About Coach Matt

Matt is a full-time coach who has guided thousands of athletes since his first day at practice in 1980. On the community, high school, collegiate, national, and Olympic levels, Matt has guided athletes to podium finishes and personal best accomplishments. Since 1972, Matt has continued to train and race in a wide range of sports and race distances. His blend of education, elite level performance experience, and coaching history provide the guidance that you need to attain your finish line goals.

Matt's Coaching History

• Performance Power (P2) Team Coach, 2003 to present
• Macalester College Cross Country & Track Distance Coach, 2003 to present
• Triathlon Pro World Triathlon Championships Head Coach, 1997-2000
• USA Triathlon National Teams Head Coach, 1997-2000
• USA Pan American Games Tri Team Head Coach, 1999
• St. Olaf College Cross Country & Track Distance Coach, 1985-1997
• St. Olaf College Nordic Ski Team Coach, 1985-1992
• USA Triathlon Junior National Team Coach, 1995-1997
• USA Triathlon Junior Olympic Coach, 1994
• Courage Center Wheelchair National Games Coach, 1980

Matt's Coaching Credentials

• B.A. Psychology. St. Olaf College
• M.S. Exercise Science/Sport Psychology. Penn State
• A.B.D. (Ph.D. studies). Kinesiology/Sport Psychology. U of Minnesota
• USA Olympic Committee Triathlon Coach of the Year, 1997, 1998, 1999
• USA Triathlon National Coaching Committee Member, 1995-2000
• USA Triathlon Certified Level 2 Coach

The Best Teams and Athletes that I ever Coached

• St. Olaf College Nordic Team: five top-10 team finishes at Nationals
• NCAA individual athletes: 7 All-Americans
• MIAC Track: champions in 100M, 800M, 1500M, 2-mile, 5K, 10K, & 4x800M
• MIAC CC & Track: 2^nd place individuals in 8000M, & 3000M steeplechase
• Women´s USA Olympic Marathon Trials qualifiers:  two sub 2:45 runners
• World Pro Triathlon Championships: three 2^nd-place teams (USA, 1997-1999)
• Pan American Games 1999 Triathlon:  one individual silver medalist
• Triathlon Pro World Cup 1998:  two individual silver medalists
• USA Pro Triathlon Nationals 1997 & 1998: two-time individual champion (Hunter Kemper)
• Triathlon World Junior 1995 Championships:  6^th place individual
• USA Tri Resident Team, 1998-99: Hunter Kemper, Doug Friman, Laura Reebak, Victor Plata, Gina Derks, Kristin Armstrong

                Kristin Armstrong, 2004 Olympian, & 2007 World Time Trial Champion

Matt´s Personal Best Race Results

• NCAA Division III Cross Country All-American: 5^th place overall
• 30:30 10K, 14:42 5K, 9:08 2-mile, & 4:15 mile
• 1:08 ½-marathon, & 2:23 marathon
• 6^th  & 90^th places overall, at Marine Corps & Boston Marathon
• champion of the first three Aquatennial Triathlons, 1984-1986
• 8:41 Ironman triathlon (2:53 marathon split)
• 12^th, 13^th, & 16^th places overall, at Ironman Canada
• 63^rd & 74^th places overall, at Hawaii Ironman Triathlon
• 2^nd place overall at the World´s Toughest Triathlon in Lake Tahoe
• top-50 at the American Birkebeiner 55K ski race
• 12^th place at the Mora Vasaloppet 58K ski race
• 368 miles in the 24-hour Bike Challenge
• 1^st place 2-man Team at the Border to Border Triathlon
• Ed Fitz 100K run finisher
• champion of seven snowshoe races, 8K to ½-marathon
• Pikes Peak Marathon master´s division champion
• Pikes Peak Ascent & Marathon ´double:´  3rd place (2007)
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Why I am a Coach

The best memories of my life include the days that I shared with teammates and coaches at practices and competitions. I have been fortunate to spend time with positive, driven, achievement oriented people who have inspired me by their passion for a goal. As a result, I will always want to be on a team, so I can go to practice, go to races, and connect with people who live life fully.

Matt´s Coaching Style

I believe that the most significant performance powers are within YOU:  your desire, your passion, and your relentless spirit to push onward. As a coach, I will help you to become more self-aware and confident, as you discover and extend your physical and mental toughness in challenging team and solo training sessions. You will learn how to rely on your positive self-talk, your ability to focus on a goal, and your visualization of expected race day success.

I am a practice coach. I like to connect with you and watch you train, rather than rely on a computer or telephone to "coach" you remotely. My coaching mentors made it obvious to me that the ´art´ of coaching demands that a coach and athlete connect eye-to-eye at practice and races, so that the process of inspiring, igniting, listening, observing, affirming, and caring can lead you to your full potential.

I will send you the training plan that you need to follow to achieve your goals. I will be at your key practices. I will email you words and images that enhance your motivation, and connect your spirit and passion. And I will be at your races, watching you ´do it.´

My style is one that highlights the performance power within YOU. I do believe that YOU have the ability to work hard, to dig deeply, to persist mile after mile, and to rely on your mindpower as your greatest source of race day improvement.

I have coached and observed successful athletes on the community, collegiate, and Olympic levels. Their podium finishes were not attributed to the equipment, technology, nutrition, or heart/speed monitors; their success was rooted in their passion and desire.

"hands-in" after a memorable Macalester College Track Team practice