by Tommy Morwood
In the first part of this series, I wrote about the obvious perks and privileges of being an MX Endurance member: our members-only Facebook group, bonus podcast episodes, and partner discounts. But as I said, there is so much more to this membership.
The Challenges
Throughout the year, various coaches and specialists get involved with the group, hosting live Q&A’s and various challenges. I decided to spend the year taking up EVERYTHING that was offered as part of the membership package. EVERY live Q&A, every offer, every challenge, every coaching sub group.
First up was the Zwift Challenge: five courses with everyone scrapping it out over a few months to top the internal male and female MX leaderboards. I’m a huge Zwift racing fan, but this was seriously next level individual efforts over a series of different courses. I’ve never had so much fun twisting my body inside out in order to try to best a bunch of Europeans for a jersey.
After a month of going at it, my focus was set on the longest and toughest stage: The Four Horsemen, 90k of pain with four big climbs. It all came down to a margin of 7 seconds to split the top 2. Luckily, I had employed a sneaky bike change tactic over the gravel, which got me the winning edge in the end.
MX cycling jerseys were given to the stage winners, and to the overall champion: a brand new Quintana Roo bike frame set!
A new 2021 six-month Zwift challenge has just dropped for the global community as well. This time there are two elements: best of the best for line honours, and a participation factor for those who just want to grind and PB individually. A great concept.
Access to Experts and Support Network
The MX strength coach then hosted a 10-week lifestyle challenge. It came with a small dossier of reading information and commitments in the group to hold each other accountable. There were daily check-in’s and a lot of self-reflection questions asked. A strength exercise element was involved too, of course; I took away from it the lifestyle changes that I should be looking to make as I move into my 40’s. It was eye-opening, to be blunt.
Next was a live Q&A with a nutritionist. (There have been several of these actually.) Here I learnt more about supplements and some quick little tricks to assist with healthy eating. Sounds simple, because it is! I just hadn’t learnt to look at things like this before.
Our mindset coach also hosted a monthly sub group to help with mental resilience. I thought that this was going to be specifically triathlon focused, but I needed up getting a LOT more than I had planned for. Again, it was a whole lifestyle package, and one that usually costs hundreds of dollars. And it was free for all in MX.
It involved more accountability goals, homework, mental exercises, and a shift away from the conventional train of thought. What I was particularly impressed with here, was that the sub group had over 50 people, and the mindset coach reached out to us all individually many times over the course to assist one-on-one with our specific goals.
I walked away from that one with several new tips to help me push longer, hard and faster. I was deeply impressed with the whole package, and hope to continue the mindset journey one day in the future.
Throughout the year, I took note of other member’s questions. As various coaches/experts in the community answered, l was introduced to a mediation app for relaxing, recipes for cooking healthy, a bunch of individual key training sessions, and a few triathlon inside scoops (that only tri geeks like myself will care about).
The Training Programs
After 15 years in the sport, I now consider myself a more advanced age grouper, and often finish towards the pointy end of my category when racing. So when I decided to look for a new training plan for the season, I went to the MX page. They have plans available for all levels across all distances. The only one missing was an advanced sprint plan. I wanted to race and win sprint races exclusively. I mentioned this to the MX CEO, and within 48 hours one was written and posted up.
Now I’ve raced 175 triathlon events all over the world. [Not so much] humble brag, but I’ve been on the podium at over 100 of them. However, it’s always only 2nd or 3rd. Yup. A hundred podiums and I’ve never actually won an event .
Until this year a few weeks ago at the Newcastle Triathlon, my 2020 A-Race. I was first in my AG by one second in an epic three-way sprint finish, and top 10 overall.
No doubt the training sessions put together by the MX coaches, the mental work done with the MX mindset coach, the strength lifestyle work, and the diet tips from the dietitian all came together perfectly. All off which were just free snippets I got from being an engaged MX member.
After my race, one of the MX coaches then reached out to me personally to discuss my run performance and suggest ways to further increase run speed though improved bike strength. I was even given multiple Zwift files to link up to my training profile with exactly what needed to be done.
There are very few platforms in the triathlon community where engagement & support comes alive like this.
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In the last part to this series I talk about the people I've met through MX Endurance, and how MX Endurance is the perfect supplement to your triathlon lifestyle.
Tommy Morwood is an XTERRA commentator, self-confessed "triathlon tragic", and MX Endurance member. Follow his adventures on Instagram @tommytalkstri.
Sign up to MX Endurance now and use code MX2FREE to get your first two months free.