Coach Casey

About Casey Lamers



Co-Owner, Coach, Instructor: Performance Cycling

casey@speedmadison.com

What do you like best about coaching/leading classes?

First and foremost I enjoy developing relationships with athletes. It is very satisfying to sit down and set some goals and then go about achieving them. I get to provide years of racing and coaching experience to get the individual on the fast track to improvement. Then we get to see the hard work pay off.

Why did you become a coach/instructor?

Coaching others evolved out of coaching myself. It took years of reading and trying things to develop myself as an athlete.  I got the opportunity to teach indoor cycling and I was bit by the bug. I loved sharing my knowledge with others. It grew from there. I obtained my USA Cycling coaching certification and started working with athletes outside of the indoor classes, started leading outdoor training rides, and started doing outdoor track workouts. I really like the workouts and the athletes.

What is your favorite type of training?

As a coach, it is the in-person hands-on training that I enjoy the most. The group riding (indoor and out) and the track workouts for running allow me to SEE the athletes and provide feedback that you just can’t get with a book.

As an athlete I prefer short and hard workouts. Anything at aerobic threshold or above is what I prefer. I like to feel like I am on the limit and exploring my own ability. I know I can’t do that for every workout, but when it is that workout I love it.

What are you currently working on/training for?

I just did my first duathlon after coaching another athlete at Duathlon Nationals, who then went on to World’s. I want to go to Duathlon Nationals in 2012 and qualify for World’s myself. It is a 1.5 year plan.

Certification

  • USA Cycling Level 2 coach

Athlete’s results

  • 2010 ABR Wisconsin State Time Trial champion
  • 2010 Duathlon World qualifier, finisher
  • 5 finishers 2010 IronMan WI
  • Female 45+ Boston Marathon 3:51
  • 2009 4th place Masters Nationals Time Trial
  • 2009 Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) Time Trial state champion
  • 2009 Pardeeville Triathlon Winner
  • Many, many personal bests and goals exceeded

Testimonials

It just isn't a lot of fun to bike indoors by myself so when I heard I could sweat with others, I signed up for Casey's class. The class surpassed my expectations - not only did I have "fun" pushing myself to the limit but when it finally got light and warm enough to bike outdoors in the spring, I was ready. The transition from indoors to outdoors was so much easier than it had been in earlier years. I would recommend this to anyone whether you are an experieced biker or just learning.

-Shirl

Casey's cycling class improved my biking skills in many ways. Not only do I bike faster and more efficiently, but my technique has improved, which has made biking more enjoyable for me. Whereas in my past triathlons I was behind the race, I now steadily pass other cyclists. This class is VERY DIFFERENT from spinning classes. Casey provides all of us with schedules in which we have an increased workload for two weeks followed by a recovery week. Periodically there is a 'test' in which you can measure your improvement. When I started riding outside in the spring, I had a strong base to build on. Since we had already done several 3 hour rides in class, distance rides weren't an issue. The Horribly Hilly was more fun than horrible and quite doable after Casey's class. I have been to many spinning classes in Madison and there is nothing out there that compare's to this class. On top of all of that, the comraderie is great, which makes the classes even more enjoyable.

-Janice

I've always enjoyed running, swimming, and cycling, but I never had competed in a triathlon. When I decided I wanted to "try a tri", I was unsure how to train. Having used standardized training programs off the internet for 3 running events in my life, I knew what I could get out of a "one size fits all" plan, and I wanted something more. However, I didn't want to invest in individual coaching.

Casey's personalized training plan was a perfect fit for me. It allowed me to meet with experienced coaches and communicate my personal goals, current abilities, and schedule restrictions. They provided me with a plan that fit my life and abilities and were there to answer any quick questions I had about the workouts and training plan. They also gave me invaluable advice on some tools available for me to use and where to find them. In the end, with their advice and my commitment to following the training plan, I placed 3rd in the women's novice division of my first triathlon, something I didn't dream of achieving when I set out to do my first tri, as I've never considered myself to be a particularly fast runner or cyclist. I couldn't be more pleased with the results!

-Val

Casey helped me get the most out of my training and racing efforts. Casey understood the balance that I needed between work, family, and training and developed a plan and strategy for the season that worked. Casey's approach to training, quality and specificity, allowed me to focus and improve in key areas that lead to significant improvements. I PR'd in 4 of my top races of the year and was physically and mentally more fresh and prepared entering each race. Casey is helping me to reach my next level.

-Charles

I had been running recreationally for several years and liked to compete at the half marathon level. However, I had trouble finding a training plan that worked for me. After suffering stress fractures two years in a row and then having a terrible race experience in a 20K, I almost gave up on running. I began to think maybe running just wasn’t for me. I was frustrated with the injuries and the fact that the training and effort I had done was not giving me the results I wanted. I was not getting progressively stronger. Instead, I had varied success, tired early in the training season and never progressed to the next level.

I hired Casey after my bad 20K experience, not wanting to give up hope on running the Madison Half. Casey listened to my story and reviewed my training data. He was very knowledgeable and quickly discovered my errors in training and where I was strong. He wrote me a training plan that worked with my schedule (very important as a mom with young kids) and my personal goals. He was both encouraging and realistic. In a very short period of time I began to understand the balance between intense training and recovery. I greatly improved my running form, allowing me to run faster while keeping the effort the same. I learned proper nutrition and hydration. I relaxed and enjoyed running more.

Training with Casey was a turning point for me. One month after we began working together, I ran the Madison half marathon in an excellent time and having the best overall experience in an endurance event to date. For the first time, I felt like a real runner. I wasn’t just having a random “good day”. I was prepared, strong and healthy. And I can do it again. Now I can’t wait to keep training and racing and I feel better than ever.

-Jackie

Results

Event Placing Date Time
Ghoulish Gallop 1st Overall 10/29/2011 39m 43s
Gilda's Run 2011 3rd Overall 10/22/2011 39m 3s
Kettleman Duathlon 4th Overall 09/25/2011 1h 18m 4s
Dousman Duathlon 6th Overall 09/18/2011 1h 18m 3s
Safe Harbor Run 5k 1st Stroller Division 09/05/2011 18m 45s
Centurion C50 3rd 08/07/2011 2h 4m 22s
3 day Tour of the Centurion 1st Overall 08/07/2011 3h 15m 25s
Centurion C25 3rd 08/06/2011 55m 24s
Centurion TT 3rd 08/05/2011 15m 40s
Door County Triathlon (1/2 IM Relay) 1st Place Relay 07/17/2011 4h 32m 57s
South Shore Duathlon 5th Overall 06/12/2011 54m 23s
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 10th Overall 06/04/2011 18m 20s
Cooney Duathlon 5th Overall 05/21/2011 1h 16m 49s
Team Hope Run/Walk for Huntington's Disease 5k 1st Overall 05/07/2011 18m 22s
Haunted Hustle 1/2 Marathon 14th 10/30/2010 1h 25m 23s
Gilda's Run 1st 10/02/2010 38m 55s
Dousman Duathlon 7th 09/19/2010 1h 17m 24s
Safe Harbor 5k Stroller Division 1st Stroller Division 09/06/2010 18m 33s
ABR Time Trial Championship 6th Cat 3, 1st WI 08/29/2010 57m 47s
Belleville Best of Both 1st 08/06/2010
New Glarus Alphorman Triathlon 6th 08/01/2010 1h 14m 2s
Capitol Mile 15th 07/25/2010 5m 3s
Pardeeville Triathlon 3rd 07/10/2010 1h 4m 22s
Madison Marathon 101st 05/29/2010 3h 30m 57s
Lake Monona 20k 76th Overall 05/01/2010 1h 27m 50s
Crazylegs Classic 22nd Age Group 04/24/2010 30m 47s
Spring Sprint for the Arb 3rd Overall (with stroller) 04/16/2010 19m 6s
Devil's Challenge Triathlon 2nd Overall 09/16/2009 1h 11m 39s
Safe Harbor 5k Stroller Division 1st Stroller Division 09/07/2009 18m 11s
Capitol Mile 10th Men's Open 07/26/2009 5m 7s
Pardeeville Triathlon 3rd Overall 07/11/2009 1h 4m 18s
Lake Monona 20k 16th Overall 05/02/2009 1h 17m 54s
Crazy Legs Classic 66th Overall 04/26/2009 29m 4s
Berbee Derby 22nd Overall 11/27/2008 37m 7s