Abby Ruby
Details
| C O A C H B I O |
Name | Abby Ruby |
|---|---|---|
| April 27, 1979 | ||
| Taunton, MA | ||
| Manitou Springs, CO | ||
| PhD: Interdisciplinary - psychology, sports studies, anthropology, gender studies; MA: Humanities and Social Thought: Science Studies and Gender Politics; BS: Kinesiology; BA: Women’s Studies | ||
| NATA-BOC USAC USAT- Level II CISSN | ||
| Senior | ||
| Triathlon, Ironman, Running, Marathon, Cycling — road and mountain | ||
| Premium, Ultimate | ||
Profile:
Date of Birth:
April 27, 1979
Places I’ve called home and why I like where I am now:
Providence, RI; Durham, NH; NYC NY; Iowa City, IA; Colorado Springs, CO
I love the mountains and so does my puppy dog!
Education
High School:
Moses Brown School- Providence, RI
College/University:
University of New Hampshire- undergrad
New York University- Masters
University of Iowa- Doctorate
Coaching Background
I decided to pursue training and education as a coach because:
I believe in the positive attributes of exercise, and I recognize that it takes guidance at times to balance work, life, family and training. I strive to offer that guidance for myself and my athletes.
I decided to join CTS because:
CTS believes in the whole athlete, mind and body. The athlete is a human being in and apart from their athletic endeavors. I resonate with this mission and aim to uphold it with each and every interaction I have with my athletes.
What I liked best about the CTS coaching residency program:
Learning! Education is the backbone of Carmichael Training Systems and no where is this more apparent than in the residency program. As a life long student with a BS and a BA, a Masters, and a PhD, I very much value education and the learning process.
The greatest lesson I learned during the CTS coaching residency program:
There is always more to learn. The research continues to be updated and what we believed in the 70’s is enhanced by what we have learned in the 90’s. Staying up to date on the research and current scientific theories is crucial to providing the best level of service to our athletes.
I like coaching for CTS because:
We have fun here! Working in the office I am exposed to the best of the best in the coaching world. I have direct access to the finest minds in the industry and I am mentored by some of the most accomplished coaches in cycling, triathlon and running. Not only am I encouraged to develop myself as a coach, we “practice what we preach” here and go for office rides and runs together. Since working at CTS I raced a personal best at a local half-Ironman taking 35 minutes off of my previous time at the same course. This stuff really works!
My most rewarding coaching experience:
Sharing the journey with each and every athlete of mine has been incredibly rewarding. When one of my athletes accomplishes a goal they have set out for themselves and shares that accomplishment with me I feel like I have made a difference in another’s life, and there is nothing more fulfilling that that!
The best thing about being a coach is:
Inspiring others to tap into the champion in themselves, and making a difference in someone else’s life. I love the amalgamation of the science and the art of coaching. The scientific data is stimulating and the personal communication and interaction I have with my athletes is incredibly satisfying.
My coaching philosophy is:
Athletes at all levels deserve ultimate encouragement, compassion, knowledge and enthusiasm for whatever their goals may be. Winning an Ironman, completing a 5k, loosing 5 pounds, and becoming a world champion all stem from the same commitment to self and to exercise that I empower my athletes to discover.
My coaching goals:
My coaching goals are synonymous with the mission of the company: to inspire and empower the athlete in each of us. When I work with athletes not only do I want them to achieve their short term goals, I want them to fall in love with exercise and make it a life long part of who they are.
My proudest moment as a coach:
Each and every athlete who reaches a personal best, who accomplishes their goals and who performs beyond their expectations is the most rewarding moment for me as a coach. I could never isolate one proud moment from all of these individual moments I have had the pleasure and privilege to be a part of.
My most embarrassing coaching experience:
I once called an athlete to wish her luck on her upcoming marathon, only to learn I was a week off and her marathon was the following week. Not to worry her taper was properly timed and her training was on target- my well wishes were just a week early. That was pretty embarrassing.
My area of coaching expertise is:
Psychology, finding balance between exercise and life.
My strongest coaching quality is:
Listening and encouraging my athletes who compete at all levels.
The best advice I ever got from him/her was:
We have no idea what we are capable of until we try. We are limited by the restrictions we set on ourselves more than anything else.
Distinguished athletes I’ve coached:
Kenji Takeya- 2000, 2003, 2006 - mtn bike Japanese national champion
Athletic Career Highlights
When I started (my sport) and what got me started:
I played Division I lacrosse for the University of New Hampshire. After graduating from college I began to run. My runs in New York City grew longer and longer until my boss encouraged me to run a marathon, so I did. One summer day after my first marathon I was joking with a friend of mine telling her it was so hot I couldn’t get my full run in so I biked and swam- I did a “triathlon” I laughed into the phone. She was so excited I had said that magic word, that she found a race in New Jersey the following weekend for me to enter, borrowed a bike for me to ride, and we were on our way. I haven’t turned back since!
Athletic accomplishments:
Winner of W19-24 Ironman Brazil
What my sports mean to me:
My sport is my therapy, my purpose, my grounding. I run to appreciate the body I have and to give my mind a break. I run to center myself, to appreciate the world around me and to enjoy nature- the mtns, the streams, the snow. After my brother was hit by a car and became paralyzed I vowed to do something positive with the ability I had. I vowed to raise money and awareness for Spinal Cord Injury research with my racing--and I continue to do so today. Someday I would love for us to compete in a marathon or a triathlon together. Until that day I continue to set goals for myself and work to achieve those goals. I learn something new about who I am as a person and who I want to be with each and every training run, ride and swim.
What I like best about my sports:
I love that when I train in my sport I clear my head. Running, cycling and swimming diverts my attention away from the stresses of the day and allows me to focus on myself, what I need, want and feel. Running is my therapy!
What I would have done differently in my competitive days if I knew what I know now:
Enjoy the training as much as the competition. It is not all about the destination, but instead the journey along the way.
What I would not change:
My drive, my determination and choosing challenging events. I have completed three Ironman triathlons including the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, and I have run 4 marathons since I began competing in endurance athletics 5 years ago.
My near and far-term athletic goals:
Leadville 100 Trail Run, perhaps make it back to Kona.
Activities I do for fun and exercise:
Hiking with my puppy dog
My favorite race/competition and why:
Ironman Brazil- my first Ironman, no expectations, totally in the zone on the bike and my fastest IM to date. NYC marathon- so much fun! People everywhere.
My best athletic experience:
Most recently I have trained harder and longer than I ever have for a marathon. I was geared up and ready to race hard and qualify for Boston, then I got sick. I have fallen ill multiple times before big races, I had a 101 fever in Kona and still raced, so getting sick during taper was not something new for me. I hydrated, rested and focused on the things I could control as opposed to the things I could not. I went out on race day and raced my heart out, and at the half I had a personal best time and felt awesome! Then I fell apart. As opposed to beating myself up over not qualifying for Boston, I reflected on how fun the training had been for this race, how much I had learned in the process, and I realized that it was just a race, qualifying or not, it was just a race and there would be more. Instead I focused on the successes I had had in training and reveled in the experience of enjoying the journey as much as the destination.
My worst athletic experience:
Dropping out of races is the hardest thing to do for me. I would rather push myself into the ground than give up.
My most embarrassing athletic experience:
Parents enthusiastically cheering on the sideline. As a teenager I was mortified by this--I am sure I am not alone here.
My strongest athletic quality is:
My determination.
I get pumped up for competition by:
Thinking about all those who have believed in me and invested in my success. I draw that energy in and internalize it- so it becomes my own belief in myself.
Miscellaneous
When I’m not coaching or training I like to:
Go for hikes with my dog.
Knit hats for the new babies in the office
Watch movies
Hang out with the new babies from the office
The mentor who influenced me the most is:
My mother and my brother. Both believe in me and live by example. My mom, the ever selfless mother and wife, took 45 minutes for herself each and every morning to run. I learned from this model that exercise to me is as integral to my daily routine as brushing my teeth. My brother, older and always picking on me made me stronger. My admiration for him has never wavered, and now that we are older, the fact that we are friends means so much to me. We value and respect each other.
The best advice I ever got from him/her was:
Choose your traveling partners wisely as you become them.
I can be characterized as:
Driven, motivated, pensive, giving, serious.
The neatest thing I ever found on a run/ride was:
An eagle
Something non-sports related that no one would guess about me:
I like to knit
If I wasn’t a coach, I would be:
An academic
My favorite meal/dessert is:
Mom’s baked ziti with Grandma Evans’ sauce.
My favorite music is:
Ani Difranco
My favorite website is/websites are:
yahoo.com
My favorite place in the world is:
The mountains in Colorado and my family’s country home in Cold Spring, New York
When traveling, I never leave without:
kissing my puppy dog good bye
In my car you’ll find:
Maps, tissues, hand sanitizer, cd’s, gum and my AAA card that my father insists is always present.
The oldest piece of sports equipment I am still using:
Ski poles from high school.
In 2020, I plan to be:
A mother!
The best small bit of advice I can give is:
Believe in yourself!
Where I would most like to go and what I would most like to do on a dream vacation:
Backpack around the world.
Pure relaxation is:
Laying on the beach reading a book.
I’m a real slacker when it comes to:
Finishing my dissertation
Hobbies and interests:
Triathlon
Skiing
Hiking
Travel (that’s why I pick fun Ironman races in foreign countries
