Leaving No Athlete Behind

I have been serving as Camp Director for Endurance Corner for the last few years.  We had thirty triathletes attend our sold out camp in 2018.  Our staff included three Ironman Pro Champions (Marilyn Chychota, Justin Daerr and Lisa Roberts).  Coach to camper ratio was 5:1.  Staff to camper ratio was 3:1.  Marilyn Chychota serves as our camp Head Coach and pushes us each to maximize our camp stimulus!

Some common traits of athletes that excel at our camps:

• Fear – Most enter camp with pre-race arousal or excitement about the challenge ahead.  Great practice for racing.  And arousal is a much better word than the phrase scared shitless.
• Focus – After a winter training indoors, 30 hours of focused training can appear overwhelming.  Most just check the box one workout at a time.
• Hunger – Eat.  All.  The.  Time.  Nutrition was abundant thanks to Clif Bar #feedyouradventure and our camp staff.  I warn the hotel staff that breakfast will be attack of the triathletes.  Lunch provided by our staff is abundant and many athletes take more food back to their rooms.  Dinner is a buffet with many people adding desert.  Happy Hour carbs are not included in my estimate of eating/drinking.
• Drive – Camp is a safe environment to push beyond your boundaries.  Our coaches will help our athletes to transcend their fears.  And every year we watch athletes improve from camp and the training focus they engage post camp.
• Sanity –  If you are a long course athlete, you may tire of people referring to your hobby as crazy.  Being with 40 like minded individuals in an adult camp setting rewards your hard work.
• Laughter – The people that attend our camps every year share misery and joy.  They laugh, crack jokes and engage each other with joy.  Especially when tired.
• Diversity – Our camps include athletes from Central America, Great Britain and the US.  We have school teachers, hedge fund managers and small business owners working together to achieve their goals.

One of the things I am most proud of in our camps is that we leave no athlete behind.  We ALWAYS have a coach sweeping on the rides and available to assist the last rider.  I have been to too many camps where athletes get left behind, lost and even forgotten.

Our post camp feedback form asks athletes whether they would recommend our camps to a friend or family member.  On a scale of 1 (hell no!) to 10 (hell yes!) the average response from our campers was a 10.  And most added a note to save a spot for next year.  Thanks to each and everyone of them for another fantastic camp.  Not to mention an epic after party.

As Endurance Corner winds down, Justin Daerr asked Marilyn and I to carry on the camp tradition.  I can’t thank Justin enough for his leadership, support and choosing a gracious transition.  He will always be welcome back as a camp guest star!  The same great camps will continue through Marilyn Chychota Coaching.  Ready to join us?  Drop me an email at MCC or sue@fewoman.com!

There is no easy way, but it is fun together!