Endurance Nation - Thoughts?

Do you enjoy training the way they advocate? Hard most of the time both on bike and run? Do you have a power meter?

I suspect I'm quite a bit older than you, I could do the bike workouts but not the run with all the intensity but when healthy prefer to run frequently. I bought a OS plan a few years back.

For the price or a little more than EN plan you can get one on one coaching. Sounds like your past 1 on 1 coach wasn't good fit for you.

Thanks Kathy!  Yes, I love to train hard on the bike and run.  My hubby just ordered me a power meter for my birthday, but I have no problem training by HR (which they do offer) if I don't like the PM training.  Jury is still out on that one. lol

Most coaching I have seen in my area is on average double the cost of EN for a coach certified in power - which is more than I'm willing to commit right now.

I liked my last coach, and she was good, but I hired her cause she was local.  Then she moved (I initially didn't mind this) and she took a job that made her very busy.  She got so busy she didn't respond to uploads.  I didn't mind this and even emailed her to tell her she didn't need to respond to every upload as long as she answered my emails and questions and we agreed on that. But it got to the point where she was very scattered and didn't respond to much of what I asked, or she said she'd get back to me but didn't.  So, I stopped using her.

I just don't see the value in one on one coaching for me.  I've had 3 coaches in 12 years - and the last one was the best.  Every coach I worked with I ended up injured - last time 10 days before Alcatraz and I had to drop out of the race, lose my entry fee, lose my plane ticket, get a partial refund from tri bike transport, etc.   All in all I lost about $700 and I got injured doing something I told her I didn't feel comfortable with (track running) but she really wanted me to do it anyway.  I have a hip problem and all that turning is murder on my hip, even switching directions.  I should have said hell no, but you pay your coach and trust them, ya know?

Andi

I joined EN last October to prep for IMLP, which was my first Ironman.  I had a great experience with them and recommend the approach.  And I didn't train with power.   I did the 20 week OS and then about 12 weeks of the IM plan.

I arrived at LP confident in my training and I executed the race per the EN guidelines and beat my super-stretch goal time by 11 minutes (11:49). 

I also really liked the sense of community/team they have developed.  It made training and being at the races more enjoyable (for me) than just going it solo.

Although, if you are not the type of person that likes to participate in online communities (so much of their stuff is driven by the website, blogs, twitter, etc), or you are not looking for that sense of community/team at the races, then you might just want to buy one of their training plans rather than shell out the $99 every month. 

However, if you are looking for feedback on things like changing the plan midway, or hacking the swim program, or what races to build with, or interpreting your power files, etc.  the community is the way to go.  Not only are the coaches very responsive, but there are lots of "Wicked Smart Members" that are very helpful, too.

They do make it very easy to give it a try and see for yourself.  If it's not for you then you just sign off and part ways.  Or you can even just take a break for a couple of months.  There are no contracts or funny business.  They are good guys with solid reputations.

I've heard good things.  I've listened to their podcasts and read through their site.  I almost used them last year but decided not to.  I'm actually thinking about jumping on the outseason plan after I finish up a marathon build up.  I like and agree with a lot of their philosophies and am as time crunched as the next guy....

note:  I'm also not adverse to some hard running and hard bike intervals.  If you are averse to that then I'd opt for a different plan.

That is an awesome time, congrats on your IMLP finish!

The highlighted stuff is exactly what I'm looking for and why I don't want to just buy a plan... I want some flexibility in case I need to make minor changes - even if it's a group of peeps smarter than me helping w/the changes and not the coaches.   EN seems to be right in the middle of just buying a plan or book with plans and customized coaching.  The one thing I did like with my one on one (customized) coaching was that I was on a team of great people and had that comraderie.

Great feedback, thanks!   I think after my race Saturday I'll sign up...

Andi

Thanks for the great feedback!

Andi

I'm not familiar with Endurance Nation, but have plenty of experience with coaches--good, bad, and ugly. Just food for thought--I think the key issue is not one-on-one coaching or not, this plan or that plan or not, but feeling comfortable with saying to a coach (or a plan, or even, as I do, a plan that you write yourself), look, this just isn't what's best for me right now. And being able to tell the difference between just being lazy or scared to try something new, and a legitimate concern about something that could lead to injury, overtraining, burnout, or other issues. In the end, it's your body, and you have to make that call, not the coach.

 A good coach (or plan) will help you understand WHY you do each workout and what the key goal is, so that if you do need to modify it, you can still get the desired results. For example, if the reason a coach pushed track work was to work on even pacing, then you could measure a straight stretch of road or trail and mark the 100's, use a watch with a pace function, or keep a steady heart rate on longer reps, and still get the same benefit without doing something that's physically not the best for your body. If the idea was simply getting in a given number of repeats at a given intensity, then you could do it anywhere. As long as you feel comfortable modifying things as needed while keeping the main idea, I think you can be successful with any reasonably qualified coach or sensible plan. Best of luck!

The only reason I would need a one on one coach is to protect me from me - from OVERdoing it - not from laziness.  Laziness has never been a problem.  As a matter of fact, I usually have gotten less coaching than I pay for because my coach always can count on me to do what I am supposed to do.  I'm a very boring client.  I don't need accountability to get my workouts done.

No coach has ever "protected me" from injury (even though when I've hired them I have discussed that this is the reason I'm hiring them - no injuries is my #1 priority - and they understood) and I'm simply totally uninterested in communicating with a coach daily or even weekly.  I know my body better than anyone and I won't pay someone to "convince" them to let me train a certain way and/or disregard their instructions - then why even bother with a coach?

In addition to the above, I've done long distance sports for well over 15 years and believe there are very few coaches out there with the experience I would require in my price range anyway.  I would never hire someone, for instance, who did their first tri two years ago (with no experience IMO).

Andi

EN has great race day strategies.  The best in the business.

"The race doesn't start until mile 18 of the run"

"Do the bike at your 'shoulda' & not your 'coulda' pace."

Best two bits of advice for long-course.  Ever.

Thanks Rich!  Right now I'm getting the Outseason Seminar.  On Monday I plan to sign up for the 5 day trial.  Looking forward to it!

Andi

I used their plan, and joined the "team" last year in preparation from IM Cozumel.

The plans were great. I got some decent feedback before starting my plan, as I also had the Halfmax Championships on my shedule, and they made some good reccomendations about whether to purchase the IM or HIM plan.

Their execution guides and information in the "in the house" blogs and message boards can be really useful.

My only issue is that on one of the questions I asked, I was told to go and read the guide again. For $99 a month, I was not expecting lots of one on one attention, however as a paying member I was less than pleased to be told to "RTFM" (Read the F*&king Manual).

One other comment, there is an expectation that you will put in the mental effort to figure some things out. They are giving your the guidelines and the plans, but also expecting you to be a "self-coached" athlete. I really liked this perspective, and the fact that the community was very supportive. However, if you are looking for more direct coaching, that wasn't what I found the membership to be.

All in all, I recommend their products.

Great feedback, I've been looking for good reviews and feedback on Endurance Nation that is somewhat recent.  Sounds like a good amount of value and information, my issue is the $99 a month to be self-coached.  Thanks!

Just reading through some old posts regarding Endurance Nation...perhaps leaning toward signing up.  I do like their philosophy.  I do have a question...it seems like I have two options there:

1. Purchase plan (or plans).  Flat fee...done.  I'm looking at an Out of Season Plan and an IM plan.

2. $99/month.  If I do this...I have access to ALL the plans? 

Is that correct?

I'm 43 weeks away from IMLP (on Oct. 1st)...seems like it would be perfect to do 4 weeks pre-season, 14 weeks out of season, 8 weeks focus/transition, and 20 weeks general/race prep.  I've signed up for the free trial, which starts Oct. 1st.  Any thoughts?  Other things I should be considering?  Did OP end up going EN route?  What was your experience?

Thank!