About Us

The coach behind Horsepower

I'm Tom Cooling, Founder and Head Coach at Horsepower Coaching, and I bring a rare blend of lived experience and academic expertise. An ex-elite triathlete, seasoned ultra-bike racer and FKT holder, with a first-class degree and a master's in sport science behind everything I coach.

Tom Cooling, founder and head coach of Horsepower Coaching

Coaching experience

I've spent over a decade coaching athletes from complete beginners to world-tour level professionals, guiding competitors to wins and podiums across Ironman, middle-distance triathlon, ultra-bike events and Haute Route-style races.

Where it comes from

It comes from my own racing, including FKT performances and ultra wins, from training alongside Royal Marines and UKSF, and from coaching elite performers. I know first-hand what the hard days actually take, and that goes into how I build and read every athlete's training.

Philosophy

I combine the evidence-based methods professional athletes rely on with practical, race-proven strategy, with a particular emphasis on female-specific performance development and durable, race-winning preparation. It's quality over quantity, and a no nonsense, holistic approach: one good block was never the point. What matters is a whole athlete, ready to hold up on the day it counts.

Tom Cooling racing the National Time Trial Championships in Horsepower kit — National Time Trial Championships

Qualifications

The credentials behind the coaching

Sport science

First Class BA and Master's Degree in Sport Science and Athlete Development.

Breathwork and freediving

Oxygen Advantage Advanced Breathwork Instructor, and AIDA L4 Freediver.

Core Temp Accredited Coach

Heat and climate adaptation, from designing the protocol to executing it on race day.

XTRI Extreme Triathlon Accredited Coach

Accredited for the extreme end of the sport, the XTRI races like Norseman and Celtman.

Mountain leadership

BMC (British Mountaineering Council) Trained and Assessed Mountain Leader.

Tom on the start line

Racing it, not just coaching it

The coaching is grounded in racing. Ironman and 70.3 podiums, Haute Route weeks in the Alps and the Dolomites, the Lost Dot TransPyrenees: the same kind of preparation Horsepower athletes get, tested first-hand.

Tom Cooling running through the finish arch to complete the Brecon Titan — Multiple triathlon wins and podiums

Tom Cooling descending a Dolomites pass below jagged peaks at the Haute Route Dolomites — Haute Route Dolomites

Tom Cooling riding across the cobbles at a Haute Route Dolomites stage start — Haute Route Dolomites

Tom Cooling greeted at the finish of the Lost Dot TransPyrenees at night — Lost Dot TransPyrenees

Tom Cooling riding through the Haute Route Dolomites arch with snowy peaks behind — Haute Route Dolomites

Tom Cooling refuelling during the Lost Dot TransPyrenees — Lost Dot TransPyrenees

Train with Tom

Start your journey with a plan built for your race, get coached from £120 a month, or ask about a limited place with me directly.

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