Meet the coach
Nenad Starc —
certified triathlon coach
Born in Slovenia. Living in the Netherlands since 2017. Started triathlon from zero in April 2022. Ironman Copenhagen finisher, 2025.
ESCI Certified Coach — IRONMAN UniversityThe story
From handball player to Ironman.
Via a pandemic and a road bike.
"I've been the beginner. I've been the one restarting. I've faced the doubts, the soreness, the early mornings, and the inner critic. And I know how powerful it is to have someone in your corner who's been there."
Where it started
I grew up playing handball until I was 22. Then life took over — I stopped training and slowly drifted away from the active lifestyle I once knew. After a few years of not feeling like myself, I decided to take back control. Two years of gym work, then CrossFit. But when the pandemic hit, everything shifted. I needed something new.
The decision that changed everything
So I bought a road bike. Zero experience. And with it, I set a goal that sounded slightly wild at the time: I wanted to become an Ironman.
In April 2022, I went for my first ride. That same week, I laced up my shoes for my first run in years. By January 2023, I jumped into the pool and swam 1km — just to see if I could. I found a coach, made a plan, and committed.
The journey
June 2023: my first triathlon at DTS Zandvoort. I had no idea what to expect. I finished. It was enough. Then Ironman 70.3 Duisburg that August — my first 70.3. Then two more 70.3 Westfriesland finishes, two KPMG Marathons, the Amsterdam Marathon, lake swims — each race teaching me something the one before didn't.
August 2025: Ironman Copenhagen. 140.6km. Finish time: 11:58:25. Three years, three months after my first bike ride. That's what a plan and a coach can do.
Race record
Ironman 70.3 Alcudia, Mallorca
Spain
Ironman Copenhagen 140.6
Denmark
TCS Amsterdam Marathon
Netherlands
Ironman 70.3 Westfriesland
Netherlands
6km Lake Swim Aalsmeer
Netherlands
Ironman 70.3 Westfriesland
Netherlands
KPMG Marathon Netherlands
Lentemarathon, Leiden
3km Lake Swim Aalsmeer
Netherlands
Ironman 70.3 Duisburg
Germany
Olympic Triathlon DTS Zandvoort
Netherlands
When a nervous first-timer talks to me, they're not talking to someone who has always been fast. They're talking to someone who has been exactly where they are — and came out the other side.
I became a coach because I know what it's like to stand at the start line with no idea if you belong there. That's the only reason any of this works.
How I coach
The beliefs behind every training plan.
These aren't principles I read in a textbook. They're things I learned the hard way — as an athlete first, then as a coach.
01
Aerobic base before everything else
Most beginners want to go hard immediately. I hold them back — deliberately. A solid aerobic base built in the first weeks of training is what prevents injury in month three. We build slow to go fast later.
02
The plan fits your life. Not the other way around.
I don't build plans for an imaginary athlete with unlimited time. I build them for a real person with a job, a family, and a race calendar. 5:30am sessions and lunch runs count. They more than count.
03
Nutrition is trained, not figured out on race day
I made the mistake of relying on gels too long in my first 70.3. By kilometre 15 of the run I was done with them. Race nutrition is practised in training. Every long session. No exceptions.
04
Easy days need to be actually easy
The hardest thing to coach is holding back. Most athletes turn every session into a moderate effort. That's the junk mile zone — too hard for recovery, too easy for adaptation. Polarised training works. Committing to it is the challenge.
05
Communication is part of the training
If you're tired, travelling, or life has exploded — I need to know. The plan adapts when I know what's happening. A coach who only sees your data misses half the picture. I want the other half too.
06
Finishing is not a lesser goal than podium
Elites want to be optimised. Beginners want to be supported. Both are legitimate goals and both deserve the same quality of coaching attention. I don't rank athletes by speed. I rank them by commitment.
Credentials
Why the certification matters.
Anyone can call themselves a coach. This is what separates a qualified one.
ESCI Certified Coach — IRONMAN University
The Endurance Sports Coaching Institute certification is one of the most respected coaching accreditation frameworks in triathlon. It covers training methodology, periodisation, race nutrition, athlete psychology and long-course race preparation.
Lived experience — 10+ races since 2022
Certifications teach the theory. Racing teaches what theory can't. Four Ironman 70.3 finishes, a full Ironman, multiple marathons, open water swims and Olympic triathlons — all completed since starting from zero in 2022.
TrainingPeaks coach
All coaching is delivered through TrainingPeaks — the industry-standard platform used by professional and age-group coaches worldwide. Every athlete gets a structured, data-informed plan they can follow day by day across all devices.
Voor Nederlandstalige atleten
Voor Nederlandstalige atleten
Al mijn coaching is in het Engels — en dat is bewust. Als Sloveense coach die in Nederland woont, werk ik met atleten uit heel Europa. Spreek je Engels? Dan zijn we al halverwege. Boek een gratis kennismakingsgesprek van 30 minuten en kijk of het klikt.
Boek een gratis gesprekReady to have someone in your corner?
Book a free 30-minute call. We'll talk through where you are, where you want to go, and whether coaching is the right move. No pressure. Just an honest conversation.