MEET COACH TRISTEN

Hi! I’m Tristen, or “Coach T” as many of my athletes call me. I started HAT Altitude Team in 2016, establishing a coaching program based on the personal philosophy of helping athletes become better versions of themselves through endurance sport.

I’ve built my life around sport, attending college to receive my BS in sport and exercise science, starting as a physical education teacher and quickly obtaining my Masters in Sport Administration, finishing my career in education as an athletic director for 8 years of a 5A high school in Aurora, Colorado. During my schooling, I remained active in sport, not just from the administrative/teaching side, but also as a coach and competitor, and soon realized that this is where my true passion lay.

After retiring from education, I quickly focused my efforts on coaching, and with my educational background and passion for learning, acquired my USAT Level II certification, as well as USATF Level I, and Slowtwitch Coaching certifications as a means of establishing solid practices for my athlete’s success. My belief in continued professional development is crucial to keeping my coaching practices and techniques relevant, and to ensure that my athletes are receiving the most practical advice and training plans to help them in their endurance journey. You will oftentimes find me flying to various conferences or workshops to gain knowledge and mentorships from the best in the business, and I like to joke that she may be one of the “nerdiest” coaches in Colorado.

I’ve found coaching to be one of the most rewarding jobs in the sporting field. I believe that through sport, you learn how to be your best self, and to help facilitate that process is something bigger than a corporate office paycheck could ever provide. This is why I’ve made coaching my full-time gig and also started an endurance camp in Fairplay, CO to allow other coaches to give these amazing experiences to their athletes by means of hosting endurance camps at altitude.

Outside of coaching, I’m still an active triathlete, competing mainly in the mid to full-distance triathlon events, but you’ll also see me jump into a Sprint or Olympic to help “sharpen the tools in the shed”. I love training alongside my coached athletes, to allow me to put my coaching practices to work on myself, but to also learn more about my athletes and how they tick. Being a very integral part of their training process is how I coach best.

When I’m not doing “all things triathlon”, I’m also a wife to my husband Mike, and mother to my two fur-babies, Velo and Alma. I like to read (non-fiction only, and mainly books to help with my coaching practice), listen to music, and can’t resist a good concert at Red Rocks! If Will Ferrell is in the cast, I’ll watch it, and as a Wisconsin native, don’t mess with my obsession for cheese and the Green Bay Packers!

If you’re interested in learning more, shoot me a message! I look forward to getting to know you.

FEATURED IN TRIATHLETE MAGAZINE

Coach Tristen has now been featured multiple times in the popular publication, first to tell her story of triumph, and then as part of a “Dear Coach” series including six articles and counting!