Who We Are

Jim Vernon, Founder & Navigator

Jim and Sunny at the beach.

An avid trail runner  who received two silver buckles at the Western States  and Leadville 100s and is also the course record holder for the Ultra Division 199 Mile Calistoga to Santa Cruz Relay with running partner Dean Karnazes.  On the ocean he’s competed in the 42 mile Molokai Hoe  which is considered the world championships of the sport. Additionally, he has been a guide in Canada’s Northwest Territories where he’s led groups down 40 plus day expeditions down the Back, Dubwant, & Thelon rivers. He is also a map “dork” and knows his way around the Marin backcountry.

Jim conceived the San Francisco areas first trail specific running program 3 years ago which trained participants for The North Face’s Endurance Challenge 50 Mile and 50K events.  Upon the success of this session and the desire for the group to remain training together, he continued the format and established The Endurables as a trail focussed running club that concentrates on having fun, inclusion and training hard.

With the guidance of Rachel Rodriguez, this program is one of the most comprehensive and balanced option for runners of all abilities.

Rachel Rodriguez: Head Coach, Uber Motivator

Rachel Running

Training Mission: I grew up on a dairy farm. It is hard work. You wake up at 4:30AM to milk cows, feed calves, take a shower, and go to school. The track coach tells you to run the perimeter around the school for a workout. You proceed to run around a corn field covered Southern Indiana High School perimeter in the blazing heat, the downpour of rain, and the occasional blizzard. Then, when you arrive at home, you start over again with milk the cows, feed the calves, clean the pens, and go to bed. The lifestyle was tough, but the life training can’t be reproduced. This life teaches an individual how to stay dedicated to a goal, stay focused on the day at hand, and learn to face good and bad days.

Freedom was acceptence into Indiana State University’s Athletic Training Program where I recieved a double major in Athletic Training and Exercise science. I loved anatomy, biomechanics, physiology, and human motion classes. I knew that I had found my calling. After working with high school and college athletes on programming, strength training, injury rehabilitation, and nutrition, I moved on to the fitness field and started coaching athletes.

My focus on triathlon started in 2000 after signing up for my first Ironman race. I was living in Salt Lake City at the time and was working with injury rehabilitation, runners, cyclists, and general fitness clients. I worked very hard and accomplished an 11:54 on my very first triathlon. After that, I was hooked. Triathlon was a great segway into my next chapter. Since then, I have recieved USAT Level II certification, ACSM Certification, NCTMB status, ART certification, and have had a specific focus on endurance sports including Ironman, Half Ironman, Ultra marathon, marathon, trail running, Xterra, and Olypmic distance triathlon.

I currently focus on 8 week training camps for Bay Area athletes, one on one coaching programs for intermediate and advanced athletes, annual training plans and race plans for individuals, group training, Xterra trail run coaching, Nike Women’s Marathon coaching, and motivational speaking. I continue to race! I love it to much to stop. That is one thing my athletes seem to really enjoy. I can coach them and be their mentor, their educator, their support crew, and talk to them about their kids, lives, stressors, diet, jobs, and other on a long bike ride or trail run. It is great, I really get to know my athletes and have a real sense for their physical abilities, mental abilities, and their lives outside of triathlon.

My strengths as your coach:

* I care about your health and well being first and foremost. I evaluate you first and develop a program second

* I get back to you promptly. I do the best I can to answer emails as fast as they come in. I keep your program up to date and communicate with you about work, travel, changes in plans, ETC.

* I work really well with the corporate employee, traveling athlete, business owner, scattered training schedule. I am available to change your program on the fly. You could be headed to Germany for a last minute business trip and we will figure out your training.

* I don’t take on the world. You are my focus. I am not going to school to pursue other careers. I don’t have a full time tech career and coach on the side. This is my life, my love, my sole dedication. My brain is not fogged with other stressors or complications. Your success is my goal.

* I work with other coaches. If you have another sport or hobby that you like, I can adapt. If you have a swim coach and need help with cycling and running, I can adapt. You may need a core and strength routine only, I can adapt.

* I know many courses. I have raced a lot. I have placed top in age at most major events in California and can help you do well based on actual experience. I have jumped off the boat into the bay, I have pushed my way up Marincello after 40 miles of running, I have faced the scourching heat at Wildflower, and I have touched the bottom of the river at Vineman Half. If I haven’t done it, I will try it. Only to be able to coach you better and help you achieve your goals.

Philosophy:
Everyone has an athlete within them. Rachel wants to tap into the inner athlete. The human body is so amazing. You give it a stimulus and it responds. You tell it what to do, it is hard the first time, then it can adapt. She will amaze you with her desire to make you fitter, stronger, faster, and all without risking your health. That is the physical aspect, now there is the mental aspect. Never before have you had a coach to push you, support you, listen to you, and be your mental interval when you need it. Competing at a high level takes dedication, skill, desire, and mental stability. Though this is not therapy, there is a huge mental component in training that has got to be flowing in a positive direction. Rachel does her best to get into the inner person and figure out what drives you to be your best. She will guide you through a process of self acceptance, ability recognition, self reliance, and love of self. With this process, you become a better athlete, friend, co-worker, spouse, and human being.