Meet Mat
I’ve been an athlete all of my life, but really picked up my running shoes in the fall of 2013. Following successful careers in both competitive cycling and rock climbing, one morning I went out for a 3 mile road run that almost killed me and spontaneously signed up for the Berkeley Half Marathon the next spring. I finished in under two hours and was hooked on running, but a little spooked by the giant crowds and punishing pavement. One of my friends convinced me to come over to the dark side and try my luck at a trail race – apparently they had bacon at the aid stations and the dirt was guaranteed to be softer on my feet. I hopped in a trail half marathon at China Camp State Park, and the rest is history.
I’ve been an athlete all of my life, but really picked up my running shoes in the fall of 2013. Following successful careers in both competitive cycling and rock climbing, one morning I went out for a 3 mile road run that almost killed me and spontaneously signed up for the Berkeley Half Marathon the next spring. I finished in under two hours and was hooked on running, but a little spooked by the giant crowds and the rock hard pavement. One of my good friends convinced me to come over to the dark side and try my luck at a trail race – they had bacon at the aid stations and the dirt was guaranteed to be softer on my feet. I hopped in a trail half marathon at China Camp State Park, and the rest is history.
I slowly and steadily progressed through the various trail running distances, from my original half marathon to 30k, 50k, 100k, and 100 milers, even attempting an uber difficult 200 miler, UTMB’s Petite Trotte à Léon (PTL) in 2022. My favorite race distance is probably the 100k, although I really enjoy non-race wilderness pushes and am afraid that I have been bitten by the multiday bug. I’m comfortable coaching athletes in literally all distances – from a short 5k to a weeklong stage race, I’m here to help! As a career high school science teacher by day, I draw on my extensive teaching experience to explain things clearly to my athletes, while backwards planning your race calendar in a similar manner to planning a Physics semester on electricity – identifying where you hope to be by the end, and strategically putting in the pieces to get you there while always being open to adaptations along the way.
My wife is French-American with roots in the Chamonix Valley, so I’ve been lucky enough to cut my chops in the big mountains during summers spent frolicking in the Alps. I’m currently taking a sabbatical year from teaching high school science and “living the dream” with my family in the French Alps. After spending so much time in the European mountains, I have a special interest in helping non-European runners prepare for the big races over here. Over and over again I’ve seen runners prepare themselves for the physical event, but not for the culture shock and many other differences they will encounter along the way. Until you’ve seen them in person, it’s hard to imagine the aid station fare, the increased technicality, rockiness, and steepness of the terrain, and the challenge of navigating a foreign landscape in another language. I’ve successfully helped athletes prepare for some of the biggest mountain ultra races over here, and whether you have your sights set on one of these huge marquee events or if you’re targeting a race on your own backyard trails, I’d love to help!
My wife is French-American with roots in the Chamonix Valley, so I’ve been lucky enough to cut my chops in the big mountains during summers spent frolicking in the Alps. I’m currently taking a sabbatical year from teaching high school science and “living the dream” with my family in the French Alps. After spending so much time in the European mountains, I have a special interest in helping non-European runners prepare for the big races over here. Over and over again I’ve seen runners prepare themselves for the physical event, but not for the culture shock and many other differences they will encounter along the way. Until you’ve seen them in person, it’s hard to imagine the aid station fare, the increased technicality, rockiness, and steepness of the terrain, and the challenge of navigating a foreign landscape in another language. I’ve successfully helped athletes prepare for some of the biggest mountain ultra races over here, and whether you have your sights set on one of these huge marquee events or if you’re targeting a race on your own backyard trails, I’d love to help!
Check out my writing at Going Down the Trail Feeling Bad
