June Coach of the Month: Rogue Tri Performance

We are excited to announce our June coaching partner: Rogue Tri Performance! RTP is a triathlon coaching group based in Southern Oregon. Michael Gallagher, the head coach at RTP, has an impressive list of accomplishments and we are lucky to have him! Continue reading to learn about Michael!

About Michael:
I have been an athlete most all my life. I started out in running then found the sport of triathlon through a friend. After my first race I was hooked. I have done races from sprints to 1/2 Ironman and running from 5K to 50K. I started my coaching career over 6yrs ago as a swim coach for a masters team where I learned everything I could about swimming and team building. From there it evolved to personal training, strength & conditioning, triathlon coach, to being a coach for multiple clubs/teams. Right now I am the owner and coach for Rogue Tri Performance which coaches athletes all over Oregon and the US including some international athletes. My athletes range from beginners, top age groupers, to a Team USA athlete who I trained for ITU Worlds and a former Elite ITU Triathlete from the Caribbean. 
 
Besides coaching athletes from all over I am also a coach at Southern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay, OR. At SOCC I am the assistant XC coach (men/women), assistant strength & conditioning coach for our Mens / Women’s Swim team, and the head strength & conditioning coach for the Women’s Soccer team.
 
I have also been a guest speaker at Southern Oregon University & for the Ashland High School X/C team.

Some of my achievements include:

•             Assistant swim coach to the Fort Lauderdale Masters swim team where I helped them win back to back championships.
•             Triathlon Coach for the Fort Lauderdale triathlon club.
•             Featured in Triathlete magazine, USA Triathlon magazine & Competitor magazine.
•             Featured on Ch12 News (ABC)
•             Head coach for a Team USA Triathlete & an ITU Elite Triathlete.
•             Former lead personal trainer at a nationally recognized health club.
•             Former Co-race director for 3 local triathlons in Southern Oregon.
•             Multiple top 10 finisher.
•             Mentored by Swim Coach Marty Hendrick who was inducted into the Broward Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
•             Ambassador for ZIPP Wheels, SRAM, Feed Your Crazy, First Endurance, Honey Stinger, Salmon Shoes.
•             Sponsored by Edge Performance (New Earth) Supplements & XTERRA Wetsuits.

 
 
About Coaching 
I have done a Best In The West Triathlon before (Oregon Dunes) and got 2nd in my age group. It was a while ago but last year I was a club sponsor at your other large triathlon events and loved how Blair put on the events. They are so well run, organized, and everyone seems to have a great time. This year I have some races lined up but since I am getting married and wanting to travel Eastern Oregon for hiking, some of my races I might not be able to make or I will end up doing them as training. I love coaching and pushing clients past their limits and having them achieve their goals, just as I like pushing my limits and trying new things such as mountaineering. Its a sport I have been looking at for sometime and want to give it a try next year to cross off my bucket list.