Athlete Testimonies

I’m so grateful for finding Fly Tri Racing and coach William Ritter. While living in Texas my friend told me about them as I felt I hit a plateau in my running post D1 track/XC and have big goals for the marathon and OTQ. The biggest testimony came from how well Coach Ritter and the coaches on Team Fly Tri Racing built my training up from a double hip arthroscopic repair I had after a traumatic car wreck and brain injury that I sustained in 2020 from a drunk driver. I had my hip surgeries in 2021 starting from scratch with my base in running and strength to then putting together a cross training program to ease me back into running and a year later ran my first ever marathon healthy, sub 3 hrs, winning overall female. I’m thankful God brought me coaches that emphasized running healthy, trusting the process & building me back stronger. As an NCAA athlete at a D1 school I didn’t get this kind of attention to my training and importance of helping me run at optimal health from heart rate zone training (has made one of biggest impacts in my running) specific variety of running workouts, building mileage smart, recovery, strength training, circuits, etc. This past year running for Fly Tri Racing, I improved my marathon time by 11min, with The Boston Marathon 2023 being my second ever marathon, in 2:46:40, and finishing in the top 60 females on a day with less than ideal weather conditions. A couple months later I hit another PR in my half marathon of 1:18:47 placing top 3 in an elite female field at the Missoula half marathon 2023. Earlier this year I ran my first sub 5min mile & 36:06 in my 10k. Had another top 5 elite female field finish at the Fresh 15k 2023 Tyler, Texas with another PR of 55:13 for 15k. This has also been the healthiest I have been when it comes to common overuse injuries that plague runners. We have continued to have a training plan that has fit my pregnancy this summer/fall and winter and I’m excited to hit the ground running postpartum this spring of 2024! It is rare to find coaches or teams who care this much and have your back every step of the way toward your goals. I found the perfect coach and team now that supports my Olympic trials goals, dreams & belief. I’ve ran faster not only post college but I hit PR’s last year in every distance from the mile to the half marathon and full marathon. What I’ve learned from my coach and Fly Tri Racicng has also helped make me a better coach for my husband who has been a D1 football player turn distance runner and it’s been so fun to see him smash his goals one after another. I tried out a couple other teams & coaches before I got to Fly Tri Racing, but they didn’t compare when it came to the personalization of the workouts and the coaches really taking the time to not only get to know me and build relationships but learning what works and doesn’t work for me in a training cycle. Talk about a coach that will perfect the formula for the individual. It’s a science, art & talent as we find what marathon training plan fits in my busy working mom life. If you are looking for a coach and team that will support you, encourage you, challenge you, and train you smart to reach the best athlete you can be no matter where you are starting from, you will get that here and more! It has been amazing to watch my teams’ high school athletes go on to sign for collegiate running teams, from people new to running, experienced elite athletes, and all the way to those still wanting to crush goals in triathlons & running (track/road/trail) in their golden 50+ years! -Abby R.

“I came to Sarah post back surgery needing a new fit on my bike. I was having a lot of comfort issues, and I was not enjoying riding. Sarah was extremely detailed, patient, and observant throughout my fit. Sarah took into consideration some muscle imbalances and adjusted based on that. Sarah has been In constant communication with me since my fit, and has made adjustments based off my rides and how I felt. My fit has helped me create more power and I’m riding stronger than I was before surgery. I’m super thankful to be working with Sarah.”

Quick positive review about Fly Tri Racing as your running coach. In two years with coach William Ritter my Half Marathon improved dramatically, from 1:22:40 to 1:18, and I achieved my first marathon in 2:53, then a faster 2:47. Beyond the personal bests, the team's support through race tips, monthly Q&As, and regular check-ins has been invaluable. William's personalized training plans turned my specific goals into achievements, proving Fly Tri Racing's approach to training leads to real success.

I had the pleasure of getting a bike fit with Sarah in preparation for an Ironman 70.3. Sarah was incredibly detail oriented and gave me great insights into why I was experiencing discomfort on the bike and how to address it. Not only did she fine tune my bike fit, she also gave me some great recommendations on how to strengthen the areas where I feel pain and some helpful race tips. After my first long ride post fit, I noticed that my position was still fairly aggressive. I informed Sarah and without any hesitation she made appropriate adjustments as well as a referral to a local bike shop in the area to fix a couple of issues that made my bike potentially unsafe. It was a highly positive experience from beginning to end, and I would recommend her to anyone who is learning how to ride a time trial/triathlon bike.

FTR preps you like no one else. After struggling through 70.3 Waco I hired William Ritter and team and waltzed through 70.3 Galveston knocking 47 minutes of my time. The training schedule is science based and support is always available. Now I’m taking on full Ironman Nice and would have no one else prepare me but FTR.

From going to a 4:37 marathon in 2022 to coach Kevin Green training me and getting me to a 3:25 at the BMW Dallas marathon a year later. It’s the best feeling and something I never thought I would get to on my own. His training has helped me improve so much this year and I can’t wait for what’s next. Coach Green challenges me to be my best. His weekly schedules have helped me tremendously. He is always there for moral support and any questions I have. I highly recommend him if your looking for a great coach.

I can’t say enough about Coach William. After I decided to fill a bucket list of competing in a full Ironman, I knew the next thing I needed to do was find a coach. After a few conversations with Coach Ritter, I knew I found the right one. Coach was thoughtful in his approach, probing time constraints, family support, my health, and my athletic background. In short order, he delivered a plan. It was November 2023, and next thing you know, I was signed up for the 55-60 age group division for the Texas Ironman, which was in 5 and a half months. While I was a recreational swimmer, I have never run a road race as an adult, nor had I ever ridden a road bike. We had a lot to do and a short time to get there. We embarked on the journey together under Coach Ritter’s constant guidance and motivation. Each day, Coach set my plan based on my recent performance data, working around my work schedule and how I physically felt. The months flew by, and my performance improved. Coach seemed to be intuitively knowledgeable about when to push and when to dial back on my training. While the physical training was ongoing, so was the mental training. Coach taught me about the sport, transitions, gear, and the all-important fourth discipline: Nutrition. April 21, 2023, finally arrived. The work was done. I was prepared for every detail. I even met the time goals that Coach prepared me to race for each discipline. If you’re looking to fill a bucket list, learn something new, test your limits, and be part of a great group, call Coach Ritter!

Coach Ritter has made a tremendous difference for me. I just completed my first Ironman and the training plan Coach Ritter developed for me had me as prepared as you can be. I made so much more progress and felt so much less sore than when I was training on my own. Worth every penny, the best investment you can make over any piece of equipment.

I can’t say enough good things about Coach William and the Fly Tri Racing Team. He has coached me for years through multiple distances of running and triathlon. I’ve gotten stronger, faster, and more consistent under his coaching. The training plans are balanced, well thought-out, and flexible. On a personal level, William is empathetic and understanding when it comes to the busyness of everyday life.

I wanted a plan that had proven results and I wanted to flexibility and knowledge that a coach could bring to the table. He has provided a detailed and structure plan to my training. Prior to training with Coach Ritter, I was an avid runner who had tried many online plans. The online plans either lacked detail / flexibility or didn’t provide the results I wanted. Coach Ritter’s plan adapted and evoked throughout the training process and helped me to run injury free and to reach my goals.

"I kind of wonder where I would be if I had learned better form years ago. I've been running since the 5th grade, but I have had shin trouble since the 8th grade. It is crazy how better I feel and I am running with less pain, but faster. "

The Fly Tri Racing team is fantastic to work with. They catered to my goals and worked with me individually to craft a plan to help me become a better athlete. I’ve been working with the team for over two years as an out of state athlete and have had tremendous success with multiple coaching staff members and am really proud of what I’ve achieved.

I have been having problems with my lower back hurting on longer rides. When I heard Sarah was doing bike fits I didn’t hesitate. After a few minutes of looking at everything she knew exactly what was wrong. She made several adjustments and we tried different positions and came out what worked best for me. Did a 2 hr ride the next day and had zero issues. 10 out of 10 would definitely recommend.

We have had such a great experience with Coach Ritter and Coach DJ. There times have decreased by 2 minutes each and I can’t wait what they will do before their senior year. Thank you guys for such a great experience and daily interaction with my kiddos.

As a busy college student, I was worried that my schedule would prevent me from achieving my athletic goals. Coach Ritter has worked with me and personally designed a training plan that fits my life, and the results I’ve seen in only 4 months have been unreal. Definitely would recommend FTR to everyone who wants their training to be engineered for them.

When I started with Coach Ritter, I could barely run a 5k. Now I am doing half Ironman distances and have completed 4 in 2 years. This is from a nonathletic background and starting over the age of 40. I could not have done it without his guidance.

I have enjoyed being coached by Coach William for 3 years, after 20 years of doing triathlon. He has enabled me to stay healthy and to improve my performance and reach my goals. Coach William provides excellent guidance and feedback. He pushes me but not to the point of over doing. I can also seek advice on training and racing and he is always available. I would highly recommend his services!

Coach DJ, William, and his team are great. Friendly, and knowledgeable, and gave me good insights from the first call.

Hey Coach Ritter! Yesterday I ran at the National Cross Country meet for NCAA Division II where I got 170th and my team got 24th. I wanted thank you for everything you did to help me to get to this point. Your coaching made it possible for me to run at the next level and helped me find Mississippi College where I feel so at home. I'm truly grateful without you this never would have been accomplished.

I'm brand new to the world of having a coach. I've had the bug to want to complete my goal for a long time, but without direction. I've been involved with FTR and my coach Bonnie now for going on a month and I've loved the level of detail, explanations, and all around information/value/ and INSPIRATION she's brought in my goal. I've got a long way to go, but I've got a trust forming that I didn't know would come as quick that it's a true two way relationship. I've got commitments and items that she sets for me that I deliver back and same for my asks of her. FTR/Bonnie is giving me the confidence to know that even just a little at a time, I can tackle more and more, build and build, and be set to achieve my goal!

Coach William has made running fun for me again. It's easy to stay consistent with the workouts when they stay varied and fun. For the longest time I thought that running hard and fast during EVERY run was going to produce the best results but in the 2 months that I have been working with him I have felt and seen more growth through the data than before and with no "burnout" effect. I look forward to continuing my training with him.

Working with Coach Garrett for the swim portion of an iron distance triathlon training has been really great for my overall confidence. I wasn't sure I could do this, but here I am, 1/2 way through a 40 week training program and feeling stronger and more capable than even a few weeks ago. He is patient and communicative and I couldn't ask for a better coach. I would definitely recommend Fly Tri Racing to others who are looking to improve their performance!

I joined FlyTri Racing soon after getting over a stress fracture in my foot. I really enjoyed running but I did not want to get injured again so I joined with hopes of staying injury free and of course improving my performance in various distances and eventually completing my first marathon. In 6 short months Coach Garrett Mayeaux has helped me progress exponentially in distances up to the 15k and most importantly, injury free! This has been an excellent investment so far. If you are looking for professional and knowledge based coaching, then look no further. This is the coaching staff for you.

I wanted to make sure my bike fit was dialed in and found Sarah at Fly Tri Racing. I will be racing a 70.3 in May and a 140.6 triathlon in September. I scheduled a time, enjoyed the fit process, and came away feeling confident and ready to train. My seat needed to go up about a centimeter and forward a touch. My stem needed to be a bit longer and aero bars tweaked. All this will help me to breathe easier, produce more power, and be more comfortable on race day. Thank you Sarah for the time you spent making sure my fit was correct. I highly recommend getting your fit checked out for road or triathlon training and racing.

Over the past 4 years I have been an athlete coached by William and a young coach developing under his guidance. During the time of being his athlete I always had a busy and hectic schedule balancing school, work, training, and Corps of Cadets activities at Texas A&M University. He was always exceptional at listening to my last minute and sudden changes of schedule. Then when my training needed adjusting due to those schedule changes, he was great about making those adjustments right away. As an athlete this made me feel of importance and encouraged me to get the workouts completed. On another end of things he took a decent athlete in both the running and swimming disciplines and turned the individual into a professional triathlete. This was a goal that I didn’t realize I wanted until being coach by William Ritter. He was able to unlock a potential that I didn’t even recognize in myself through great athlete development skills. While working with him as a colleague he has consistently gone that extra mile, or done whatever was needed to get the job done in a most professional manner. I was the first coach he brought on under his independent FlyTri Racing brand, so I have seen the hard work he has put into this company in order for it to be where it is today. Though he possesses many great traits, what’s most impressive is his can-do attitude, always positive, taking initiative, example of a true servant leader at FlyTri Racing. William is a person of the highest integrity and work ethic. He has and continues to always puts the needs of others before his own.

Coach Rathke is doing a great job with my son, Jonathan Mounce. We enjoy working with him. We have been looking for an opportunity like this for a few years now. We really like the daily schedule. Jonathan knows just what to do and it works for us to be able to do it remotely, because we live in a rural area and would otherwise not have access to this level of coaching. Coach Rathke and Ritter are always very prompt, professional and very helpful in their communication!

Coach William Ritter has been my coach for the past year and a half now. Without his guidance I would not have reached the success I had this past high school track season and I would not have the knowledge of running I obtained. His extensive awareness of the running world is constantly growing as he continues to gain more insight into the sport. I admire his willingness to go above and beyond to further advance himself in the running community. The knowledge and wisdom he has already imparted on me has made me substantially smarter on the course and in my own life. Through the use of Training Peaks he has taught me the value of consistency and attention to detail in my training. Coach Ritter has always uploaded workouts in a timely manner and has always been flexible with my personal schedule to ensure I reach my maximum potential. The workouts Coach Ritter composes have impeccable detail that are personalized for each athlete through the use of running zones, descriptions, time intervals, and any resource available to him. A stopwatch doesn’t lie and this year alone my time in the two mile has dropped by a full minute and I qualified for the UIL State Track meet. However, I am not the only one making progress and passing limits. Coach Ritter coaches a numerous amount of athletes. Some are in high school trying to compete at the next level like myself and others are adults trying to run a marathon, complete a triathlon, or better themselves by becoming more active. No matter the situation Coach Ritter has each athlete’s best interest at heart and under his instruction are guaranteed to reach their goals.

I have loved your coaching. You are timely with planning workouts, easily reachable for answering questions, and provide quick feedback from workouts. You prove very individualized instruction and coaching, not just plugging from a generic plan. Your swimming instruction has been terrific! You really broke down my issue, and dramatically reduced my swimming workload to what I could actually do without it being a huge struggle. You taught me how to race. You got me faster and stronger, and of course I have I made significant improvements and all distances. We nailed most of the 6 month plan to the marathon. I love the fact you don't mince words! I appreciate direct and to the point communication and you fit the bill perfectly there

Before I worked with William Ritter I had a plan that would change based on my mood or what I felt like doing that day. If I was lucky, I might get the workout right. The whole key with William as your coach is he is not your typical coach He wants you to succeed and has the gift to call you out when you need it and feel like crap. I won a raffle, but scored a million with William as my coach. He is someone I can ask questions to and I know he will lead me in the right direction. It is not like he knows it all, but he does have a broad knowledge and continues to do his homework to know what you need when you need it. I like having the accountability partner/coach like WIlliam, because he has my best interest at heart. I considered other coach's and one whose camp I went to, I felt like the kid behind the 8-ball, because I did not know or feel like I was getting to know what training was all about. I recommend William whenever I can.

When I started training for my first marathon I got nervous about being able to finish. I visited with a few coaches before going with William. Initially, I was looking to only be able to finish the marathon but in the two short months of training I have PR'd my 5k and my half marathon twice, two months in a row! I'm gaining confidence each weekend that I'll be able to cross that finish line of my first marathon that has been my big goal for 2015 after really just starting to run this past year. Can't wait to see what the future holds for Fly Tri Racing

As an amateur cyclist, I had been having pain in my wrists, knee, saddle and feet while riding. I connected with Sarah about helpling, and when she agreed, I was excited because not only was she a proven cyclist and racer so I knew she'd be able to relate to my problems, but also because she was a female and I knew I could comfortably discuss the problems I was having without feeling embarrassed. Sure enough from start to finish she was a pro. She listened to the pain I was having and throughout the fit was making adjustments and checking in about feel in all areas. She even created pieces to go into my shoes to help with my issues. Thanks to her bike fit improvements, I was able to ride my road and gravel bikes without the pain I was experiencing before, and my mph average increased. Thank you Sarah for the thorough fit and attention to detail.

Having a coach is extremely beneficial to me. I’ve always enjoyed running, but I wasn’t sure what distance, how fast, or when to run in order to get faster/meet my goals. No matter how motivated or fast someone is, they can only get so far without proper training. I believe that having a coach has made me faster than I’ve ever been. My coach [Coach Garrett] actually knows what he’s doing and is very flexible with my schedule. I’m not just saying this to be nice, I am getting actual results and meeting my goals thanks to him. I appreciate all the time he’s dedicated in order for me to become the best I can possibly be.

One day late last year I decided I was going to become a triathlete. I ran off and on for years but realized that at my age, I would benefit from some coaching in order to reach my goals without injury or unnecessary frustration and help me master the new skills required. I found Gina Rudd- Rymal (and FlyTri racing), and I asked if she would be my coach. It was the best thing I could have done for myself and my aspirations. She helped me set my goals for the year, gave me race recommendations and a daily training schedule that has help me rapidly improve in all disciplines without injury. Getting a coach made me accountable for my work ethic, effort level and results in a way that I know I would not have done otherwise. Through my association with FlyTri Racing, I have gained confidence in my training, made friends in the endurance community and found a real partner to encourage, inspire and guide me on my journey to becoming all I can be. BTW, all the coaches at FlyTri are top notch and accessible. I have learned so much from all of them during the last 6 months.