The Best Endurance Community
This article is the result of something extraordinary that happened on the weekend of the 27th of May. If you don't know what happened, where have you been?! It was InnerFight's own Into The Darkness, a grueling 50km bike, 50km run, and 50km bike through the night. A huge number of the InnerFight community attended with various versions of the challenge, and dare I say, even more people attended to support them!
As if 12 hours through the night wasn't enough, the community regrouped at InnerFight's end-of-season social the next day. This brings me to the awards ceremony, where the shared smiles and laughs resonate with me massively. It was the visual manifestation of our mission statement; making people better at life through endurance.
This visual epitome of what our endurance community is all about made me think about how to articulate just how unique and powerful it is. Take a step back from the daily routine and see what InnerFight Endurance truly offers.
What does the community mean?
A community is the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common. Well, that seems quite apparent. InnerFight Endurance is made of a group of individuals who all share a want to better themselves in endurance. As a given, support and encouragement is ample from each coach, all with unique methods. What is so special is the amount of support and encouragement given to each other, from fellow athletes to their friends and family, to little ones and even pets! Each individual respects and takes ownership of the InnerFight brand values.
The athletes and awards night, what was it showing us?
The award nominations were chosen by the coaches, with the winners selected through a vote. We weren't always looking for the best one-off performance or the biggest PB. We looked at those who demonstrated the most consistency, the best attitude, overcoming adversity, and lifting themselves and others around them. Results alone do not define success. This selection process defines us as a community. Every single one of the winners was cheered and congratulated like it was an Olympic Gold Medal. I think everyone understood the reasons behind why each person had won.
It would be amiss not to mention what I believe to be the biggest addition to the awards this year, the community award. An individual celebrated for everything they bring to the community, whose actions deemed the award necessary. Affectionately dubbed the 'Jeff award,' the winner organised and supported the community so much, day in, day out, throughout the year. I want to highlight that he provided a weekly iftar for Muslim and non-muslim individuals during Ramadan, providing a platform for the community to gather and celebrate this special time. He asked for nothing in return, and he chose to act like this because he, like so many others within the InnerFight community, looked beyond their ambitions to impact the lives of others positively.
The coaches, how do we go beyond the program?
When individuals invest in InnerFight for coaching, they get a personalised program, race planning, and execution, nutritional and equipment support, direct contact whenever they need help, and access to our community. What is rarely highlighted is the support beyond the training we give. Why do more than necessary, or the bare minimum? Many examples of programs of equal cost seem to deliver less and certainly support less. I suppose it is because we all genuinely care about helping people reach their goals. We can see the benefits of nurturing an athlete's journey beyond reaching a goal and making them better at life through endurance. Rather than jumping from one goal to the next, the process of driving progress outweighs the finish line results.
As a group of coaches, we offer unique and individual approaches, each with different experiences and backgrounds. Our drive to improve and weekly catch-ups for goal setting, feedback, and personal development unite us. The want drives us to help our athletes reach their full potential.
How does the wider community provide the best support network?
This is the last thing that struck me about the whole weekend was the wider support. As the sun was setting, the rollout for ITD this year was something else. We were a force to be reckoned with, each individual representing the community we hold dear. Whether you completed a version of this challenge or took up your entire weekend to support someone who did, I want to thank you for making me so proud to be a part of this community. It was incredible to see.
So what is the secret ingredient?
The addition of ego is not tolerated within our community. Success is always celebrated, and failure is never laughed at. We understand that sometimes not winning is the necessary step to success. It is not about you as soon as your session is over; it is about us.
I hope this article has helped you see what we value and how it brings us together as a community. Your decision to act and behave a certain way defines you and us.
ENGINE
We are going to mix things up a bit this week, varying modalities, time frames and distances designed to push your aerobic capacity.
GYMNASTICS
To kick things off, we will spend some time on Pull-ups and chest-to-bar pull-ups before we move off the rig and onto the floor as we look to break down and develop the Handstand Walk.
HYROX
Working on compromised running this week. Running consistently strong when there is nothing left in your legs is a key skill in Hyrox.
MOBILITY
Improving your overhead mobility will show you how to improve not only flexibility but also stability using a few key exercises that you can do in your own time.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength this week, we will kick the week off with a mixture of paused and unpaused back squats, followed by some heavy single-leg work. Wednesday sees us continue our progression on the strict press and the stationary dips.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting we focus on the power snatch and hang power snatch with a series of complexes followed by some EMOM percentage work
Track Tuesday
The purpose of this workout is to develop threshold speed. To do this we’re running through 3X800m into 2X400m finishing with a final best effort over 800m, then repeating the whole set again!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: InnerFight
Wednesday Ride
This Wednesday we’re going to put your legs through some climbing efforts and then finish with some maximum power sprints.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Bottom of the stick
Friday, The Coffee Run
The ‘in’ word within endurance is fatigue resistance; and today we look to benchmark it. With 2 maximum efforts at the start and end of the set with a steadier middle section, we’ll be able to track your drop-off. A great set for anyone wanting to get better this winter!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Friday, Sea Swim
With Salalah and T100 just around the corner, we again take to the seas to practice race-specific skills for open-water swimming.
Start time: 06:19 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Saturday Ride
This week we take on the second extension, with some 3-minute and 1-minute turns as a group. We’ll cover around 85km or fun riding. Come along to start your weekend right!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 3 hour
Location: Bottom of the stick
Please note that there is no Monday and Wednesday session this week. LRC Unlimited Clients, your TrainingPeaks are still programmed.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Track Tuesday
This week we have a selection of 800s and 400s for you. Come ready to run fast with InnerFight Endurance community and coaching team.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
Today we are looking at your durability. The session is book ended with hard efforts, to see how your duratlity is at the end of a middle block of easy running. This is a great session to test as the weather gets better and then test again in the coming month, after stacking some more consistency in your training.
Monday:
Strength:
Pull Ups and Dumbell Bench Press
Conditioning:
Amrap 20
Car Park sandbag bear hug carry
10 hand-release push-ups
10 pull-ups
Half park run
Tuesday:
Strength:
Front Squats
Conditioning:
In a 3 minute window
10 Dual KB front squats (2x 20/16)
30/25/20 cal Row
AMRAP wall balls
Rest 2 mins x 5
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Power Clean + Hang Power Clean
B) Clean Complex + Wall Walks
Conditioning:
FOR TIME
3-6-9 Power clean
2-4-6 wall walks
into
9-12-15 Power Clean
9-12-15 Burpee over bar
Thursday:
Strength:
KB Single Leg Deadlifts + Arch Holds
Conditioning:
EMOM 16
Min 1 - 20 alt DB hang snatch (50/35)
Min 2 - 20/15 box jump over
Min 3 -18/15/12/9 Cal assault bike
Min 4 - Rest
Friday:
Conditioning:
Another spicy Friday to end the week, and then we finish together with a Durante Special!
This article is the result of something extraordinary that happened on the weekend of the 27th of May. If you don't know what happened, where have you been?! It was InnerFight's own Into The Darkness, a grueling 50km bike, 50km run, and 50km bike through the night. A huge number of the InnerFight community attended with various versions of the challenge, and dare I say, even more people attended to support them!
As if 12 hours through the night wasn't enough, the community regrouped at InnerFight's end-of-season social the next day. This brings me to the awards ceremony, where the shared smiles and laughs resonate with me massively. It was the visual manifestation of our mission statement; making people better at life through endurance.
This visual epitome of what our endurance community is all about made me think about how to articulate just how unique and powerful it is. Take a step back from the daily routine and see what InnerFight Endurance truly offers.
What does the community mean?
A community is the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common. Well, that seems quite apparent. InnerFight Endurance is made of a group of individuals who all share a want to better themselves in endurance. As a given, support and encouragement is ample from each coach, all with unique methods. What is so special is the amount of support and encouragement given to each other, from fellow athletes to their friends and family, to little ones and even pets! Each individual respects and takes ownership of the InnerFight brand values.
The athletes and awards night, what was it showing us?
The award nominations were chosen by the coaches, with the winners selected through a vote. We weren't always looking for the best one-off performance or the biggest PB. We looked at those who demonstrated the most consistency, the best attitude, overcoming adversity, and lifting themselves and others around them. Results alone do not define success. This selection process defines us as a community. Every single one of the winners was cheered and congratulated like it was an Olympic Gold Medal. I think everyone understood the reasons behind why each person had won.
It would be amiss not to mention what I believe to be the biggest addition to the awards this year, the community award. An individual celebrated for everything they bring to the community, whose actions deemed the award necessary. Affectionately dubbed the 'Jeff award,' the winner organised and supported the community so much, day in, day out, throughout the year. I want to highlight that he provided a weekly iftar for Muslim and non-muslim individuals during Ramadan, providing a platform for the community to gather and celebrate this special time. He asked for nothing in return, and he chose to act like this because he, like so many others within the InnerFight community, looked beyond their ambitions to impact the lives of others positively.
The coaches, how do we go beyond the program?
When individuals invest in InnerFight for coaching, they get a personalised program, race planning, and execution, nutritional and equipment support, direct contact whenever they need help, and access to our community. What is rarely highlighted is the support beyond the training we give. Why do more than necessary, or the bare minimum? Many examples of programs of equal cost seem to deliver less and certainly support less. I suppose it is because we all genuinely care about helping people reach their goals. We can see the benefits of nurturing an athlete's journey beyond reaching a goal and making them better at life through endurance. Rather than jumping from one goal to the next, the process of driving progress outweighs the finish line results.
As a group of coaches, we offer unique and individual approaches, each with different experiences and backgrounds. Our drive to improve and weekly catch-ups for goal setting, feedback, and personal development unite us. The want drives us to help our athletes reach their full potential.
How does the wider community provide the best support network?
This is the last thing that struck me about the whole weekend was the wider support. As the sun was setting, the rollout for ITD this year was something else. We were a force to be reckoned with, each individual representing the community we hold dear. Whether you completed a version of this challenge or took up your entire weekend to support someone who did, I want to thank you for making me so proud to be a part of this community. It was incredible to see.
So what is the secret ingredient?
The addition of ego is not tolerated within our community. Success is always celebrated, and failure is never laughed at. We understand that sometimes not winning is the necessary step to success. It is not about you as soon as your session is over; it is about us.
I hope this article has helped you see what we value and how it brings us together as a community. Your decision to act and behave a certain way defines you and us.
Track Tuesday
The purpose of this workout is to develop threshold speed. To do this we’re running through 3X800m into 2X400m finishing with a final best effort over 800m, then repeating the whole set again!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: InnerFight
Wednesday Ride
This Wednesday we’re going to put your legs through some climbing efforts and then finish with some maximum power sprints.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Bottom of the stick
Friday, The Coffee Run
The ‘in’ word within endurance is fatigue resistance; and today we look to benchmark it. With 2 maximum efforts at the start and end of the set with a steadier middle section, we’ll be able to track your drop-off. A great set for anyone wanting to get better this winter!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Friday, Sea Swim
With Salalah and T100 just around the corner, we again take to the seas to practice race-specific skills for open-water swimming.
Start time: 06:19 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Saturday Ride
This week we take on the second extension, with some 3-minute and 1-minute turns as a group. We’ll cover around 85km or fun riding. Come along to start your weekend right!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 3 hour
Location: Bottom of the stick
Please note that there is no Monday and Wednesday session this week. LRC Unlimited Clients, your TrainingPeaks are still programmed.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Track Tuesday
This week we have a selection of 800s and 400s for you. Come ready to run fast with InnerFight Endurance community and coaching team.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
Today we are looking at your durability. The session is book ended with hard efforts, to see how your duratlity is at the end of a middle block of easy running. This is a great session to test as the weather gets better and then test again in the coming month, after stacking some more consistency in your training.
Monday:
Strength:
Pull Ups and Dumbell Bench Press
Conditioning:
Amrap 20
Car Park sandbag bear hug carry
10 hand-release push-ups
10 pull-ups
Half park run
Tuesday:
Strength:
Front Squats
Conditioning:
In a 3 minute window
10 Dual KB front squats (2x 20/16)
30/25/20 cal Row
AMRAP wall balls
Rest 2 mins x 5
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Power Clean + Hang Power Clean
B) Clean Complex + Wall Walks
Conditioning:
FOR TIME
3-6-9 Power clean
2-4-6 wall walks
into
9-12-15 Power Clean
9-12-15 Burpee over bar
Thursday:
Strength:
KB Single Leg Deadlifts + Arch Holds
Conditioning:
EMOM 16
Min 1 - 20 alt DB hang snatch (50/35)
Min 2 - 20/15 box jump over
Min 3 -18/15/12/9 Cal assault bike
Min 4 - Rest
Friday:
Conditioning:
Another spicy Friday to end the week, and then we finish together with a Durante Special!
ENGINE
We are going to mix things up a bit this week, varying modalities, time frames and distances designed to push your aerobic capacity.
GYMNASTICS
To kick things off, we will spend some time on Pull-ups and chest-to-bar pull-ups before we move off the rig and onto the floor as we look to break down and develop the Handstand Walk.
HYROX
Working on compromised running this week. Running consistently strong when there is nothing left in your legs is a key skill in Hyrox.
MOBILITY
Improving your overhead mobility will show you how to improve not only flexibility but also stability using a few key exercises that you can do in your own time.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength this week, we will kick the week off with a mixture of paused and unpaused back squats, followed by some heavy single-leg work. Wednesday sees us continue our progression on the strict press and the stationary dips.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting we focus on the power snatch and hang power snatch with a series of complexes followed by some EMOM percentage work
This article is the result of something extraordinary that happened on the weekend of the 27th of May. If you don't know what happened, where have you been?! It was InnerFight's own Into The Darkness, a grueling 50km bike, 50km run, and 50km bike through the night. A huge number of the InnerFight community attended with various versions of the challenge, and dare I say, even more people attended to support them!
As if 12 hours through the night wasn't enough, the community regrouped at InnerFight's end-of-season social the next day. This brings me to the awards ceremony, where the shared smiles and laughs resonate with me massively. It was the visual manifestation of our mission statement; making people better at life through endurance.
This visual epitome of what our endurance community is all about made me think about how to articulate just how unique and powerful it is. Take a step back from the daily routine and see what InnerFight Endurance truly offers.
What does the community mean?
A community is the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common. Well, that seems quite apparent. InnerFight Endurance is made of a group of individuals who all share a want to better themselves in endurance. As a given, support and encouragement is ample from each coach, all with unique methods. What is so special is the amount of support and encouragement given to each other, from fellow athletes to their friends and family, to little ones and even pets! Each individual respects and takes ownership of the InnerFight brand values.
The athletes and awards night, what was it showing us?
The award nominations were chosen by the coaches, with the winners selected through a vote. We weren't always looking for the best one-off performance or the biggest PB. We looked at those who demonstrated the most consistency, the best attitude, overcoming adversity, and lifting themselves and others around them. Results alone do not define success. This selection process defines us as a community. Every single one of the winners was cheered and congratulated like it was an Olympic Gold Medal. I think everyone understood the reasons behind why each person had won.
It would be amiss not to mention what I believe to be the biggest addition to the awards this year, the community award. An individual celebrated for everything they bring to the community, whose actions deemed the award necessary. Affectionately dubbed the 'Jeff award,' the winner organised and supported the community so much, day in, day out, throughout the year. I want to highlight that he provided a weekly iftar for Muslim and non-muslim individuals during Ramadan, providing a platform for the community to gather and celebrate this special time. He asked for nothing in return, and he chose to act like this because he, like so many others within the InnerFight community, looked beyond their ambitions to impact the lives of others positively.
The coaches, how do we go beyond the program?
When individuals invest in InnerFight for coaching, they get a personalised program, race planning, and execution, nutritional and equipment support, direct contact whenever they need help, and access to our community. What is rarely highlighted is the support beyond the training we give. Why do more than necessary, or the bare minimum? Many examples of programs of equal cost seem to deliver less and certainly support less. I suppose it is because we all genuinely care about helping people reach their goals. We can see the benefits of nurturing an athlete's journey beyond reaching a goal and making them better at life through endurance. Rather than jumping from one goal to the next, the process of driving progress outweighs the finish line results.
As a group of coaches, we offer unique and individual approaches, each with different experiences and backgrounds. Our drive to improve and weekly catch-ups for goal setting, feedback, and personal development unite us. The want drives us to help our athletes reach their full potential.
How does the wider community provide the best support network?
This is the last thing that struck me about the whole weekend was the wider support. As the sun was setting, the rollout for ITD this year was something else. We were a force to be reckoned with, each individual representing the community we hold dear. Whether you completed a version of this challenge or took up your entire weekend to support someone who did, I want to thank you for making me so proud to be a part of this community. It was incredible to see.
So what is the secret ingredient?
The addition of ego is not tolerated within our community. Success is always celebrated, and failure is never laughed at. We understand that sometimes not winning is the necessary step to success. It is not about you as soon as your session is over; it is about us.
I hope this article has helped you see what we value and how it brings us together as a community. Your decision to act and behave a certain way defines you and us.
Please note that there is no Monday and Wednesday session this week. LRC Unlimited Clients, your TrainingPeaks are still programmed.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Track Tuesday
This week we have a selection of 800s and 400s for you. Come ready to run fast with InnerFight Endurance community and coaching team.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
Today we are looking at your durability. The session is book ended with hard efforts, to see how your duratlity is at the end of a middle block of easy running. This is a great session to test as the weather gets better and then test again in the coming month, after stacking some more consistency in your training.
Monday:
Strength:
Pull Ups and Dumbell Bench Press
Conditioning:
Amrap 20
Car Park sandbag bear hug carry
10 hand-release push-ups
10 pull-ups
Half park run
Tuesday:
Strength:
Front Squats
Conditioning:
In a 3 minute window
10 Dual KB front squats (2x 20/16)
30/25/20 cal Row
AMRAP wall balls
Rest 2 mins x 5
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Power Clean + Hang Power Clean
B) Clean Complex + Wall Walks
Conditioning:
FOR TIME
3-6-9 Power clean
2-4-6 wall walks
into
9-12-15 Power Clean
9-12-15 Burpee over bar
Thursday:
Strength:
KB Single Leg Deadlifts + Arch Holds
Conditioning:
EMOM 16
Min 1 - 20 alt DB hang snatch (50/35)
Min 2 - 20/15 box jump over
Min 3 -18/15/12/9 Cal assault bike
Min 4 - Rest
Friday:
Conditioning:
Another spicy Friday to end the week, and then we finish together with a Durante Special!
ENGINE
We are going to mix things up a bit this week, varying modalities, time frames and distances designed to push your aerobic capacity.
GYMNASTICS
To kick things off, we will spend some time on Pull-ups and chest-to-bar pull-ups before we move off the rig and onto the floor as we look to break down and develop the Handstand Walk.
HYROX
Working on compromised running this week. Running consistently strong when there is nothing left in your legs is a key skill in Hyrox.
MOBILITY
Improving your overhead mobility will show you how to improve not only flexibility but also stability using a few key exercises that you can do in your own time.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength this week, we will kick the week off with a mixture of paused and unpaused back squats, followed by some heavy single-leg work. Wednesday sees us continue our progression on the strict press and the stationary dips.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting we focus on the power snatch and hang power snatch with a series of complexes followed by some EMOM percentage work
Track Tuesday
The purpose of this workout is to develop threshold speed. To do this we’re running through 3X800m into 2X400m finishing with a final best effort over 800m, then repeating the whole set again!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: InnerFight
Wednesday Ride
This Wednesday we’re going to put your legs through some climbing efforts and then finish with some maximum power sprints.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Bottom of the stick
Friday, The Coffee Run
The ‘in’ word within endurance is fatigue resistance; and today we look to benchmark it. With 2 maximum efforts at the start and end of the set with a steadier middle section, we’ll be able to track your drop-off. A great set for anyone wanting to get better this winter!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Friday, Sea Swim
With Salalah and T100 just around the corner, we again take to the seas to practice race-specific skills for open-water swimming.
Start time: 06:19 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Saturday Ride
This week we take on the second extension, with some 3-minute and 1-minute turns as a group. We’ll cover around 85km or fun riding. Come along to start your weekend right!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 3 hour
Location: Bottom of the stick
This article is the result of something extraordinary that happened on the weekend of the 27th of May. If you don't know what happened, where have you been?! It was InnerFight's own Into The Darkness, a grueling 50km bike, 50km run, and 50km bike through the night. A huge number of the InnerFight community attended with various versions of the challenge, and dare I say, even more people attended to support them!
As if 12 hours through the night wasn't enough, the community regrouped at InnerFight's end-of-season social the next day. This brings me to the awards ceremony, where the shared smiles and laughs resonate with me massively. It was the visual manifestation of our mission statement; making people better at life through endurance.
This visual epitome of what our endurance community is all about made me think about how to articulate just how unique and powerful it is. Take a step back from the daily routine and see what InnerFight Endurance truly offers.
What does the community mean?
A community is the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common. Well, that seems quite apparent. InnerFight Endurance is made of a group of individuals who all share a want to better themselves in endurance. As a given, support and encouragement is ample from each coach, all with unique methods. What is so special is the amount of support and encouragement given to each other, from fellow athletes to their friends and family, to little ones and even pets! Each individual respects and takes ownership of the InnerFight brand values.
The athletes and awards night, what was it showing us?
The award nominations were chosen by the coaches, with the winners selected through a vote. We weren't always looking for the best one-off performance or the biggest PB. We looked at those who demonstrated the most consistency, the best attitude, overcoming adversity, and lifting themselves and others around them. Results alone do not define success. This selection process defines us as a community. Every single one of the winners was cheered and congratulated like it was an Olympic Gold Medal. I think everyone understood the reasons behind why each person had won.
It would be amiss not to mention what I believe to be the biggest addition to the awards this year, the community award. An individual celebrated for everything they bring to the community, whose actions deemed the award necessary. Affectionately dubbed the 'Jeff award,' the winner organised and supported the community so much, day in, day out, throughout the year. I want to highlight that he provided a weekly iftar for Muslim and non-muslim individuals during Ramadan, providing a platform for the community to gather and celebrate this special time. He asked for nothing in return, and he chose to act like this because he, like so many others within the InnerFight community, looked beyond their ambitions to impact the lives of others positively.
The coaches, how do we go beyond the program?
When individuals invest in InnerFight for coaching, they get a personalised program, race planning, and execution, nutritional and equipment support, direct contact whenever they need help, and access to our community. What is rarely highlighted is the support beyond the training we give. Why do more than necessary, or the bare minimum? Many examples of programs of equal cost seem to deliver less and certainly support less. I suppose it is because we all genuinely care about helping people reach their goals. We can see the benefits of nurturing an athlete's journey beyond reaching a goal and making them better at life through endurance. Rather than jumping from one goal to the next, the process of driving progress outweighs the finish line results.
As a group of coaches, we offer unique and individual approaches, each with different experiences and backgrounds. Our drive to improve and weekly catch-ups for goal setting, feedback, and personal development unite us. The want drives us to help our athletes reach their full potential.
How does the wider community provide the best support network?
This is the last thing that struck me about the whole weekend was the wider support. As the sun was setting, the rollout for ITD this year was something else. We were a force to be reckoned with, each individual representing the community we hold dear. Whether you completed a version of this challenge or took up your entire weekend to support someone who did, I want to thank you for making me so proud to be a part of this community. It was incredible to see.
So what is the secret ingredient?
The addition of ego is not tolerated within our community. Success is always celebrated, and failure is never laughed at. We understand that sometimes not winning is the necessary step to success. It is not about you as soon as your session is over; it is about us.
I hope this article has helped you see what we value and how it brings us together as a community. Your decision to act and behave a certain way defines you and us.
This article is the result of something extraordinary that happened on the weekend of the 27th of May. If you don't know what happened, where have you been?! It was InnerFight's own Into The Darkness, a grueling 50km bike, 50km run, and 50km bike through the night. A huge number of the InnerFight community attended with various versions of the challenge, and dare I say, even more people attended to support them!
As if 12 hours through the night wasn't enough, the community regrouped at InnerFight's end-of-season social the next day. This brings me to the awards ceremony, where the shared smiles and laughs resonate with me massively. It was the visual manifestation of our mission statement; making people better at life through endurance.
This visual epitome of what our endurance community is all about made me think about how to articulate just how unique and powerful it is. Take a step back from the daily routine and see what InnerFight Endurance truly offers.
What does the community mean?
A community is the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common. Well, that seems quite apparent. InnerFight Endurance is made of a group of individuals who all share a want to better themselves in endurance. As a given, support and encouragement is ample from each coach, all with unique methods. What is so special is the amount of support and encouragement given to each other, from fellow athletes to their friends and family, to little ones and even pets! Each individual respects and takes ownership of the InnerFight brand values.
The athletes and awards night, what was it showing us?
The award nominations were chosen by the coaches, with the winners selected through a vote. We weren't always looking for the best one-off performance or the biggest PB. We looked at those who demonstrated the most consistency, the best attitude, overcoming adversity, and lifting themselves and others around them. Results alone do not define success. This selection process defines us as a community. Every single one of the winners was cheered and congratulated like it was an Olympic Gold Medal. I think everyone understood the reasons behind why each person had won.
It would be amiss not to mention what I believe to be the biggest addition to the awards this year, the community award. An individual celebrated for everything they bring to the community, whose actions deemed the award necessary. Affectionately dubbed the 'Jeff award,' the winner organised and supported the community so much, day in, day out, throughout the year. I want to highlight that he provided a weekly iftar for Muslim and non-muslim individuals during Ramadan, providing a platform for the community to gather and celebrate this special time. He asked for nothing in return, and he chose to act like this because he, like so many others within the InnerFight community, looked beyond their ambitions to impact the lives of others positively.
The coaches, how do we go beyond the program?
When individuals invest in InnerFight for coaching, they get a personalised program, race planning, and execution, nutritional and equipment support, direct contact whenever they need help, and access to our community. What is rarely highlighted is the support beyond the training we give. Why do more than necessary, or the bare minimum? Many examples of programs of equal cost seem to deliver less and certainly support less. I suppose it is because we all genuinely care about helping people reach their goals. We can see the benefits of nurturing an athlete's journey beyond reaching a goal and making them better at life through endurance. Rather than jumping from one goal to the next, the process of driving progress outweighs the finish line results.
As a group of coaches, we offer unique and individual approaches, each with different experiences and backgrounds. Our drive to improve and weekly catch-ups for goal setting, feedback, and personal development unite us. The want drives us to help our athletes reach their full potential.
How does the wider community provide the best support network?
This is the last thing that struck me about the whole weekend was the wider support. As the sun was setting, the rollout for ITD this year was something else. We were a force to be reckoned with, each individual representing the community we hold dear. Whether you completed a version of this challenge or took up your entire weekend to support someone who did, I want to thank you for making me so proud to be a part of this community. It was incredible to see.
So what is the secret ingredient?
The addition of ego is not tolerated within our community. Success is always celebrated, and failure is never laughed at. We understand that sometimes not winning is the necessary step to success. It is not about you as soon as your session is over; it is about us.
I hope this article has helped you see what we value and how it brings us together as a community. Your decision to act and behave a certain way defines you and us.