Hilary Topper
Triathlete & Coach
Hilary Topper had never been athletic. She’d spent years building her PR firm and raising kids, and didn’t make a lot of time for herself. At 48, she decided something had to change. She joined a gym for the first time, then started running, and a few years later, she signed up for her first triathlon. Today she coaches people just like her.
Hear Hilary talk about:
Joining a gym for the first time at 48, and asking a stranger how to use the treadmill
The Google Glass assignment that led to her first triathlon
Learning to swim as an adult, and the nose plugs that changed everything
Crossing her first triathlon finish line in tears
Why consistency is the hardest part, and how she removes the barriers
How her blog led her to become a certified coach
Open water panic attacks, race cutoffs, and life at the back of the pack
Why, after everything, she still feels she has something to prove
Mentioned in this episode:
Hilary’s blog, A Triathlete’s Diary
Hilary’s books: From Couch Potato to Endurance Athlete, Unlocking the Triathlon, Unlocking the Open Water Swim
WeREndurance, Hilary’s triathlon team and Masters swim club
Hilary’s podcast: Hilary Topper On Air
Jeff Galloway’s Run Walk Run method
Road Runners Club of America (RRCA)
About Hilary Topper
Hilary Topper is a USA Triathlon, RRCA, and U.S. Masters Swimming coach who also teaches adults to swim. She writes the blog A Triathlete’s Diary, is the author of three books for beginning endurance athletes, and founded her PR firm in 1992. Follow her on Instagram at @hilarytopper.
“You’re never too old. You’re never too overweight ... You can do this.”
Episode 50: Transcript
Coming soon.
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