Breaking the cycle

Ryan Geiger, founder and Head Coach of Geiger Coaching, understands what it means to compete and train at a high level. By age 16, he was on the US National Team for mountain biking and spent years as a professional cyclist. Over the last decade, Ryan has used his knowledge, experience, and experimentation to coach endurance athletes to their peak performance. 

Ryan spoke with The Hybrid Letter about his competitive background, his philosophy in working with endurance athletes, and the value of a coach.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Hybrid Letter: What got you into competitive sports at such a young age?

Ryan Geiger: I grew up playing the more traditional sports—basketball, baseball, football—and honestly thought I’d play baseball at the collegiate level. That was something I focused on throughout my teenage years. But when I was 15, one of our neighbors, who owned a bike shop, lent me a mountain bike for the summer. I did my first race three weeks after I got on the bike. Within a year, I knew I wanted to take it seriously.

By the time I was 16, I was racing with the national team and having an incredible time doing it. It clicked for me right away, especially with the opportunity to be in the mountains. I grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona, which allowed me to explore the outdoors and do something I found fun. It came together naturally, and I found a passion for it early on.

THL: How long did you compete?

RG: I competed from 16 to 18 at the World Cup junior level. From 18 to 25, I raced at the World Cup level in both the U.S. and Europe in cross-country races. I also spent a couple of years racing in the Enduro World Series, which is more downhill-oriented.

THL: What were some of the biggest challenges of competing at that level?

RG: The training volume needed to compete at a high level was one of the biggest challenges. When I was 20, I felt invincible, but it was tough mentally. The sheer volume of travel, training, and intensity of racing was difficult to maintain. One of my first big EUC teams was based in Italy, so I spent entire summers there, away from my family and friends, which was hard.

The mental side of things was the toughest part—maintaining enough intensity to train and compete at that level. That’s probably why I stopped. I found myself going into race weekends not wanting to push my limits or risk injury, which was different from previous years. I’ve always believed that if I’m competing, I need to perform at my highest level. If I couldn’t do that, I didn’t see the point in continuing.

THL: What inspired you to transition into coaching?

RG: Honestly, I was inspired by other coaches. From a young age, I had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s best endurance coaches. I had access not only to cycling coaches but also to those from other endurance sports. I got really interested in understanding my own performance—why I was doing certain things and how I could improve.

I was intrigued by how you can manipulate fitness, and seeing how good some people were at it sparked my interest. Even before I stopped racing full-time, I started coaching a small group of athletes—about 10-15 people. When I made the decision to stop racing, I went all in. I took the energy I had put into my own training and shifted it toward the athletes I wanted to work with, sharing my experiences and helping them grow.

THL: What are some of your key training philosophies that shaped Geiger Coaching?

RG: One of the core philosophies at Geiger Coaching is that everything needs to be fully personalized for each athlete. As a professional athlete, I knew how demanding training can be. Whether you’re a recreational athlete or a pro, you put so much time, energy, and passion into pursuing your goals. It was important to me that each athlete has a plan built around their specific needs.

I felt that personalizing plans was the only way to give people the best opportunity to succeed. Our mission is to respect the time and effort athletes put into their training by creating custom programs based on their goals, weekly schedules, baseline tests, and race performances. That’s how we ensure they perform at their best.

THL: What types of athletes do you work with?

RG: We work with a wide range of endurance athletes—cyclists, runners, and hybrid athletes. Essentially, anyone competing in time domains from 10 minutes up to ultra-endurance events. Even though each sport has its own specific demands, the fitness principles are often similar. We work with both recreational and elite athletes across these disciplines.

THL: What makes endurance athletes unique in how you approach working with them?

RG: One of the key aspects is data analysis. We spend a lot of time customizing each athlete’s training, building specific pacing, rep schemes, and interval structures that are most beneficial for them. We analyze data points like power output, pacing, and heart rate to understand how an athlete responds to training both in individual sessions and over time.

We create long-term progressions and training blocks but adjust weekly based on the data we collect. This allows us to account for variations in performance, travel, or illness. It’s the combination of personalization and data analysis that helps us ensure success.

THL: What are some common mistakes you see endurance athletes making?

RG: One of the most common mistakes is following generalized training programs. Pre-built plans are designed for the masses, which often leads to athletes plateauing or not fully benefiting from their efforts. These plans might be too hard for some and too easy for others. This can result in frustration, injuries, or underperformance at events.

A lot of the athletes we work with have gone through that cycle of trying a generic plan and not getting the results they want. With personalized coaching, we can help them break out of that cycle and perform better.

THL: How do you motivate your athletes to give their best effort in each training session?

RG: A big part of Geiger Coaching is making sure athletes understand the intention behind every training session. I talk with my athletes at least every two weeks to go over why they’re doing specific workouts or training blocks. When people understand the purpose of a session, they’re more likely to connect with it and give their best effort.

It’s tough to stay motivated if you don’t know why you’re doing something, especially during hard sessions. I make sure that neither I nor my coaches will ever plan a workout without a clear reason behind it. That way, athletes know what they’re working toward and can stay focused.

THL: Are there any non-negotiables in your Hyrox or hybrid training plans?

RG: Yes. Every athlete we work with goes through baseline tests, whether they’ve done a Hyrox race before or not. These tests help us establish repeatable data points, which allow us to assess key variables like sustained output and recovery from high-intensity efforts.

Hyrox races require a lot of repeatability—being able to recover from intense efforts and sustain output afterward. Baseline testing helps us track progress and set training goals to improve in these areas. It’s something we do with all of our athletes, no matter their experience level.

THL: Why should someone hire a coach?

RG: Hiring a coach is an investment in yourself. Personalized coaching gives you the tools to be as successful as possible. While it’s a bigger investment than buying a generic plan, it’s worth it because you get tailored support, accountability, and expertise.

Working with a coach allows you to have a relationship with someone who understands your goals and can guide you through the process. It makes training and racing more fun because you’re not just following a plan—you’re working with someone who’s invested in your success.

THL: Geiger Coaching has been growing. Where do you see it in the next few years?

RG: It’s been really exciting to see the growth, but my main focus is maintaining the quality we started with. We’ve grown quickly, but we’re only going to expand at a pace that allows us to uphold our core values.

In five years, we might have 10 more coaches, or we might have just a few more great ones. Either way, the goal is to keep offering top-quality coaching. I’d rather have a small, highly effective team than grow too fast and compromise our standards.

THL: Anything personally you’re excited for on the competitive side?

RG: In the past couple of years, I’ve pulled back from competing to focus more on coaching. It’s tough to train at an elite level while coaching, but I still do a few key events each year. Rally in the Valley is one of my favorites—the competition is great, and I love the people involved. I’m also getting into trail running and would like to do some longer races, as well as mountain biking with some of my athletes.

Learn more about Ryan and his coaching on his website or Instagram.

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The New Rules of Hyrox

Hyrox has issued a new rulebook for the the 2024-25 season. The change that will impact the most people is that competitors is the women's open division now must complete 100 Wall Balls to finish the race instead of 75. Another important change: Athletes can change the damper settings on the SkiErg and Rower as many times as they like — previously, athletes could only set the damper before starting the station. On the sled push and pull, athletes now must use the lane assigned to them by a judge.

You can read the full rulebook here. 

Another new development is the creation of a Hyrox Elite 15 for men's and women's Pro Doubles. Teams can qualify for the World Championships by entering the Pro Doubles division in one of five qualifying races and finishing in the top three. The five qualifying races are:

Melbourne (December 14-15)
Houston (March 15-16)
Miami (TBD)
Paris (TBD)
London (TBD)

For the first time, there will be overall World Champions for Hyrox doubles. There is no mixed doubles category. 

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Video of the Week: Bare takes on Hyrox

Nick Bare, a popular fitness influencer who has competed in body-building competitions and run a sub-3 hour marathon, has decided to compete in his first Hyrox in Dallas on November 23. He put up a video explaining the decision to compete and how he’s changing his training to prepare:

Bare believes one of the key challenges to Hyrox is the variability you experience in heart rate as you transition from runs through the various stations. You can follow along as he prepares for Hyrox Dallas on Bare’s YouTube page.

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Hybrid Athlete of the Week: Marc Doerfer

Name: Marc Doerfer
Age: 33
Hometown: Folsom, California (originally from Germany)

Why did you start hybrid racing? I started hybrid training a little over a year ago. My journey in competitive sports began much earlier when I played field hockey at a competitive level in Germany. Moving to the U.S. during the pandemic disrupted both my training and competitive spirit. After 2-3 years of just exercising occasionally, I ran a marathon due to a pre-COVID beer bet that I decided to honor. While I realized I wasn’t a pure runner, the experience reignited my love for competition. Discovering Hyrox was a game-changer; it was the perfect mix of running, strength, high intensity, and endurance. It gave me the challenge and competition I had been missing.

Favorite race to date? My favorite race was my first age group win in Dallas last November. It was special because it came just two months after my daughter was born. It showed me that I could balance the joy of being a new dad with the thrill of competing. It was an important moment when I realized I could excel in this sport while managing my responsibilities. Another highlight was competing in the World Championships in Nice. The energy, competition, and camaraderie made it an unforgettable experience.

Do you have a race goal? My main goal is to be the best dad-athlete and role model I can be for my daughter and other parents. I want to inspire as many parents as possible not to give up on their health and fitness goals. Helping other parents succeed on their fitness journeys is incredibly rewarding. I want to focus less on times and more on enjoying the race, always carrying a smile on the track. And, of course, I have my sights set on reaching the podium at the World Championships someday.

Favorite station? Sled Push. There’s an unmatched thrill with this station, especially when the sleds are heavy. It tests your strength and mental toughness early in the race, which makes the rest of the race more dynamic and challenging.

Least favorite station? The Rower. It comes at an awkward point in the race, and its impact can be deceptively significant. It can make or break your race without you realizing it until it’s too late.

Things you wish you knew when you started racing? One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is the importance of having a coach, even if you could coach yourself. Also, stay curious and understand the ‘why’ behind your training, which is key to long-term success. Another crucial takeaway is to always have fun. If you’re not enjoying the process, it won’t be sustainable. I emphasize this in my coaching as well—fitness should be a joyful journey, a lifestyle, not a chore.

In this space, I’ve found my inspiration and goals. As a fit dad, fierce competitor, and loving husband, my mission is to inspire parents to prioritize their health and fitness. I believe discipline feeds motivation, and I draw my strength from my greater ‘why’—my daughter and my wife. I want to be a role model for my daughter (and future kids), friends, coworkers, and especially all parents out there.

Marc chronicles his fitness journey on Instagram. You can find him @MarcDoerfer.