Get Ready to Rise to the Challenge
Whether you are just starting out or are a seasoned runner or cyclist looking to hit a personal record, our Certified Coach, Griffin Nemitz is here to guide you through your journey!
Meet Griffin
Welcome to the Empower Challenge — I am Coach Griffin, and I am beyond excited to guide you along your journey of becoming a better cyclist/runner. I've been coaching for the past two years, leaning on my professional cycling experience and hyper-enthusiast transition to running. Cycling and Running are very important parts of my life. For the past 10 or so years, I have lived and breathed endurance sports, from a beginner who knew nothing about the right clothes, or even how much water to bring on a workout, to placing 8th, 10th, 13th, and 8th in the past 4 years in National Level Bike races. I have been through it all. I have learned a lot along the way about what to do, and more importantly what to avoid, and bring a lot of experience in workout management, nutrition (both on and off the bike), and Race Day prep/pacing.
So, what motivated me to be a part of Autism Speaks and the Empower Challenge? My middle brother, Dylan, was diagnosed with Autism when he was 3 years old. Being the youngest in my family, I was always a few steps behind with understanding my brother's diagnosis. From an early age, I was embarrassed having a non-verbal brother who would have outbursts with very little triggering in public. As I aged and matured, what started as embarrassment later turned into empowerment.
When I was young, I would get embarrassed by how people reacted to my brother. I thought that if they were laughing or acted rudely it was because they were bad people. What I came to realize is that people tend to laugh at things they don't understand - they weren't doing it to be mean, but because they were uncomfortable and didn't understand why Dylan was upset. Since then, my goal in life has shifted to spreading the knowledge of Autism into the world and exposing others to the fact that there are different people in the world and we should be accommodating and understanding of their difference, and more importantly, how those differences can empower us.
I have learned so much from Dylan and have grown exponentially by having a brother with Autism. It has given me a perspective in the darkest times of my life and the strength to conquer what previously seemed like an insurmountable goal. It is my hope that these experiences both in my personal life and my professional life will serve as a support system to help you fulfill your goals.
Group Coaching Calls
Register to join our Empower Challenge Coaching Calls with Coach Griffin where you can ask questions, celebrate wins and chat with other Empower participants around the country. To RSVP for a specific call(s), click the link below for your desired date(s).
Training Program & Resources
We want to make sure you feel prepared and confident to take on the Empower Challenge and as a participant, you will have access to a structured training plan, sample calendars and resources, and connect one on one Coach Griffin.
Personalized Training programs can be accessed through the TrainingPeaks website or mobile app by adding Griffin as your coach. For more information on how to create an account or add a coach, refer to our FAQ document below.
Login with Social