David Gillen

Coach David is a USA Triathlon Certified Coach and has been running races since 1999.  He has completed over 50 endurance events including multiple Ironmans and marathons, as well as a 50-mile trail race. It’s almost hard to believe that he could barely run 2 minutes without walking breaks when he coached himself to complete his first marathon.  Despite this accomplishment, David let himself become a 250-lb coach potato before a high-blood pressure epiphany caused him to start devouring endurance literature instead of burgers.  2 years later and 80 lbs lighter, Coach David embarked on a very successful progression, completing sprint to iron-distance triathlons. Throughout this adventure, David has thoroughly enjoyed educating himself on all aspects of triathlon training while developing particular strengths in periodization methodologies, heart-rate and paced-based training, and "dialing in" a nutrition/hydration plan.  Coach David instructs with encouragement to instill his can-do attitude in his athletes.

Personally, I love triathlon training because of how it changes you.  Previously unthinkable workouts become routine, and this improvement redefines your perception of what you're capable of accomplishing!  By going from that obese underachiever, to a continuously improving Ironman, triathlon has transformed my life, giving me so much more confidence and energy than I ever had before.  This transformation has proved to me that triathlon has the power to revolutionize your life if you let it. My goal as a coach is to guide you through that wonderful journey. Despite all the external stimulus of fancy bikes and sleek spandex, I found this journey to be largely an internal one.  I do triathlon because I want to find and feel that inner spirit that is only exposed near the end when many miles have stripped away all shields of adrenaline, caffeine, and glycogen.  I coach triathlon because I want to help others discover that same passion.

KEY RACE RESULTS

2010 Ironman Texas 70.3
2009 Ironman Wisconsin
2009 Ironman Kansas 70.3 5:05:28
2008 Longhorn AquaBike 5th place overall
2008 Ironman USA Lake Placid
2008 Ironman California 70.3
2008 Austin Marathon 3:24:26 (403 out of 5134)
2007 Timberman 70.3
2007 Grasslands 50 mile ultra run
2007 Escape From Alcatraz
2007 RunBiTri Flower Mound 1st Place M30-39
2006 Redman Triathlon 140.6    2nd Place M30-34
2001 Austin Marathon 5:51:23 (4796 out of 4937)