• I have been working with Chris for 5 months. The coaching and guidance he has provided me has been phenomenal. I am 45 and feel better and stronger than I have in 10-15 years. We are building up distances for trail running with a goal of a 50k next year that I have full confidence I will accomplish. Chris understands how to take a multifaceted approach to fitness. Nutrition, sleep, cardiovascular, strength, mobility, and soft tissue work are all integral parts of his plans. Chris also strives to make personal connections with his clients, and that means a lot. He knows his clients are more than just athletes. I really appreciate Chris’s holistic and data driven approaches to his coaching. I could not recommend him more.

    Jason S.

  • I have been working with Chris since 2017. I’m an endurance athlete who was looking to take my performance to another level. Chris has not only transformed my sport-specific practices but has profoundly impacted me as a person. His approach encompasses both the physical and the mental aspects of sport. I had no idea how much my own thinking was previously limiting me. (Goodbye self-doubt!) Chris challenges his athletes to approach situations with curiosity and tenacity, which leaves room for learning, growth, and untapped potential. Even when I found myself sidelined with a major injury, Chris guided me through the process, helped me to stay focused, and ensured that my return to running was smooth. I continue to work with Chris because his approach not only works, but pushes me to continuously evolve. I highly recommend him to any athlete ready to do the same!

    Bethany R.

  • I started working with Chris several months ago after hearing about the great results a friend had with him. He's AMAZING. I was able to be fully ready for a 150 mile weekend charity bike ride while working a full time job and also needing to train for hiking and running later in the season. He's super responsive and helpful, designing a program that is both challenging and within reach. I am currently returning to running and feel more and more confident every day as I check off the workouts he creates. He was also able to reformat my entire program after I changed events in the Fall. He's supportive and helps me work on my mindset as much as my overall fitness. Highly highly recommend!

    Emily G.

  • After transitioning from road to trail running and training myself for my own 50k, I knew I needed a professional to guide me on my journey as an endurance athlete if I was going to continue on this path. A friend recommended Chris and I initially contacted him because of this and because of his extensive clinical experience in exercise physiology which is important to me as an athlete with a progressive autoimmune disease. I was honestly nervous to work with a Coach as I had never done so before and I was afraid of the focus being solely on my performance (pace, miles, etc). In training for my second ultra with Chris, I was pleasantly surprised to find that he places just as much value (maybe even more) on the mental aspects of endurance running as he does the physical. The reasons why I personally run are important to him as they are to me. My ultra was successfully and safely completed during arguably the hottest month of the year in 2021, a feat in itself with my disease, but more importantly, I learned so much more about myself as a person and as an athlete during the training cycle than I would have without his expert guidance and gentle nudging to expand my mindset further. Working with Chris through some of my biggest challenges has changed my game as an athlete but it has also changed my daily life. I am 100% a better human all around with a deeper understanding of what drives me, what levels I can push myself to and a ever-evolving curiosity for how much more I am capable of. I would recommend Chris to anyone and everyone. He can help you reach any race goal, no problem at all, but if you’re really ready for your life to change and willing to put in the work, Chris is the right Coach for you.

    Stephanie G.

  • I've known Chris for 6 or 7 years and choose to work with him because of his depth of knowledge and years of personal experience in endurance sports. Chris has been truly a great "coach" . Meeting me where I am at based on injury, busy work and life. He's done two very important things. #1. he got me to the gym.. #2. kept me from doing dumb stuff and getting injured. For 3 years I have been injured off and on.. These injuries kept me from doing races that I'd signed up and paid for. Under Chris's guidance I recently completed my hardest race to date, a gnarly 50 miler in the mountains with over 16k of gain on seriously technical terrain with no injuries, before or after. Without Chris's help I likely would have been destroyed or never made it to the start line. If you are looking for a coach that will tailor a plan to fit your life and goals. I would highly suggest giving Ascend Coaching serious consideration.

    Scott M.

  • I've know Chris Dunn for almost a decade as a business partner and friend. Late last summer, I sought his advice on how to make my workouts more effective. We had a great conversation about my goals and lifestyle. Chris developed a circuit workout for me to address these goals. But I think more importantly, Chris taught me the concept behind the circuit which allows me flexibility. Thanks to his education, I understand how to add/subtract moves from the workout to keep it interesting and keep me engaged, while maintaining the effectiveness of my time in the gym. Speaking of time... Chris was also key in helping me with an efficient approach that I've been able to work in to a busy schedule for almost 9 months now. Chris' insight and support have been a big part of some significant changes for me... I have dropped 40 pounds and reduced body fat by 10%. I'm a photographer shooting sports and endurance events and I really notice these changes as I scramble around race course trails and up ski slopes with 20 pounds of camera gear on my shoulders and do the equivalent of 100's of squats when making my favored low angle shots. Historically, my back has been perennially sore during shooting season... this year, that has not been the case. All this said, and from what I've observed from many athletes I photograph regularly that I know are his clients, I'd recommend Chris to anyone looking to improve their general fitness and health or to improve their competition performance. Thanks Chris!

    Joe V.

  • After transitioning over to mountain running in my 40’s, I found myself at a plateau. I felt strong, but my performance was not improving year to year. After researching numerous options, I hired Chris J. Dunn as my endurance coach. His understanding of physiology and his experience as an endurance athlete have allowed him to guide me to significant gains in performance without risking overuse injury as an aging athlete. At 48, I’m close to being in the best shape of my life. Chris has been a big part of that improvement and I cannot recommend him enough.

    Scott G.

  • I am a few months away from working with Chris for 2 years now and have learned so much in that time. Chris initially supported me through the high of my first 50k and subsequently the low of my first "real" running injury. He cautiously, yet knowingly, brought me back from injury. At this point, I knew to "trust the process" and I knew I could trust in Chris. Chris shares the teachings of the Rock Warrior's Way, which when applied to life and athletics can open the door to so much potential and so many opportunities. After months of training, dedication, and great communication, Chris' expertise as a coach shined through in my recent A race. When an athlete choses to have a committed and knowledgeable coach such as Chris, the journey does not happen alone, it happens with great team work.

    Emily F.

  • Chris has taught me a lot about being a runner and endurance athlete. His coaching combines important elements related to your mind, body and sprit to improve your performance. He also provides lots of timely feedback on workouts, works with your schedule (because “normal life” doesn’t stop) and shows a real passion for your growth as his client. Regardless of finishing times his coaching supports your growth overall... hitting a PR isn’t hitting the next level of achievement; it’s something else and his coaching just might get you to work harder and smarter to get there.

    Holly B.

  • I hired Chris to Coach me for my first Mt WASHINGTON Road race. I feared hills. His training plans are all about quality, not quantity. I had my doubts that I would be able to conquer that mountain. I stood at that starting line with a confidence I've never had before. I finished 20 mins ahead of my goal time. I was so impressed with his coaching style, I kept him on as a coach and just PR'd my half marathon at the age of 54. Chris will develop a training plan that adapts to your schedule, ability and YOUR goal. I'm looking forward to another successful year of conquering the hills on foot as well as the bike

    Patty H.

  • These are the traits, from least to most important, that I want when it comes to choosing and working with a coach. - Focused workouts (specific details, not just ride a bike today) - Workout Schedule (What to do each day) - Keeping me focused and honest (Check-ins and questioning why I did/didn't do something) - Motivation (Rub my ego just a bit) - Confidence in my ability (even more than I have) - Sincerity (The feeling that my coach is truly motivated to make me the best I can be) Having specific workouts are great, but I can go online and figure that kind of stuff out. A workout schedule is even better, but again, I can go online, read a few articles, see what other cyclists are doing and come up with something that will work. The last 4 items however are not something you can do on your own and I feel are the keys to being a good coach. I feel I get them all and more having Chris J. Dunn as my coach. He has years of experience in many aspects of endurance athletics, he is very friendly, is very motivational and always seems to know what I need to hear to get me through things. We definitely have some interesting stories when it comes to the 24 hour solo races. At the bottom, or I should say top, of it all, Chris J. Dunn cares about his athletes, cares about their results, their lifestyles, their funky schedules (Yup, me) all while making sure they are the best athlete they can be. Choosing Chris as my coach was one of the best things I have done to help me along with my crazy cycling obsession. Another was joining his racing team #acidoticRACING. I'm looking forward to racing Leadville next weekend and testing out my season of training!! Thanks Chris J. Dunn!!

    Ken W.