CEO & Head Performance Coach

Jay Ridgeway has spent more than 25 years at the forefront of endurance sports, building athletes, organizations, and communities with equal dedication. A USA Track & Field and USA Triathlon certified coach, certified personal trainer, and former master-level outdoor boot camp instructor, Jay brings a rare combination of competitive pedigree, technical expertise, and genuine passion for health and fitness to every athlete he works with.

In 2002, Jay founded PacWest Endurance — originally PacWest Athletics — in the San Francisco Bay Area, growing it into one of the region’s most respected and comprehensive endurance training organizations. For over two decades, PacWest has served upward of 2,500 athletes across disciplines including running, cycling, swimming, outdoor boot camps, and personal training, while also producing community race events and corporate wellness programs that have deepened the company’s reach throughout Northern California and Northern Nevada.

Jay’s impact extends well beyond the training ground. In 2009, he launched and directed Team PacWest, a professional and elite amateur coed race team that became a dominant force across California and beyond. Over seven competitive years, Team PacWest athletes claimed countless podium finishes and championship titles — producing multiple USA and World Champions — cementing the team’s place as a regional powerhouse and a launchpad for serious talent.

From 2013 to 2015, Jay served as Head Coach of the University of Missouri Triathlon Team, supporting his daughter Emily’s leadership as team president. He guided the program remotely while traveling to training camps and national competitions, including the USAT Collegiate National Championships in Tempe, AZ (2014), and Clemson, SC (2015). He has also given back at the youth level as Head Coach of the Dipsea Kidz Youth Development Program, affiliated with the legendary Dipsea Race Foundation.

Jay’s coaching philosophy is rooted in lived experience. He began competitive running at age 11, completed his first triathlon in 1985, and has never stopped. A proud University of Oregon alumnus and active age-group competitor for over 40 years, he has logged countless triathlons, marathons, and half-marathons — including six Boston Marathons and two New York City Marathons. A former USA Triathlon All-American and Team USA World Championship representative, Jay is also widely celebrated as the “Voice of USA Productions” — a race announcer whose energy is as familiar on the course as it is in the coaching arena.

After a seven-year hiatus from triathlon competition, Jay made a powerful return in 2021, competing in Ironman 70.3 Hawaii, Ironman 70.3 Arizona, and the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in St. George, Utah — proving that the lessons he teaches, he lives.

Today, Jay is based in Reno, Nevada, where he trains, coaches, and continues to shape the endurance community alongside his wife, Dr. Johanna Lelke, and baby daughter Elliana. He leads PacWest together with his adult daughter and fellow coach Emily (Ridgeway) Torluemke — a family legacy of athletic excellence and mentorship now entering its second generation.

Coaching Certifications

USA Track & Field

• Level 1 Certified Coach

USA Triathlon

• Level 1 Certified Coach

• Level 1 Certified Short Course Coach

• Level 1 Certified Long Course Coach

• Level 1 Certified Youth & Junior Coach

• Level 1 Certified Paratriathlon Coach

Other Endurance & Performance Certifications

• Jack Daniels’ Running Formula – Distance Running Certified Coach 

• Newton Running – Natural Running Form Certified Coach 

• TrainingPeaks University – Level 1 Coaching Accreditation