2016 OutSeason and the Evolution of Endurance Nation
2016 OutSeason and the Evolution of Endurance Nation
Patrick and I feel that the 2015 racing season was a watershed year for us, as both athletes and coaches. We learn just as much from watching you guys as we do from our own training and racing..the combination of these two elements is a large part of what makes Endurance Nation so powerful and unique.
Coach Rich: 47 years old, returned to Ironman, after a 4 year layoff, and came within 2’ of his 2002, 34 year old self time on the same course, placing 35th OA, 5th place AG, and qualifying for Kona 2016.
Coach Patrick: 41 years old, returned to Ironman Texas where he placed 2nd AG at the IM National Championship (within 2’ of his 2012 time), and continued to race his 7th IM Hawaii putting together his most complete race on the island netting him 60th place AG for his highest ever finish.
En route these performances we pushed the boundaries of age group training, racing, and experimentation, while at the same time teaching and guiding all of you to your own incredible performances.
2015 saw us -- as coaches and as a community -- learn many lessons. We will begin to implement them in the November OutSeason®, drilling those changes down further into the remainder of the 2016 season as we begin the process of putting as many TeamEN athletes as possible in the Front-of-the-Pack mentality (FOP).
How Will the 2016 OutSeason® be Different?
Aside from several actual workout changes and some new methodology, the most important change will be how you determine your OutSeason® start date. In the past this process was calendar driven -- we helped athletes pick an OutSeason® start date by looking at (1) their most recent race and (2) the date of the first important race of their upcoming season.
For 2016, we will focus on Athlete Commitment and Personality more than what the calendar dictates.
This season we are shifting that start criteria to “is the athlete mentally, emotionally and physically ready to manage the small details that go into creating a breakthrough season?” Your commitment plus a longer annual timeframe -- starting with a full OutSeason® -- increases your chances of success and improved race performance.
As your coaches, we have a long list of items we work to (nearly) continuously improve upon, with that improvement process started, or renewed, in the OutSeason and extended across the remainder of the season. Our goal for 2016 is to bring a renewed, more detailed focus to as many Team EN members who are ready, willing and able.
The Small Details Matter List
Running Durability and Endurance
It’s clear that running durability and endurance, the combination of which significantly improve your ability to simply not slow down during the Ironman run, is just as (if not more!) important than raw running speed.
Body Composition
It’s also clear that lean body composition is a significant factor in the success of our FOP athletes. They understand the value of attaining a “racing weight” and approach the topic as if it were the fourth discipline of triathlon.
Training Data Logging and Tracking
Another contributor to the success of the EN FOP athlete is the tracking of training data, with which they are more able to analyze their training and make better decisions about how to tweak their workouts to best suit their goals.
Effective Scheduling of High Volume Cycling Opportunities
The pointy end of TeamEN has had great success with significantly boosting their cycling endurance through strategically placed high volume pops. It is more than just coincidence that you see the same athletes who attend our volume camps also succeeding on race day.
Refinement of Race Execution Processes
And of course, our pointy end has taken the lead on refining our already excellent race execution processes, continuing to push the boundaries of smart, intelligent, disciplined racing.
“Sneaky Speed” Opportunities
Finally, the pointy end leaves virtually no stone unturned in the pursuit of finding opportunities to go faster without working any harder: aerodynamics, bike setup, transition best practices and more.
How the List will be Applied to the 2016 OutSeason (and Beyond)
During the 2016 OutSeason®…
Running Durability and Endurance
With so many of you having recently completed your 2015 season, our intent is to shift the running in the upcoming version of the OutSeason away from making you faster and instead leverage your current fitness to make you more durable runners. We will do this by focusing on running frequency in the OutSeason plan. This will create consistent high frequency, relatively high volume running applied very earlier in your 2016 season. The make-you-a-faster-runner portion of your season will then happen after the OutSeason in a reworked Get Faster training plan.
This marks a shift from the traditional OutSeason® training plan. We will be merging elements of the Run Durability Program (created in 2014) with the OutSeason...and shifting some of the higher quality, sustained efforts to the Get Faster plan.
Body Composition
We will use the OutSeason as an opportunity to create and implement body composition improvement guidance, tracking, and accountability systems across the entire team, with the intent that all of us, as a Team, begin addressing body composition improvement months and months out from our 2016 race calendar.
Data Logging and Tracking
In the OutSeason® we’ll create a team-wide culture of logging and analyzing training data, yielding more impactful analysis opportunities for 2016.
The Remainder of the 2016 Season
The balance of the Small Details Matter List will be addressed through our
Custom High Volume Training Pops: We will offer training camp opportunities in Florida, California, the Tour of California and Blue Ridge Parkway training camps. And of course we’ll always support your decision to roll your own opportunities, helping you schedule them for maximum effectiveness.
Improved Regional Race Execution Camps: Both Patrick and I will tag-team the Northeast Regional camp in Lake Placid in June and the Southeast Regional Camp in Chattanooga in August, with an additional opportunity in SoCal lead by Coach Rich in July.
Brand New Sneaky Speed Suite: Finally, we will consolidate and organize for you all of the trips and tricks we’ve learned through thousands and thousands of successful Ironman finishes.
Finally, please understand that we remain, as we always have been, 100% committed to continuously improving the Endurance Nation experience: better plans, better resources, better community, better everything! We sincerely hope that this renewed focus on our part will give you the physical, mental and social edge you need to become your best.
Thanks for reading and let us know if you have any questions!
Rich and Patrick
Ps - Up Next...how the actual OutSeason® plans will be changing...
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Comments
Coach Rich, This is the start of year 3 for me with EN. I have learned so much i couldn't even begin to list it. Right from the start, i have been impressed with how willing the members, especially those FOP members have been to offer help. I recently had an email conversation with 3 WSM. The information I received back would earn me graduate level credit. The fact that you and Patrick do not rest on success is what makes this team so great. I have followed the EN training for two years where I completed my 2nd & 3rd Ironman races. I have improved my time over each of those. If I had followed the race execution plan a little better in my last race, I may have achieved something really special. However, even with the lower than desired bike execution, I had the tools needed to PR the run by 17 minutes. I credit that to the training program I followed for run durability provided here. I also like the fact that when I talk with the Coaches, I get what I ask for. Honesty! No one improves if they only look at a good overall outcome. I just read a comment from a WSM, on how Coach P could improve a race that he overall executed fantastically. I look forward to the changes in the program and want to thank both of you for keeping the standard so high.
Hey guys,
Thanks for the props! PnI can't imagine not wanting/being interested in constantly learning and applying those lessons to your training and community experience here.
We truly have an awesome gig. Personally, I realize that the most this time of year, when the noise of my training, racing, and traveling slows down and I can sit back and observe the space the Team has created for itself. Very special
As others have so well said, I continue to be so impressed by what you've built here, AND the whole concept of continual learning and improvement, fed by a statistically valid and representative sample of hundreds of triathletes (I'm a statistician... what can I say!)
It's brilliant! Can't wait to learn more!!!
Really happy that I decided to join that team, no regrets so far and I am happy with the changes coming !
Coach Rich : if you already put the starting date of our OS in the TSR, do we have anything special to do or the magic of the Internets will do everything ?
Thanks again !|
PnI are working on the '16 OS plans right now and they'll be ready to go soon. You'll just need to load it up at the appropriate time
In the vein of things to consider for 2016... One request - would you please consider publishing the 2017 EN Key races ASAP?
I like to plan the season to make sure that I have some races where the team is going to be heavily represented. So I find myself waiting until the EN schedule is published at the end of the year. The races fill up really quickly... so it would be really helpful to be able register early in the year rather than waiting until the end when the EN schedule is coming out.
Thanks for considering!
This resonates so much with me, this year I ran a goal marathon and did an IM all with half-assed training. I wanted breakthrough races but was not in a place to do the work needed. Will have a run focus for a bit but will be keeping tabs on how the new OS shapes out.
+1 on Rich S' request above on the '17 key races. Scheduling for work makes this important for me, as I'm usually scheduling vacation time 18 months in advance.
Umm...ok...today is October 19th 2015. Kona was just last weekend. We are understandably in no position to be able to publish what the 2017 (!) key races are at this time.
That said, you can reference the 2016 key race announcement post, see what our criteria are for those, and you'll likely have a good idea of what we'll be planning for '17. That is, for the foreseeable future, RnP appearances at races, and therefore the prime determinant of a key race, will be the quality of the 4k venue + team attendance.
Kim and Rob,
I hear you on the SC/HIM vs IM considerations of this new flavor of OutSeason plan. A few notes:
-My one thought as to why this run frequency thing during the winter is going to be a challenge for some folks is in regards to the winter weather. I find it harder to get outside/run in the morning/don't have a treadmill/have to go to the gym, so running 5 or so days a week in the winter becomes harder than say when it starts to get nice out in the spring. This may be something to track.
Maybe this is just my perfect excuse to go spend some $$ on some new winter running gear...Or buy a treadmill.
I think any organization that sticks to just doing "the same old thing" runs the risk of stagnation. EN has always been a place that tries new things, takes in feedback, and tries something new again.
"There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing". Although running on icy snow does present some risk and challenges for those of us who value light weight footwear.
Honestly - this is not a very helpful response. The point is that you waited until the end of the season to publish for 2016. And your response is that we should look at what is going for 2016 and "guess" for 2017?
Thank you.
This is on point and help.
Thank you (without sarcasm)!
Per Rich Stambaugh's comment, it would be good if we can get a hard date on when the 2017 focus races will be announced. I signed up for WI, when I would have waited for Choo had I realized the focus going on there... if we can get something announced around the timing of IMTX so people can sign up and create the massive presence you want at focus events, I think we all agree that's a good thing!
Thanks for always tinkering, looking forward to seeing a fit and fast team in the spring!