to trust the process and get a coach! I’d recommend CMC a million times over! I lucked out with my first coaching group! I was an actual person and not just another number in a sea of athletes.”
Yonah S.
"One of my lifelong goals has been to qualify for the Boston Marathon (by running a sub 3:05 qualifying marathon) and an even loftier goal was to break 3hrs along the way. Not only did Coach Paul help me achieve BOTH of these goals at the Baystate Marathon in Oct 2022, he got me to the starting line 100% healthy and with a level of confidence I never would have had on my own. I was skeptical about working with a coach to begin with, but now I can’t imagine training for any race without Paul pushing me along the way. He is unbelievably responsive at nearly all hours of the day, extremely intelligent, and just a really good person who I now consider a great friend. As you begin working with him he seeks to understand you, knows when to push your limits and is not afraid to tell you to back off if you’re overdoing it. I would 110% recommend working with Paul whether you are just learning to run your first 5K or if you are training for the Ironman World Championships at Kona – he can do it all."
Jonathan S.
"Paul is an athlete’s coach. He is great at balancing his athletes' training with their lives. I came to CMC as I was starting to train for my first Ironman. When Covid happened and things didn’t go as planned, Paul created a homemade 140.6 course, taking on the role of both race organizer and coach. When I was on the fence about doing an “official” Ironman a year later, he assured me that I could absolutely do it. More importantly, after I had a health scare, Paul was able to modify my training to not only get me to the starting line of Ironman Lake Placid healthy, but to get me across the finish line as well. I consider Paul both a friend and Coach and because of him and the community he has built, I am a 2x Ironman."
Paras Z.
“I’m an Ironman thanks to Paul and his coaching.”
Yale G.
“Finding a tri coach is like finding a partner. While anyone can train you, you need to find one who “gets you.” It’s not just writing a plan for you to follow, but your coach needs to know who you are, when to push you, or in my my case to force me to back it down. Paul is that coach. He is so much more than the man behind the program. He is a coach, a spiritual advisor, a confidant and sometimes, a nag. He was always available when I had questions, concerns or crazy ideas. He even brought in other experienced coaches to dial me in prior to my first IM. I cannot fully recommend him more.”
Jacqueline R.
“When I started training for my triathlons, I wanted a coach that would get me to the starting line well prepared physically and mentally. Paul not only got me ready for my races, but he also listened and answered any questions or concerns I had. The other great thing about CMC is the camaraderie of the group. I have made some great friends and wonderful people to train with. There is a wealth of knowledge shared, and a great sharing of ideas.”
Dayne M.
“I started working with Paul and Laura in the summer of 2021 to help prepare for some upcoming triathlons. As a collegiate runner, I appreciate Paul’s training philosophy and help improving in other disciplines. When I started with him I could barely swim a 100 yards without stopping. Not only have I finished 2 Olympic distance triathlons, I had dropped my swim time considerably. Looking forward to more years of success and setting PRs with Paul and Laura as my coaches.”
Ryan S.
“Paul has been my coach for the last year and a half. He is supportive, approachable and an amazing resource for all things running and fitness-related. He has shown up to support me at my races and even met me at the track for early morning workouts. He’s a great coach and an all around superior human. All the thumbs up for Paul Capuzzo.”
Bernadette B.
"When I started working with Paul I had just competed in an Olympic distance triathlon that I barely finished. Cycling was my weakest discipline and I found maintaining a 15mph pace difficult over 30 miles. By the end of my first season with Paul I completed my first 70.3 feeling strong and averaged 17.6mph on the bike over 56 miles! Paul is a gifted listener who knows when to push his athletes and when to ease off and his methods pay off."
Jennifer G.
"Paul is an elite athlete and can coach elite athletes, but he also has a passion and conviction for the beginner - he took my less than confident, busy mom-of-three self and made me into a contender. If you need a killer coach who is kind, relatable, funny, approachable, and SUPER SKILLED at structuring training to make gains - Paul is your guy."
David R.
"Coach Paul does a great job enforcing compliance while allowing “life” to happen during training. The tailored workouts he puts together have been working really well and he follows up with me after every one. I have gone from 1:40/100 to 1:25/100 in the pool after only one season. Every discipline of my triathlon has improved and I am enjoying it more and more."
Kevin G.
"I could’ve never achieved my goal of being under 32 minutes to PR, and my “secret” goal of being under 30 without you! I owe it all to you!"