Behind the Scenes: Meet the Coaches at The Endurance Edge

Your own coach. An entire team in your corner.

Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes at The Endurance Edge?

Who are the people creating training plans, reviewing workout data, analyzing swim technique, and helping athletes work toward their goals?

And perhaps more importantly, what are they actually like?

Because when you’re thinking about hiring a coach, you’re not just looking for someone who knows how to write a training plan.

You’re looking for someone who gets you.

Someone who understands that you’re juggling training with work, family, and everything else life throws your way. Someone you can trust with your goals, ask questions, celebrate wins with, and turn to when things don’t go according to plan.

And hopefully, someone you actually enjoy talking to!

That’s why I wanted to do something a little different on this episode of the Find Your Edge Podcast.

I invited four of our Endurance Edge coaches—Jason Ward, Dr. Peter Ormsby, Dr. Carlie Frost Poirier, and Marty Owens—to join me for a behind-the-scenes conversation.

No formal presentations. No deep dives into training zones or nutrition strategies.

Just a chance for you to meet the people behind the coaching, hear their stories, and get a feel for what makes our team tick.

And yes, there were a few laughs along the way!

Meet the People Behind The Endurance Edge

One of my favorite things about our coaching team is that everyone brings something different to the table.

Different backgrounds. Different experiences. Different personalities.

But as you’ll hear in this conversation, there’s something they all have in common.

They genuinely care about the people they coach.

And they understand that being a successful endurance athlete is about more than following a perfectly designed training plan.

Let’s meet them!

Meet Jason Ward: Finding the Story Behind the Training Data

Jason’s path into endurance sports started with a background in team sports.

Like a lot of athletes, injuries eventually changed what participation in those sports looked like. Triathlon offered a new challenge and a new opportunity to work toward meaningful goals.

That experience helped shape what Jason enjoys most about coaching today: helping athletes set goals, put in the work, and experience the satisfaction of achieving something they once weren’t sure was possible.

Jason loves the data side of coaching.

And let’s face it, endurance athletes can generate a LOT of data!

Power, pace, heart rate, training load, recovery metrics…there’s certainly no shortage of numbers to analyze.

But one thing I appreciate about Jason’s approach is that he doesn’t stop at the numbers.

He wants to know how an athlete is actually feeling.

Sometimes that means asking better questions. Sometimes it means listening carefully to feedback. And sometimes it means getting out there and training alongside athletes to see things that might not show up in a workout file.

Because two athletes can complete the exact same workout and have two very different experiences.

The data matters. But so does the person behind it.

And great coaching requires understanding both.

Meet Dr. Peter Ormsby: Making Training Work With Real Life

If you’ve ever looked at your training calendar and wondered how you’re supposed to fit everything into your week, you’ll appreciate Peter’s perspective.

Peter brings approximately 25 years of experience coaching collegiate track and field athletes.

But what stood out to me in our conversation wasn’t simply his experience.

It was how much he enjoys figuring out the puzzle of training around an athlete’s life.

Because most of the athletes we work with aren’t professional triathletes.

They have jobs.

They have families.

They have responsibilities, travel schedules, unexpected meetings, and days when life just doesn’t cooperate.

And sometimes, the most effective training plan isn’t the one that looks perfect on paper.

It’s the one that actually works for the person following it.

Peter really embraces that challenge.

He sees coaching as understanding the whole person—not just the athlete showing up for a workout.

I think that’s such an important distinction.

Your training should support your goals without ignoring the rest of your life.

That doesn’t mean every week will be easy or that reaching big goals won’t require commitment.

It means your coach understands the reality of your schedule and helps you make thoughtful decisions about how to train within it.

Meet Dr. Carlie Frost Poirier: Building Confidence Along With Fitness

We spend a lot of time in endurance sports talking about physical fitness.

But what about the mental side of training?

What about confidence?

What about the athlete who completes a great workout but immediately focuses on what could have been better?

Or the athlete who has made tremendous progress but still doesn’t quite believe they’re capable of reaching their goal?

This is one of the reasons I love having Carlie on our team.

With a background in exercise science and sports psychology, she brings an important perspective to coaching.

Carlie understands the value of analyzing training and using evidence to guide decisions.

But she also recognizes how important it is for athletes to acknowledge their progress.

To celebrate the small wins.

To recognize how far they’ve come instead of constantly comparing themselves with where they think they should be.

And like the rest of our team, she starts by getting to know the athlete’s life and circumstances.

Because coaching isn’t just about building stronger bodies.

It’s also about helping athletes develop the confidence to trust their training, recognize their capabilities, and approach challenges with a healthier perspective.

Sometimes athletes need more than another workout. They need someone who can help them see what they’re already accomplishing.

Meet Marty Owens: Decades of Experience and a Love of Learning

Marty has been involved in triathlon since 1992.

Yes, 1992!

He’s also raced at the Ironman World Championship in Kona in 1995 and 1997.

And if you listen to the episode, you’ll hear a little about what triathlon looked like back then—including some memorable race-day fashion choices. 😂

But what I appreciate most about Marty isn’t simply how long he’s been involved in endurance sports.

It’s that he’s still curious.

Still researching.

Still learning.

Still looking for ways to help athletes improve.

With experience in both triathlon and collegiate coaching, Marty brings decades of perspective to our team.

He places a lot of value on setting meaningful goals, understanding technique, and maintaining honest, two-way communication between coach and athlete.

That last part is especially important.

Coaching works best when athletes feel comfortable sharing what’s really going on.

Not just the good workouts.

But the missed sessions, fatigue, frustration, doubts, and changes in priorities.

Because your coach can only help you make good decisions when they understand what’s happening.

And Marty’s approach reflects that.

Great coaching isn’t a one-way conversation. It’s a relationship built on trust, communication, and a shared commitment to your goals.

Four Different Coaches. One Shared Philosophy.

Here’s what I found especially interesting about this conversation.

Jason, Peter, Carlie, and Marty have very different backgrounds and perspectives.

Jason loves combining training data with what he observes and hears from athletes.

Peter enjoys figuring out how training fits into the realities of everyday life.

Carlie brings an understanding of sports psychology and the importance of confidence.

And Marty draws on decades of experience, technical knowledge, and ongoing research.

But listen closely, and you’ll hear a common theme.

They all want to understand the person they’re coaching.

Not just their race results.

Not just their training history.

Not just their numbers.

The whole person.

Their goals. Their motivations. Their challenges. Their schedules. Their concerns.

Because the more we understand you, the better we can help you move forward.

And that’s something I care deeply about at The Endurance Edge.

Your Own Coach. An Entire Team in Your Corner.

There’s another part of The Endurance Edge that I don’t think athletes always get to see.

Our coaches don’t work in isolation.

When you work with one of our one-on-one coaches, you have a dedicated person guiding your training and getting to know you.

But that coach is also part of a larger team.

A team with different backgrounds, experiences, and areas of expertise.

A team that shares ideas, collaborates, and learns from one another.

And I believe that’s one of the things that makes our coaching approach different.

Think about it.

Maybe you’re working through a question about training progression.

Or you’re trying to improve your swim technique.

Or you’re struggling with confidence heading into a big race.

Or your schedule has changed, and you need to figure out how to make your training work.

Your dedicated coach remains your primary point of contact, but they aren’t limited to their own perspective.

They can draw on the experience and knowledge of the broader Endurance Edge team.

And that means you benefit from more than one person’s expertise.

It’s a combination I love:

A personal coaching relationship, supported by a collaborative team.

In fact, at the end of this podcast recording, we had to get back to our actual coaches’ meeting.

We still had underwater swim video analysis and metabolic testing reports to review!

That’s the kind of work happening behind the scenes.

We’re asking questions, looking at information, sharing perspectives, and thinking about how to help athletes improve.

Not because every athlete needs the same solution.

But because every athlete deserves thoughtful coaching that considers their individual needs.

What Should You Look for in a Triathlon or Run Coach?

If you’ve been thinking about working with an endurance coach, I encourage you to look beyond someone’s certifications, race results, or years of experience.

Those things can certainly matter.

But they don’t tell you everything about what it will feel like to work together.

Here are a few questions worth considering:

Do they take the time to understand your life?

Your training has to fit into your actual schedule, not an imaginary one where you have unlimited time and energy.

Can you communicate openly with them?

You should feel comfortable sharing your concerns, asking questions, and telling your coach when something isn’t working.

Do they recognize that progress is more than a finish time?

Performance matters, of course. But so do confidence, consistency, recovery, and the ability to enjoy the process.

Are they willing to keep learning?

Endurance sports science continues to evolve. A good coach should be curious, thoughtful, and open to new information.

Do you feel like they understand you?

This one might be the most important.

Because coaching is a relationship.

And when you’re working toward a challenging goal, having the right person in your corner can make a meaningful difference.

What Makes The Endurance Edge Coaching Team Different?

I could tell you about our coaches’ backgrounds, education, experience, and technical expertise.

And those things are important.

But I think this episode shows you something that a list of credentials can’t.

Our personalities.

Our conversations.

Our curiosity.

Our commitment to understanding the athletes we work with.

And the fact that we genuinely enjoy learning from one another.

We believe endurance training should be grounded in science, adapted to the individual, and designed to support both performance and long-term health.

We also believe athletes are people first.

People with full lives, ambitious goals, occasional setbacks, and plenty of reasons to be proud of what they’re doing.

That’s the kind of coaching environment we’re working to create.

And I hope this behind-the-scenes conversation gives you a little glimpse of it.

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Coaching Team

Will I work with one coach or the entire Endurance Edge team?

With one-on-one coaching, you’ll have a dedicated coach who gets to know you, guides your training, and serves as your primary point of contact. That coach is also supported by a collaborative team with a variety of backgrounds and expertise.

Does The Endurance Edge offer personalized triathlon and run coaching?

Yes! Our one-on-one coaching is built around your individual goals, training history, experience, schedule, and needs rather than a one-size-fits-all training plan.

How do I know which Endurance Edge coach is right for me?

A good coaching match goes beyond credentials. Coaching style, communication, experience, and your individual goals all matter. Getting to know our coaches through conversations like this one is a great place to start.

Do I need to be an experienced triathlete to work with a coach?

No. Personalized coaching can be valuable at different experience levels, whether you’re preparing for a new challenge, working toward a personal best, or trying to build a more consistent approach to training.

Could You See Yourself Working With Us?

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Jason, Peter, Carlie, and Marty a little better.

I know I enjoyed bringing everyone together for this conversation!

And if there’s one thing I hope you take away from the episode, it’s this:

Choosing a coach isn’t just about finding someone who can create a training plan.

It’s about finding someone who understands you, communicates with you, believes in what you’re capable of, and is invested in helping you get there.

At The Endurance Edge, you get your own coach—and an entire team in your corner.

So if you’ve been thinking about working with a triathlon or run coach, we’d love for you to get to know us.

Explore One-on-One Coaching at The Endurance Edge

We’d love to help you find your edge.

Chris Newport, MS, RDN, LDN, CISSN
Founder, Head Coach & Performance Nutritionist
The Endurance Edge

#FindYourEdge