I'm a very thoughtful coach — every move has a reason behind it. I'm not here to write you a plan; I'm here to build a relationship, to understand you as a whole person and get the best out of you, and that often spills over into other areas of life. My life since I was 14 has been about high performance, and understanding the nuance of how to execute that within “normal” life is where I thrive.
Experience
8 years coaching | 20 years in triathlon
Location
Edinburgh/Scotland
Athlete results
I've coached an Ironman World Championship podium — 2nd place in 2024 — and I coach several World Championship qualifiers each year, a handful across the squad.
But my proudest achievement is when athletes come to understand themselves to a better degree — when they start genuinely listening to their bodies.
Personal Race experience
I was a professional triathlete for 11 years, competing for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games. Highlights include a 4th place at WTCS level and a WTCS relay medal, 3rd at the World Championships as a junior, World University Championship gold, and European Championship podiums. I was the youngest athlete to win a senior World Cup medal — still a junior at the time, beating Alistair Brownlee's record.
Specialisms
Understanding the person — helping athletes make the hard decisions. I believe physiology should be a prerequisite to coaching; understanding it to a high degree is the basics, not the differentiator.
• Swim technique
• Run performance
• Race strategy and execution, built on racing at the top of the sport
Best Suited to
Those that want to get better — plain and simple. Coaches often say they want athletes to be “coachable”. In truth, everyone is unique, and asking questions or challenging the coach doesn't mean the athlete isn't listening. It's about gaining trust. Sometimes that happens quickly, sometimes it takes longer — but a strength of mine is figuring that out and working together.
Athlete Stories
Claire — Ironman & short course
Claire was training for Olympic-distance racing with a few 70.3s thrown in. She ended up doing her first Ironman “for fun” — and won her age group. Clear talent. The next year we went back and focused on the Ironman, and she finished 2nd in her age group at the 2024 Ironman World Championship. Then we pivoted once more back to short course and she won the Island Games. What we worked on was becoming an athlete: learning what the sport was and building a foundation of good habits and solid physiology that was adaptable. Different seasons, different goals — same performance.
Wilson — Ironman, mid-50s
Wilson came to me wanting to break 10 hours in the Ironman, with a bad back that prevented him from running much at all. We searched out the right people to help, followed their guidance, and built a programme around him to develop top fitness. He hasn't hit the 10 hours yet — but he's still getting faster, and last year hit a 7-year PB in the Ironman, minutes off his outlandish goal. Getting older doesn't mean getting slower.
Fiona — beginner to 70.3
Fiona came to me from zero — her sporting background was competitive golf in her teens. She watched friends do a triathlon, decided she needed a change, and set herself the challenge. Unlike most people in this social-media-crazed world, she did it the right way: year one, train for a sprint and Olympic; year two, go for the 70.3. She did choose Mallorca with its massive hill, but we'll let that one slide. We balanced a very stressful period of work, built her confidence that she would smash it — and of course she did. Now we're pondering whether the big Ironman is next.
Athlete Testimonials
Wilson - coached for 3 years, based in Scotland
“I've worked with Grant for a number of years now, and what I value most is that he genuinely understands me as an athlete. He knows when I need pushed, when I need held back, and when the smartest thing for me is actually to do less. That trust is a huge part of coaching, because anyone can write a hard session — knowing the person behind the numbers is different. He's probably saved me from myself more times than I'd admit. Some of my best performances have come while working with Grant, but more importantly, he's helped keep me enjoying the sport and believing there is still more to come. I trust Grant completely and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him.”
Ben, South of England
“I've been coached by Grant Sheldon at Total Tri Training for several years, achieving age-group podiums, representing Great Britain at the Middle Distance European Championships, and qualifying for both the Ironman 70.3 and inaugural T100 World Championships — results I never thought possible when we started. Grant's pragmatic, individualised coaching fits around my life as a working dad with a career and family. He knows when to push and when to back off, combining knowledge and experience with a calm, practical approach that has significantly improved both my performance and enjoyment of the sport. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him or TTT to anyone looking to take their triathlon to the next level.”
Gerry Seenan
“Grant is an excellent triathlon coach and communicator. His knowledge of the sport is outstanding, and he provides guidance that extends beyond training into daily scheduling, health, and overall wellbeing. He is supportive, practical, and genuinely invested in helping his athletes succeed. I highly recommend Grant as a triathlon coach — his life-coaching skills are an added bonus.”
Links to coaching content from Grant
Grant Hosts the Total Tri Training coaching podcast alongside Head Coach Phil Murphy. You can find a link to that here on Spotify – CLICK HERE