Chris didn’t ease into endurance sports, he built into them over seven years, through broken bones, a hip labral repair, and a psoas release surgery that nearly ended his college soccer career before it started. Today he’s a Full Ironman finisher, has completed a self-supported 155-mile stage race across Greece, and just wrapped a 100-mile ultra through the Bay Area’s east bay hills. This month, Chris talks us through what those races actually feel like from the inside, the injury that taught him more than any finish line has, and how he translates elite-level endurance discipline into training for members who just want to keep up with their kids or finish their first 5K.
In This Article: Key Takeaways
Racing résumé: Ironman California (Sacramento), a 155-mile self-supported stage race in Greece (5 days, ~30 lbs of gear), and a 100-mile Bay Area ultra (18,000 ft of elevation, ~33 hours).
Hardest race: Greece — four straight marathon-distance days under weighted pack, then a 50-mile finale in storms, all while rationing food and sleeping on a foam pad for six nights.
The injury story: multiple broken bones and hip surgery at 21 nearly ended his soccer career — and is the direct reason he became a coach.
Coaching philosophy: endurance discipline isn’t just for racing — it’s a tool for showing up in work, family, and daily life.
Gait tip: cadence is the most common fix he sees, and increasing steps per minute reduces stride length and joint stress.
Biggest misconception: aerobic training doesn’t need to be hard every day — slow, consistent effort builds the base.
August challenge tie-in: for members chasing 150 minutes/week, his advice is low intensity, outdoors, and social — bring a friend on the walk or jog.
Q&A with Chris
Section 1:
Let’s start with the racing history. Can you give us the rundown: which Ironman, which ultra, and details on the 155-mile Greece stage race (how many days, terrain, format)?
- Ironman California in Sacramento: 2.6 mile swim ( 1 hour),112 mile Bike ride (7:37 hours), 26.2 Marathonrun (5:10 Hours). Full day event took me about 14 hours
- 155 Miles in Greece. Staged Race and Self support. 155 mile run broken down in 5 days. We had to carry our food and gear for a week around 30lbs. Essentially camping out and racing everyday
- Bay Area 100 mile race is a 100 miles through the east bay hills (18000 Ft of elevation). Took me about 33 Hours to complete.
Of those three, which was hardest, and why?
I would have to give it to Greece. There was so much to consider in a race like that. 4 days of back to back marathons weighted down and then followed up by a 50 Mile ultra in terrible conditions(storms). On top of that you ration food every time you get back to camp. You learn to appreciate every calorie, considering how much you’re burning and the limited weight you can carry. Lastly, sleeping on a thin foam pad for 6 days and trying to get good sleep while doing something physically exhausting required a balance of regulation. Being able to turn it on when you can and relax and recover to show up for the next day.
Take us into one of them minute-by-minute: what does a race actually feel like physically and mentally once you’re deep into it (say, mile 80 of the ultra, or day 4 of Greece)?
Your mind is 100 miles per hour. Knees are hurting, you’re hungry, the sun is beating down and that blister you had three hours ago is talking to you every step you take. It’s not graceful. It’s ugly and your job is just to take another step and to do whatever you can to make sure you take care of yourself to take more steps in the future. Time is as painfully slow as your legs. You know it’s temporary logically but your emotions can make you feel like this is forever.
Is there a specific moment from any race that’s stuck with you?
There is nothing like a familiar face when you go through something like this. Nothing more subcommunicates everything is going to be okay like seeing the people you trust with everything. In my 98 in my last 100 mile race I saw my family but seeing my mom and my 7 month old niece hit differently. The finish line was still 3 miles away but the wave of comfort that came over me is one that still makes me emotional.
What first got you into endurance sports? Was there a moment that hooked you, or did it build slowly?
So slow. I have had these goals for over 7 years now but I battled a lot of injuries while playing college soccer and I still struggle with some of them. Feels amazing to see everything come into fruition 7 years later. Excited to see what else to come.
Section 2: The Injury Story
You’ve said the mile that taught you the most wasn’t a race, it was recovering from surgery as a college athlete, not knowing if you’d move the same way again. Can you walk us through that: what happened, and what got you through it?
I played soccer growing up and at the collegiate level. My goal was always to play in college and to even be so good to get a scholarship so my parents didn’t have to pay for my school. Although I made it to the D2 level I struggled with so many injuries in the process of pushing my body too hard for that goal. I broke my foot multiple times, broke 2 bones in my hip and needed a hip labral repair and psoas release surgery at the age of 21. My goal felt like it was slipping everyday. I woke up and couldn’t play my sport.
What did that setback teach you about your body that racing never did?
It taught me not to only derive confidence from what I was able to provide as an athlete but to focus more on the person I am. Felt as though my world opened up and I was able to improve on myself outside the feild
How did that experience change the way you train and coach today?
It’s the only reason I am a coach. I strive to be the person I needed while going through that time of wanting to be my best self yet not having the knowledge,patience, and guidance to find a way out. I want to help other people in their fitness journey whatever their end goal looks like.
Section 3: Philosophy
You’ve said “endurance is my truth” what does that mean day-to-day, not just on race day?
It has to do with the conversations I have with myself as I am pushing myself. Aside from running, it’s finding ways to push yourself to be better at work, being there for your family and finding ways to show up for yourself when you need to.
What’s a self-limiting belief, yours or a client’s, that you’ve watched get rewritten through training?
I love to see alleviations of self limiting beliefs as their bodies become more capable of doing a certain movement or lifting a certain weight that at one point they weren’t able to do. This will always beg the question of what else is capable.
How does endurance show up for you outside of racing: with family, work, day-today life?
Your bio says the gym work “isn’t the point, it’s a tool.” What’s the “next thing” it’s supposed to prepare people for, in your view?
Section 4: Coaching Style
Your training style flexes for practical, real-life goals: a sport, motherhood, a first 5K. How do you take Ironman/ultra-level discipline and translate it for someone who just wants to keep up with their kids or finish a 5K?
I would argue it’s even more necessary. Life will always require discipline to get to the places you want. Training is a way to practice that discipline so when the day comes where you’re playing tag with your kids or running a sub 20 5k you will be ready.
As a Certified Gait Analyst (RUN-DNA), what’s one gait fix you see often that makes an outsized difference for everyday runners?
Cadence tends to be a common error. Being able to take more steps per minute allows you to reduce your overall stride length and puts less pressure on joints. A huge difference maker.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about endurance or aerobic training?
It needs to be hard and intense everyday. Go lighter and start slow. Trust the process of putting in a little work day by day.
Section 5: August Challenge: 600 Minutes of Movement
Most members doing this challenge aren’t racing ultras, they’re trying to hit 150 minutes a week of walking, jogging, cycling, swimming. What’s your best advice for someone building that habit from scratch?
Low intensity, go outside and bring people along. Even an evening walk or a light jog. Push when you feel like it.
What’s one thing you wish more people understood about aerobic/zone 2-style movement?
It’s a separate discipline. Once you get in shape where you want to run more and longer. Learning how to slow down and train with intention is harder than it seems.
Section 6: Quick Questions:
Go-to recovery ritual?
Binge eating and sleep
One song that’s been on your race-day playlist?
No music. Just thinking about my thoughts
Trail run or track workout?
Trail
Go-to post-workout meal or snack?
Burrito(s) and a modelo
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