You ARE An Endurance Athlete

MUSINGS FROM A COACH - 31 MARCH '26

To all the athletes out there that don't think they're athletes...

I love studying and being a part of elite athlete performance. It's really detailed, super challenging and always changing. I learn a lot from coaching professionals and also from other coaches who do the same. They're on the "tip of the spear" and when breakthroughs are made, wow - super exciting!

And, of course, I try and share a lot of this in these weekly musings. If you've read some of these writings, you wouldn't be blamed for thinking that I'm solely interested in the professionals or exceptionally elite amateurs. However, that's not true.

Everything I've described professional athletes being above (challenging, dynamic, innovative) can and does describe all athletes.

Read these and see if any might sound familiar in your own head:

"I'm not a very good athlete"

"I'm only "so-so" or average and not as good as all the others around me"

"I don't view my goals for a 5K run at the same level or importance as someone's for a 50K run race"

"My 7+ hour Ironman 70.3 is not as good as my neighbors 5 hour 70.3"

"Seeing other athletes at a race makes me feel really out of place"

"They're really good because they're on the podium and I'm not"

"Mark Sortino and coaches like him wouldn't be interested in coaching someone like me"

Now answer these questions:

"Am I driven? Do I sign up for an event and see it through?""Do I figure out how to do my very best to get in training when I have so many other responsibilities?""Do I show up?"

"Do I join other athletes at the start line with communal anxiousness and excitement?""Do I push myself physically and mentally?"

"Is there more to my life than just training? Like family, friends, work, etc."

"Am I unafraid to learn new things as an adult?"

The world of endurance sports is filled with amazing people. The sports are incredible and the community built around them are wonderfully passionate and real. And these sports are filled with 99% athletes, NOT elite athletes.

They're filled with dads trying to get healthy again and with moms looking for some time with friends. They're filled with neighbors and coworkers who set a goal and are boldly going for it. They're filled with recreational and active people who just love doing something social and that's also hard!

And these athletes do their very best to squeeze in training with a weekly calendar that doesn't ever appear to have time to train. I am constantly amazed at how these athletes balance everything in their lives and still managed to achieve their goals on race day. They are tenacious, fun, loving and communal. These athletes really do successfully balance "DRIVE" with "GRATITUDE".

So if the above statements and questions sound familiar to you, YOU ARE AN ATHLETE. And many of my most treasured memories as a coach have involved working for athletes just like you.

Not only do you belong, but you ARE endurance sports. 

Gratefully,

Mark

CEO Team MPI