Coach Sam Goldenstein

I am a retired military veteran with over twenty years of experience as an endurance athlete and a PhD in Exercise Physiology. I have experience as both a cycling coach and a strength and conditioning coach, training athletes at all levels, including beginner and adaptive athletes. Over the past ten years, I've competed across road, gravel, and cyclocross disciplines, and I'm a former elite team member with U.S. Military Endurance Sports. My journey has taken me from racing in events like Unbound Gravel, The Rift, and the USA Crit Series to piloting tandem bikes for visually impaired athletes. I've experienced sport from every angle: athlete, coach, and scientist.

My research focuses on female physiology, and I'm passionate about helping women optimize both health and performance through solid, evidence-based science. I help athletes make sense of factors like the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraceptives, and life stages such as perimenopause, not necessarily in the context of adapting training, but more about learning to listen to our bodies, understand them more deeply, and train with awareness.

My training philosophy is centered on four principles:

1. Be healthy on and off the bike. We can only reach (and sustain) peak performance if we're physically and mentally healthy. Training should support overall well-being, not compromise it.

2. Be honest. Honest communication is essential. A clear understanding of your effort, motivation, and limitations helps build trust and ensures training stays on track.

3. Don't compare yourself to others. Every athlete is on their own path. Progress requires individualized training and a mindset focused on our own growth, not someone else's metrics.

4. Have fun! This is the most important principle. If we aren't enjoying the process, it's hard to stay motivated or consistent.