About Coach Ian

Like a lot of people I know, I’ve been riding bikes since I was a kid. I’ve always loved the freedom it has given me to explore the world around me. At age sixteen my friend and I rode our bikes from my hometown in Leicester, England on a three-week adventure down to ‘Land’s End’ in Cornwall, the southern tip of the country, a round trip of some 700 miles. Camping out in farmers’ fields and fighting winds and rain the whole way there and back, it was a grand adventure of seemingly epic proportions.

From my time in New Zealand working as a bike messenger, to the years spent exploring the European Alpes from my home in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, cycling has been a huge part of my life. Moving to Oregon in the late nineties, I discovered a vibrant racing scene that I was eager to be a part of, and with my new-found competitive spirit, I dove headfirst into getting myself into the best shape I could. I wanted to win bike races!

In my first year of racing I found that I could not only hang on to a fast-moving bunch, but also that I had a half-decent sprint. I began to win some of the local mid-week races as well as do well in some longer road events. This inspired me to push harder in my training and seek out ways to make significant performance gains. On the advice of a friend, I hired a coach and began a rigorous structured training program. Instead of just going out and flogging myself on ever-harder training rides, I was able to unlock some big gains in power and endurance by following my coach’s plan, pushing hard when I needed to, but also resting up when I was told to. For me this changed everything. Now in my late 50s, and after a late start in the racing bikes game, I had moved up through the racing categories and was finding success with podium places at local and regional races.

Although I can’t claim a national championship title, Olympic medals, or have an illustrious career in the pro peloton to boast of, I believe that I do bring relatable experience to the table, especially to my fellow Masters athletes. Like many of my clients, I know what it’s like trying to balance a full-time job, family commitments, and life in general with my cycling goals and ambitions. I’ve learned to not waste precious training time, and instead make every mile out on the bike count in some way toward my performance ambitions.