Aidan Charles is the owner and Head Coach of Charles Coaching & Nutrition Services. Aidan regularly works with athletes and his fellow coaches to help support endurance athletes of all levels achieve their goals. Aidan has coached athletes ranging in age from 14 to 75 years old to numerous athletic accomplishments, including multiple world championship titles, over ten national championship titles, and Race Across America event records. In addition to being the coach of the Yale Cycling Team, he has consulted with various collegiate athletic programs (including Mary Washington, Yale, and Wesleyan Universities) on training program periodization and methodology. Aidan has been a featured contributor to articles in Bicycling Magazine, National Geographic, and a variety of publications. He is also a regularly featured panelist/speaker regarding training techniques, nutrition, and coaching for endurance athletes and youth development in the sport of cycling.

Aidan is a 2006 Graduate of Mary Washington University, with a B.S. in Biology with concentrations in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. He is an active category one road cyclist, a former Under-23 USA Cycling National Team member, and he raced professionally for the Nerac Cycling Team. Aidan enjoys helping all levels of athletes, from the beginner to the professional level, in a variety of endurance sports, including cycling, triathlon, duathlon, running, and rowing.

Additionally, Aidan is the founder of the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program, and he continues to serve as an advisory council and board member for the non-profit which provides youth across the state of Connecticut access to the sport of cycling. He is the recipient of Hartford Business Journal’s 2015 40 Under 40 award and the 2013 MCSAAC Harry E. Burr Award.

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Ben Wolfe is a certified USA Cycling Coach and has been a CCNS athlete since he first started cycling. Since then, he has competed at both a National and International Professional level of racing over the last 10 years, racing for teams such as California Giant p/b Specialized, USA U23 National Team, Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis, Hincapie Racing p/b BMC, Best Buddies Racing Team, and American Cycling Team. Besides over 40 race victories in cycling events throughout the country, Ben’s top results include a USPRO Team Time Trial Championship Title, Top-10 in the USPRO National Championship TT, and two top-10 placings in the U23 National TT Championships – including a 3rd place finish in 2014. Coach Ben has spent seasons in Europe and competed in World-tour level races such as the Tour of California (2x) and Tour of Utah (2x). He was also the first alternate for the UCI U23 World Championships in 2014 and 2015.

Coach Ben’s extensive racing experience and genuine approachability help him connect with athletes, understand their physical and mental challenges, and provide the keen advice they need to reach new levels of success in their training and racing. Ben is full of enthusiasm and is currently accepting athletes.

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HUNTER PRONOVOST is a highly experienced coach at CCNS, where he has been working full-time for the past eight years. He is also the provider of physiological tests for CCNS, with few others in the Northeast having administered and studied as many performance tests as Hunter. With hundreds of tests under his belt, Coach Hunter has unique insight into what makes athletes faster. Witnessing the improvements that CCNS athletes make gives him an incredible sense of satisfaction and drives him to continually improve his coaching skills. Hunter believes that with the right training and guidance, anyone can achieve their goals and reach their full potential as an athlete.

Hunter has been a competitive cyclist since his teenage years, winning his first championship at the age of 16 when he unexpectedly won a NEBRA junior road racing championship. He has since competed at the Pro/Amateur level in road, cyclocross, gravel, and XC mountain bike for nearly 20 years, demonstrating remarkable consistency and longevity. Hunter has won multiple age-group titles in road, cyclocross, and XC mountain biking, racing at the Category 1/2 level and achieving a top-20 finish at the Rasputitsa Gravel Grinder. He is a Level 3 USA Cycling Coach and continues to race in 25-35 events per year.

In addition to his cycling expertise, Hunter is also a top-ten finisher at the 2000 North American Orienteering Championships. This experience allows him to guide and support athletes in a diverse range of endurance sports. He is currently the coach of the CCAP Hamden/Cheshire Rail Trailers youth road and cyclocross teams and an active promoter of cyclocross races in the state. Hunter has also led numerous clinics for both experienced and beginner riders. Handling the majority of the in-office services and testing at CCNS, Hunter is committed to providing exceptional coaching and testing services to athletes of all abilities and ages.

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Vivien Rindisbacher has deep roots in cycling. With relatives of European descent and an Uncle who was a World Champion, cycling has always been a family affair. He started racing at the age of 14, through a local club and has been an elite level cyclist ever since. Along the way, he has spent time racing for National Team Programs, along with a year at the professional level with H&R Block Pro Cycling. After a year off the bike, Vivien has rebuilt his focus around the development of cycling in the Northeast, as director of the New England Development’s Elite U23 team. Now in school at Boston University, pursuing a B.S. in Human Physiology, his racing experience and academic interest bring a professional level of expertise to CCNS clients.

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Coach Owen Wright embraced cycling in 2017, following his collegiate running career at St. Olaf College, MN. His love for road racing quickly blossomed, leading to significant achievements, including winning the overall classification at the Green Mountain Stage Race and the Queen stage atop Appalachian Gap in 2023. His victories extend to the Pacific Northwest, claiming GC and stage wins at events like the Baker City Cycling Classic and Tour de Bloom. Alongside competing, Owen dedicates himself to coaching, and in 2024, he will race for the CS Velo Racing Domestic Elite team while being a proud CCNS athlete.

His athletic journey isn’t confined to cycling. Owen remains an active runner, participating in trail races and triathlons across varied terrains from Colorado to Alaska, with a notable marathon personal best of 2:35:18 at the 2023 Philadelphia Marathon and a half-Ironman personal best of 4:03:03 at the 2023 Ironman 70.3 Indian Wells.

Owen’s diverse sports background underlines his coaching philosophy. He emphasizes mastering fundamentals and believes in steady, incremental progress, a testament to his athletic evolution. As a CCNS athlete, Owen uniquely blends his personal experiences with a professional approach, aiming to ignite a similar passion for endurance sports in his clients.

Certified USA Cycling Coach Bill Strebel’s journey with cycling spans over three decades, marked by both early success and resilient comebacks. Starting his cycling career in 1985 at 14, initially to augment his alpine skiing training, Bill quickly ascended the junior ranks, achieving a category 2 classification in his first senior year. He rode for the regional team Douglas Auctioneers/Yankee Candle, demonstrating early his passion and talent for the sport. However, a significant back injury at 23 necessitated surgery, leading to what he believed was the end of his cycling career.

Years later, in 2020, after overcoming numerous personal challenges, Bill rediscovered his love for cycling. His return to competitive racing, fueled by the support and guidance of CCNS coaches, was nothing short of remarkable. As a CCNS athlete, he experienced firsthand the transformative power of dedicated coaching and community support.

Now, Coach Bill is committed to paying forward the guidance he received. His coaching philosophy is anchored in the belief that it’s never too late for a new beginning or to rediscover a lost passion. He is dedicated to helping his athletes realize their untapped potential, not just in cycling but in all life’s facets. His personal journey from a promising young cyclist to overcoming adversity and returning to the sport he loves is a testament to the power of perseverance and the never-say-die attitude he instills in his athletes.

Matan Sopher has been immersed in endurance sports since a young age. He began racing triathlons early on, finding success in the sport and competing nationally. He ran at a varsity level for three years throughout high school, helping his team toward a county title. Despite his love of running, recurring injuries forced him to change gears.

An endurance junkie at heart, his intense desire to constantly push himself drove him toward cycling. In 2021, he began working with CCNS, where the value of structured training and the benefits of working with a professional cycling coach became all too clear. He has since raced at the UCI level and gathered podiums at races across the country, all while growing holistically as an athlete.

He currently resides in Tucson, AZ, pursuing a degree in psychology at the University of Arizona while balancing racing for the school cycling team and the domestic elite team, Landis/Trek Cycling Team.

Matan’s combination of approachability, athletic insight, and a steadfast growth mindset positions him uniquely to help athletes of various levels achieve their goals.

Nick Lando is a USA Cycling-certified coach whose coaching philosophy blends modern science and physiology with firsthand racing experience. Nick is a true jack-of-all-trades cyclist, having competed at a high level in disciplines ranging from BMX to road and everything in between. For the last 10 years, Nick has been racing XC mountain bikes and cyclocross professionally for teams such as UVM Cycling, Bear Pro Team, US U23 National Team, and Competitive Edge Racing.

Along with Nick’s numerous UCI elite podium finishes, Nick’s most proud cycling accomplishments include a 2018 Individual Omnium Mountain Bike National Championship, a 2019 Canada Cup XCO win, and being selected to represent Team USA in several World Cups in both XCO and CX.

In addition to his cycling experience, Nick brings excellent people skills to the table. His ability to break down and explain complex topics in a simple and easy-to-understand way helps to make him one of the most approachable coaches around. Nick is very good at figuring out an athlete’s motivation and helping them stay consistent with all aspects of their training, from conditioning to bike skills and the little things in between.

David Martin is an accomplished endurance athlete and a dedicated coach with a wealth of experience in sports science and athletic performance. Based in Cheshire, CT, David brings a unique combination of expertise in exercise science, athlete testing, and endurance sports coaching to Charles Coaching.

David was the Co-Director of Athlete Performance and Safety at the Korey Stringer Institute, University of Connecticut, where he managed research studies in an environmental chamber for the Department of Defense, NFL, Camelbak, Mission, and more. He was in charge of athlete testing and maintained relationships with corporate partners. He currently also serves at the Sales and Technology Specialist/Lab manager at the Connecticut Health, Athletic, and Mental Performance Center located at Southern Connecticut State University. He founded Perseverance Racing, a multipart endurance team located in New England.  Previously, David was a Senior Coach at Full Throttle Endurance in New York City, where he led training camps and tours for elite triathletes. He also worked as a Graduate Assistant at Southern Connecticut State University where he helped with laboratory testing and research projects.

David received his PhD from the University of Connecticut, where his dissertation focused on the effects of creatine supplementation during heat acclimation. His program focused on thermoregulation and hydration under the guidance of Dr. Doug Casa, one of the foremost experts on both subjects in the world. He holds an M.S. in Exercise Science from Southern Connecticut State University and a B.S. in Fine Arts from Skidmore College, with a concentration in oil painting and photography. David has authored and contributed to several peer-reviewed publications and has presented at major conferences, including the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Conference, the NFL Combine, and the UCONN Sports Analytics Symposium.  David has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Southern Strong Award. He is a 3x USAT All-American and represented Team USA at the ITU World Championships in 2019. In 2020, he broke the fastest known time on the Connecticut section of the Appalachian Trail and holds the 50k course record for one of the oldest ultras in the country, The Jack Bristol Ultramarathon. He has numerous overall wins in triathlons and endurance races. In addition to his professional and athletic accomplishments, David is an avid artist, having studied and practiced fine arts extensively. He has also participated in various charitable activities, including a 48-hour run to raise funds for a food pantry during the COVID-19 pandemic. David coached ultramarathon swimmer Ben Tuff through three marathon swims, raising more than $250,000 for clean ocean access. This journey was turned into a documentary entitled “Swim Tuff.” Ben became the first person ever to swim the 24 miles of the Narragansett Bay in just under 15 hours.

David believes in a science-based approach to training, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decisions and personalized coaching plans. His experience with high-level research and practical coaching allows him to provide athletes with cutting-edge strategies to enhance their performance.  His blend of scientific expertise, athletic prowess, and dedication to athlete safety makes him a valuable asset to Charles Coaching, where he continues to inspire and support athletes in achieving their highest potential.

Certifications and Achievements:

• USA Triathlon Certified Coach
• Red Cross Certified Lifeguard/AED/First Aid
• USA Cycling Level 1 Coaching Certification
• USA Swimming Level 1 Coaching Certification
• NASM Certified Personal Trainer/FNS