Meet the Coach

Coaching Philosophy, Training Tenets, and Coach Grant’s background

USAT Associate Coach

Coaching Philosophy

There is more to coaching than prescribing training. Coaches bring knowledge and experience to the table, but that does them absolutely no good if they’re unable to  hold a meaningful conversation with athletes. Good coaches should know not only how a training session felt to you, but why you’re stressed in general, how your support network has evolved, and what you’re looking forward to in the coming weeks. Our bodies don’t discriminate the difference between training stress and emotional stress. Stress is stress. Coaches can support athletes more effectively when they have a more holistic understanding of their athletes’ lives.

And finally, to echo what I’ve told every athlete I’ve coached, this is a hobby. Not a career. Let’s make sure it stays fun.

Training Tenets

  1. Consistency compounds

  2. Frequency beats duration

  3. RPE is king

  4. Easy is easy, hard is hard

  5. Focus on the 95%

Want to know more about Grant’s Coaching Philosophy or Training Tenets? Get in contact via email at

headsupendurancecoach@gmail.com

Coach Grant Denny

Coach Grant’s mission is to support, educate, and push endurance athletes of all levels to become their best selves both in and out of their sports journeys.

Grant is a nerd at heart, having over 5 years of data analytics experience and an engineering degree. He lives in Waukee, Iowa with his black lab, Kona (who was named before his triathlon journey began). When he’s not working his normal 9-5 as an engineer or training, you can find him spending time with his family and friends in the Des Moines area, singing (poorly) in a men’s choir, playing pickup volleyball, and maximizing his time outside.

His first introduction to formalized coaching came when he was still in college. He filled in as an assistant for a weekend high school hockey tournament. In fact, the name ‘Heads Up’ Endurance is a nod (pun intended) to a common hockey phrase. Having played competitively throughout his life, Coach Grant jumped at the opportunity to be involved in a sport he dearly loves. He was hooked on the coaching and mentoring path. He facilitates adult education and leadership seminars through his work to this day.

Coach Grant has finished multiple marathons and countless halves. He has a couple Ironman 70.3s under his belt and qualified for USAT Nationals in his very first sprint triathlon.