History | tricoachmartin
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Tri Coach Martin Background

Martin Spierings competed in his first triathlon in Port Melbourne, Australia in 1989 at the age of 12, when there were no coaches or junior programs. Self-coached using a well worn copy of Dave Scott's Triathlon Training, he used the athletes and resources around him to devise his own training plans in this new sport. He followed his interests in Exercise Physiology majoring in Physiology and Psychology as part of a Bachelor of Science/Arts at the University of Melbourne. He participated as a subject in many PhD studies on carbohydrate metabolism at the exercise physiology lab on campus and learned from the top amateur Australian triathletes and sports scientists residing there at the time . 

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After graduating in the year 2000, he traveled to Europe for an international triathlon experience. This took him to the Long Distance World Championships in Nice, where he placed  7th in the 20-24 age group and competed at the World University Games in Tiszaujvaros, Hungary. He was then offered a position to coach the H.A.C. Triathlon Club in Le Havre, France for 2 years between 2001-2002 where he coached sisters Jessica Luciani to 2nd place (15-16 years) and Heloise Luciani 10th place (13-14 years) in the French Schools National Junior Championships as part of the H.A.C. School of Triathlon.

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In 2006, Martin formed his online coaching business TriCoachMartin after moving to Santa Cruz, California. Since then, he has coached athletes of all backgrounds and his athletes have achieved Ironman podium finishes, Age Group World Championship qualifications and USA Triathlon All-American honors. He founded a junior triathlon program and has coached club workouts, camps and clinics across the Bay Area. He has also published pieces on triathlon training featured in Competitor Magazine and the Santa Cruz Sentinel. 

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Recently, he began mentoring other triathlon coaches to help offer personalized coaching to his growing “squad” of athletes, called the TCMTriSquad. As an official USAT and Ironman registered Club, TCMTriSquad is a diverse community of motivated, passionate and supportive athletes from all over the world. 

 

Martin has kept himself active in the sport, competing in the ITU Sprint Triathlon World Championships in Montreal 2022, and currently lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife Kristen and their two children, Emmy and Hayden. He makes regular trips back to California to continue the squad's national expansion.

Martin is currently accepting a limited number of athletes for personal coaching. Discount rates may be considered for athletes with limited resources and unlimited motivation.

View Martin's coaching page

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