Coach Darbie Allen

I strive to understand each of my athletes as an individual, with individual contexts encompassing their training, individual needs, and individual motivations. I trust each athlete to be the expert on what helps them thrive or holds them back, having had years of experiences to learn those valuable lessons. I know that the path to success must respond to and incorporate all of these individual factors.

I also know that path can feel unseen. So much of our training happens in isolation, without witness to our work and our struggles. As a coach, I bear witness to the commitment, the ups and downs, the successes and failures. I see the effort and hear the concerns and celebrations.

Succeeding in triathlon requires a holistic approach. Training, nutrition, injury prevention, and mobility work are just a few of the factors that combine to develop fitness. But fitness doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it constantly interacts with family, work, and the rest of life. By approaching training from a 10,000-foot view, I help my athletes build harmony across all levels in order to create success.

As an athlete, I’ve been racing since I was eight years old. I learned in high school through competing in track and swimming that I love to push right up to the edge of my limits. I leveraged this as I transitioned to competing in Sprint- and Olympic-distance triathlons with multiple qualifications for Age Group Nationals. Whether it’s high school sports, triathlon, or coaching, I pursue everything with intensity and to the maximum of my ability.

I approach life with curiosity and that fuels my continued development as a coach. Working with athletes who possess equal curiosity, who want to learn and be a student of the sport, is where I thrive.