Pete considers himself very fortunate to have learned from a wide variety of coaches and athletes, including Tom Cole, his coach in his early years at Pittsford High School, and Jack Warner at Cornell University. Later, Pete gained invaluable insights into training and coaching from coaches Arch Jelley, Kevin Ryan, Bill Squires, Arthur Lydiard, Bill Dellinger, Dick Quax, Bob Sevene, and David Martin. Pete has also received ongoing advice from, and the patient support of, coach and exercise physiologist Jack Daniels.

World-class runners are generally happy to share their training programs as well, and Pete's training ideas have been strongly influenced by Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, Lorraine Moller, Joan Samuelson, John Treacy, Bob Hodge, and many others.

Pete's first coaching experience was in 1979, when he guided the University of Massachusetts women's cross-country team to a win at the New England Championships and a qualifying berth at the Nationals. Later, he gained further track and cross-country coaching experience assisting at the University of New Hampshire and Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.

In addition to co-authoring two successful training books with former Running Times editor Scott Douglas, Pete has made developing individualized training programs for marathoners his primary area of expertise. With 20 years' coaching experience with post-collegiate distance runners, he has coached over 75 marathoners - aged 23 to 68 - to personal best performances.