About Me
I've been involved in coaching for over 20 years, primarily focusing on endurance sports such as running, cycling, and triathlon. Learn more about me and more importantly, how I can help you.
Experience
Coach & Manager
I have been involved in coaching for over 20 years, primarily focusing on endurance sports such as running and cycling. Since 1997, I've dedicated myself to learning all aspects of sports coaching and performance, earning a first-class honors degree in Sports Coaching from UUJ Belfast. From 2005 to 2008, I worked with Pace Sports Management in London, the world's leading sports management and coaching agency, where I had the privilege of coaching and managing over 80 athletes, including Mo Farah and Usain Bolt.
National Coach & Fitness Centre Owner
After returning from London, I upgraded my fitness center in Letterkenny to a new 10,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility. Here, athletes and teams of all levels benefit from my expertise in strength and conditioning, race preparation, sports science, and coaching. Since 2009, I've been a qualified National coach with Triathlon Ireland, working with a diverse range of athletes, from age group competitors to national standard athletes, junior development athletes, and senior internationals. I currently serve as the National Development Manager and High Performance coach at Cycling Ireland, and I also educate other coaches as a Coaching Ireland tutor.
Accomplished Athlete
As an accomplished athlete, I regularly compete in road races and triathlons around Ireland. My coaching philosophy is rooted in understanding each athlete's needs, utilizing the latest coaching models, and empowering athletes to discover what works best for them. I believe coaching is an art, built on trust between the athlete and coach.
Qualifications
My coaching qualifications range from Level 2 (Triathlon and Swim Ireland) to a BSC in Sports Coaching and Performance from Ulster University and a PHD in Elite Performance from DCU.
Shaun Stewart, Adventure Racer
“I’ve been working closely with Michael since 2011 when he was team manager for the Donegal Rás team. Since then, Michael has helped coach me to two national adventure race series titles and has prepared me for some of the world’s biggest races, including the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) 2021 and the Kathmandu Coast to Coast in New Zealand 2023.
His training plans perfectly balance the physical, technical, and mental demands of multi-sport, providing the right amount of stimulus and recovery around the daily demands of family life and work commitments. Michael’s approachable demeanour means that he is always available to bounce ideas off, making the coaching experience collaborative and supportive.
Michael’s knowledgeable and holistic approach covers everything from gear selection, nutrition, and race strategy, ensuring that all bases are covered come race day. I would highly recommend Michael to anyone aiming to excel in multisport, triathlon and endurance based events.”
Get in touch.
Mickyblack1980@gmail.com
(+353) 8377 46607