Background:
- Bachelor’s of Science from Humboldt State University
- Russian Kettlebell Instructor – RKC
- USAC Certified Cycling Coach – Level 2
- ACE Certified Personal Trainer
- Crossfit Level 1
- TRX / Outdoor Group Fitness Trainer
- Cycling competitively since 1988
- Triathlete since 1992
- Adventure Racer since 2003
Coaching Goals:
- Provide safe, goal-based training
- Teach the importance of recovery
- Measure success
- Convey racing and competitive strategies
My intro to athletic training started at home where I grew up in a household where goals were paramount. My mother started out as a 10k runner, then a marathoner, then a triathlete, then an Ironman (or is that Ironwoman?) The title may not be important; it’s what she did to get there. She taught me the importance of setting small, achievable goals, and making your life your own. She was ‘Just-do-it’ well before Nike just-did-it.
Once in college I pursued my goal of attaining a degree in exercise physiology. For a two years I studied anatomy, physiology, sports psychology among a number of supporting courses (biomechanics, nutrition, etc). For whatever reason I switched gears and pursued a path with technology. After college and a few years of non-athleticism, I hired on as a satellite engineer at Lockheed Martin. There I was re-awakened to the health consequences of a sedentary life. Our mission controllers were great motivation to me as a young engineer. I met a former former Navy Seal who had abandoned his health and let things really go. High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, it was all there. It was enough for me to make the decision that I would not be sitting in those chairs in that state. I was going to get back on track.
It took time to regain my fitness. It’s been over 10 years since I first walked down the halls of that mission control center. Now, with time to reflect on the decisions since then, I can say I have zero regrets.
It’s important to me to translate the value of safe training – many people look at training as an all-out effort every day, every week. Workouts need to cover a wide range of efforts: each session has a purpose, and an underlying goal to take you to your next race better than you were before and at your top level of performance. Building recovery into a program is not just a nice-to-have; it’s a critical component that cannot be ignored.
Success, if it is to be defined at all, must be measured. Whether it’s a picture of your former self, a race result, a journal, it’s about transformation and seeing progress. There also needs to be balance regarding the measurement. Sometimes you need a run, just for a run’s sake and its ok to leave the watch at home.
Racing and competition are an important part of my life. You can find me anywhere from 10k’s to multi-day expedition racing and I believe strongly in our ability to push each other and attain new heights of physical capability. I believe competition isn’t about beating someone else, it’s about getting pushed (and allowing yourself to be pushed) by your fellow competitors and discovering you are suddenly capable of attaining something you thought out-of-reach.
