Staff & Coaches

Michael Harlow - Founder, CEO, & Director of Coaching

Michael Harlow is the Owner and Head Coach of Endorphin Fitness. Michael is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach and USA Triathlon Youth & Junior Certified Coach. In addition, he was invited to participate in the USA Triathlon Elite Mentorship Program at the US Olympic Training Center, an honor only given to the top coaches in the country. Futhermore, Michael is recognized as one of the top youth and junior coaches in the country with the recognition as a High Performance Team coach.

As a coach, Michael has coached hundreds of athletes from age 6-70 across all levels. He has taken athletes from beginner to top honors at National & World Championships. Michael has extensive knowledge of physiology and what it takes to excel at triathlon, but more importantly, his success as a coach has resulted from his ability to communicate this knowledge effectively while creating a close relationship with his athletes that develops an understanding and bond that motivates them to their goals.

As an athlete, Michael has been competing in triathlon for over 19 years during which time he has consistently ranked in the top 5% in the Nation. Michael won the Virginia Triathlon Series overall title in 2009 and 2010. He has represented the state of VA in the Best of the US Competition twice and raced for Team USA for 3 World Championships in Short Course Triathlon, Long Course Duathlon, and XTERRA.

Molly Frazee - Director of Operations and Marketing

Molly began with Endorphin Fitness as a marketing intern her senior year at the University of Richmond. The goal of the internship was to prepare for the Grand Opening of the EF Training Center in the West End. After the opening in January 2006, Molly received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and became the facility manager and marketing coordinator for EF. She enjoys working in the fitness industry and the fulfilling environment at Endorphin Fitness. She is a recreational runner but has not yet caught the triathlon bug, though some still hold out hope.

Andy Welch - Bicycle Shop Manager

Andy is joining Endorphin Fitness November 19th as the Bicycle and Triathlon Shop Sales Manager.

Andy has been an avid mountain biker and road cyclist for the past 12 years. What started as a causal hobby to escape the daily grind, has now morphed into a passionate career and lifestyle. Andy has extensive industry knowledge of products and mechanical service which he has attained as the store manager of a successful bicycle shop for the past five years.

Andy loves the sport and is passionate about sharing it with others. He currently competes in endurance road and mountain bike races and has earned top honors in 6, 12, 18 and 24 hour races in both road and mountain bike races and has been a member of the Powerbar Team Elite for the past three years. Andy uses his enthusiasm for the sport to motivate and train others of all skill levels to complete centuries through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team in Training (TnT) program. As a TnT cycling coach in Richmond for the past three years, he has helped raise more than $65,000 for the LLS's fight against blood cancers.

Les Welch - Head Mechanic and Bike Fit Technician

Les is joining Endorphin Fitness November 25th as Bicycle and Triathlon Shop Service Manager & Bike Fit Technician.

Les began work in the bicycle industry in 1972, when he opened a community based bicycle sales and service shop in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, Back Alley Bikes, in Harrisonburg. He left Harrisonburg from 1974 through 1987 to gain industry experience by getting involved in bicycle racing, bicycle fit, and coaching. During this time, he served as a mechanic for the US Cycling Federation at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and traveled with US Cycling teams in Canada, South America, and the US. Returning to Harrisonburg in 1987, he developed the East Coast Bicycle Academy, a bicycle repair school for aspiring mechanics, which eventually shifted it's focus to an appointment based bicycle service center, emphasizing bicycle fit, wheel building, and the sport of triathlon. In 2001, Les became part of a mechanical support team for Ironman Triathlon providing mechanical support for the professional and amateur athletes in the days leading up to and during each event.

Camille Ronesi - Director of Strength and Personal Training

Camille has long been regarded as one of the top strength and conditioning specialists in the area. She has made her name through her motivating personality as well as her ability to identify potential injuries and prevent them from occurring through strength and conditioning.

Camille graduated from the College of William & Mary in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology/Sports Medicine. Since 2004, Camille has incorporated her sports medicine background into her personal training practice, creating a total body approach to fitness and performance development. Camille also has a background in Athletic Training which gives her a keen eye for preventing and rehabbing injury through strength training. Her certifications include:

• National Strength and Conditioning (NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer
• Mad Dogg Spin Certification
• Level 1 Kettlebell Instructor

Furthermore, Camille is a triathlete with both road and off-road racing experience. Camille has participated in a range of events including 100 mile mountain biking races, XTERRA off road triathlon, road triathlon, and 18-hour adventure races.

Kyle Pawlaczyk - Head Coach of Adult Group Programs

Kyle was an all-conference distance runner on the College of William and Mary's nationally ranked cross country team before beginning his triathlon career. Kyle began his triathlon career with a bang in 2009, finishing first and second in two local events, and winning his age group at Ironman 70.3 Augusta by 15 minutes. Kyle made the leap to professional triathlete in 2010, his second year in the sport. His rookie pro season was highlighted by two top-10 finishes in the Ironman 70.3 series, and a debut at the Ironman distance in Lake Placid, where he finished 13th in the pro field. Kyle is a feature columnist for BeginnerTriathlete.com, one of the internet's most popular triathlon websites. Kyle holds a Bachelor's degree from the College of William and Mary and a Master's degree from the University of Virginia in exercise physiology. In addition, Kyle has participated in research in the field of nutrition and exercise performance.

Sally Fraser - Youth & Adult Coach and Personal Trainer

Sally Fraser has been an avid runner and cyclist for over 15 years and a competitive multisport athlete for the last eight years. She was a member of Team USA at the Duathlon National Long Course World Championship in 2007. Combining her love of teaching and her passion for endurance sports, she became a USAT certified coach. She enjoys helping people discover the "triathlete within." Being the mother of three young triathletes, she finds working with the youth teams especially fulfilling.

• USA Triathlon Certified Coach
• IYCA Certified Youth Fitness Specialist

Renee Kunnen - Youth & Adult Coach and Personal Trainer

One of Renee's greatest passions is helping others lead healthy lifestyles and reach their fitness goals. Through her own experience during triathlon and marthon training, Renee has learned that the benefits of a healthy lifestyle go well beyond the physical. She is excited to share these benefits with people of all ages and levels. Along with personal training at Endorphin Fitness, she is also a coach for the EF youth and adult triathlon teams. She enjoys long distance racing the most and has completed 2 Ironmans and 9 marathons. With numerous overall women podium finshes under her belt, she has also qualified twice for the 70.3 World Championships and the Boston Marathon.

• USAT Level 1 Coach
• AFAA Certified Group Exercise Instructor and Personal Trainer
• MS Health and Movement Science
• BS Athletic Training

Whitney Wallin - Youth & Adult Swim Coach

Whitney Wallin has been coaching swim lessons for over 12 years. She was an NCAA All-American at the University of North Carolina. She qualified for the Olympic Trials in 2000 in the 800m freestyle and again in 2004 where she qualified for the 800m freestyle and 400 IM. She represented the US in the World Cup in Shanghai, China. Whitney is also a kindergarten teacher in Henrico County.

Joe O'Brien-Applegate - Bicycle Shop Mechanic and Sales Associate

Brian Brown - Youth & Adult Mountain Bike Coach

Brian has been coaching Mountain Bike technique for over 8 years. His focus on bike handling and balance started out at a young age in BMX freestyle biking. He later applied those skills to mountain bike "trials" riding (urban stunt and obstacle riding). His coaching technique now combines those skills with the rigor and strategy of off-road racing. He enjoys helping mountain bikers get started, have more fun, ride more efficiently, or all of the above. Brian is an avid multisport triathlete; competing in XTERRA off-road triathlons, Ironman on-road triathlons, adventure races, and running events. Brian is also a Business Process Improvement Manager here in Richmond.

Elaine Hamilton - Administrative Assistant

Elaine's involvement with Endorphin Fitness began several years ago when her son, Dylan, participated in one of Coach Michael's first youth triathlon training teams at the Shady Grove YMCA. After spending time at home raising her two sons, Dylan and Spencer, Elaine joined the EF team in November 2010, as an Administrative Assistant. Through the years, Elaine has been a law firm office manager, elementary school teacher, Creative Memories consultant, and school and community volunteer. Though she enjoys sports and exercise, she spends most of her time car-pooling her family athletes to their swim meets, basketball games, triathlons, and track meets.