EN and Local Tri Clubs - Anyone in Both?

Todd Middlebrooks

I know many of you are also members of local tri clubs.  I'm new to triathlon and joined EN about 3 months ago. While participating at Ironman Chattanooga 70.3, I really enjoyed meeting a few EN teammates and communicating with many more during the course of the weekend - i.e. I really enjoyed the team aspect of the sport. I'm thinking of also joining a more local tri club to increase the number of teammates I have, especially in smaller, local races.

My question is this - how do you balance the two? It seems as though a lot of people join local tri clubs as a way to get started, find a training plan, coach, etc. I'm getting all of that and online team support via EN. Is it worth joining a local club just for camaraderie? Maybe I'm over thinking it, but would love to hear thoughts from some of you who are in multiple tri clubs.

Thanks!

Scott Alexander

I am a member of one local tri club and a coach with another/different one, both here in the Dallas area, as well as EN (obviously).

EN cannot support every single little race out there, across the country and world, so the support of a local tri team is really great. If you've ever trained for a long course event especially, the support of other local people to s/b/r with you all those times, I feel is critical to success!

I coach various club workouts with one club (mostly beginners) and frequently personally train with another (faster, more advanced folks, with beginners sprinkled in too). I participate with EN folks via camps, forums, fb and even personally with some members that I've known for years.

Some basic etiquette I try to adhere to: I try never to wear the uniform/kit of a different team/club to the other's workouts or events, as I don't want to be seen as poaching members. I wear my sponsor kits at races, local or larger, including where there's an EN contingent, because hey, that's what I'm getting "paid" for.

I believe that there can be a lot of clubs in one small space, and they all have their own little niche. In North TX (one of the largest and fastest growing tri communities in the country) there are a LOT of clubs nowadays. The team/club I coach with tries to play friendly with every other team/club, while I've found that most of the others around here do not and try to keep themselves isolated.
I believe that everyone can benefit from continuous interaction among others, but lots of people don't like to play nice in the sandbox! It's a shame too, because I happen to know most of the other team/club owner/operators around here, as I'm an old fogey in this community, 15 years and counting of continuous tri activity.

Todd Middlebrooks

@Scott Alexander Thanks for the insight. You certainly have experience with this situation. What are your thoughts on training with one club and racing with another at certain events? I don't think it would be a big deal in my situation, as I'm about an hour drive from one of the clubs I'm looking at - not sure how much training I'll do with them on a regular basis. They also have a "remote" membership option, which may work best in my situation.

Ultimately, I'd like to see a club in my town, but that's probably down the road, and I'd likely have to be involved in getting it off the ground.

Scott Alexander

I don't see any issues associated with your situation. Unless one club requests some sort of "exclusivity" contract (in which case, I wouldn't sign any way). If one is centered in a town about an hour away, you wouldn't get much overlap from what it sounds like. Just be aware of commitments (ex, volunteering at another event that the other team/club might be present at) you make to each so they don't directly conflict.

For each club you'd have to do your own pros/cons assessment. If they're both relatively cheap/affordable (which would be my major criteria), it sounds like it could be a win-win for your situation. 

As is said around here frequently, in the end, this is just a "fun" pastime for us. Nobody needs any extra drama of having to prevent hurt feelings and dealing with conflicts. I purposely try to avoid those things!

The main reason I started coaching with the one group here is because the other group (who I was a member of for many more years previously) didn't have coaching opportunities, so each serves a purpose in my life!

Julie Pfeifle

Great question, @Todd Middlebrooks, and I loved your answer, @Scott Alexander.  I too am a member of a local club... heck, that's how I found out about EN - from local club members who trained w/ EN.  It seems to work great in terms of having local folks to train with, great team camaraderie at local races, and some local discounts.  As far as kits, I wear my local club's kit at local races and the EN kit at bigger travel races and all IMs.  

I did have a little anxiety over which club to affiliate with for Ironman, as I'm actually the IM TriClub Coordinator for my local club.  I have chosen to affiliate w/ EN coz... hey, it's the EN training and support that gets me through IMs.  I did, by the way, ok that with my local club's BOD before taking on the position, but still feel a little weird about that.  I'm curious to hear others' feelings on that and how you've handled it.

Totally agree w/ Scott that there's enough space for many clubs and each fills its' special niche.  

Mariah Bridges

Todd- Great Question! 

We actually encourage you to be in a local Tri Club and as @Julie Pfeifle  can attest to - we have a PoweredByEN program specifically FOR local tri clubs! 

I personally think you should find one and make sure to tell them  you're on EN - tell them all about it, let them join you on EN too if they want. Get involved with their weekday events and local tri clubs. Wear their gear too! There is enough room in this sport for everyone and the more we grow it together the better. 

If you also want help finding more EN folks in your area to train with (since you will be speaking their EN training language) we can help with that also, and there is a member map! 

I wear my EN gear as well as other gear all the time - For KEY races and larger races, its a no brainer Im racing in EN - but for group rides and stuff, I mix it up! 

We are always here to help if you need anything - one big happy endurance family! 

Anu Rao

I have been in a local tri club for several years and I value the friendships I have formed. As far as which club to associate with for IM I use En because i use their training plan. Whoever coaches me should get the credit. I do volunteer events on behalf of my local tri club. I  don't wear tri club gear when racing(fit issues I am super picky) so it all works out. 

Alicia Chase

I live in the Placid area, and I've been a member of Team Placid Planet for years. IMLP poses a bit of a quandary for me, because it is a local race for me as well as being an IM. I think I'm going to wear both kits that day--TPP under my wetsuit for the bike, then do a complete change for the run--which I plan to do anyway for comfort and hygiene and wear my EN kit where it will have more visibility.

Todd Middlebrooks

Thanks so much for the input @Julie Pfeifle @Mariah Bridges @Anu Rao and @Alicia Chase. This discussion has been very helpful. I have decided to sign up with the local tri club I've been researching. I think it will be good for expanding my triathlon community. This way I'll have teammates in these smaller, local races as well as with EN at IM events. Best of both worlds really.

scott dinhofer

I think the answer is pretty much defined above. I have found the local tri club is great if I want support for local races, OLYs, etc. I find when stepping up to the IM level, there are definitely people in the local club who do it and can be helpful, but it seems to be a territory that the coaches and team members aren't able to support to the same level that they can at the shorter distances. 

the comparison that comes to mind is an intramural sport vs a Varsity team. 

I can see people cringing on that comment, the analogy doesn't full hold up in that there are super high quality support systems at the local club races for competing at the highest levels of sprints & OLYs. Where EN shines is that if you do IM, you are in a club of people who are focused on "long course" triathlon only. it IS a different language. I also think that by participating in EN, you learn a lot of great information from people around the country (and world) and can bring those best practices home to your local tri club and helping to expand the sphere of knowledge & skills locally. 

perhaps a good slogan would be "think globally, act locally"

Todd Middlebrooks

Excellent points Scott. Your analogy totally makes sense.

Jenn Edwards

Yep yep.... I am a member of our local team too.  We are part of the "Powered by EN" program as well, though I was  member before that.  Heck, these are the people we see at the pool, ride with, etc.  Though now we get to "see" EN teammates on Zwift too!  

I ALWAYS represent EN in any race, near or far.  From my perspective, EN is my first team, last team and 100% who made me the athlete I am.  #Grateful. 

Paul Hough

I was a member of a local club up until this year.  I joined it just for camaraderie at the local races, nothing more.  I didn't really quit the club as much as it just faded away in the past couple of years (along with a few others) and a new one came into being that now dominates the local racing scene.  The only reason I haven't joined the new club is because their colors and race kit are hideous; other than that I am friends with many of them.    However, when it comes to long course, there is only one club I affiliate with:  EN.