Coaches

The coaches plan the weekly workouts, and are available to help you achieve your personal goals. Optional fundraising opportunities benefiting charities or other nonprofit causes are also organized by the coaches.

Meet the NSET Coaches

Valentine Pisarski “Ski” — Running Coach

Completed 110 marathons, including 17 Boston’s, 20 California Internationals, 24 Napa Valley’s, 1 Ultramarathon, and over 300 other shorter events. Twice President of the Silver State Striders, as well as Open Board Member 8 years, Vice President/Race Events Coordinator 3 years, Membership Director 2 years, and Event Coordinator of the Silver State Marathon Events for 12 years, currently on Course Presentation Committee of Napa Valley Marathon, past Race Director of Journal Jog for 5 years, and past Race Director of more than 30 other local events. Coaching marathon runners since 1986. Certified Marathon Coach by the Jack Daniels Marathon Seminar Program and Advanced Program. Coached 29 Teams for LLS in Reno beginning in August 1995. Published Author and Presenter on the Napa Valley Marathon. Head Coach of Northern Sierra Endurance Training.

Bib 100, only .2 miles left to finish 100th marathon at Napa, March 2004.

Personal Best [PB] Running Times: Marathon 3:01, Half Marathon 1:23, 20K 1:20:04, 10 Mile 63:30, 10K 37:53, Journal Jog 31:51, and 5K 18:48.

Retired Air Traffic Controller, Retired Lieutenant Colonel US Army, Retired Accountant, Real Estate Developer and Investor, and very happily married to Toni Belaustegui, Run/Walk Coach NSET. They love to travel, especially to New Zealand.

Goals [Running will help me achieve]: Run for a long time to stay healthy and be able to eat and drink what I want. Stay in shape to continue to hike, snowshoe, and ride the bicycle. Help get as many people off the couch and out the door as possible—thus co-founder of NSET.

Philosophy: Think Positive and Keep Smiling!

Last Updated 12/15/2009

Toni Belaustegui — Run/Walkers Coach

Run/Walkers Coach and the Treasurer on the Board of Directors for Northern Sierra Endurance Training. Past President, Treasurer, and Open Board Member of the Silver State Striders. Certified coach by Jack Daniels Seminar Series. Assistant coach for 10 years of TNT program. Chairman of picnic committee of Silver State Marathon. Winner of the San Luis Obispo Red Cross Marathon, Lake Tahoe Marathon, and Sacramento Marathon. Winner of numerous ultramarathons including Silver State 50K, Silver State 50 Miler, Cool Canyon Crawl, Paul Reese 100 K, and 24 hour Track Race. Winner of the masters women and overall 3rd place woman of Western States 100 Miler. National overall record holder of the 12 hour track record and master record holder for the 24 hour, 50 mile, and 100 mile track records.

Personal: Born and raised in Reno. Graduated Phi Beta Kappa in math from University of Oregon, with honors from University of the Pacific Dental School. First woman dentist in Reno. Mother of 3 daughters, grandmother of 3. Married to Head Coach and running companion Ski. Extensive studies in Physiology and Nutrition.

Eric Beye — Advanced Workout Running Coach

Advanced running workout coach for Northern Sierra Endurance Training.

Roy Bymers — Walking Coach

Walking coach for Northern Sierra Endurance Training.

Clarisse Mayer — Running Coach

Clarisse has completed 12 marathons including one Boston, and many half marathons and 10K's. She has also completed two 50K ultra-marathon events, three 30K events, 6 century [100 mile] bike rides, 3 half ironman triathlons, and most challenging, one Ironman Triathlon (Couer d'Alene 2005). In 2006, Clarisse completed 4 of the 5 Rock and Roll Running Events in the USA. She will be running her second Boston Marathon in 2009.

CIM, December 2008

Clarisse was involved with Reno TNT beginning in 2003 when she first completed the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon, then became a mentor in 2003, and took the roll of lead mentor for the marathon teams in 2004. She has also mentored the TNT bike team twice and has fundraised 5 times for different teams. She is also one of 6 TNT Triple Crown holders [meaning she has fundraised and completed the Marathon, 100 Mile Bicycle Ride, and Triathlon] with the Reno TNT Team. In 2008, Clarisse began coaching for NSET and is a member of the NSET Board of Directors.

Personal: Clarisse has a master’s degree in Elementary Education and teaches fourth grade in south Reno. She has a wonderful yellow lab named Irish. Clarisse loves to travel and has been to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Ireland, as well as many different places in the US. You can say the young lady rocks and runs around the world.

Danny Heinsohn — Triathlon and Road Biking Coach

Danny has sometimes been referred to as the Lance Armstrong of the Reno-Tahoe Area. In 1999, after college graduation he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. After 3 craniotomies and a year of chemo he has been living life to the fullest.

Since 2001 Danny has logged over 10,000 miles of saddle time, completed several century bike rides, competed in 25 triathlons, and finished 2 marathons. He holds a Team in Training (TNT) Triple Crown, coached the TNT cycle team from 2006-2008, and mentored TNT cycle from 2003-2005. He continues to be a First Connection Volunteer to newly diagnosed patients through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He has also been a spinning instructor since 2002, and currently instructs Road Rage classes at Gold’s Gym.

Danny became involved with NSET in 2009 to help build the cycle and triathlon program where he also competed in 4 triathlons and completed his second marathon in Las Vegas. His favorite event of the year was the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.

2010 is a special year for Danny as he will be celebrating his 10th year of survivorship from cancer. He first registered for Ironman Canada at the end of August 2009, and is now building a non-profit called My Hometown Heroes as a platform for a scholarship fund to young cancer survivors. His agenda to supplement his training for Ironman Canada and My Hometown Heroes includes 2 Half-Ironman Triathlons, 2 Olympic Triathlons, and 2 century bike rides.

Ironman Canada takes place in beautiful British Columbia on 8/29/10. The bike course goes through several miles of Canada’s wine capital in Oliver. Come along for the ride!