Ultimate Sports Coaching

I started running in 2009 and did my first Comrades in 2010 and after that I did a few more Comrades and just managed to finish them and then there was two I did not finish. In March 2022 I went to do Kosmos 3 in 1 and I met Lynette from USC there as they stayed next to us. I decided to join USC and that was one of the best decisions I ever made. I had to do Strength Training, Stretching, MAF Runs, Hill Training and more all was new to me as I never done that before. I improved my times on my marathon and ran my personal best 3h46 on the Benoni Marathon. I ran my best time on Om die Dam 5h00 30 sec and my first Comrades under USC I ran in 10h33 and before that I could only finish Comrades with 2 min to spare. In 2023 I kept on running good times on all my races and ran Comrades in 10h16 Min another PB for me. I am extremely thankful to Lynette and how she helped me to run my best times since I have joined them. Thank you so much.

Fanie van der Walt

Joining Lynette is the best thing I ever did; hard work has never been more rewarding. I am proud to be her athlete

Louisa Barnard

I have been with USC for over 5 years, and I can honestly tell you that Lynette has always prepared me well for each event, whether it be a one-day cycle event or a six day. I always feel that the training given has helped me achieve many personal cycling goals. Now I have entered my first 70.3 and I can tell you that I feel confident that I am in good hands.

William Major

As a coach Lynette guides you through the perceived threshold of your body and mind’s limits. I have achieved so much more than I believed I could, because of her consistent guidance and sport-specific training sessions, that all build up towards interim and longer goals. Lynette has the qualifications and experience to skilfully manage your training intensity with a balancing act between qualitative training load, perceived fatigue, and necessary recovery.

Pierre Jacobs

I started training with Lynette close to a decade ago which also included a country move. Having somebody that holds you accountable, provides you with structure, continuously believes in you and supports you in all the crazy goals you want to achieve, is priceless. If you want to complete a triathlon, are a novice runner who wants to run Comrades or a seasoned athlete, I have experienced it all! Thank you so much for always pushing me to achieve of what once seemed impossible!

Annette Hack

I am a person that likes to have structure in my life and therefore structure in my training and that is exactly what you get from USC. I am goal driven but need guidance, someone to do the think work” for me. Lynette gives personal attention to your training, race plans, and nutrition and answers all my questions, I am happy to do as instructed but if I don’t understand why, I need answers and she is always willing and takes the time to explain it to me. We adjusted the way I train and played with nutrition until I found what worked for me. Since joining USC I have become a better, strong, and more disciplined runner. In just a couple of months, a ran PBs in my half and full marathons. I have also completed 2 Comrades with no cramping or hitting the wall hard, which prior I always struggled with. I love the USC team training; training together keeps us motivated. Lynette knows what your potential is, I have reached goals that weren’t even on my goal list. Thank you Lynette for helping me believe in myself!

Tania van der Meulen

My journey with Lynette started after I won a month free coaching at a raffle a year ago. In the past year Lynette coached me for two marathons and my first ultra marathon. Not only have I become a better and stronger runner, but I also believe that I am able to achieve great things. The secret to success is staying consistent while following the program Lynette sets out for you. “

Estelle Le Roux

In December 2022, a friend talked me into registering for the 2023 Comrades Marathon. With five months to prepare, barely race fit and having run my last 42km race in 2020, I knew I did not stand a chance to qualify for Comrades. My fellow running friend, and now my fitness instructor, recommended Coach Lynette Cronk from Ultimate Sports Coaching (USC). I was instantly excited by the idea of a lady coach as she would understand and work around all the complexities of a woman’s body. Coach Lynette’s training style works perfectly for my body and suits my lifestyle. Her knowledge of sports and nutrition science is immense, and has transformed my body into a strong, fit and race-ready machine. The bond that she facilitates among her athletes is also awesome as we feel like a family, and we share ideas and best practice over some coffee. In just five months, I had qualified with a good time, and I was more than ready to take on the ultimate human race. I ran the 2023 Comrades Marathon with confidence, and I finished it in good time and with a massive smile on my face. This would never be possible without the help and support of Coach Lynette Cronk and the USC Team. Now I can proudly call myself a USC athlete!! I cannot wait to start training for my Back2Back medal for the 2024 Comrades Marathon.

Mbali Dludla

Lynette is an amazing coach and a true professional! I started training with her in 2020 and have never looked back. With the base that she helped me build I have done a few ultra-running and cycling races during the last 3 years (Comrades, 2 Oceans, Saltpan Ultra, Desert Dash). The sessions that she schedules pushes me to do runs and cycling sessions that I didn’t believe I’m capable off. She knows exactly when I am fatigued and when I can do more, even before I do. What I appreciate is that she takes my weekly family and corporate responsibilities into account when scheduling my training. With Lynette consistency is key and if you stick with her you will bear the fruits. If you are looking for someone that is knowledgeable, caring and knows when to push you, then get in touch with Lynette!”

Melinda Jacobs

Ever since I’ve started training with coach Lynette- I’ve never finished a race without a smile on my face, and I’ve always reached my goals. She gets you were you need to be, no doubt!

Adel van Dyk

To describe Lynette as a fantastic “coach” just doesn’t do her justice, she has a wonderful energy about her approach to how she goes about putting together tailored programs suited to my specific goals, which have kept me motivated and engaged for all the years I have been with her. She is a highly valuable resource for my immediate and future training goals. She has the ability to provide nothing less than stellar training programs specific to me. Lynette really is more than Coach to me. Her level of thorough – not general knowledge of physiology, biomechanics, body composition, macro nutrition and how to get results through exercise, strength training and nutrition is absolutely amazing. I would recommend Lynette to any level of athlete, from an Elite professional to a weekend warrior!

Sean McCormick

My journey with Lynette and USC started in June 2014 when I realised that I had 7 weeks left until my first Ironman 70.3 in Germany and I was anything but ready. My commitment to sports only started about a year before then, so I was a real rookie. Over the past 5 years, I was able to achieve consistency and more structure in my training, and I now understand what it means when you don’t ‘find your legs’ during a run but still need to finish. Over the past couple of years, I changed countries, experienced some health issues, changed jobs, and Lynette always kept me motivated, real and fully believed in me. In September 2017 and after supporting some friends at Comrades, I made the commitment to a friend that I can do this too, mentioning that I never was a runner before and the longest distance I had ever run was 21 kms. With 8 months of very dedicated training, I finished my 1st Comrades with 22 secs left before the ‘cut off’☺️. Since then, I never looked back and I’m currently training for Paris Marathon and my third Comrades, and in between, I finished a few other marathons and ultras. Nothing is too big of a challenge for Lynette, and she will get you to achieve your goals, no matter what. The biggest lessons she taught me, are that ‘Success comes only with consistency’ and that you will have good and tough training sessions. I guess this has become even clearer to me since moving to London 1,5 years ago where one trains with limited hills, cold temperatures and more so miserable weather most of the time, especially leading up to comrades. And the highlight for me today is, when writing this testimonial, that I was able to run for the first time a 10 kms in 55 mins. I couldn’t be more excited of what’s more to come with Lynette as my coach and the USC family by my side. Thank you for always being so incredibly committed and willing to share your experience and extensive knowledge you have gained over the many years as a professional athlete.

Annette Hack

My Triathlon dream started on my own in 2017 after I had a stroke. My doctors told me that my only way to keep healthy and stay alive is to start training. I was intrigued by a multi discipline sport and started training on my own in 2017. I entered my first half Ironman in January 2018 and then completed my second half Ironman in June 2017. After finishing Ironman Durban I realised I wanted to compete and finish the full Ironman in 2019. I searched for a coach and found USC coaching (Lynette) in July. My journey with USC started in July 2018. I was welcomed to an awesome family that treated me with respect and took very close interest in me and my training. What I loved about USC’s coaching style is that they will participate in most of the training schedules where they will teach you many different techniques and styles in swimming, cycling and running. My swimming time per 100m before joining USC was 2m30 per 100m, a month before full ironman I was averaging 1m45 per 100m. My cycling improved from 3h38 for 91km to 3h17 and my running improved from 6m20 per km to 5m21 per km. This was all made possible by an incredibly dedicated and committed coach in Lynette Cronk. My goal from the start was to finish a half ironman in a sub 6-hour time which I successfully completed. I wanted to complete full ironman in 14 hours and I successfully completed it in 12h50. With USC you are not a number, you become a family member which makes your training so much easier. I would recommend USC to any person seeking an enjoyable but hard training journey in completing any triathlon race. Lynette, thank you for being such an amazing coach….you not only trained me hard but taught me many life lessons. The most important lesson which I will never forget is “what you think in your mind…your body will follow

Stephan Kok aka Stan “Oldie”

All my life I have loved sport. Growing up, all through school I played rugby. Even though I was smaller than most of the guys I was playing, I loved the feeling of being the underdog. I guess it is a feeling I have always harbored when it comes to sport. However, after a few too many trips to hospital, my mother could finally relax when it finally dawned on me that maybe my body just was not suited running into guys twice the size of me. After a few years dwindling in university I found the bike. I entered long endurance sports across Ireland and soon followed my father’s path into marathons and soon I would mix it all together with a splash of water and start triathlon. I loved the training. I loved the test. Was I fit enough to complete? Can I be faster than last time? But after a while it became apparent to me that no matter how hard I trained, I was either improving by a minute or 2 or not improving my time at all. I felt I had stagnated, and motivation was lacking. I had just moved to Egypt and joined a new triathlon team. After speaking to a few people, they recommend I got a coach. At the time I really did not see the benefit of having a coach, I almost saw it as a waste of money. But after a few months I found myself googling about the benefits of having a coach and faster than a T1 transition I was put in touch with Lynette. “We will get you there” she said, “just remember; consistency is key yah”. A phase that has stuck in my head ever since my 1st conversation with Lynette, and one that she still reminds me to this day. After years of stagnated performance, in only a few of months of working with Lynette we knocked more than 10 minutes off my marathon personal best. No more than 3 months later we took an hour off previous 70.3 best time. It didn’t stop there and in the next 6 months we would fulfil my dream of completing my 1st full ironman and at the end of last year we achieved a sub 4:30 70.3. Those are the good days. As I am sure is the case with every athlete, for every 1 good race there are bad training days, bad weeks and bad races. Each and every time, Lynette has been patient and consistently reminded me that these days are normal and to keep going. The improvement in my times are good, but it this quality in Lynette that makes her a great coach. Let’s be frank here, the equipment looks great, races days look like a party but, triathlon is a hard, hard sport. I never realized it before, but EVERY athlete needs someone in their corner to tell remind them to keep going, stay consistent. I am lucky enough to have a coach who has been there before and is probably also going though it at the same time as me. Lynette leads by example and her achievements speak for themselves. I can tell you, when Lynette gets in touch, it has never taken me long before I am lacing my trainers back up, putting the dreaded goggles back on or packing my food into the back of my cycling jersey. And just like that, those bad training sessions were left in the tarmac or pool, that bad training week is a distant memory and I was back on the start line of another race motivated and confident I can hit my numbers. And that is just it. Apart from consistency, it is confidence that Lynette has given me. Triathlons, marathons and cycling classics are stereotypically individual sports. Indeed, for many years that is how I saw it. “I” trained and competed marathons. “I” trained and competed in triathlons. Now it is “we”. Now “we” are achieving times that previously were pages and pages ahead of me when looking though the results of a race. In every achievement it is “we”, not “I”. Working with Lynette is a team effort. I know she has confidence in me to continue to improve and I have absolute confidence that Lynette is the coach who will help me achieve, and continue to exceed, my athletic targets. Thanks Coach!!

Dan Power

So, on my gentle journey to give Ironman a bash - something that I always said I was going to do - I set out to take on the triathlon challenge starting with the Durban 70.3 in June 2016 and the Bella Bella 51.50 in August 2016. I then continued on the Ironman journey through the 2017 year and it was at the end of the year when I was first introduced to Lynette Cronk from Ultimate Sports Coach (USC) via a fellow athlete that was horrified that I was doing all these 70.3 events without a coach!!! I joined Lynette and USC in January 2018 and straight away I was introduced to new techniques that would ultimately improve all three of my splits. It was a huge eye opener for me to see exactly what I had been missing out on by not having that knowledge centre and experience base right at your fingertips. Lynette and USC also brings a different angle to the whole coaching world where you are simply a number; there is continuous monitoring, communication and the necessary adjustments to your own tailor made training programme that works for you. I can especially relate to this based on the fact that I have a very busy work life and know that my programmed is organised around that. More importantly I do get reprimanded when not adhering to rest days and rest periods which are key to the plan. The personal attention, attention to detail and the weekly group training sessions – runs | open water swims | cycles – that Lynette brings to the table is something that in my opinion puts Lynette above the rest. I now find myself tackling the 2020 Ironman season and going for 3 Africa Series medals in a row having completed the 2018 and 2019 all under the USC banner and guidance and the good news is that it appears I’m getting faster and stronger with my times continually improving! Lynette has many years of experience in this field as well as having actually participated in numerous events – some of them competitively – and this is clear in her coaching style and results. I highly recommend Lynette and Ultimate Sports Coach if you want to not only improve your performance, but enjoy the social aspect at the same time

Grant Hallowell aka Squash

In 2018 it took on the challenge of competing in the Durban 70.3 Half Ironman. The bug immediately bit and I wanted more of the pain. However, I knew I needed help if I wanted to do THE BIG ONE in PE. After being referred to Lynette I jumped right into the #USC family. Unfortunately, I broke a metatarsal in my right foot on a training run but that did not worry Coach, she immediately came up with alternative training while in recovery. Once back into the full swing of training it was structured and regimented, something I needed if I wanted to enjoy my races going forward. The constructive feedback, advice and motivation from Lynette motivated me. It was great to engage with the other USC athletes on our regular Friday swims at Cradlemoon and built up strong friendships while suffering at the pre-race training camp. In January 2019 I managed to shave a whole hour off my best 70.3 time while competing at the EL 70.3 Half Ironman (Which is the harder of the two in SA … take my word for it). On the start line for my first Ironman in April 2019 I knew I was ready – now it was all up to me. I enjoyed the race and the icing on the cake was having my coach (after she just finished the race herself) calling me home at the finish line. For newbies and seasoned athletes alike, try Ultimate Sports Coaching for focussed training and true commitment from a coach.

Nigel Bird aka Tuck

About 2 and a half years ago some friends of mine had engaged in a coach to help them achieve better results with triathlons and their goals were to complete the Iron Man with a fairly good result. After a couple of months, I could see the improvement in their fitness and the event results were streets ahead of mine. The coach of choice was Lynette from USC. So, January 2018 I decided to improve my cycling and seek better results. After seeing what Lynette had achieved with others, the job of finding a coach was made easy. USC started by linking their training programmes into my Training Peaks account and the rest is history. I have since had many personal bests with my cycling events and have taken on a lot more events due to the confidence that has come from my fitness levels being that much higher than ever. USC has also been able to change and adapt their programs to fit the various types of events that I have participated in. Whether it be a 3day stage race, an endurance event or shorter races the program that I receive always fits the bill. The beauty of USC is that it keeps me focused on the events and challenges that I have set my sights on. There is direction with my training and the motivation to achieve higher goals. USC has certainly been a huge factor in the successes that we have had together.

William Major

I year ago I started out with Lynette as my coach and today I cannot think of anyone else for that position - Tough, Persistent and Dedicated – that is Lynette. She doesn’t just coach you; she gets involved in every aspect of your training – developing you from the ground up to become the athlete you’ve only dreamt of! She is a must for any triathlete who is ready for the next level!

Christiaan Supra

Having never completed a triathlon before, I thought it sounded like a great idea and in late 2014 I entered Ironman Switzerland 2015. With no prior experience I quickly realized I would need some help and I joined Lynette. I have now been training with Lynette for the past 18 months and found the assistance and support to be invaluable. Having heard people's experiences with other coaches I realize how much more Lynette puts in with her athletes. I travel frequently and Lynette has been extremely accommodating in adapting my training to suit my time. I have really enjoyed the track sessions and group rides that provide that additional motivation which so many of us need. Aside from the triathlon coaching Lynette has been great with support on other related areas including gym work and nutrition. As with everything in life the more you put in the more you get out, but I would recommend coaching with Lynette for any aspiring triathlete.

Nik Kershaw

I started training with Lynette in Feb 2015. In the past year my performance has improved dramatically. I managed to improve my Ironman 70.3 times by at least 40 minutes and have had a few podium finishes at various races, Olympic and half distances. I have found that working with Lynette not only helps with having a really well thought out, achievable program but also all the extra information she regularly shares with her athletes about training, nutrition, recovering from injury, etc. Lynette is now holding my hand, so to speak, on my way to complete my first ironman in June 2016, something I never conceptualized ever attempting. I would recommend Lynette as a coach, to anybody, from novice to experienced athlete if you want to achieve and be the very best that you can.

Debbi Talmage

Lynette has changed the way I train. In the time I have had her as a coach I have increased my speed in all aspects of triathlon. With her help I’ve stayed injury free and I have set several PRs, I am thankful that she is my coach and I can highly recommend her

David Truter

Lynette became my coach four years ago when I first started doing triathlons. Coming out of Comrades I thought I was invincible. The fact that I couldn’t ride a bike and could barely swim was no obstacles to me or Lynette. She coached me from scratch to my first sprint, Olympic and ultra-triathlons. She’s been there when I’ve successfully finished races and when I haven’t. No matter what my goal is, she gives me support, guidance, butt-kicking and a program every step of the way. Love my coach!

Sally Allen

A while ago I set out to do ironman, never having done a triathlon. Lynette was instrumental in achieving the goal, through a multidimensional approach, cutting edge techniques and general all round coaching. Tx coach!