Michael

coaching philosophy

As your coach, I’ll work closely with you to understand if you're an artist or engineer so that, together, we can develop the training that is tailored to your physiological needs and the character of your life.

My name is Michael and I am a ski mountaineer and mountain runner. These sports bring so much to my life: joy, passion, focus, discipline and self-compassion. They inspire me to live a grounded life which is centered around the pursuit of improving how well I move in the mountains. The concept of Grounded is a key theme of Terra, just as it is a key theme of how I approach the mountains and those who I coach: to be grounded within ourselves, to be grounded in our training, and to be grounded in the environment we venture amongst. 

My time in the mountains started when I was two - lucky duck I know! Thanks mom! I was fortunate enough to grow up in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado with the Elk Mountains (my home range) in my backyard; I was in ski boots by the age of two competing in various ski disciplines, and then shifting to backcountry skiing as a teenager. 

At the age of 13, I began to study both strength and aerobic performance to apply to the sports I was doing as a cyclist, skier, and runner. Since then, I have earnestly (or rather, neurotically) researched physiology as it pertains to uphill and downhill mountainous movement to optimize that nirvana-esque flow state of moving fast in the mountains. I’ve experimented with a variety of strength and aerobic developmental practices since that early age. This has led to a firsthand understanding of what works and what doesn’t. I am excited to help you weed through the BS and find a training program that simultaneously pushes you and your limits and brings you a whole lot of joy.

Like my colleagues, fast and light movement gives a flow to my day to day life that, now, I wouldn’t dare dream of living without. I adore going for time trials up and down mountains on skis, by foot and on the bike. Furthermore, I find structured interval sessions motivating and an opportunity to dive into specific means of physiological progressions. With that said, exploration is what keeps me coming back. Exploration has coincidentally fueled my most productive and stimulating training. I am a firm believer of understanding athletes from a psychological basis (are you an artist or engineer?). I lean more artist, but the cycling training of my past (which is highly quantifiable through power meters combined with HR data for every ride) has deposited some engineer qualities in me when I hone in on FTP, Watts/Kilo, and the other types of data that can be collected in the physiology of mountain athletes. 

Email Michael

athlete resume

Ski Mountaineering

  • First linkup of the Victoria Triple, Canadian Rockies – solo

  • Second Descent Comstock Couloir, Mount Dawson BC (first solo and first in a single day)

  • First linkup of Cougar North to Bagheera North, Selkirks BC

  • Second linkup of the Hat Trick (first solo): Maroon Peak East Face, North Maroon Peak North Face, Pyramid Peak West Face, Elk Range CO

  • First Descent Liberty Bell Ridge Direct, North Cascades

  • Climbed and skied 31 of the 50 Classic Ski Descents of North America in one season (2022)

  • Climbed and skied from the summits of all 59 peaks above 13,000’ in the Elk Range of Colorado in 61 Days (52X 13ers & 7X 14ers)

    • 6 first descents

  • First descents and first-linkups in Canada, WA, AK, CO.

Mountain/Ultra Running

Some additional quick outings but not records for reference

Weird Data Pieces that have application to mountain performance

  • Best 1 hour FTP (cycling)  5.6 Watt/Kilo (342 watt at 60kg) - 23 years old 

  • 17 strict ring muscle ups - 17 years old

  • Resting Heart Rate: 33bpm

Contact: michael@terraendurance.com

A man running on a trail through a hilly landscape with trees and fall foliage, wearing athletic clothing and yellow trail running shoes.
A skier in a red and green jacket skiing down a steep slope between two large, snow-covered rock faces in a mountainous area.

Athlete reviews

“Through targeted, personalized training, Michael helped me reach an objective that at the beginning of my training block seemed nearly impossible. He provided immense technical support, advice on how to take on the mental side of my objective, and of course, a day-to-day training plan which helped me confront and develop my weaknesses as an athlete in a manageable, and even fun way. I especially appreciated Michael’s willingness to explain the short and long term goals behind each workout and stimulus, allowing me to learn fundamental physiological and training lessons that I can now apply in future training phases. From my experience as one of Michael’s athletes, it is clear that—complimenting his many years of experience in the endurance world—he is still a student of the sport who is constantly learning and incorporating new lessons into his coaching philosophy. I recommend Michael to anyone hoping to reach new heights in their sport.”

  • Oscar

“Working with Michael for the last 4 months has been an absolute blast! He is incredibly knowledgeable, super supportive, and his stoke for the sport is so contagious. In only a few short months I feel like I have already improved so much as an amateur athlete. His holistic approach to training has helped me improve both my physical and mental game in a huge way. Since May, I've had a few exciting firsts - first bike ride over 100 mi, and recently my longest ever run (40 mi), which I completed unsupported. I am feeling stronger and more confident than I have in a long time coached by Michael, and I am very excited to see how I'll continue to improve in the coming months. It has been game-changing having such a supportive coach in my corner who is so invested in my success. I can absolutely recommend Michael to anyone who is looking to maximize their movement in the mountains.”

  • Johanna