(MPhed Exercise Physiology; BPhed PE/Biology; Athletics NZ & Tri Coach)
Val has always been obsessed with sport, health & fitness.  She has been working with elite sport since 1991 as a strength & conditioning coach; sport scientist; and from 2002 as a full-time endurance and strength coach. Her goal is continued learning & sharing her expertise to help clients achieve their goals.  Val’s biggest sport achievements came as a collegiate basketball player (Canadian National Title & Captain of the University of British Columbia Woman’s team).  Her BPHed/Biology degree was followed with a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology from The University of Otago.  At Otago she worked as a Sport Scientist and Strength & Conditioning Coach for NZ’s top carded athletes during which time she competed in triathlon.  From 1997 – the present she has been lead strength coach for Basketball New Zealand; Snowsports New Zealand and Triathlon New Zealand; before committing to private strength & endurance coaching.  In 2019 the “Reach Your Peak” Studio was opened – the goal to provide a world class strength and post-rehab facility for athletes and mountain people.  The next chapter begins!

(BA, GradDip Teach Sec, Tri NZ Coach)
Merryn has been part of our coaching group since 2008 and has developed and runs the Peak Endurance Swim Programme. She has had a long career as a triathlete and coach, competing across all levels at middle and long distance in all three disciplines, then continuing on as a coach and mentor. Competition highlights include podium finishes at IMNZ, Challenge Roth and Challenge Wanaka; and Ironman Kona. She has combined her personal experiences in sport with a teaching degree to connect with her athletes at their individual level. With empathy she collaborates with her athletes to figure out the most effective way to achieve their goals, whilst balancing their personal commitments such as to work and family. Getting the recipe right can be life changing! Her athletes have successfully competed at all levels at events including off-road, long and short course triathlon; half marathon through to ultra distance running and Coast to Coast.

Mike joins the Peak Endurance coaching team with a wealth of wide-ranging endurance sport experience and a strong base in working with people to help them get the best out of themselves. (Alongside his racing, he served 18 years in the New Zealand Police). Mike‘s extensive race experience has spanned 30 years, and includes finishes and podiums in Elite ITU & Duathlon World Cup Series & World Champs;  Xterra & Cross-Tri World Champs; Ironman including Kona World Champs; Coast to Coast; Adventure racing; and MTB racing. Mike is a Tri NZ Accredited Coach and a specialist multisport kayak coach under the NZOIA framework. Through this long history he has trained under and learned from some of the best coaches in the field. He would tell you he made a lot of mistakes along the way and keenly remembers being a beginner. However, this has taught him of the value of the input of a coach for guiding and empowering an athlete, working as a collaborative team with the athlete to work towards the challenges they set!

Sammy Burke is a former NZ and Australian Secondary Schools Cross Country Run Champion, and National Secondary Schools Road and track podium distance runner.  She has completed a run scholarship in the US (Portland State Uni, Oregon),  complete with a Science Degree (Applied Health & Fitness).  Sammy was one of those kids who just loved to run.  After finishing her Collegiate running she has been bitten by the trail running bug, splitting her time between the South Island NZ and California/Oregon & British Columbia running and hiking mountain tops.  Her quote after finishing the Back Country Rise 20 Mile race at Mt St Helens was “There are brief moments in time where I think “this is all I’ve ever wanted….Camping, training and racing with good people & friends.”  Sammy has had a lot of success with her running, but she has also suffered with and been sidelined from injury.  Having experienced the highs and lows of success and injury, alongside using run:walk programs, strength and mobility to bring her back to competitive running has made her a very empathetic coach and runner keen to share her passion and expertise with others.

(BPE Czech Republic)
Misa has a degree in Physical Education and Sports Nutrition from the Czech Republic. Although originally an equestrian athlete, after her studies she went traveling and settled in Wanaka where she got into the world of triathlon and multisport. She has raced mostly long distance triathlon (70.3 and Ironman) and other multisport events and has podiums at Challenge Wanaka, Challenge Roth and Challenge Melbourne in her age group.  Misa takes our aerobic run group at the Wednesday Run group and helps with strength and endurance/nutrition advice at our studio

(BSc Hons Physio, PG Dip Sports Med, PG Cert Health Sci, Accredited Pilates instructor & Bradcliff Breathing, Tri NZ Foundation Coach)
Katharine has a passion for sport at every level.  She works as a Physiotherapist at Wanaka Physio, leads strength & conditioning classes for Peak Endurance Training Wanaka, and also works with Snowsports NZ taking strength classes for the New Zealand development freestyle skiers and snowboarders.  Katharine has competed in a variety of sports, racing at Junior International level in track and field; participating in multisport and adventure racing events including GODZone, Coast to Coast and Xterra; and competing for New Zealand at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi in the sport of Skeleton.