As a team, we believe that every mountain athlete deserves a personalized path to success. That's true regardless of your starting point, goal, or definition of success. We combine cutting-edge training techniques with a deep understanding of the mountains to create a personalized coaching experience that is as inspiring as it is effective. Our coaching philosophy is rooted in a holistic approach, blending physical training, mental resilience, and expert guidance to prepare you for the unique challenges of mountain sports.
Lisa Thompson: Founder and Lead Coach
Lisa Thompson, founder of Alpine Athletics, has summited Everest, K2, and the Seven Summits through years of disciplined preparation. She devotes extensive time each week to physical training, mental conditioning, and researching every mountain she climbs. That same dedication is built into Alpine Athletics, where training plans are tailored to help athletes reach their own summits.
In 2025, Lisa became the owner of Mountain Madness, a legendary guiding company with more than 40 years of history in the mountaineering world. Together, Alpine Athletics and Mountain Madness now offer climbers a seamless journey from world-class training and preparation to life-changing expeditions on the world’s most iconic peaks.
Ilan Zeimer: Coach
Ilan is a high-altitude mountain guide and ACE Certified Personal Trainer who brings a guide's precision and a trainer's expertise to every athlete he works with. Whether preparing a client for their first high-altitude objective or helping an experienced climber push to the next level, Ilan builds training plans grounded in deep, firsthand knowledge of what the mountains actually demand : physically, physiologically, and mentally.
That expertise was forged over 23 seasons on Aconcagua, the highest mountain in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres, where Ilan led 60 successful expeditions and developed a mastery of high-altitude physiology, expedition planning, and big mountain decision-making that few coaches can match. His guiding experience extends across South America and beyond, with expeditions on Denali in Alaska, Tibet, Patagonia, and throughout Bolivia and Peru
Steven Masters: Athlete Experience Manager
Steven made the Pacific Northwest his home in 2012, drawn by its endless opportunities for skiing, climbing, backpacking, and running. Over the past decade, he’s explored the region’s mountains and trails extensively from summiting Rainier, Baker, and Adams to completing classic thru-hikes like the Wonderland, John Muir, and Timberline trails.
His first structured coaching experience came in 2022, when he trained for a Denali bid. Over eight months, he built his cardiovascular base, dialed in his strength, and even discovered a new favorite workout: hauling a tire up steep hills. Although the weather turned him back short of the summit, the process left him stronger, more confident, and hooked on the kind of preparation that makes big mountain goals possible.
That journey of growth and resilience now fuels Steven’s work as Alpine Athletics’ Athlete Experience Manager. He’s excited to support athletes in their own training, share what he’s learned on and off the trail, and help every athlete feel confident stepping into the mountains.