I just signed up for my first full next summer - Lake Placid. I have about 11 months to figure out how I’m going to do this…
I’d love to talk out a plan with someone on how to structure this time. I love small group training - the camaraderie, shared goals, social aspect, etc.
Just wondering if anyone out there can recommend anything like this either in general or specifically in the NYC/Northern NJ area?
I’ve heard good things about the Brooklyn Tri Club. Not a member, but thinking about joining.
KIS Coaching has a group there–coached by Sam Cardona. http://www.kiscoaching.com/
Emily Cocks
I would recommend TriLife NYC. They used to be a massive club but these days it’s about 15-20 members with alumni peeking in here and there. Very well organized with great support and a good amount of training camps and they have all speeds within the small group. My fiance is a current member and I am joining for next year (they have a fall “base” program to build bike skills and strength base). I only did their fall swim program last year and improved my swim quite a bit (2:05ish/100m to 1:40ish). Most bike rides on weekends are in palisades & 9W (like I would guess every club) with training camps in New Paltz until memorial day weekend in LP.
I see a lot of people wearing Brooklyn Tri Club stuff…can’t speak to any of them as i’m a lone NYC soldier here - i’m of the impression that group training creates goo. See you out there!
I think the coaching at Tailwind is pretty solid, from hearing of it vicariously.
As an outsider looking at NYC training, a lot seems to depend on where you live in the city…
Asphalt Green has a group program.
Go with Asphalt Green. I’ve been a member for 8 years and we have a lot people racing Lake Placid next year, including myself. We have all levels of athletes and workouts in one of the best pools in the city.
Does the tri group use the UES or Battery Park location?
I’ve heard good things about the Brooklyn Tri Club. Not a member, but thinking about joining.
BTC member (2nd year) - the club is one of the best deals in the city ($90/year for membership and iirc it’s $75 if you sign up early in the year). There are four coached workouts a week during the season in Prospect Park (Monday evening - strength, Tuesday morning - bike, Wednesday evening - running speed, Thursday morning - brick). Lots of folks organize small group swim (pool and open water usually at Coney Island) and weekend rides. Wide range of skills and experience so you can pretty much always find someone your speed (or faster) and it’s a super fun social group as well as the workouts. A few of the workout coaches do individual coaching as well if you’re looking for something more personalized.
Whereabouts in northern NJ?
Hudson County
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I was a member of the Asphalt Green Club for a while. My schedule changed and I couldn’t make the club workouts so I left but still swim there (both locations). My experiences there were very good ones and I met some very cool people. I still race with one of their members a few times a year. Their pool facilities do rock.
I believe the tri club is now exclusively UES (a friend quit because they stopped offering it at Battery park last year). AG is a large club and the pool is probably the best in the city. I swim there and during the summers they keep it 50m every morning and Tu/Th/F nights (Sat/Sun morning is 50m year round). That’s the extent of my knowledge.
Tailwind has a lot of coaches with long course knowledge. They have an amazing studio (16 computrainers) with showers and right on the park.
Plenty of folks have gotten very fast just doing the classes there. Coaching with a Tailwind coach is custom made for you, and will be centered around the TW classes. Downside, they don’t really have access to a pool. I’ve been a TW athlete since the beginning and definitely have upped my cycling big time.
Earl at Tailwind has a deal with a place on 57th with an endless pool for private sessions.
I’ve been to Tailwind for an info session. Really liked Earl - seemed very knowledgeable and approachable.
That’s too bad, I work in midtown and live in NJ, so the UES isn’t convenient at all. Battery Park would be perfect though
I own TriBy3 Performance Coaching and manage our team, based out of Brooklyn. We had a great training camp up in LP over Memorial Day weekend and always have a number of athletes racing there (I was 4th overall two weeks ago and have a LOT of familiarity with the course). You’re welcome to come check out a team workout with us (swim, bike, run, and brick each week), but I completely understand that BK is basically another country to Manhattanites and New Jersey residents!
If you are in the neighborhood though, drop in for a CompuTrainer class. My email is greg@triby3.com
All of the other options that people mentioned are also fantastic. The great thing about the NYC Tri scene is the number of available training choices you have. Earl, Sam, BTC, AG…all fantastic choices.
I was the BTC run (speed) coach for several seasons. Great club, lowest price of entry, very good people of all levels. I think the current run coach is pro John Hirsch, who’s an excellent coach and a personal friend.
Empire Tri club is another excellent club, and if you want something bigger and more organized (high price but you get more) that could be an option. I currently coach for them and helped start that club many years back
But really the club choice first and foremost depends on where you live and where you want to train.
Manhattan clubs tend to train in CP during the week.
BK clubs train in Prospect Park.
All of the clubs will do long rides up 9w on the weekends and many of the top clubs will also do OWS out at Coney --Empire typically has around 100 people out in wetsuits, has coaches, lifeguards, etc. to get that OWS time.
Most of the clubs figure out some way to get coordinated access to local pools.
Happy to chat more if you want to PM me, though I’m not on ST nearly as much as onceuponatime.