Liz Varner:

Home: Oakland, California (Bay Area)

Specialties: Triathlon, Running, General fitness, Beginning Road Racing, Bike Fit.

Client levels accepted: SemiCustom, Custom and Consultation (also group training sessions)

As a Wenzel triathlon, running and cycling coach for the Bay Area of Northern California, Liz Varner coaches a wide range of fitness enthusiasts ranging from bike racers, runners, and triathletes to health conscious individuals looking to improve their lifestyle through endurance activities. Liz works directly with the Head Coaches of Wenzel Coaching to develop custom and semi custom programs tailored to individual goals.

Liz brings knowledge and hard-won experience as both athlete and a coach. Liz competed in competitive gymnastics for over 12 years before turning to mountain bike racing in the mid 90's.  She has had the cycling bug ever since! Not content to spend her time on just one sport, Liz has also competed in endurance rowing where she completed a 100,000 meter indoor rowing event.  She also has experience as a triathlete competing in both Olympic and Half Ironman distances. During her years as a triathlete Liz also focused on running and helped to establish the second all women’s running team in the Pacific Association of USATF and ran in events ranging from 5k to marathon distances. In more recent years Liz has focused on road racing where she has gained valuable experience racing in the women’s Pro/1/2 field.

Liz’s experience as an athlete has helped her to become a well rounded coach.  She has taught spin classes, strength training, triathlon programs, and programs that introduce individuals to endurance and heart rate training. Liz has coached over 100 runners to successfully complete various marathons from 2002 to 2004 through the Aids Marathon Program. She specializes in working with athletes of all levels and has had great success helping master athletes reach their goals. She understands that many of her clients are juggling work, family, school and their training and helps them to find a balance that fits their life.

Liz is ACE certified, holds a USA Cycling coaches license, and is particularly experienced in heart rate training.  She lives in the Oakland Hills with her husband Scott and daughter Audrey.  Liz has a bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Arizona in Tucson.

To inquire about working with Liz Varner, please click here! >>>

I think Liz Varner should be coach of the month... Why? First, Liz was an awesome coach when I first started training with Wenzel back in 2005. She provided me insight into races she had done that I would be experiencing for the first time, encouragement during the times when I didn't do as well as I would have liked, and feedback based on the times when I had chosen to increase --or decrease-- my commitment to the program. Second, I took a year off training and racing-- and Wenzel-- through the 2006 season. Despite my lack of activity, too-busy-with-work-to-exercise attitude and general aimlessness, Liz continued to provide me with enough counsel to keep racing and training in the back of my mind. She'd check in with me from time to time and provide me with baseline metrics for general well being (riding once every two weeks = bad, running once a week = good cross training). Just the kind of relationship-building I expect from a coach-- and a friend. Liz knew that even though I wasn't on track or on the Wenzel program, that keeping me in the loop would bring me back. And indeed it has. Due to her encouragement and polite insistence, I have rededicated myself to racing, am excited about my 2007 season and renewed my Wenzel "membership." I always manage to throw Liz for a loop with my crazy schedule, adventures and heart rate zones, and my she never misses a beat. She drives a hard bargain, calls me on my slacking and keeps me motivated... Coach of the Month material, I firmly believe!! ~ Meredith Obendorfer