I'm Terry Wilson

Born and raised in a small town in Dyersburg, Tennessee.  I grew up running and involved in cross country, track, then in 2006, I started my endurance racing career with the half marathon. I enjoyed the process of training for my first half marathon and in the process inspired my assistant principal to run the full marathon on the same day. I helped create a training plan for him. This would be the first plan of many I would create and how my curiosity of making training plans for others. I would make more training plans for not only him, but others I served with in the Army, friends I met online that needed help and even helped some athletes informally with strength workouts for the PT Test. In 2009 before my first deployment in the U.S. Army, I ran 12 half marathons, a Marathon, and several other fun runs. This year was full of fun, I enjoyed this challenge of making a plan for myself.

My Coaching Philosophy

            I coach IRONMAN© distance athletes.  Ironman is a triathlon consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run.   I coach endurance athletes to help them achieve their endurance dreams.  It's my pleasure, and I take great pride in helping athletes achieve what previously seemed impossible.  On my podcast Pursuit of the Perfect Race, I interview athletes about their race and share their knowledge and experience with you.  I also coach athletes who compete in marathons, half marathons, and other distance triathlons.  

            As a virtual triathlon coach, my philosophy is much different than a typical coach. Because of this, I must use all the tools I have to the best of my ability.  The athletes I coach value my confidence, dependability, openness, and most of all, my honesty.  I’m confident in my ability to use working knowledge to analyze athlete data, test limits, find a clear path and allow the plan to fit into their life with ease.  When working with me, there is a clear expectation to complete workouts every day, openly communicate, and give honest feedback.  This allows me to walk athletes through their journey of fitness, gaining strength, and achieving big goals.

            It is my goal that every athlete I coach will understand their plan, their progress, and how to adjust when life happens. While I value data, I value the athlete more.  I have had the privilege of working with talented athletes that have chased the highly sought-after Kona Slot (the World Championship of Ironman distance races).  Beyond the talent, I see the relationship that I have with athletes as far more than a coach-athlete mentorship.  To me, coaching is the ability to work with another person and help them achieve their goals.  Witnessing the raw emotions of dreams being realized allows my tank to always be full. This is why I coach.

            There are more than 2,500 coaches in the United States. Many look at the data, the science, the numbers, and attempt to figure out the perfect plan for each athlete. Where many go wrong is they don’t account for the athlete’s life.  I find great joy in understanding athletes and driving them toward their goals. It is an incredibly rewarding journey, and my athletes are worth every phone call, Facetime, text message, and e-mail.

            I believe coaching is about understanding each athlete’s goal and helping them become the best athlete they can be.  From a weight loss journey, to finishing a half-ironman distance race, to qualifying for Kona, I respect each athlete’s individual goals and am committed to walking through their journey alongside them.

2006 - 2012

I served in the U.S. Army Reserves for a total of six years and two years inactive.  I am a proud Combat Engineer.    I was deployed to Afghanistan as a an engineer in order to conduct route clearance operations in 2010-2011. During this deployment, prior to being assigned the job of lead Husky Driver, I was blown up by three IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) in the Buffalo A2.  It is due to the engineers and designers at Force Protection I am still alive today.  

2012 - 2014

In 2012, I moved from Tennessee to Carrollton, Texas to work for a company called Critical Solutions International.  I became a civilian contractor and was a Field Service Representative for them for two years. It was while I was with this company that I was sent back to Afghanistan as one of the youngest civilians in operations in Afghanistan.  It was in 2013, that I suffered the tragic loss of my mother who was killed by a driver that swerved into her lane of traffic.  The Tennessee Highway Patrol officers stated that the cause of the accident was the other driver playing on their phone.  Both drivers lost their life that night.

2014

After returning home from Afghanistan the second time, I married the love of my life, AnnMarie on December 13, 2014.

2015

I dove headfirst into endurance and built up all the way to the 140.6 distance.  I completed Ironman Chattanooga that year.  I also started coaching just before then.  While I had been giving plans out for years to athletes I knew informally, and learning some things here and there, it wasn't until that December that I held my first give away in order to give back to the triathlon community.  I was also told by my friend, mentor, and fellow coach Harold Wilson, that I should go back to school to get my degree.  

2016 - 2017

All about coaching, the podcast (Pursuit of the Perfect Race), and my education at a Collin College.  I dedicated my time to interviewing, networking, and learning about other athlete’s races in order to help the athletes I coach. While at Collin College, I maintained a 3.9 GPA. I’ve found what I love to do and where I can fully invest my energy, and I see myself doing much more of this in the future. Stay tuned.

Summer 2019

I had the pleasure of completing an internship with an amazing group of people at the Adaptive Training Foundation in Carrollton, Texas. This foundation helps adaptive athletes discover they are not limited and can be treated as normal people while positioning athletes in a better mindset. I was on the social media team and helped create, schedule, manage, and distribute content on Instagram and Facebook for them. I also helped with e-mail campaigns, enrollments for events, and brainstorming new ideas for social media. I look forward to seeing this company grow in the future.

May 2019

Congressman Van Taylor presented me with the Purple Heart for injuries sustained due to IED blasts in Afghanistan during my deployment in 2010. This was truly a humbling honor to be awarded the award no one wants to receive.

December 2019

I graduated with my undergraduate degree in Sport Management from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. I was quite pleased with this outcome as I was the very first student at the university to complete the program.

2020

The year everything shut down. Initially, I was going to run the Comrades Marathon and do many fun races that were on my bucket list this year. But due to Covid-19, the world of sporting events has taken a backseat while the population of the human race determines what can be done to ensure the safety and well being at large events moving forward. I’m most interested in what those in sport management, race organisations, and event management positions are doing right now. I’m interviewing off line and in confidence many race directors and officials that share their unique insight so I can learn from what they are experiencing and doing to help others in the future.

Summer 2020

My application was received and I was formally accepted into the Masters in Sport Management program at Southern Methodist University. I look forward to this opportunity for many reasons. I have been eyeing the chance to go to this school since 2015. I’m excited to be a part of such an amazing school and continue my education formally here.