Marilyn Chychota Coaching
Your ambition. My experience. A plan built around you.
I am an endurance coach with over 25 years of experience. I help athletes—from beginners to professionals—turn hard work into results with personalized coaching and the judgment to know when to push, when to adapt, and how to reach their next level.
Personal coaching for triathletes, cyclists, open water swimmers and runners who want to improve with a clear plan and a coach in their corner.
Whether you’re getting started or chasing your next breakthrough, I’ll meet you where you are and help you build toward what’s possible.
Meet Marilyn
Ironman Champion · Former Professional Athlete · USAT Certified High Performance Coach
I’ve spent more than 25 years coaching, teaching, and helping athletes grow. My career has taken me through professional triathlon, professional cycling, strength sports and equestrian sport, but what I love most is helping someone discover what they’re capable of. Your goals matter to me. So does the person pursuing them.
Coaching built around you
You bring your goals, your experience, and your real life. I bring a plan, perspective, and a commitment to helping you improve. You’re willing to put in the work, but you need to know that work is right for you. I take the guesswork out of training, giving you clear direction, a plan that fits your life, and the adjustments to keep you progressing.
Training with purpose.
A personalized plan that fits your current ability, schedule, and long-term goals. You’ll understand what we’re doing and why.
A relationship that helps you grow.
Honest communication, practical guidance, and accountability. I take time to understand your personality and what brings out your best.
Progress you can build on.
We develop the fitness, skills, habits, and confidence to keep moving forward.
You don’t have to be elite to be coached well.
I work with a broad range, beginners, experienced competitors looking to race at the top, athletes pursuing ambitious goals, and people looking to better themselves. You don’t need a podium goal—or even a race on the calendar—for your goals to matter. If you are just starting out or racing to win I enjoy helping you be your best.
You do need a willingness to learn, communicate, and work consistently. We’ll build from there.
Let’s talk about what you want to achieve.
Tell me where you are now, what you’re working toward, and where you could use support. We’ll talk about which coaching option fits your needs.
Owner & Head Coach, MCC ~ 2018 to Present
USAT Certified High Performance Coach
Professional Athlete 2003-2012
Ironman Champion
Endurance Corner Elite Coach 2008-2017
Safe Sport Certified
Iron Athlete Certified
Feisty Coaching Women’s Endurance Athletes Certified
Published Author
MCC Offers:
MCC Coaching is about three simple pillars:
1. Awareness
Understand who you are, where you are, and what is possible.
We begin by building awareness of your strengths, challenges, habits, patterns, goals, and values. Lasting growth starts with honest self-understanding.
“She helped me see myself more clearly and recognize what I was capable of.”
2. Growth
Build the skills, habits, confidence, and structure to become your best.
Through purposeful coaching, education, accountability, and consistent action, we create the foundation for long-term success in sport and life. The goal is not just better performance, but becoming a stronger, healthier, happier version of yourself.
“She gave me the tools and confidence to become the person and athlete I wanted to be.”
3. Resilience
Stay the course through adversity and thrive in every season.
Success is never a straight line. Injuries, setbacks, failures, life stress, and uncertainty are part of the journey. Together, we develop the mindset, perspective, and endurance to keep moving forward and continue growing through every challenge.
“No matter what happened, I knew she was in my corner.”
I help people build awareness, pursue growth, and develop resilience so they can become the strongest, healthiest, happiest version of themselves—in sport and in life.
Know Yourself. Build Yourself. Trust Yourself.
I work with athletes all over the USA and globally. I am an experienced professional coach and an elite performance coach.
I believe in coaching each athlete specifically to their needs, their personal development, and to their specific goals.
I believe in quality coaching through science and the proven art of success. My athletes’ goals always come first. The athlete-coach relationship is a fundamental part of our success.
I believe in consistency over time towards reaching your goals. I want to support you to go further than you ever thought possible. My goal is not to sell you short cuts, but to provide quality that will get you results. I want to empower you through sport to be the best you can be in your life. I provide long term planning, dedicated coaching, and a commitment to making you better.
“Marilyn has built her coaching record through the tireless dedication she puts into every one of her athletes, bringing her lifetime of athletic achievement to help them achieve their goals. She has a rare combination of elite experience, coaching versatility, and commitment to her people.”
My Background:
With over 25 years of coaching experience and a professional career spanning three elite sports, Marilyn is a globally respected endurance coach, mental skills expert, and athlete development leader.
Raised in Alberta, Canada, Marilyn began coaching in 1995 in the high-performance world of equestrian show jumping, becoming one of the youngest top coaches in the region by age 21. After an accomplished riding career that included coaching and managing a stable of 30 horses and national-level riders, Marilyn transitioned to endurance sport, beginning triathlon in 1999 and turning professional in 2003.
A podium-finishing Ironman triathlete and winner of Ironman Malaysia in 2004, Marilyn also raced professionally in cycling, competing in national and world-level events across Canada, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand. Her career includes multiple stage race wins and time trial and criterium championships.
From 2008 to 2017, Marilyn was a full-time coach with Endurance Corner before founding MCC in 2018. She has coached athletes of all levels, from beginners to professionals, across triathlon, cycling, running, and strength sports. Her expertise lies in long-term athlete development, integrating mental skills, strength training, and individualized programming tailored to each athlete’s personality, goals, and lifestyle.
As a certified Iron Athlete coach with extensive experience in powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting, Marilyn brings a deep understanding of strength training. She helps athletes build resilient foundations that support both peak performance and long-term durability—not only in endurance sports, but in strength disciplines as well.
Known for her global perspective and cultural fluency, she has trained and competed across five continents and leads international training camps and clinics. She has delivered keynote presentations, one-on-one coaching, and workshops focused on the mental game of sport—helping athletes thrive under pressure and build resilience.
A regular contributor to top endurance publications such as Triathlete Magazine, Endurance Corner, Active.com, and WISP Sports, Marilyn is also a sought-after speaker and educator in the endurance sports community.
Who I Coach:
I work with athletes of all levels—from beginners to seasoned professionals. No matter what you’re striving for, every goal is equally important to me as your coach. Whether you’re aiming to win a race or have no plans to compete at all, my focus is on bettering your life through sport and supporting what truly matters to you.
A teacher at heart, I enjoy sharing the knowledge I have learned throughout my career.
I have a deep background and passion for developing athletes of all levels—from beginners building a foundation, to experienced competitors taking on bold new challenges.
I’ve coached both amateur and professional athletes to podium finishes and overall titles, including World Championships. My experience spans a wide range of disciplines, including Ironman, 70.3, Ultraman, short-course triathlon, duathlon, long-course triathlon, Xterra, bike racing, gravel racing, and open running races.
I work with triathletes, duathletes, cyclists, runners, off-road adventure racers, and strength programs for athletes.
I enjoy working with anyone committed to growth. I believe in educating you as an athlete, empowering you with knowledge, and guiding you with purpose on the path toward your goals.
Here are key factors in my coaching with you. I believe each of these plays an important role in our relationship to get the most out of us working together:
Every athlete is unique, and I believe the coaching relationship should reflect that. Here’s what I focus on to help you grow not only as an athlete but as a person:
Work with Your Personality
You’re not a number—you’re a whole person. I take time to understand what drives you, how you respond to challenges, and what kind of feedback brings out your best. My approach adapts to your personality so we can build something real and effective.
Identify Daily Routines and Habits
Growth often lives in the small details. I look for blind spots and help you bring awareness to them, while also identifying and reinforcing your positive habits. These everyday patterns form the foundation of both life and sport.
Set Clear Goals
We work together to define your short-term, long-term, and dream goals. Saying them out loud and making a plan to reach them is a powerful first step toward success.
Keep Your Strengths Strong & Develop Your Weaknesses
Yes, we work on your limiters—but we don’t ignore your strengths. We turn them into your competitive edge, while steadily transforming your weaknesses into new areas of growth.
Build a Sustainable, Long-Term Program
Consistency beats intensity. I create training that builds gradually with the right balance of load and recovery. This sustainable approach supports performance over the long haul—not just a quick fix.
Master One Step Before the Next
Progress is personal and never rushed. We don’t skip steps. Each phase of your journey is built on mastering the one before it, at your own pace.
Build Strong Relationships and Have Fun
The journey matters. We’ll create a space for joy, friendship, and community—people who see you at your best and your most challenged. It’s about more than just finish lines.
Use Science, Art, and Education
Technology and data have their place, but intuition and awareness matter too. I coach using both science and feel, helping you become a smart, self-aware athlete who makes great decisions on the fly.
Every athlete’s journey is unique, but certain fundamentals are essential for development. My program is built on those foundations, while each plan is tailored to meet your individual needs.
Clear, honest communication between coach and athlete is key to success. You should always feel comfortable coming to me with any questions, concerns, or needs. We are a team, working together to help you become your best.
MCC’s symbol is the fern
In the face of adversity I discovered my ability to endure through sport. I grew despite obstacles, and realized the joy in helping others achieve the same. Our team symbol, the fern, represents my journey and the journey I share with the other members of our team.
AYA = “FERN” is a symbol of endurance and resourcefulness. The fern is a hardy plant that can grow in difficult places. Individuals who wear this symbol have endured many adversities and outlasted much difficulty.