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MUSINGS FROM A COACH - 24 SEPTEMBER '24

Your local community...

I've written before about the wonderful community that surrounds endurance sports - from your local clubs to recurring races to shops and supporting businesses. The support extends to all sports, whether it's ultra running, open water swimming or mountain bike venues. We all enjoy outdoor activities and the support we get from everyone that allows us to do them.

One of the most influential community members in my endurance life has always been the Local Bike Shop or LBS. When I was new to cycling and multisport, this was my library. I would go there and just learn - from fixing flats to basic bike maintenance - it had it all. My first LBS taught me bike skills, the rules of the road and group ride etiquette. It introduced me to other riders I would team up with for training events. It became one of my most prized places to be, and I am forever grateful.

I also had a Local Run Store, or LRS, that invited me into its world of runners and run groups. I learned there was a lot more to a run shoe and to running than I had ever imagined. The LRS opened my world up to all the run events out there that I never knew existed. And the weekly early morning group runs will forever be my favorite training runs.

Finally, a group of swimmers I joined (and eventually led) created an inviting environment for everyone who wanted to share in suffering at 5:30am every day of the week. The laughs, the pain and the intense sense of accomplishment were all shared in this loving group. It made the monotonous chore of lap swimming more fun and held me accountable for showing up each day.

All of these groups shaped the athlete I am today and drove home the value and importance of community within endurance sports. I challenge each of you to seek out these groups if you haven't yet. Walk into a bike or run shop and introduce yourself to the staff. Ask them if they conduct any workshops, group activities, etc., and take the leap and join in if they do.

Not only will you learn and have fun, but you'll also feel the power of the endurance sports community - a community separate from work, income, gender or ethnicity. When we're on the road or trails or in the water, we're all the same: athletes. Gratefully, Mark CEO Team MPI