A pioneer in the sport and founder of Trifiniti Endurance Performance Coaching, Duane Franks has competed in triathlons since 1981 and coached endurance athletes since 1985. As an officer of the club from 1991 through 1995, Duane is credited with inventing and developing some of our club’s most successful programs. These include TAG (2002), the Ironman group training program (2005), sponsors of The Escape from Alcatraz (1993), The Wildflower Training Weekend (1991), and the end of the season party (1991). More nationally, Duane is recognized for his contributions as founder of the first collegiate triathlon club (Cal Poly, 1984) and bringing the USAT coaches level 1&2 certification clinics to San Francisco. He has written articles and or been quoted in the New York Times, Triathlon Magazine and Ironmanlive. His 12- week beginners training program was published in last May’s Competitor Magazine and will soon be featured in an upcoming book by Triathlon Magazine.
Duane has competed in more than 250 triathlons in his career and has won age group titles at Wildflower, Vineman and World’s Toughest Half. He is a 13-time Ironman finisher and has numerous top three places in many of the sports most popular events. His athletes include multiple Hawaii Ironman World Championship age group winners, former world record holders as well as beginning level athletes of all ages. His most famous athlete, Kathy Winkler holds the title of Women’s overall champion for 8 of the past 9 years at the Wildflower Olympic distance triathlon. Kathy is also the overall women’s champion of the 2005 Half Vineman Triathlon. Duane’s inaugural group marathon program this past fall was another success with more than one third of the runners (including many first timers) meeting qualifying times for this year’s Boston marathon.
Duane holds a degree in Exercise Physiology and is currently completing his theses at San Francisco State in the study of the relationship between heart rate and sweat rate in endurance athletes. He is certified as a Fitness Director by the American College of Sports Medicine and certified USAT level 2 coach.
