“After spending nearly 30 years working in the corporate world I decided to take a year out and focus on a life time goal to compete in the Hawaii 70.3 Ironman. At 45 I wasn’t horribly unfit but I was definitely a long way off being able to compete in such a gruelling event. I was heavily advised by friends to get coaching support and Coach Powell was top of the list. I reached out to Andrew and pretty much begged him to take me on…fortunately for me he accepted.
From day 1 I knew I was in great hands. From the VO2 Max tests to the very detailed training plans through Training Peaks I knew each day the workout that I was doing was paving my way to the finish line. Given we were in the middle of Covid the in person interactions together were limited (the most time we spent together was when he custom fitted my tri bike…so glad we did that), but that didn’t seem to matter at all as the dialogue on Training Peaks, text and our regular Zoom calls were easily sufficient to keep me moving ahead. Not only were the training plans scientifically and well thought out, Coach Powell also provided excellent motivational support when injured or sick.
When I finally made it to Kona and experienced the extreme heat my heart sank. It was soooo hot….my heart rate was jacked up and I was loosing so much fluid from sweat. This for me was when Coach Powell came into his own. Having himself competed in the full Kona Ironman he had hands on experience. We spoke daily in the two weeks up to the race, he created a plan whereby I weighed myself multiples times before and after workouts to understand sweat loss and devised a race plan that managed my pace, fluid intake and nutrition so that I would cross the finish line and achieve my goal. The amount I had to consume seemed extreme but I followed his guidance and crossed the finish the line.
There is not a doubt in my mind that without Coach Powell’s guidance through training and the critical race day prep that I wouldn’t have completed the Hawaii 70.3 Ironman. I am deeply appreciative as its a life goal and memory I will also have with me. Thanks Coach!”
– Matt Bilbey, Corporate Executive, West Vancouver BC
“I had two primary goals in mind when reaching out to Andrew for coaching, One was preparing for a three-month cycling vacation to Italy, which included three Italian fondos. The second later in the year was riding the Whistler Gran Fondo Forte.
Andrew helped me prepare for the daunting Italian trip by creating a realistic focused and very personal training plan that kept me riding strong and injury free and ready for each of the challenges. He kept my schedule appropriate for the long haul and also back here in Vancouver he organised specific group rides covering the different segments of the Whistler course.
One of my favorite memories was completing a ride that we still talk about and will forever be my epic ride. It’s a route that Andrew made up covering all of the North Shore from east to west and South to North and we both had a good laugh when I made it through that one.
Although we live in close proximity, due to my work schedule and then being away in Italy, most of my training with him was online. Through a combination of Training Peaks, emails and phone calls, he successfully trained me for all my events.
Andrew was always very committed, realistic and positive as well as supportive. He’s easy to work with because he really cares and listens and ask questions. He genuinely wanted to know how I was doing so that he could help as best as possible. He was my training partner when we were together. Even when remote it didn’t matter, he was always right there for me.
What I like most about Andrew is his positive encouragement. His ability to listen deeply, address my concerns and above all, take as much time as needed to calm my nerves. He once spent 45 minutes on the phone with me talking me through just one ride. We would form a plan and I knew he had an authentic interest in my success. He made me feel like a champion, no matter where I ended up. Thank you, Andrew.”
– Calla Barras, Director, Project Services at sa.global
“Andrew was truly interested in my personal improvement as an athlete. His constant attention to my training and his continuous feedback were the keys to improvement. In just six months, he brought me from scratch on the bike to completing two half ironman races.”
— Leandro Piazza, Scientist, BEST Theratronics
“I started working with Coach Powell in 2016. Andrew has guided me through multiple Half and Full course triathlons and currently, my training for Ironman Canada 2022. Andrew’s coaching platform is science based, he possesses current expert knowledge in all multisport disciplines. Workouts provided by Andrew are always very challenging, yet not overreaching and designed to achieve personal goals.
I have found that Andrew’s program is an integrated approach that provides all the necessary components to compete in multisport at all levels. From individual and group training workouts, nutrition advice, well placed training camps, advice for acquisition of gear and race plans. Andrew is very approachable, conscientious, always happy to share his experience and has an innate sense for supporting his athletes when needed. For example, in providing creative training approaches despite injury.
I highly recommend Coach Powell’s program and expertise to any athlete who is seeking an expert, well balanced program to achieve their multisport goals.”
– Jim Peacock, Research Scientist, M&P UBC
“I’m Anne Condon, and I want to share why I’m thrilled to have Andrew Powell as my triathlon coach. I started doing triathlons about ten years ago, when I turned 50. It’s been quite a journey, from learning to swim, doing sprint events, and gradually working up to full Ironman distance.
Andrew has coached me for several years. He’s passionate about triathlon and very experienced. He sets me up each week with a customized plan, ramps things up gradually and builds in recovery time. I appreciate the consistency, and totally trust that he’ll have me ready to be my best for events. He knows I like climbing hills, so gives me fun challenges in the summers, like repeats up Cypress with a suggested power target. I’m Queen of the Mountain on four repeats now :). I’ve become a stronger rider and my endurance keeps improving.
Andrew helps me in tons of other ways too. For example, he gave me great advice when I bought a used tri bike and other equipment. He runs awesome training camps at Whistler and Penticton, and ran some informal events for his athletes during the pandemic. He goes over the courses as well as transition and nutrition strategies.
Andrew has built a wonderful community of athletes who come to the sport with many different backgrounds and goals, and we support each other. Thanks to Andrew, I continue to love the sport and the community, and hope to be still doing triathlons in another ten years.”
– Anne Condon, Professor of Computer Science, University of British Columbia
“Andrew is easy to talk to and very personable and social—essential characteristics for a triathlon coach.”
— Alistair Russell, Manager, Structural Performance and Engineering Systems, at CCANZ
Hi everyone. My name is Sean. I’d like to talk about my experience with Coach Powell. I’ve been working with Andrew for just over five years with a focus on bike training. A mixture of indoor riding in the winter months and outdoor riding in the spring and summer months.
Originally I joined to improve my fitness level but I also wanted to see how much my biking performance could improve. I’ve been very happy that year after year my endurance, ability, efficiency and technique have all been steadily improving. I’m loving the results and I’ve been very motivated to see how much I can continue to improve.
The training environment with Andrew is great. He’s very welcoming to riders of all abilities and everyone is encouraged to give a maximum effort at whatever maximum is for them. And even though that’s different amongst everyone, it still feels like a nice cohesive group each and every time. It’s a very fun motivating environment to train in. I know I’m going to push myself really hard each and every ride, much harder than if I was just trying to train on my own. So I think that’s a huge benefit that I’ve always got out of it.
It’s a safe riding environment as well. There’s usually a discussion before the rides head out and everyone participating is encouraged to talk to each other, calling things out in case there are any hazards on the road that people should be aware of. I’ve learned a lot about biking from Andrew, but also from the other riders. Lots of tips, advice and information on new gear that’s coming out. Things I otherwise wouldn’t have been aware of.
It’s been a great experience and overall I’ve had a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to continuing. If you’re looking to improve your training and you want to see how far you can take your performance, I recommend checking out Coach Powell. I think you will be very happy that you did.”
– Sean Martin, General Manager – Floral Dept., United Floral Inc.
“I’m a 45 year old middle-of-the-pack age group athlete. I have three kids, a full-time job as a healthcare worker and also play Ice Hockey. I’ve worked with Andrew for the last five years, primarily focusing on the sport of triathlon but also training for half Marathon and Marathon distance races as well as Gran Fondos.
What I really appreciate most about Andrew is his holistic approach to coaching. He’s really able to look at the entire person and helps to set realistic goals based on people’s personal and work lives. He understands that work stress and personal stress can also impact an athlete’s ability to reach their goals.
He’s also helped me to work on the mental aspect of sport. We worked on getting comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. Andrew has helped me with the idea of self compassion and really understanding what my capacity is to reach my goals. He’s pushed me hard but in a very gentle way. He’s able to look at not only the numbers, but also connects with his athletes to really understand what motivates them and what other obstacles they might have to overcome to reach their goals.
I would highly recommend anyone who’s looking for a coach to take the time to meet with Andrew and to start the journey with him. I’ve certainly enjoyed the last five years and hope to continue working with him for many years to come.”
– Tova Wolinsky, Healthcare Worker, Richmond BC
“I started working with Andrew in September 2013, after my first season of dabbling in triathlon. I had done a few cycling events, a half marathon and recently two Olympic distance triathlons. I wasn’t too sure what to expect signing up, but I had registered for Ironman Canada in 2014 and knew that I needed some help to get there.
The structure of the training and the explanations of what we were trying to achieve placed a much greater understanding on the big picture. I learnt what the different systems are in your body and why it’s important to train them all – easy workouts are there for a really good reason. For the first time I was training in heart rate zones, with a plan and purpose for each workout. It placed a better emphasis on each session and created smaller goals along the way to help achieve the big goals. The structure and planning of the workouts not only helped me plan those accordingly, but it also assisted in organising most aspects of my life.
Within a few months I was already seeing results. By November, I had taken 9 minutes off my half marathon time. This has continued to come down ever since, with my current PB set in February 2015 being 30 minutes faster than May 2013. I completed my first Ironman in July 2014 and am weeks away from my second one.
Andrew had provided me the guidelines and the structure to become an athlete. No two workouts are ever the same. The feedback in both directions has been a key to us developing a very strong athlete/coach relationship with both of us always being comfortable to be completely open and honest with each other. Andrew provides the perfect amount of support and you never have any doubts about how much he believes in you and your abilities. His constant positivity makes it impossible to not think that you can achieve whatever it is that you set out to achieve.
Andrew’s willingness and ability to also teach the why’s behind the training helps build the athletic mind to compliment the athletic ability. This has been a big driving force behind my improvements over the time I have been working with Andrew. This is the second season I have worked with Andrew and already we have achieved some amazing results including qualification for Ironman 70.3 World Championships 2014, an 11:51 Ironman Canada debut time, 5th place overall at the Delta Sprint Triathlon 2015 and top 10 in my age group at Victoria 70.3 in 2015.”
– Andrew Gunn, Bakery Owner, Cobs Bread
Hi, I’m Lindsey. I’m 41 years old. I live in Maple Ridge BC and my primary focus is the Ironman distance. In 2019 I moved from Ontario to British Columbia. That’s when I met Coach Andrew Powell and started to work with him in January 2020.
The first thing that we did was to set my goals. I wanted to be competitive and get to the Ironman World Championships in Kona. We started working on Training Peaks and set up my training zones to be able to have measurable results to get me on track toward achieving my goals. He then got me onto Zwift to do some strategic Zwift racing and FTP training to build power on the bike. We did some CSS training in the pool to build pace and gradually built my running to where it needed to be.
Andrew also did my road bike fitting as well as my TT bike fit to dial in my position so that I could be as aero as possible while still being to generate the power that I would need and stay comfortable at same time. We worked with Best Bike Split to get the best edge so that I could be as competitive as possible. He also helped with equipment selection covering everything from choosing the right gear ratios on my bike to selecting the right pool equipment and goggles.
When we started to work together in 2020 it was a unique time when the world was closed and races were being postponed. To work around this, Andrew created personal challenges for me to keep me focused and moving forward toward my long term goal.
Two years without racing was probably the most fantastic learning, transitional, and strengthening time in my life. Andrew was there to support me every step of the way. We built a strong base so that I would be ready once racing resumed.
After twelve race cancellations I finally got to do one race. In that one race I was able to achieve my goal and qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii where I will be racing in 2022. It has been an incredible journey. I look forward to the year ahead and continuing to work with Andrew toward Kona.”
– Lindsay Cole, Registered Massage Therapist, Coast Therapy
“Participating in Andrew’s group spin classes and outdoor cycling training has been tremendously helpful in moving me towards my goals of improving overall strength and endurance on the bike. I look forward to his classes, they keep me motivated and focused. Andrew’s workouts are structured and challenging, but he keeps them fun. He encourages class participants to push a little harder if they’re feeling good and is always supportive – especially when doing hill repeats in the rain! I started working with Andrew in 2017 and since then have completed several Gran Fondos in a respectable time and vastly improved my hill climbing.
I can also recommend Andrew as a great bike-fitter. He was able to sort out some fit issues which eliminated knee issues I had.”
— Jim Nelson, retired (sort of)
“I’m atypical of some of the other accomplished athletes in Andrew’s stable. I’m not a competitor but I am committed to my fitness.
I first met Andrew way back when he was leading spin classes at WestPoint Cycles and have been benefitting from his expertise ever since. I mainly take advantage of his indoor and outdoor group cycling workouts.
The Pandemic has thrown a wrench into all of our cycling plans however Andrew has successfully pivoted my training using his indoor Zoom rides. I have maintained and vastly improved my fitness levels during this time. I can’t believe the numbers I’m getting!
Over the years Andrew has been my coach, mentor and most importantly my friend.”
– Calvin Jang, IT Manager, David Suzuki Foundation
“Hi, I’m Terri Coulthard and I’m from beautiful British Columbia. This year I was able to complete my very first full Ironman. Never did I think I would ever do a full Ironman back in 2016 when I completed my first 70.3, which I thought was the only goal that I wanted to reach at the time.
My biggest regret however was not seeking professional coaching. When I decided out of the blue one day that I was going to conquer a full Ironman, I decided I was going to do it right. I got a coach, and an amazing coach he was. Andrew Powell.
He not only taught me how to prepare for race day with a flexible yet accountable training schedule, he made sure that if fit with my schedule as a shift worker – it’s always hard for me to find days to train. He made sure that my training was always on point as I approached race day but also made sure to give me days off and to accommodate cross-training and other activities in my life.
I am so glad that I was able to seek him out as a coach. As well as preparing me physically, he also prepared me to manage the nutrition demands of endurance training and events. I didn’t know how to properly fuel and keep up with my body’s demands when training for long durations.
Thanks to Andrew’s help, I was able to achieve my goal and complete Ironman with a finish time that I wanted. If you’re ever seeking a great coach look for Coach Powell.”
Terri Coulthard, Nurse, BC
“I joined Andrew after 3 years of training on my own for half IMs and shorter distance races, and like many others, I wanted to improve my times. Andrew has since helped me achieve these goals and several more! As an age grouper with a full time job, having Andrew around takes away the stress of fitting workouts into my busy schedule. He’s always quick to adapt the plan around my work-life situation. His indoor and outdoor workouts will push and challenge you, but at the same time they’re so varied that it keeps training fun and engaging, making it easy to stay on track. I look forward to the workouts of the following week. Andrew will always dial you in leading up to a race and make sure you’re in the right mindset. On race days, despite unavoidable nerves, I’m always surprised to see the effects of his training program in action: how well prepared my body is in meeting the demands of the day, or how much I’ve improved since the last race. I’m always confident my goals are within reach and I always have to thank Andrew for that. As a coach, he’s got what it takes to help anyone achieve their goals and bring them to the next level.”
– Jan Julian, Independent Salesforce Consultant, Gray Cloud Software
Hello my name is Wenda. I worked for Air Canada and during that time my main fitness focus was on running as I could do that anywhere in the world.
I took up competitive cycling shortly after my retirement at 56 years of age. My first experience was cycling from Vancouver to Seattle fundraising for Cancer research.
That was followed by the Whistler Fondo in 2012 and many other one or two day Fondo‘s and races over the last 10 years.
My motivation and passion was fueled both by my desire to keep fit but just as important to fundraise for Callanish, a much needed nonprofit Cancer support organization in Vancouver.
My other passion is tennis and through one of my tennis partners who is also a triathlete I was introduced to Andrew about six or seven years ago. I immediately found a place for myself amongst these amazing athletes that participate in his in person indoor and outdoor cycling sessions and now on zoom.
My goal now at 67 is to maintain my fitness level and push myself out of my comfort zone.
Andrew is a wealth of knowledge, leads by example and makes each session interesting and challenging. His approach to training on the bike is exactly what I need and I look forward to it every week.
– Wenda Van Schaik, retired
