Our story

Like many great ideas, BaseCamp started in a garage. As a professional cycling coach, I spent much of the spring and early summer traveling through Europe, but I needed a better way to maintain my own fitness through the long winter months.

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In 2013, my wife Kathy Watts (a coach herself) and I set up a humble two-station CompuTrainer setup in our garage. We expected winter training indoors to be a grind, but it turned into something much more. Each session became a chance to connect, challenge each other, and exchange ideas about training, coaching, and performance. The rides were tough, but the conversations were energizing.

By 2014, our garage gym grew to eight CompuTrainer stations, and we began inviting friends to join us for weeknight training sessions. We spent those winters pushing hard on the bike while building a small, supportive community. After every ride, we'd gather around our little garage bar, talking training theory, swapping insights, and sharing laughs. Unlike traditional one-on-one coaching, these group sessions fostered dynamic dialogue and open learning. I loved it, and I wanted to grow it. But the tech capped us at eight riders.

Then came a turning point. I was invited to beta test a new indoor cycling app called Zwift. Within two weeks, I saw the potential. This wasn't just a game; it was a platform that could bring athletes together in real time. Combined with other emerging tools, Zwift could make our vision scalable: a virtual training community built on knowledge, motivation, and connection. That's when BaseCamp was truly born.

That same year, we welcomed Debi Martin to the BaseCamp team. She took over the administration and behind-the-scenes operations, quickly becoming the glue that holds BaseCamp together. If it happens at BaseCamp, Debi probably made it happen.

We officially launched our first public BaseCamp program in 2016, and we haven't looked back since.

In 2022, Dr. Namrita Brooke joined our leadership team full time. A coach, exercise physiologist, and nutritionist with a PhD in exercise science and a master's in nutrition, Namrita brings deep expertise and care to our athletes and leads our formal coach education and development programs. We're proud to have her as part of our core team.

In 2023, Tina Hart came aboard to lead the growth of BaseCamp's live virtual event experience. With her deep background in event development and promotion, Tina brought new energy and vision to our events programming, bringing BaseCamp to life beyond the training through virtual events, live training camps, community gatherings, and unforgettable experiences.

BaseCamp has grown from a garage project to a global training community. But at its heart, it's still the same idea: train with purpose, learn together, and support one another every step of the way.