The Long Game: My Journey to Founding Sense Endurance
The silence after a launch is never actually silent. It’s a low hum of adrenaline, the kind you feel after crossing a finish line when the crowds have thinned, but your heart is still hammering against your ribs. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been riding the high of finally seeing Sense Endurance Coaching live in the world.
It’s been a whirlwind of congratulatory messages, but more importantly, it’s been a season of vicarious celebration. I’ve watched with immense pride as athletes—including some of the very first Sense Endurance triathletes—secured their spots for Challenge Roth. Seeing them navigate high-level racing over these past few months has been the ultimate validation.
Behind the scenes, I haven’t been idle. I’ve been meticulously crafting my suite of stock triathlon plans. They are the distillation of my 15+ years in the sport. They cover all levels and are built around a huge range of structured workouts using pace, power, and RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion). You can find them here.
But as I move into this next chapter, I want to take a moment to introduce myself properly. Not as a brand, but as a person who has spent a lifetime obsessed with the "how" and "why" of human performance.
The Dojo and the Ego: Why I Chose to Fail
To understand how I coach, you have to understand where I started. It wasn't on a bike or in a pool. It was on a mat.
I was a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do. For years, I loved the tactical chess match of the ring, and the discipline of the dojo. I was a multiple national champion and eventually placed 2nd at the European Championships. I was short-listed for the national team. I was training 30 hours per week. By all traditional metrics, I had "made it." But mastery has a hidden trap: it can become boring.
I found myself at 18 years old, standing at the peak of a mountain I had climbed for years, looking for something—anything—that would make me feel like a beginner again. I remember saying to myself, “I want to do something I am bad at.”
That "something" was triathlon.
I was a fish out of water in the pool and a heavy-footed striker on the pavement. I went from being the person everyone looked at for technique in the dojo to being the guy struggling to finish a 400m swim set. It was a brutal, humbling, and beautiful transition. It taught me that growth only happens at the edge of incompetence. That New Year’s Resolution became a lifelong passion, and eventually, the bedrock of Sense Endurance Coaching.
The Precision of Language and the Logic of Training
Before I fully pivoted into coaching full-time, I spent a decade in a very different world. I worked as a legal translator specialising in tax matters, while coaching part-time and racing triathlon for over 15 years, but 2 years ago, I decided I wanted to offer more than just "my experience." I wanted to back my intuition with the best certifications in the industry. I dedicated myself to becoming:
80/20 Endurance Certified: Learning the science of intensity balance.
ITCA Certified: Mastering the fundamentals of international coaching.
TriSutto Certified: This was perhaps the most pivotal.
Working closely with the legendary Brett Sutton as part of his Coach the Coach programme was a masterclass in pragmatism. Brett doesn't care about "fancy" for the sake of fancy. He cares about what works. That mentorship sharpened my ability to see the athlete as a whole person, not just a set of data points on a screen.
The Athlete’s Experience: From the Track to the Podium
My coaching isn't just theoretical. I’ve been in the trenches.
I swam competitively during my university years, which gave me a deep appreciation for the technical demands of the "first discipline." I’ve run competitively on both the road and the track, learning how to find that "red line" and stay on it without crossing into injury.
I’ve raced every possible triathlon distance, from the lung-searing sprints to the dark places you go during a full-distance event. Along the way, I’ve nabbed national titles and podium spots. But more importantly, I’ve spent those 15 years helping others do the same. Whether I was sending remote plans or standing poolside correcting a swim stroke, I was always a coach at heart.
The Breaking Point: Why I Had to Build Something Better
The decision to found Sense Endurance Coaching wasn't just a career move; it was a response to a deep dissatisfaction with the coaching industry.
I’ve had my share of coaches. One, in particular, stood out for the wrong reasons. Early on, he seemed as committed as I was. When you’re a serious athlete, you’re placing your health and your entire season in a coach’s hands. You’re also paying a significant amount of money for that privilege.
But the neglect started.
Workouts were provided late, sometimes hours before they were due to start.
Injuries were forgotten. I’d mention a recurring calf strain, and three days later, he’d prescribe a high-intensity track session.
The "Big Picture" was lost. He lost track of my season goals, leading to a preparation for a full-distance event that was completely misaligned with the demands of the race.
Talking to other athletes, it was clear I wasn't alone. I saw a trend of "automated neglect": coaches who take the money, provide a template, and stop listening.
The "Data Trap"
There was another, more subtle issue. Even with coaches who were responsive, I found myself losing the joy of the sport. I was becoming "fitter" on paper—my VO2 max was up, my FTP was climbing—but I felt weaker.
We’ve entered an era of coaching where athletes are glued to their screens. They are chasing a TSS (Training Stress Score) or a specific wattage with such intensity that they lose the ability to "feel" their own bodies.
If your power meter dies during a race, do you know how to pace yourself? If your heart rate monitor spikes because of heat, do you know when to back off? Most modern coaching doesn't teach you that. It turns you into a robot.
I saw athletes losing track of the body as a system. They had huge engines but terrible biomechanics. They were fit, but they weren't healthy. They were finishing races, but they were wrecked for weeks afterward because they hadn't trained the "sense" of endurance.
My Philosophy: The "Sense" in Sense Endurance
I founded Sense Endurance on the conviction that I can do better. I want to offer my athletes a bridge between high-tech data and old-school intuition.
1. Biomechanics Over Brute Force
You can have the biggest aerobic engine in the world, but if your running gait is inefficient, you’re just a fast car with misaligned wheels. You’ll burn more fuel and eventually break an axle. I prioritize movement quality and biomechanical efficiency. We don't just "go hard"; we "go well."
2. The 15-Week "Short and Sweet" Methodology
I’ve noticed that many athletes burn out on 24-week or year-long plans. Life happens. Motivation wanes. My 15-week or 22-week plans are designed to be intensive and focussed. They are "short and sweet" because they respect your time and your mental energy. We build a specific block of work, we execute it, and we see the results.
3. Integrated Metrics (Pace, Power, AND RPE)
I won't let you be a slave to your Garmin. My plans use:
Power: For objective work on the bike.
Pace: For specific run targets.
RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion): This is the "Sense" part. I want you to know what "7 out of 10" feels like without looking at your wrist. This is the skill that wins races when the tech fails.
4. Personal Commitment
I remember what it felt like to have a coach forget my injury. I never want an athlete of mine to feel like a number in a spreadsheet. Whether you’re using one of my pre-made plans or working with me 1:1, the goal is the same: your success, your health, and your joy in the sport.
The Road Ahead
I didn't start Sense Endurance to just add another name to the TrainingPeaks directory. I started it because I believe that endurance sport is a primary way to discover what we are capable of.
I’ve gone from a national champion in Tae-Kwon-Do to a beginner triathlete to grabbing podium spots to the head of this coaching practice. Every one of those steps taught me that precision matters, humility is required, and listening to your body is a superpower.
I’m thrilled to be on this journey with you. Whether you’re aiming for a podium at your Ironman or just trying to finish your first Olympic distance without walking on the run, I’m here to help you find your "sense" of endurance.