Endurance Nation fielded nearly 50 athletes for the 2016 running of Ironman® Wisconsin, perhaps our biggest showing at this event. Coach Rich Strauss and Mariah Bridges were on hand to create our signature race weekend experience for our athletes and their families, and this is a recap of the weekend.

Thursday — Team Dinner

Thursday evening over 55 athletes, friends, and family joined us for dinner at La Francesca, located right on the finishing chute for the race. The dinner serves as a opportunity for Endurance Nation athletes to meet each other and their families in an environment where they are encouraged to wear natural fibers (no sporty-sporty gear allowed!) and get to know each other beyond their shared triathlon lives. Mariah handed out free swag for the athletes and Coach Rich gave the Team a members-only review of the race, sharing with them his tips on execution.

Teaching the EN Gang Sign to the Team!

Full house at the Four Keys Talk

Friday — Roka Swim and Four Keys Talk

The Team met at 7am at the swim start to participate in a preview swim sponsored by Roka, just one of our many incredible sponsors who provide Endurance Nation athletes with discounts on high quality gear.

We then moved to the Overture Center for the Arts, where Coach Rich delivered our Four Keys of Wisconsin Pre-Race Talk, sharing with attendees 90 minutes of long course triathlon execution strategies, including a detailed breakdown of the Ironman® Wisconsin swim, bike, and run courses.

Saturday — Athlete Check-in and Bike Course Coach’s Recon Ride

While the athletes checked their bikes and gear in, Coach Rich took his Ventum out for a spin on the bike course. Due to some construction in the area, the bike course made some major changes for 2016, featuring Barlow Road on the first lap, a grinding 12-16% hill.

Coach Rich reported it was one of the windiest days he’d seen on the course, which expressed itself as nearly constant headwinds and crosswinds for the entire length of the bike course.

Sunday — Race Day!!

The Team met for our traditional “hands-in” mojo and team picture before then making their way to the swim start.

“Don’t be dumb on 3!”

Conditions were nearly perfect for the swim: air temp in the low 60’s, clear skies, and very little wind. After cheering on the athlete from the bike mount line and the helix, we moved out to support the Team on one of the often overlooked hills on the course, the climb into Mt Horeb at about miles 33 and 75.

Controlled and smooth in Mount Horeb

Conditions on the bike were favorable, sunny and cool ~72 degree temps, with periods of light overcast, but the winds picked up later in the day, though not as strong as on Saturday.

View the video by Coach Rich below, recorded live on the course

After a few hours in Mt Horeb we moved the show back to Madison, stationing ourselves in the out and back on State Street so we could encourage the Team at their mile 6 and mile 19, before relocating again to upper State Street (mile 25) and behind the finish line. Coach Rich was behind the finish line to greet, congratulate, and attend to nearly every one of our 45+ finishers.

Eric Bachman flashing the EN gang sign!

Team Glass supporting TeamEN!

Wendy and Johnathan supported each other on the course, with Wendy KQ’ing W60-64!

2016 Ironman Wisconsin Results

As a result of their race execution skills and performances, Endurance Nation won our 4th consecutive Ironman Triathlon Club Championship, Division I, at Ironman Wisconsin, scoring over 120k points, 90k points ahead of the second place club. We garnered two podium finishes, two Kona Qualifiers, and too many PRs to count. Stay tuned for race reports coming to the blog and to our podcast channel.

Endurance Nation “Game Ball” Award: Lindsey Blumenshein:

For 2016 we’ve begun a new tradition we call the “Game Ball Award:” for races at which we win the Ironman Tri Club championship and are presented with a trophy, that trophy is given to the Endurance Nation athlete whose performance best portrays the qualities that embody the Team: hard work, patience, discipline, and support for their fellow athletes.

This year’s award went to Lindsey Blumenshein: after not making the bike cutoff in 2015, she worked even harder, returned to Madison, and finished what she started, running a negative split marathon in the process!

The Game Ball Award

What’s Next?

Our Wisconsin athletes will enjoy some well deserved downtime before we then turn their focus towards crushing 2017 by leveraging their incredible base of 2016 endurance fitness in our OutSeason training program. OutSeason training begins on October 31st, 2016.

Interested in learning more about the Endurance Nation OutSeason and training with us for 2017?

Go here to learn more and join our waiting list to receive an invitation to join the Team!