Key Race Program, 2014
NEW KEY RACES, CAMPS & TEAM EXPERIENCES
In 2013 we unveiled the Key Race concept. An Endurance Key race is an opportunity for the Team and Coaches to create a complete season. Building from our OutSeason training protocols in the winter months through to the Race Preparation phase, Endurance Nation will build specific targets for the Team across the year.
In addition to our Team Coaching approach, there will be an on-site training camp for each of these races. This is a critical opportunity to rehearse pacing, determine final equipment selection and eliminate all doubts before race day.
Key races are targeted by our members, creating a critical mass of TeamEN athletes -- 60-80 athletes at each key race -- training and racing together. This mass creates very unique learning, accountability, and “cool mojo” opportunities across the season. It’s simply very unique and powerful to train with dozens of your teammates for months and months, and then meet and race with these folks at your A-race.
Finally, the coaches will be on hand that race weekend to deliver a Four Keys race execution talk, hold a Team dinner and support the Team during the race. If you want to see a sample of this experience, join TeamEN at Ironman Lake Placid and Ironman Wisconsin this year!
What were the 2014 selection criteria?
- The race must be popular on the Ironman circuit, selling out very quickly.
- The race has to have the opportunity for a training camp several weeks before the actual event.
- At least one of the races had to be “early” in the year to accommodate athletes with different training schedules.
- The coaches need to have experience on the course (true for all but Tremblant).
We considered several other races in an attempt to be objective. At the end of the day considerations around accessibility, opportunity for a camp, large athlete concentrations, etc all took precedence.
The typical season build up for a Key Race works likes this:
Half Iron Event → On Course Training Camp → Key Ironman Race
Track One: To Ironman Texas
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IM Texas Training Camp [March 20-23, 2014] –> Register Here
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Galveston 70.3 [April 6th, 2014] → Official Race Site Here
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Ironman Texas [May 17, 2014] → Register Here
Track Two: To Ironman Mont Tremblant
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Rev3 Quassy Half Iron [June 1, 2014] → Official Race Site Here
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IM Mont Tremblant Training Camp [July 10-13, 2014] → Register Here
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Ironman Mont Tremblant [August 17, 2014] → Official Race Site Here
Track Three: To Ironman Wisconsin
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Rev3 Wisconsin Dells [June 22, 2014] --> Register here
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IM Wisconsin Training Camp [July 31-August 3, 2014] → Register Here
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Ironman Wisconsin [Sepember 7, 2013] → Regisration online here.
If you want to talk about the 2014 Key Races, please post to this thread.
Of course, Rich and Patrick (and the Team!) will be at other races in full force. Here’s a list of other important races.
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Boston Marathon [April 21, 2014] -- Coach Patrick usually hosts a pre-race lunch!
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Wildflower Long Course, May 3rd -- Coach Rich will lead an awesome race weekend experience on the Wildflower course!
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Ironman Chattanooga and Lake Tahoe -- Coach Rich will lead a training camps on these courses in August and plans to attend the races in September to conduct a Four Keys Talks for TeamEN members and the public.
That's great but I'm not able to do one of these key races. Will I be missing out??!!
NO!
- Since 2009 TeamEN has had 20-70 athletes at every single north American Ironman, and similar numbers at many, many half Ironmans around the country.
- Brenda Ross is our full Race Director, tasked with the responsibility of organizing a quality race weekend experience for every race at which we have a critical mass of members. With a team this large, MANY races meet this criteria so, no worries, EN will have an organized presence at many races so you can tap into the mojo!
Questions about the 2014 Key Race Program?
Please ask below!
Comments
Lake Placid was a key race for 2013 and we had about 80 athletes racing. For 2014 we are changing that to 2013. However, please see the training camp that Patrick is doing on the LP course in June, we'll likely still have 50+ racing LP, and I'm pretty sure that Patrick is planning to still come to LP to support the Team and deliver a Four Keys Talk.