About Coach Peter Pimm, B.P.H.E., M.Sc., NCCP 4
Peter is a former National Team Coach and one of Canada's most experienced and successful running coaches. He's also a former competitive runner and a past winner of Hamilton's Around The Bay Race, so he well appreciates what his clients are going through.
In 1981, he introduced Services For Runners, dedicated to serving the running community and offering his coaching expertise and passion to assist women and men of all ages, and fitness levels to achieve their fitness and running goals.
In 2013, Peter retired from club coaching in order to devote more time to his private practice and organizing Special Events. His clientele ranges from first-time runners aiming to complete a 5 km. road race or a sprint triathlon, to those targeting the qualifying standards for the Boston Marathon and the Hawaii Ironman.
Peter lives in Toronto and has 2 daughters: Laura, who is a Services of Runners Associate; and Robyn, a graduate of the University of Guelph with a M.Sc.degree and is currently enrolled in Veterinarian studies.
EARLY BACKGROUND
Peter's personalized approach to training his clients was spawned while a graduate student and doing volunteer work with post-cardiac patients at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute under the direction of Dr. Terry Kavanagh in the mid-1970's.
These patients, who had suffered a heart attack, were part of a major study of the effects of endurance running on their subsequent health. Each patient's medical condition was unique as was each of their exercise prescriptions. You can listen to Peter talk about his coaching influences and philosophy in the Audio section here.
Peter did his graduate work in exercise and respiratory at the University of Toronto under the supervision of world renowned exercise physiologist, Dr. Roy J. Shephard.
As an university and former club coach, he has coached athletes who have won numerous junior and senior provincial and national titles, set Canadian records, and been selected to compete at the World University Championships, Commonwealth Games, World Junior. and Senior Championships and the Olympic Games.
His first Olympic athlete, Wayne Yetman, represented Canada in the marathon at the 1976 Olympics; and in 1980, he coached master runner, Derek Fernee, to a 2:19:41 marathon, which stood as the Canadian Masters record for 39 years.
(For more about Coach Pimm's background, click HERE)
Coach Pimm wins the 1972 Around the Bay