[CoachCorner] My Coaching Philosophy
A new journey has begun.
I wasn’t born with much athletic talent, nor was I particularly good at managing stress and performing under pressure, both athletically and professionally in my job. Maybe this is what led to an interest in ways of capturing how our body responds to stress and building tools to help individuals make meaningful adjustments, such as HRV4Training.
During the past 15 years, thanks to the work I have done in the field of heart rate variability (HRV), I was fortunate enough to meet many scientists, coaches, and athletes with whom I could discuss all things training-related - and who could challenge my thoughts and biases. This allowed me to keep learning and growing and developing an interest in the art of coaching.
It's been a long journey - one that began with developing new technologies, led me back to university to study Sports Science nearly a decade after my first master's degree, and gradually evolved into a deeper focus on understanding health and performance at an individual level.
Coaching is another step of that journey, finally shifting to working with people, more than computers. It checks a lot of boxes for me: problem-solving, long-term thinking, continuous learning, connecting with people and community, the love of sport, and helping others achieve their goals.
As I’m all for cooperation and learning from each other, for my coaching, in 2024 I joined a group of like-minded individuals I admire at Destination Unknown Endurance Coaching, which some of you - especially in Italy - might know.
If you’d like to work with me, please start by filling out the athlete intake form here.
Credentials
Degrees:
Master’s degree cum laude in human movement sciences, with specialization in high-performance coaching.
PhD cum laude in data science.
Master’s degree cum laude in computer science and engineering.
Certifications:
Ultrarunning Coach Certification.
Endurance Sports Nutrition Certification.
Strength and Conditioning for Endurance Athletes.
Cycling Coach Certification.
50+ publications at the intersection of technology, health, and performance
including work on heart rate variability (HRV), HRV-guided training, training load analysis, prediction of running performance, prediction of injury risk, energy expenditure, VO2max estimation, and more.
Co-founder of HRV4Training, used by some of the greatest.
Author of Heart Rate Variability: Science and Strategies for Peak Performance (Human Kinetics, Amazon).
Other:
Extensive experience with metabolic testing (VO2/VCO2, substrate utilization and fat oxidation, running economy, etc.) and data analysis.
General Principles
To me, individualization is key as we are all unique in some shape or form. Our interests might differ, our genetic ceilings for athletic performance are likely different, our constraints are different, and the training that works best for us might be different as well (even though with some common themes, typically).
As such, improving running performance, while grounded in broad scientific principles, involves a fair amount of learning by doing, trial and error, and adjustments as we go. Working together, we will rely on a mix of currently available scientific knowledge, applied wisdom, and experimentation to find what is best for you and your unique circumstances. Data might help us along the way.
I do not adhere to any particular training philosophy: different methods might be required to improve performance in different people or even for the same person at different points in time or circumstances. We will strive to learn what those methods are for you in your current environment and constraints.
As a coach, I am more interested in long-term development over quick gains; hence, the emphasis will be on consistency, gradual progression, and minimizing burnout or injury. In this process, communication is key. We will typically be in touch on a weekly basis, adjusting your plan whenever necessary.
I only coach 1 to 1 and do not provide any pre-made long-term plans.
Any runner is welcome, regardless of their level or goal (shorter race, ultramarathon, or simply using running to stay healthy). Before starting, we will have an introductory call to see if I am a good fit for you and what you are looking for.
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below or message me.
What do You Get?
While there is room for flexibility, this is normally how I work and what you can expect when working together:
An initial call in which we can discuss the intake form and see if I can be a good fit for you.
An overview of your high-level training periodization until your A race (typically, within the next year).
A detailed breakdown of your weekly training and key workouts, typically provided via Training Peaks in 4-week blocks (i.e., every 3-4 weeks, I will provide a new block of detailed training planning based on our goals, how things are going, any changes due to unexpected events, etc.). We can then discuss the block whenever you’d like. See for example here.
I only coach 1 to 1 and therefore limit the number of people I coach to about 20 to ensure I can dedicate the required time to each one of you.
Updates and feedback, either via WhatsApp, email, or call, depending on your preference, covering key sessions, periodization, or anything else training-related.
If anything comes up or you have any questions, you can message me anytime on WhatsApp.
Analysis of your workouts and resting physiology to assess progress and adjust training based on your unique response (see here).
The possibility to incorporate the following, depending on your unique circumstances and interests:
Cross-training: e.g., cycling or rowing, prescribed as support for your running, and Strength training (including profiling using force plates).
Heat protocols, either active ot passive.
Possible nutritional strategies to target metabolic limiters.
Race-day strategies: pacing, nutrition, intensity management, etc.
Access to the following tools:
Training Peaks Premium
Metabolic testing (I use a Cosmed metabolic cart to ensure the highest quality).
Pricing
The cost of my services, including all of the above, is typically 275 euro/month.
I do not have different “Tiers” or packages: if you work with me, you have my full availability. It wouldn’t make sense to me to provide the best service I can to some, and not to others.
If you’d like to work with me, please start by filling out the athlete intake form here or message me if you have any questions.
Case studies:
More from CoachCorner:
Other personal case studies and training reports:
Marco holds a PhD cum laude in applied machine learning, a M.Sc. cum laude in computer science engineering, and a M.Sc. cum laude in human movement sciences and high-performance coaching. He is a certified ultrarunning coach.
He has published more than 50 papers and patents at the intersection between physiology, health, technology, and human performance.
He is co-founder of HRV4Training, Endurance Coach at Destination Unknown, advisor at Oura, guest lecturer at VU Amsterdam, and editor for IEEE Pervasive Computing Magazine.
He loves running.
Social:
The intake-form-first move is underrated. Half the value of coaching is forcing someone to articulate what they actually want before you start prescribing.