Finding Purpose and Community Through Triathlon: Coach Chris' Story Ep 70

Every endurance athlete remembers the moment when things finally click. Your swim feels smoother, your pacing makes sense, your fueling works, and suddenly the sport feels not only easier, but more fun. And for many athletes, that moment happens at training camp. That's exactly why we created the Endurance Edge Triathlon Training Camp happening April 22nd through 26th at Lake Jocassee in South Carolina. For 4 incredible days, you'll train in a small group with expert coaches, sports nutrition support, and sports psychology guidance, all designed to help you train smarter, race stronger, and finally connect the dots in your performance. We swim in crystal clear mountain water, ride beautiful and challenging roads, run scenic trails, and spend the rest of the time recovering, learning, laughing, and eating some seriously amazing chef-prepared food.

Mm-hmm.

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I'll see you there. Hey y'all, and welcome back to the Find Your Edge podcast. Today we're diving into the story behind how the Endurance Edge was built and the passion that sparked my journey into coaching. It's inspired by the podcast that we did last week with each one of our coaches, and I'll be sure to link to those below so that you can hear those as well. I loved hearing their stories and I'm so grateful to have them on my team. But this isn't just about me. You'll discover how you play a vital role in shaping and growing the Endurance Edge and its impact. So the first question I asked each one of the coaches was, how did you get into triathlon? So I'm sure like many of you, I was feeling a little bit lost after finishing school. Because being an athlete was 100% part of my identity. I loved going to workouts or going to practice after school or even in college, just being able to socialize, being able to connect with my other teammates, having fun, being active. It was really just part of my identity. Now I was still active, but it just wasn't quite the same. And I was lucky enough to meet a friend who was part of this program. It's called Team in Training. It's a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society organization. And they would have you raise money in order to be coached and go to practices and, uh, have your travel and your expenses covered in order, again, in exchange for raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. At the time, my grandmother had just been diagnosed with cancer, and I felt like it was such a great way to not only feel like I was doing something for her, but also give back to an amazing organization and then be able to be part of this team and to try this wild sport called triathlon. So I didn't know how to swim. I had swam back when I was in 5th grade for swim team, and I hated it. And that tied back to my coach, which you guys are gonna hear about later. But so this was such a great experience to be able to basically learn how to swim again. And I had to buy a bike, so I bought the cheapest thing I could possibly find. And I had an absolute amazing experience. And I could not have imagined having the same experience without having that team. In fact, I still have friends from that program, and that was in 2003. I still have friends from that program that I keep in touch with, and I'm, and very dear friends with, uh, even today. So that ties into the next question, which was, how did you get into coaching? So it all really started back when I was in high school. I had a coach, and I was on the bench, and she was very stoic. She had minimal reactions to whether we did well or we didn't do well, or whether an individual did well or didn't do well. She really played favorites. She was just really hard to read and understand. And I remember sitting on the bench one day while watching all the starters continue to play. And I remember thinking to myself, this is what I want to do for a living because I found that everyone deserves a chance to see what they're made of, to be seen and to be supported for who they are and their unique qualities. That combined with my experience with team and training, looking for a way to not only bring together experts and streamline the process so that people can not only learn to get into triathlon, but also use nutrition and metabolic testing and these other paths that we have in our business in order to shorten your path to fitness and wellness. Because at the end of the day, you deserve it. So I oftentimes meet with some other fellow coaching friends who are not part of The Endurance Edge but have their other businesses. So we just like to stay connected. And every time they see me, they say, you know, how is building your empire? And I have sort of laughed it off and said, no, no, no, no, you know, that's not what we're doing. But now I'm getting to the point where I am embracing it, that yes, The Endurance Edge is working on building an empire. And why? Because we owe it to you, bringing our literal decades of experience and amazing expertise so that you get to focus on yourself. You get to focus on executing the training, on building your social and physical and mental wellness, and also having fun. Because how often can you really say that a program like this gives you enjoyment? So that's really why we're here. So then some of the other questions I asked our coaches, and I'm happy to answer here, is what is your bike brand? So I have an old Trek Madone. She is my, uh, rock. She's on a trainer right now, but I use her quite a bit. I used to have a Quintana Roo triathlon bike. I've since sold that because I have taken up off-road triathlon racing, and I have and love a Yeti Betty SB5. In fact, I call her my badass Betty because that's how I feel when I ride that bike. So that should also tell you that if you do not have a bike that you are having fun on, or it doesn't fit you well, you need a new one. And also, who doesn't need an excuse to buy another bike? You're welcome. So another question that I asked everyone was, what is your favorite triathlon distance? Mine, of course, is Olympic off-road distance. I like to be home definitely for lunch, if not maybe even for breakfast or brunch. So we, shall we say? And another question is, what is your favorite discipline at the moment? I would say right now it's just turning into fall. I love the way the breeze hits my ears and kind of makes them like a little bit cold and how the air is a little bit crisper. So I would say running, but certainly it, any day on the bike is a good day. So another question is, what is your favorite race? So I have a lot. I will always remember my first race, which was White Lake Triathlon. First of all, that race is incredibly fantastic for beginners because the water is so clear and it is super flat and it is so fast and so fun. I also will always remember that because I actually, we did that as a practice race with my team and training group, and I remember being so utterly terrified before that race started. And my coach coming up to me and she put her hands on my shoulders and she looked me in the eye and she said, Chris, you got this. It's gonna be okay. And that sense of a coach connecting with me was the same sort of connection with which the Endurance Edge really started, is giving that personalized human connection and letting people know, just like you, that we believe in you. What some of my other favorite races, a lot of triathlon. That was the race that I did, my first race that I did with the Team Untraining family because my family was also there. I also love the Whitewater Triathlon that's out in Charlotte at the Whitewater Center. It is like bananas. It's so fun. I really had a great time also at the Yuhari XTERRA Triathlon. It doesn't exist anymore, sadly, but that was one of the races where I really felt like I discovered who I was made of because I had a almost a race-ending technical issue with which now I know how to fix. That was just such an amazing experience for me to learn perseverance. And also my friends were there, so that's what, uh, my friends from Team Untraining were there to support me and I just had, that was such a memorable occasion for me. I also enjoyed SwimRun North Carolina. I did a podcast about it. I will link to that as well so you can learn all about that. And I almost forgot about this, but the original Humans of Steel, which is why we started a racing company literally called Humans of Steel Racing. We created a race series in 2020 for all of our athletes who could not race. And, uh, we, we, it was just so much fun. So got a whole bunch of podcasts related to that. So anyway, the last question that I asked all of our coaches was, what are your or what is your pet peeve? And I would say similar to some of the other coaches are people just generally being jerks or just not being supportive. I really appreciate the people who stick around for all of the racers, not just the first place or the middle, but also for the last place people. I know sometimes people have to get places. I, I get that. But giving the same energy and support to everyone who crosses the finish line or everyone who is involved, I feel like is really allowing everyone to be seen and to be and to feel supported. And also the power of small actions like a wave or a smile or a high five. I cannot tell you guys how far that goes and how much that energy can be passed on, how much you can really make someone's day. So I really encourage you guys to pass it on, even if you feel like you have no words in your body because you are working so hard. Just a little smile or a thumbs up or a wave or a high five. Can really go miles. So just remember, it's not necessarily all about you in races, but it's all for you. So pass on the energy. You really have the power to make others feel good too. So I hope you enjoyed hearing about how the Endurance Edge got its start. We truly love working with people just like you who are eager to achieve something amazing and be seen and guided along your fitness and health journey. With your involvement, we are constantly looking for ways to connect you not only with our coaches, but also with fellow athletes, no matter where they are along their journey, so that we can help you to foster relationships that enhance your own journey. Our goal for 2025 is to empower, connect, and give back, just like I did in Team— with Team and Training, sort of bringing it back first full circle. We are dedicated to helping you live a healthy lifestyle and achieve amazing things, connecting you with others who can support you and cheer you on, and giving back through community initiatives like our scholarship program and donations to places like Girls on the Run. We are here for you. So thanks for listening, and remember, I see you, you are amazing, and I believe in you. And don't forget that you're invited to join us for our virtual open houses this week and next week, where we'll focus on making your triathlon dreams a reality. Visit theenduranceedge.com/2025 to secure your spot today, and I look forward to personally meeting all of you. Again, that's theenduranceedge.com/2025. Thanks for listening to the Find Your Edge podcast. If you like what you heard, don't forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. And if you're interested in learning more about our endurance coaching, sports and wellness nutrition, metabolic and sweat testing, triathlon training team, or our triathlon training library, be sure to check us out at theenduranceedge.com. And don't forget to follow us on social media at The Endurance Edge. Thanks again. And we'll catch you next time.