I'm not interested in any of that personally. I train with a squad once a week, outdoors in the spring/summer and indoors in the winter. They are high performance folks, we train hard but have a great time (and do taco bricks regularly). The other sessions I do on my own... most serious race folks have their own plan (or one from a coach). I think novices would be intimidated by the structure you're proposing -- honestly, most newbies would see the words 'Zwift' and 'Kickr' and figure since they have no idea what that is, it's not for them.

I'm with you here. My bike shop used to include group studio training 1 x per week as part of their coaching plans. I would have to wake up at 4:30 to get in line to enter the building for their 6 am class. Now, no line and class is no longer included with coaching plan.

I didn't feel well last night so skipped cycling class this morning. I coincidentally saw there was a ST group workout on Zwift today, which I attended. Now I wonder why I'd go back to getting up at 4:45 am (can sleep in since no line any more!) to drag my bike to class when I could hit a convenient 7pm eastern on Zwift in my home cave.

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To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.

You have a major flaw in your thinking. You think all of these people you see doing these classes want to become serious, focused athletes. You think they all want to dedicate their lives to a goal of racing tris and getting to Kona. Think again. Most are just looking for some personal time where they can meet some people, have some fun, get some exercise and work on their bodies so they look good in summer clothes. Nothing more.

I appreciate the feedback. I could also say you have a major flaw in your reading comprehension abilities, maybe even a permanent impairment, but that wouldn't be so nice, so I won't make that statement..... /pink...??

I completely agree with your conclusion that fitness oriented folks aren't the market for racing tri's and trying to get to Kona, as a whole. But, I do see and have seen plenty of fitness oriented people do an annual local sprint/olympic triathlon with their fitness-oriented friends. Those are the people that help sustain the local race scene. Those are the people that WTC does not immediately attract, again sustaining the local race scene, and those people also support the local brick and mortar shop. Plenty of fitness-oriented folks run in running events and do the once a year triathlon, but I agree, they aren't going to jump into the cyclocross scene just as much as they're not going to commit to a lifetime of racing triathlon. But, a small percentage do make that jump..... and that gets me back to better understanding booms in triathlon, cycling and running. During those historical booms, people who otherwise would not be drawn to these sports flood into the sport. Why?

my previous thoughts on that: http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...ost=6538219#p6538219

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Those people you speak of would be me, my wife, and lots of other people out there. My wife did the Dopey Challenge at Disney earlier this month as she does every year. She also does one in the fall. Once the winter ends we do some type of event at least once a month until the weather turns bad again. Those are running events up to Marathon distance, century rides, maybe a swimming event. We have done/tried du/tris in the past, but did not enjoy the experiences. There are lots of other people out there that are like that. Their main fitness goals are to be in good enough shape to do most any kind of fitness challenge on a whim. They might not be FOP, but they can finish the event, not get hurt, and not have to go home and lay on the floor in a fetal position for a day or two after the event. That's it, no other goals other than that. As long as we are not getting slower, all is good. We are not going to beat ourselves up over results.

Back to your tri specific studio, they are out there. Here is the chain in my area: http://www.endorphinfitness.com/
It looks pretty sweet until you compare it to the gym chain I go to: https://amfamfit.com/
Look at what they offer. Look at their hours. I have been a member of that gym since about 1990 when they first opened. I currently pay $75.00 a month for a family membership. I go at least 5 days a week and take advantage of all they have to offer which is so much more than a one sport specific facility. The Richmond VA area also has Sportsbackers, with their big training programs for running events. You are not going to find a cheaper, better, more fun way to train for a running event. They have a team for everyone, no matter the ability or goal. Whether you are trying to run 2:20, or finish and stay in front of the sweepers, they will get you there and make it fun.
https://www.sportsbackers.org/...athon-training-team/

BTW, the main, long established, local tri specific store closed its doors at the end of 2017.

In the end it is all just healthy, time consuming entertainment, whether you are setting your sights on Kona or doing the local 5K/sprint tri. That is an idea that has been purged from the sport of tri. That is why people are going elsewhere to other sports. It has little to do with sport specific facilities.

BTW, the gym I go to mentioned in my previous post actually has "tri" events throughout the year you sign up for free of charge. Usually, they are sprint distance. You swim in the lap pool, do the bike part on a stationary bike, and either run on a treadmill/outside depending on the weather. As I said, free of charge but they don't have very many signups in proportion to members. They also have monthly swim challenges, bike mileage challenges through their spin classes and running mileage challenges as well. The September challenge in 2017 was a swim challenge based on the river the main local beginners/sprint is done in. Swim 15 miles in the lap pool and get a t shirt. 3 mile limit per day. The top 3 on the leaderboard swam over 80 miles each in that month. The winner logged 88.3 miles in 31 swims. If there is an organized local cycling event coming up that they want some representation at for advertising purposes, they will give out company/club jerseys to people who will ride the event and rep the club chain. Before an event a couple of years ago, a spin class instructor in a class I was in asked for a show of hands of who actually rides outside on a real bike and wanted to rep the club as a participant. Out of a class of about 25, one other man and a woman held up their hands to say they had a real bike and actually rode outside! Most in the class were decked out in cycling shorts/shoes and looked the part. They probably do 4-5 spin classes a week and nothing more, and they are happy with that. Bear in mind that that gym offers all kinds of spin classes. Cycle/Weights, Cycle/Abs, Cycle/Boot Camp, just Cycle, etc, etc. They are all fun and give you a good workout with lots of socialization/comradery.

So lets review some thoughts from my previous posts. I forgot to mention that at least 2 of the spin instructors at the location closest to me are Ironmen.(females)

The gym I go to offers free indoor sprint tris you can sign up for. All you need is something to wear while you do it. Everything else, including equipment is provided. You just sign up, show up and do it. You can even train on said equipment before doing the event. There is no other easier, simpler way to try out, and experience the basics of the sport. For free. Not many takers, though.

The club has numerous Spin, Group X, Mind and Body classes that are so popular you have to sign up and reserve a spot in advance for certain classes to participate. The Saturday Morning 1.5 hour Boot Camp has a reputation for being so tough for the average person that first timers are not recommended because they will leave about halfway through and not come back. They are encouraged to try one of the shorter ones during the week. That class is done outside if the weather is good. It has a cult following. It has to be held in the basketball gym if the weather is bad because of the popularity. There might be over 200 people that will show up on Saturday morning to take part in that Sufferfest. It is lead by a tough, loud lady that is barking out orders like a Military drill instructor and her tall good looking male assistant that the females(maybe some males also) are ogling as he is demonstrating exercises. They have these huge speakers with the jams pumping and people are working hard, fist bumping and having a blast! It ends and everyone heads back to their life. Those same people will meet at least 2 more times during the week for more Boot Camp sufferfest from that same instructor. Then they will head through the club to the exit pumped up thinking they are the hardest of the hardcore. Sounds somewhat like the tri experience doesn't it? A lot more fun, though.

That is the question you need answered. If you want to bring the masses to Tri, you are going to have to change Tri. It needs to evolve, change direction and reverse it's course. It needs to become fun again.

QFT.

To attract them you need to offer some gimmick that no one else offers. Play soothing music. Play hard rock. Play a nature video. Have cats crawling over the customers. (Google goat yoga. Yep. It's a thing.) Paint the equipment pink. Run hot classes. Run freezing classes. Hook up real time data monitoring with power output graphs etc... guaranteed the crowds you want has never seen that. Let them take the data home. Make the business unique and people will come. Yep it is complete crap but that's how it works.

cats

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