“I also love the fact that I can walk all day and run down the street, and I can handle it. When I go on vacation and walk around city streets all day, I feel great.
Finally, for the first time, I feel like a physically strong person.”
I spent too many years coasting on being skinny. I really didn’t do much exercise besides walking a bit. My bad habits were catching up with me. I wrenched my neck and upper back badly and realized it was time to start a regular exercise program.
Marissa was the perfect coach for me. I want someone who encourages me and pushes me, but it isn’t yelling at me or talking down to me. She is always positive and celebrates my wins. She makes me feel confident that I am a strong, healthy woman!
Now, my absence of pain is a big accomplishment. I no longer have the chronic back and neck pain that comes from sitting at a desk all day. When I do have a bad week and some pain flares up, it now goes away much faster. Working out is hard. It’s not my favorite thing in the world. But I love what it does for me. I am taking care of myself, and that feels good.
Chris, Oakland
“I can’t recommend Marissa enough. If you want to improve your performance while still living a balanced life, Marissa is like magic!”
“I feel like Marissa knows me as a cyclist better than myself. She can tell how I’m going to feel after a series of workouts, how I’ll perform in a multi-hour effort, and what kind of recovery I need. She can guide me through a recovery workout and make me feel fresher and stronger than if I hadn’t done it. She once guided me through a several month period of healing from a broken my wrist to come back without losing much fitness at all—and I’d hazard to guess that she had a part to play in a recovery period shorter than my doctor anticipated.”
Tim, Menlo Park
“With Marissa’s extensive background in competitive athletics, she has a wealth of knowledge and experience, which she is always willing to share.”
Marissa has been a coach, mentor, and inspiration to me for cycling and Ironman triathlon training (including bike fitting). Coaching with Marissa has allowed me to train in a more focused, smart, and effective manner. She individualizes all of the workouts to me, and I love how she keeps me accountable to my plan and goals, all with a positive and encouraging attitude. Not only does she help athletes build fitness, but also she advises on nutrition, racing strategies/tactics, and sports psychology. What I like most is that she takes a holistic view of your overall health and well-being.
Ivy, San Francisco
“I feel Marissa takes the time to understand what works for me and designs a plan that is realistic for my day to day life. She also understands that training women may be different from men - from nutrition to psychology to recovery. ”
“…I've achieved a couple of goals! I've been able to stick with my training plan because it isn't too aggressive or unrealistic to accomplish given my work life. I feel accomplished when i am working out consistently. I've also increased my cycling fitness significantly and my race goal seems achievable now. Previously it seemed far more daunting. I'm really pleased with my progress and Marissa's encouragement, especially on weeks where i get derailed a bit. I love that she celebrates my successes too. Sometimes i forget that part!
I feel more confident and it motivates me to continue to define goals and work on them. As much as working out feels like work sometimes, the longer term effects are really fantastic. I just feel better about myself, about my abilities and I enjoy cycling much more.”
Kelly, San Francisco
“Marissa is extremely effective... and takes a comprehensive approach to training. She understands that work stress can be just as tiring as training stress. She seamlessly weaves my training into the rest of my life, considering all the other responsibilities I’m juggling.”
I really hit a wall with my fitness after a quick progression and wasn’t sure how to move forward. I was really lucky that Marissa was willing to coach me through this tough spot. She was so effective at getting me through this plateau without burning out that I’ve stayed with her coaching for three years now. Over that time, she’s become a close friend and mentor – I wouldn’t be where I am today if she hadn’t nurtured my growth as an athlete!!
Allie, Oakland
“Marissa sees the big picture and tailors my day-to-day with season goals/plan, as well as regular life, in mind. Tailoring an athlete’s weekly plan is very tricky and something a coach could call-in (with off-the-shelf workouts), or, do carefully. Marissa plans carefully, and it makes all the difference.”
To say that Marissa significantly changed my enjoyment and success in bicycle racing would be a massive understatement. I've been very lucky to work with her for 4+ years. I'm a masters Cat 2 racer, and under her guidance - the sport changed from something I deeply loved but approached without a true understanding of what "training" is - to something bigger and more wonderful than I imagined it could be. Perhaps more than the milestones - now consistent podiums, wins and breaking-through physical and mental barriers - is the true thrill I get simply from racing with the confidence and awareness of where my form is and the ever-present chance to go farther, to keep pushing against the best in my age/category. I'm a life-long athlete and at the tender age of 59 in competition feel more remarkable physically and mentally than I have in my entire life. I've gone from racing and feeling tired, questioning my training and tactics to being truly prepared, rested, self-aware, confident and super-conscious of the endless variables that matter in both training and in any given race. I would not be in this place without Marissa.
If you are on the fence I have a simple recommendation - jump off and work with Marissa. I resisted coaching for years - being a bit of a lone-wolf, but letting another perspective in has made such a huge difference. Regardless of your goals - just to feel better, go faster, simply know how your body works a little better - you'll have the chance when you work with a coach to get there. You are capable of so much more than you know and Marissa can show you the way.
Dean, Chicago