RG Active (www.rgactive.com) started life as a part time activity for John Brame but has since grown to become a vibrant coaching and triathlon business. John took some time out to talk to T-Zero about RG Active and to share some top tips for beginner triathletes.

What inspired you to set up RG Active?

I started RG Active with another triathlete, Dermott Hayes, over 5 years ago. It was originally something both Dermott and myself did alongside other jobs after seeing an opportunity in the growing triathlon market. I was seeing the sport grow at a rapid rate and all these people buying wetsuits and not being able to experience swimming outdoors until the day of their chosen event. We started offering group swim sessions to these people, a place where they could come and experience outdoor swimming in their wetsuit with experienced coaches who could offer advice and guidance before the ‘big day’.

I was also doing some cycle coaching and from there it started to evolve and I took RG Active on ‘full time’ in 2009.

How does where you are now with RG Active compare with what you envisaged when you started out?

We never really started the business expecting it to become anything in particular which has made it very exciting. We have been able to let it evolve and have been happy for this to happen. We now know where we want to go with RG Active but letting it evolve naturally has allowed us to offer what out customers want, and as we continue to grow we are becoming more focused on our destination.

How do you see RG Active developing over the next few years?

We have big plans for RG Active, some of which are ‘top secret’ and others include the growth and evolution of the RG Active Race Team (our Club), the continued addition of new sessions, new sports and new regional set-ups and most exciting of all the first RG Active franchise outside of London.

How does coaching impact your own training and performance?

I am in a great place with my training and racing these days. I enjoy my training and racing and although I am still very competitive I don’t beat myself up if I have a bad race. So many of our clients do triathlon on top of their busy family and work lives and because of this I try and make every session FUN, and I have really adopted this approach to my own training.

As a coach, what are the biggest mistakes you see new triathletes making?

The obvious one has to be OVERTRAINING. It is amazing how quickly people fall into this common trait so many triathletes seem to share.

What do you think is the most important factor to making progress and improving as a triathlete?

A good ‘base’. It doesn’t matter whether you build your base during the winter or summer but before you start pushing yourself looking for performance improvements you have to make sure the ground work has been done. I have been unlucky enough to experience lots of injuries in my time and many due to not putting in the miles and ground work before starting to look for performance.

What has been your finest moment as a coach?

I don’t have one moment. I have many moments and these happen every time I get a phone call or email from a client saying how much an RG Active session or a 1-2-1 Coaching session had helped them enjoy their event, and how my help has made their experience so much more. I find these little bits I do for clients more rewarding than anything I have achieved as an athlete, and that’s why I keep coaching and love what I do!

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