MEET IAN
Hi! I am Ian Dors, raised in Berryville, Virginia, and currently residing in Yorktown, Virginia.
Coaching Philosophy
I believe great coaching starts with understanding the person behind the training - what motivates you, how you respond to stress, where your strengths lie, where you can improve, and what helps you perform at your best.
From there, effective coaching requires both structure and flexibility. Structure creates clarity and purpose. It gives you confidence in what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. But life is unpredictable, and rigid plans break when they can’t bend. Flexibility is what allows you to stay consistent, healthy, and moving forward when conditions aren’t perfect.
I enjoy working with athletes who are curious, engaged, and willing to learn about themselves through the process. My goal isn’t to make athletes dependent on me - it’s to help them become more self-sufficient, confident in their decisions, and capable of adapting to circumstances on their own. When athletes understand their own tendencies, strengths, and responses to training, progress becomes more sustainable and far more rewarding.
Why I Coach the Way I Do
Because of my unique circumstances, I couldn’t follow cookie-cutter training plans. I had to understand why training worked, how my body responded, and when adjustments were necessary. That process is what ultimately led me to coaching.
Great coaching isn’t about copying what worked for someone else - it’s about identifying what works for you.
At ID Performance, athletes aren’t forced down the same path. Training is individualized, intentional, and built around real constraints - injuries, time, stress, and life outside of sport.
My background in data science shapes how I coach. I’m constantly reading current research, evaluating new methodologies, and testing ideas - but always with evidence, context, and athlete feedback guiding decisions. Progress isn’t about chasing trends; it’s about applying the right tools at the right time for the right athlete.
My Background
I’ve been a multi-sport athlete my entire life, competing in cycling, triathlon, cross country, track, soccer, and wrestling. In December 2015, everything changed. I tore my ACL, LCL, and posterolateral corner, with peroneal nerve damage that resulted in foot drop.
That injury forced me to rethink everything I knew about training.
I went on to run collegiate cross country and track using an AFO, which required extensive cross-training, creative programming, and a willingness to adapt beyond traditional approaches. Cycling and strength training became fundamental parts of my development - not as supplements, but as tools for performance and durability.
After graduating, I worked full-time as a data scientist for Deloitte, served as an assistant coach at Christopher Newport University for three years, and pursued paratriathlon. In 2023, I won the National Paratriathlon Championship in the ADT1 Ambulatory division. These experiences reinforced a lesson that continues to shape my coaching: progress is not always linear and often requires a flexible structure.
Looking Ahead
ID Performance is built on continuous learning - for both you and me. Growth is shared, intentional, and never static.
My goal is to support athletes who want to train with intention, adapt intelligently, and discover what they’re truly capable of when coaching is built around them, not a template.
Contact ME
Ready to explore what makes you perform? If you have questions about my philosophy, coaching options, or anything in between, send me a message. I’ll reply within 48 hours.