In my youth I practiced several sports, the main ones being football, judo and swimming. During and after my time in the army, I got a taste for running. My goals became more and more challenging: from 5km over 10km to half a marathon and finally a full marathon.
What started out as a “feel good” experience grew into a passion for training theory and applying this to myself considering my abilities. The feeling you get when setting a goal, working towards it and finally achieving it has become my way of life. In addition, living in a healthy body gives a feeling that you never want to lose.
After challenging myself more intensely year after year, I got confronted with my own limits and the resulting injuries. Swimming as a remedy was a blessing. Adding a bicycle meant the start of my triathlon career. Throughout the years, I immersed myself in the evolving training theories. This helped me and others I guided greatly.
I keep setting new sports goals for myself, although the time of PR's is behind me. I started coaching in 2018. After 1 year in wich I have helped about 10 athletes to achieve their goals, I can say that it tastes like more, I like it! A good planning allows you to do the right things at the right time and at moments that fit into your daily life. I will be happy to help you balance, choose, prioritize and put things into perspective so that you can focus on the execution of the training sessions and work towards an event with confidence.

Education:
My degree in car mechanics and my passion for bicycles make me a decent DIYer when it comes to bicycle maintenance/fine-tuning/repair. This as a side note. 
I’m a self-made man in regard to planning. I’ve reached the achievements below by trial-and-error and by applying the theory on myself and other as of 1990.

My favourite sources:

• Plannen, periodiseren, trainen, bijsturen en winnen / Jan Olbrecht
•  TrainingPeaks  
•  Back to basics in sports / Karel Pardaens
•  The Triathlete's Training Bible / Joe Friel

 
Followed courses:

• Workshop "trainingsschemas maken" Karel Pardaens – 2018
• Ironman coaching certification program – finished 07/2019
• Lifeguard – succesfully passed 11/2019 
• Lactaattesting 1.0 - Karel Pardaens 04/2020
• Lactaattesting 2.0 - Karel Pardaens 04/2020 
• Continuing education through TrainingPeaks University
• TrainingPeaks Level 1 Accredited Coach

 
Personal sport achievements as an athlete coached by myself:

Running:
1987: started to run after time in the army – Track and field races
1990: my first marathon in Brussels (3u01)
1995: peak year:   marathon Antwerp (2u40)
Track: 10.000 (33’10”)
Track: 5.000 (15’54”)
Participated in the marathon of Brussels (3x), Eindhoven (4x), Rotterdam (1x) and Antwerp (1x).
Participated in and made it to the top three of several running contests of the regional running circuit as of 1991

Multisport (triathlon): 
2000: my first triathlon 1/8 Aarschot 
2003: my first Ironman 140.6 IM France (Gérardmer) : 10h24 
Participated in and made it to the top three of several contests run&bike, cyclosport, triathlons (1/8 up to 1/1) as of 2000
Participated in and made it to the top three of run&bike, cyclosport, triathlons (1/8 up to 1/1) as of 2000. 
2006: overall third place in the final super prestige triathlon circuit (1/4) (only that year with a coach)
Ironman 140.6: started in 18 contests and finished 17

• Lanzarote: 2012-2013-2014-2015-2018-2019-2022
• Embrun: 2004-2005-2016 
• Hawaii: 2010 - 2015 
• Nice: 2007-2009 
• Roth 2012 – Vichy 2017 – Zurich 2010 - Gérardmer 2003  

 Coaching references:
As of 2000: making schedules and giving tips and tricks to acquaintances and members of the clubs.
End of 2015: started coaching Steven Logghe.
Results:

• 2016: 20km Bxl: 1h15 (176pl) Embrun 1/4: 2h39 (34pl) -- Gérardmer 1/8: 1h06 (34pl)
• 2017: RCB Hivernales 19km: 1h12 (10pl) -- 20km Bxl: 1h15 (142pl) Indeland 1/2: 4h36 (49pl) -- Vichy 1/2: 4h34 (138pl)
• 2018: RCB Hivernales 10km: 36' (7pl) -- Leuven 1/2: 4h22 (42pl) -- Kapelle-op-den-Bos 1/4: 2h10 (14pl) -- Deinze 1/2: 4h03 (11pl) -- Damme 1/2: 4h24 (14pl)
• 2019: 20 km Brussel 1h12 – 101pl – BK 70.3 Geraardsbergen 6pl age group – 66pl general – planned first 140.6  Ironlakes sept 2019 - 10H16 (4pl in age group - 16pl general)

 End 2018: Start with 8 athletes with very diverse background as well as goals, so far all goals have been achieved.
2019 : Achived 18of 20 targets with my atletes, very inspiring.
2020 : Started with 20 athletes and working half time to better focus on my passion.  Due to the covid period, most of the sporting goals were moved. Still, I was able to finish a nice cooperation. Especially a lot of positive things learnd from this period in terms of coaching / planning - training lactate test + already 10 tests taken. Very intresting! We all have got a mirror in front of us and if we are not hit too hard on the social/economic and or health fronts, we have new insights into why we are focusing on this sports experience. Actually works motivating.
2021: Only in the fall reaping the benefits of the long build-up periods. With different stages, PB and personal achievements. Satisfaction and benefit gained in personalizing schedules. More info on "reactions" page. In the fall several new athletes for 2022. This in different disciplines / levels which again makes it very challenging. Looking forward to it!