Coaching Philosophy

​

• I believe in the end goal of personal progress. My main purpose is to facilitate individual development in fitness, skills, tactics, mental strength, resilience, recovery techniques, etc. By working toward these improvements, athletes learn about themselves and where they may fit into the sport. They also learn traits and build confidence that will serve them in any area of life.

• I believe in preparing for events and goals in so much as they provide focus for daily efforts. Results and contracts are not the end goal but rather are the by-products of diligent and impassioned efforts toward self-improvement.

• I believe in leading by example to help athletes manage the challenges and occasional drudgery of training. I hope to foster the character that sustains an athlete when things get tough, because success is the result of many small, doable things done consistently and well.  I believe in turning adversity like mechanicals or tough days into learning experiences. I want my athletes to find a joy in the process and to reap the rewards of perseverance. 

​

When I work with athletes, it is important for me to really get to know them and take into account the whole picture of how racing fits into their lives. How do we maximize the most effective training into their schedules and other commitments? Understanding both their mental and physical strengths and weaknesses helps me look at athletes' specific goals and see how to capitalize on strengths and target weaknesses to achieve those goals.

 

No one approach or training method works for everyone, and there are no "magic" intervals or training.  At the same time, science and data fo provide helpful metrics.  For example, I do a variety of power tests to to determine what an athlete's power profile looks like from high intensity to low intensity efforts, and then design specific intervals based on that.

 

Power is only one part of the story though. I also think it's key to address the skills athletes need to hone, and to discuss the strategy aspects of racing so that athletes are capitalizing on their strengths for their particular event.  One of my strengths is being able to design creative set of intervals to target a point of weakness in racing or to prepare an athlete for a specific course.

 

In addition to running and cycling workouts, I include core, strength, balance work, stretching, and sometimes yoga.  These supplemental workouts are really important for preventing injury, saving energy over time, and improving skills.

 

What's most rewarding to me is seeing a person achieve a goal, regardless of their level, age, or sport.  Helping passionate people become the best at what they care about is what motivates me.  Since I have had to overcome a huge fear of descending, I can relate to people who have similar fears.  I love helping people develop skills and confidence to overcome challenges.