“It happened fairly organically,” says Drew. “I talked to friends of friends who were doing related things in health fields to get a sense of what I thought I wanted to do. I knew it was going to start with becoming a personal trainer and then with school. I studied for a few months for the personal trainer certification and found fairly healthy demand. From there, I continued personal training while making up undergraduate prerequisites and then getting the master’s in exercise science. I also got other certifications such as triathlon coach and swim coach.”

The View from the Other Side

These days, Drew competes in his own triathlons. He says, “I started doing triathlons in 1987, and it was a good fit for me from the beginning. I’ve done seventy-something races at distances from sprint to half-Ironman, and I have even won a few small-time ones.” He also coaches both private and group sessions at several Chicago-area facilities and training programs. Since becoming a certified triathlon coach in 2000, Drew has coached hundreds of athletes, ranging from children to seniors and from beginner to elite athletes.

His typical day might start with a few private sessions, meeting his wife Anne for a midday workout, then heading out again to coach a group workout and more private sessions. He also spends many weekends leading swim technique clinics for competitive triathletes and beginner workshops for the aqua-anxious, spending five hours on a Saturday afternoon coaching reluctant triathletes to take the plunge and get in the pool.