I am a pretty competitive guy, and this bleeds through into many facets of my life. I am old enough now to realize when this is a good thing, and when it’s not (although that’s taken probably longer than it should). I had another such epiphany the other day when I was going through the mental exercise of differentiating Endurance Nation as a business from all the other coaches out there…as usual, it was started by something one of our members had written. I think sharing it with you is the best way to help you understand where we are coming from.
There is no one right way to train. Most people get that. (If there were, and if I had it, I wouldn’t be sitting here in a Starbux at 5pm on a Sunday writing this to you!) It is equally as important to note that there is no one existing approach out there that will work for you “if you can just find it.” Having coached hundreds of athletes, and having been through several personal evolutions over the course of my 7 Ironman seasons, I know this is true.
If there is no one right way to train, it follows then that there is no one right coach, or right piece of equipment, etc. After much thought it (appears) to come down to finding the right method that jives with where you are physically and what your goals are mentally. If you can identify that overlap, and exploit it, then you are light years ahead of the pack.
Accomplishing all three, however, requires patience, insight, the ability to reflect and learn, the chance to process how your body is adapting, etc…all on top of training, equipment, recovery, etc. In other words, Ironman training is a story. Not just any story, however, as this is the story of a journey. Like any good novel, it has highs and lows, but if it’s going to be successful at moving you…it has to engage you on a personal level. Ironman training is no different. If you are to be successful, you have to be ready to be master of your own story. To reflect on who you are, where you have been, and where you are headed.
And this is where I think Endurance Nation really outperforms everyone else. We currently have 392 members training for triathlons. These 392 people are sharing their experiences, processing their data, and learning from one another. Our job as your coaches (and as your peers) is to facilitate this exploration, to cultivate it. By helping you (and your 391 peers) write your individual story, we are doing much more than creating the one true way to prepare for an Ironman. We are building the best environment in which you can create your own story…whether or not you succeed is tied then, directly to how you interact with our community, how you adapt our lessons learned, how you contribute your own learning, and so on.
Once you take control of your own story, you’ll never go back to letting someone else dictate the plot and the ending. And the best part is you don’t have to wait until the finish line of your next A race to get that feeling of accomplishment. We’ll keep the light on your for you…the door’s open, come on in!
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