Testimonials

I’ve worked with Pat since 2012. I’m a middle-aged office worker with simple enough goals – cycle to stay fit, do the odd sportive, and cycle on my holidays in the summer. As someone who has suffered from back and neck problems over the years, Pat has helped me massively with a professional bike fit, saddle advice, technique sessions and strength / core exercises.

I’ve attended his cycling camp in Lanzarote with a mix of elite cyclists/pros all the way down to my level – Pat finds a way to make the routes/sessions work for everyone and creates a great team spirit and sense of fun among the group. Pat, a former pro himself and one of the early adopters of training with power, has the expertise and character to help all levels make progress on the bike. I must say i look forward to our endurance rides outside a bit more than our 20 minute FTP power tests!

Pat has helped me set up my TT bike over several fittings as my confidence grew out on the road. He never hesitates to respond to my bizarre queries about cleats, saddles and how aero is too aero!? Going from a triathlon newbie on a road bike to now a top performing age grouper on my beloved TT is a testament to Pats fitting skills and patience!

I met Pat in the summer of 2016 and we had a group of triathletes training together at indoor bike power sessions on the Wahoo KICKR snaps. Pat would lead the sessions and adjust everyones power on the turbos throughout the class pushing us all that bit harder each week. We would have some fun doing the power tests, especially trying to beat each others average watts. The motivation of training with a great group really helped me prepare for events over the winter months.

Pat and I met in 2008 when I was starting my triathlon career with Half Ironman Geelong, Australia. We undertook a bike fit, metabolic VO2 testing and started on a comprehensive training plan that saw me finish in 4hrs 45minutes and a top 15 position in my age group. Since that date and through Pat’s coaching and smashing laps with him on the original Ironman UK course in Sherborne, I have completed numerous half Ironman’s, Ironman’s and time trials with the highlights being coming second overall at the Enduroman Half Ironman in Lanzarote and winning my age group at Challenge Henley Ironman. I have represented GBR at short and long distance triathlon at an ITU level as well as in duathlon also.

After three years away from the sport to focus on work and get fat, I am now back training with Pat and with the focus on winning some more time trials and getting to Kona for the Ironman World Championships.

I started training with Pat at the beginning of 2015 after he was recommended to me by a work colleague. My new fitness goal was to do a triathlon, in fact a half ironman later that year in Dubai, so I needed someone who specialised in long distance triathlon to help me prepare.

We would train 4 times a week and Pat wrote me my training plan leading up to the event. During the week we would usually focus on indoor bike power intervals and running technique drills, with some strength and stretching added in. Over the weekends we would do our longer distance outdoor bikes and runs. I improved my technique and fitness greatly leading up to the event and Pat even came out to Dubai with me as my coach, mechanic and chief supporter. We still train together on the weekends with more emphasis on health and have become very good friends during the years.

I was looking for a trainer who is also a cyclist so that my gym training complements my bike training and Pat fits that bill and more. Aside from working with me on my core strength, he’s helped with my bike selection and fitting,in conjunction with Balance Physio, and well as my bike programme. Sessions with Pat are fun and productive- as a result of the time in the gym, my power and comfort on the bike have improved significantly.

Pat goes the extra mile for his clients. He’s always on the end of the phone line to help you out of a tight spot, when, hypothetically speaking, it’s the night before your cycling holiday and you can’t work out how to pack the bike in your new bag! I recommend Pat highly for anyone who is keen to improve their overall fitness and cycling performance.

Pat’s USP is his uncanny ability to understand my training needs even before I even verbalise them. He is intuitive and always a step ahead when it comes to tailoring my training programmes. In just one training session, he fixed my insecurities about being on my aerobars and in four months, I was able to race Ironman Italy 2017 more confidently than all my previous Ironman races and was able to stay down on in the aero position for the majority of the bike leg as it felt comfortable and stable from Pats help with a bike fit.

Pat is personable and professional at the same time and always takes a sincere interest in my development as a recreational triathlete. This is one big reason why Pat continues to be my Coach even when circumstances have brought me back to Singapore. I’ve trained under many coaches in the past and I can say most unreservedly that Pat has been my best coach ever !

Toward the middle of 2010 weighing in at 95kgs, roughly 20kgs heavier than my end of high school days, a few mates and I decided we were going to do a middle distance triathlon purely for the banter of it. Apart from riding my mountain bike in the local chain gang as a kid I’d never clipped into pedals, I’d never even ridden a road bike in my life, however at the time I thought I was in stellar shape having just completed my very first half marathon distance in a time I would later on train to crush by 35 minutes.

After getting thrashed by my mates in the first race I decided it was time to take it further and sign up for an Ironman. That’s about when I met Pat Leahy. After a few sessions I remember being humbled at the science that went into the sport and by the achievements of the members, community and athletes that had come through the doors. I was quickly on track learning from the various mixes of professionals

Pat’s expertise on bikes, racing and his determination to have someone succeed did not only help me understand more about cycling but also helped me enjoy something which was previously always combined with physical pain. Pat helped me find the right bike which really just suits me, my physic and my conditions. It was an eye opening experience and I cannot think of anyone who would have been more helpful finding the right bike with the right fit. And it was not only about finding a “good brand” but looking at all measurements- the time he invested in it was incredible and I could have not made the right decision on a bike without him.

So now it is all about training even harder, and Pat defiantly has the determination to help others succeed and have a good laugh with it too. I appreciate the sport more and more and have found someone who is able to motivate, listen and has a real sense of commitment to his clients.

Pat has been training me for two years; indoors on the turbo trainer, on roads in and around London and also on training camp in Lanzarote. He always varies the training, with tempo, intervals, sprints and endurance sessions all included in the program. We train either one-to-one or in a group. Pat pushes you but always remains sensitive to your fitness levels (as a relative beginner, especially when riding as part of a group with more experienced and faster riders, it would be easy to get left behind; but Pat always maintains a group dynamic that ensures this doesn’t happen).

Most importantly though, Pat has a relaxed and positive outlook to training that keeps you motivated and moving forward. Last year my confidence and fitness grew on the bike from doing intervals in Richmond Park to riding 4-5hrs in the Surrey hills!

When it comes to finding a coach or getting your bike fitted it’s best to go on recommendation from friends, and other cyclists. I was lucky that in my spin classes I was introduced to Pat at Pedal Studio. Pat listened to me explain about signing up for the Ironman, the level of experience I had and my competency when it came to riding. After taking that all in, he walked me through the importance of a bike fit and good training plan.

There is so much to gain when doing an Ironman, getting a tri coach is the difference between doing an 8 hour bike and doing a 6.5 hour bike, or a 7 hour marathon to a 4 hour marathon. Having someone there to set out your training programme, track your goals and give you confidence in what you want to achieve is invaluable. If you’re fortunate enough to be able to invest in a coach, then do it! Pat gave me a training programme to follow and put me in a fast comfortable position which made the world of difference!

“ I can still remember the feeling when I registered for Ironman UK in 2010, heart was racing, butterflies, dry mouth etc. I can also remember thinking “ right that’s it, January the training starts, no more drinking or smoking, no more working away etc.”

Fast forward a few Months and nothing has changed except now only twelve weeks untill race day, I knew I needed help, and found Pat at ProVo2, from our first consultation I knew that he understood my needs, I just wanted to finish, he drafted a training plan, I took a metabolic/Vo2 max test and Pat set all my training zones, for 11 weeks I followed the programme as best as I could (averaged 7hrs per week) and achieved my goal of finishing the race, what really impressed me about Pats approach was not only the use of technology to make every training minute count, but the energy and emotional support that Pat seemed to bring, I feel very lucky that I found Pat and subsequently trusted him” Cheers Matt

From the very first time I met Pat, he has been absolutely brilliant and is always there to greet with a huge smile!! He will spend as much time as is needed on giving the best advice and making sure the fit is just right, using the awesome fitbike machine. This ensures the fit is 100{9a02f3d6925cd92d9de7bcd3fad7ef1495d1a3d432b85b4c87452bdad4a9ff72} specific and precise to the rider. During the bike fit he explained what he was changing and why, so I could understand the importance of each adjustment how it should feel.

Once I made my decision on which bike to go for from the list of possible options, Pat was extremely efficient and it arrived the next week! His knowledge was fantastic and he offered tons of advice about the best components to use (pedals, saddle etc). The follow up was great, and he made sure that I practiced with the speedplay pedals before being let lose on the road!

“Training with Pro-VO2’s head coach Pat Leahy has helped me from doing my first Ironman in 10:29 to finishing an Ironman in 8:56 in just 2 years of my triathlon training!! This sort of result and improvement is unheard of especially for an amateur in fulltime employment.”

I was lucky enough to work with Kyle in his first few years starting out in triathlon. In 2008 he started training with Pro-VO2 with a firm goal and dream from the start to become an Ironman champion. His dedication, ability and good nature was inspiring to the other athletes training along side him as he went sub 9hrs in his first 2 years of Ironman, was qualifying for Kona regularly, become the AG Ironman World Champion, turned professional, won more IM races professionally and recently fulfilled his dream becoming 2018 IM South Africa champion in his home town of Port Elizabeth. All his old training buddies from London wish him continued success on the IM circuit!

I have been tested a few times on the Computrainer in the gym with Pat and Jon Hotchkiss, and have made a 20 watt improvement for my average 10 and 20 minute sustained Power thresholds on the bike time trials. Not only this, I have managed to knock my time down for my half marathon to 1hr 26 mins. For my third ever time running this distance without specific run training for it!

Since being with Pat Leahy and working with the support I recieve from his team and plan, I feel that even though it has been a small period of time, I have made great improvements in my levels of fitness, motivation and overall enjoyment. Pat has been a great support and is always happy to meet up within our busy hectic schedules, and offer sound advice. I’m looking forward to testing out my new QR TimeTrial bike on the new path I have chosen to take in racing Ironman 70.3s professionally.