Testimonies
Valentina Laberkova, 36, West Palm Beach, FL
“I am truly grateful to have worked with him for the past couple of years”
Coach Adolfo is an exceptional coach, and I am truly grateful to have worked with him for the past couple of years.
What sets him apart is that he doesn’t just write workouts and analyze my stats—he empowers me and strengthens my mindset.
Adolfo has a unique ability to guide me to slow down when needed and to provide unwavering support during challenging times. His coaching goes beyond physical training; it’s about building resilience and confidence.
I highly recommend Adolfo to anyone looking for a coach who genuinely cares about their growth, both physically and mentally.
Jose Salgueiro, 56, Katy, Texas
Full disclosure: Coach Adolfo is my brother, but this doesn’t bias at all what I am about to state.
It had been over two years since I finished the Houston Marathon with an injury and was ready to come back, so I registered for the 2022 Houston Half Marathon with enough time to train. Step by step I started training, but a couple of months later, my motivation was lost. Excuses started popping up here and there and when I realize it, there wasn’t time enough to train. So I just threw the towel.
With 2 months to race day, I listened the Coach Adolfo’s interview at the Crazy Old Runners podcast, and he inspired me. I thought that there was no excuse for me and just started running while the interview was still on. I got back home, contacted him and told him that I wanted to do it, that I was committed to it, and I just needed the right plan. He was ready to help me, we set goals and he developed the plan.
When I saw the plan, I thought he was out of his mind, he expected things from me that I knew I couldn’t do. But then I thought, I reached out to him because he has the knowledge, I just must trust the plan and trust the process. I was wrong and he was right. It took commitment, struggle and effort, but I followed the plan to the tee, with his feedback every day and to my astonishment, I was ready in time to be at the starting line to run the Houston Half Marathon, which I completed healthy, strong and way better that what I thought I could do.
“I was ready in time to be at the starting line to run the Houston Half Marathon”
Thanks, coach, thanks bro. You inspired me and guided me to the finish line.
NOTE: Jose finished the Houston Half Marathon in 2:26:38, far from his PR but the focus of the race was to finish, finish strong, injury free and reassuring him that he can still run. Mission accomplished.
Sally-Ann Konigkramer, 33. Durban, South Africa
“Turned me into
the athlete I never
thought I could be”
When I met Coach Adolfo, I was just a social runner that could never upkeep a consistent running regime. I have wanted to run a marathon for a while and the time had come to take that challenge.
He took me from a 4-miler type of runner to an early-Saturday, 15-miler type of runner in about 16 weeks. His training schedules kept me accountable, focused, and consistent. He never let me lose sight of my goal and turned me into the athlete I never thought I could be.
The coach was very flexible given the limited available time I have, given my professional commitments and we adjusted the training every three weeks due to my work travel requirements. As race day approached, he helped me understand it would be a better for me to run just the half and having a good experience, instead of suffering through the marathon and not wanting to ever do it again. I reluctantly agreed and in retrospect, it was the right decision.
Adolfo was extremely supportive, with such strong motivational pillars of strength. I love coach’s bluntness to the facts. He does not sugar coat things. I always felt like we were a team and coach wanted me to absolutely nail it!
It was vereasy having Adolfo as my coach. I knew he would kick my ass if I didn’t perform yet he had a good balance of “coach vibe” and “mentor vibe”.
Carlos Coste, 45. Kralendijk, Bonaire
World-Class athlete breaking into the ultra scene
I am a beginner in this scene. In my first year I was coached by a friend who helped me adjust to trail and ultra-distance running. But quickly I realized I needed a coach with experience and the technical knowledge to get me to the next level. A common friend introduced me to Coach Adolfo Salgueiro. We connected online and started working right away.
I run an apnea school in Bonaire, so I work with my body and running is an additional demand to it. Coach Adolfo understood this well and was always open to a fluid adjustment of the training plan. We used a phone app which allowed us for instant feedback and modifications when needed. This flexibility was key to the success of my training cycle.
My plan was to race the Zion 50K Ultra in Utah. My experience running a 50K last year gave me a base to work from. With Coach Adolfo’s guidance, this season I had less injuries, which has been a nagging issue for me.
During the season there were some issues with timing, small injuries, and lockdowns. I even got Covid amid training, fortunately a mild case. At my return, despite adjusting the racing goal, I had to cancel my ultra for the 2nd time. A local trail run was organized with the local community and I was still able use my training to complete my 50K successfully.
World-Class athlete breaking into the ultra scene
This was my second ultra and I look forwaerd to working with Coach Adolfo for the next cycle, so I can complete my next 50K in 2022, this time, in Utah.
NOTE: Carlos Coste is a world class athlete, a 12-time world record breaker in the disciplines of apnea and free-diving, with multiple entries in the Guinness Book of World Records. For more information on Mr. Coste, click here.
Jhon J. Hernandez, 49. Pembroke Pines, Florida
Massive PR With a New Training Approach
Massive PR With a New Training Approach
I approached coach Adolfo expressing my desire to train to qualify to the Boston Marathon. His response was, “yes, we can increase your speed, absolutely. But we don’t have much time to train because the Miami marathon is getting close.” He prepared a 12-week plan with the Hansons method, which I had never heard of before. I was skeptical because I was accustomed to running 9:00-9:30 minute pace. I said to myself, «I will not be able to reach that speed because I am too old, and my knee will not cooperate.”
When I received my training plan, my self-doubt told me that this was too fast for my ability. But I also decided to trust the plan and embrace the program he designed for me. Tuesdays soon became my favorite training day because I did track with speed goals from 7:30 pace to 8:00 pace. The coach was always aware of my training, monitoring my progress through Strava, and he was always willing to give me pointers to improve and happy to answer my questions so that I could reach my full training potential. The Hansons method calls for two longer runs a weekend and I found this new training style perfect for me.
Despite a knee scare during the two weeks prior to the race, I was able to take the start line. Coach gave me final training instructions: take it slow at the start, do not weave, and as you feel stronger, pick up the pace. It was a fantastic experience for me because all the hard work that I put into the plan, worked just as it was designed. Taking Coach’s instructions and conserving my energy for the last miles of the marathon was the right strategy for me. To my great surprise and delight, I ended up with a massive new PR of exactly 11 minutes; and a finish time of 3:36:42. I was so full of emotion as I crossed the finish line that I could not contain my tears of joy. Yay!
I fully trust coach Salgueiro, and now I can’t wait to train with him again to help me attain that now much closer BQ time.
This testimony is the edited and abridged version of what Jhon wrote. If you want to read Jhon’s full story, and there is so much more to it, please click here.
Jenny McGrath, 47. Ontario, Canada
Fitting running into a busy life
My name is Jenny McGrath, I am 47 years old and live in Ontario, Canada. I started running 5 years ago as part of a group who decided to honor my grandmother’s centennial with a half marathon. Neither I nor many of the others in the group ran before. That’s when Adolfo’s wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm and words of encouragement played a vital role in everyone achieving a finishers medal. From diet, running programs, preventing injuries, to balancing our crazy busy lives, Adolfo counseled us all.
Since that first half marathon I have run three more as well as one full marathon, this one with my husband to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. It wasn’t easy being a mother of 5 while training for a race, but with of Adolfo’s help tweaking my training to incorporate family vacations, missed runs because of commitments or simply because I was having a bad day, he was always there.
Adolfo keeps it real to the reality of my life yet pushes me to do the best that I can give. He has always been quick to answer a phone call or a WhatsApp. Always had a phrase of encouragement, a book to read or a podcast to listen. Six weeks prior to my last half marathon I decided to go for it. I told Adolfo I could only train three days a week. He made a program that fit my schedule and life. I and happy to report I did my second-best time! Yes, he is that good! He really loves running and it is infectious.
Fitting running into a busy life
Yolmer Garcia, 42. Pompano Beach, Florida
First Marathon
Miami 2019
After completing six half marathons I started seriously considering going for the full. But I had too many questions and doubted of my potential.
Then, by chance, I was lucky enough to meet my current coach, Adolfo Salgueiro, who designed a training plan that allowed me to realize my running dream: A full marathon. He prepared a solid training plan that allowed me to go beyond my expectations about what I was able to achieve.
I have to state that I could have not done it without his knowledge, positive attitude, time commitment and dedication. I consider Adolfo a great professional, a knowledgeable runner and a coach who understand his athlete’s objectives. He personalized my training plan to my needs and ability, always avoiding injuries.
It gives me satisfaction to see how happy he is over my progress and the achievement of my running goals. Behind that running coach there is a great guy like you, Adolfo. And this is just the start
Yolmer Garcia
@yogaman194
4:16:31 at 2019 Miami Marathon
UPDATE: Yolmer continued running under Coach Adolfo’s guidance and ran 3:14:06 in Seattle, back in 2020, qualifying for the Boston Marathon. As of February 2021, his Half Marathon PR sits at 1:31:12.