Recently, I was asked what the difference is between Endurance Nation and the Rock Star Triathlete Academy.
First of all, let me begin by saying that although we were aware of Endurance Nation when we created the Rock Star Triathlete Academy last year, our goal was not to replicate or copy that model, but rather to create something new that A) allowed coach Kerry Sullivan and I as trainers and triathletes to provide value and share our knowledge with others; B) gave people a fun way to learn the sport of triathlon or improve on their abilities; C) was an affordable add-on or alternative to private coaching (i.e. Dozens of dollars per month rather than hundreds of dollars per month).
The basic “30 second” elevator explanation of the Rock Star Triathlete Academy is this:
-provide triathlon training plans for all distances and abilities, with multimedia training content (articles, audios and videos), learning opportunities from industry experts and pros, unlimited forum interaction and weekly call-in Q&A’s with triathlon coaches and nutritionists, brokered product discounts, and the ability for members to request content, guest interviews, training plans and educational features.
From our weekly coach Q&A’s to our practical training videos and guest interviews, we are very focused on the *didactic* (or educational)
component of triathlon – almost like an online triathlon magazine that lets you flip through the pages and check out the training content, but also be coached by and have unlimited Q&A access to the editors. This is because Kerry and I both love to educate, and that is the primary goal of the Rock Star Triathlete Academy.
From what I understand, there are some overlapping attributes, but here are the primary differences I know of between the Rock Star Triathlete Academy and Endurance Nation:
-The Rock Star Triathlete Academy offers Sprint, Olympic, Half IM and IM distance training plans, advice and coaching, but Endurance Nation offers primarily Half IM and IM distance plans, advice, and coaching (I think).
-One of the Rock Star Triathlete Academy’s primary weekly features is hosting guest coaches, industry experts, triathlon pros, etc. on a member-driven Q&A interview. It is not my understanding that this is a feature at Endurance Nation.
-I am not 100% sure, but I believe our bonus structures are different. For example, all our new members receive Holistic Fueling For Triathletes, Coach K’s Triathlon Summit (and All the Triathlon Summit Bonus Materials), The Biology of Athletic Performance, etc.
-Our coaches are different (duh!). Since he has celiac’s disease and I am a sports nutritionist, Kerry and I have a very strong focus on nutrition, so that is one unique aspect, and I find we are answering many nutrition questions on the forum and in our weekly Q&A’s. We are also primarily focused on two different sports (Kerry is migrating to the Pro/ITU scene, whereas I am more on the Half IM/IM scene). As anyone who has had a coach knows, you want to make sure you connect with folks who are well suited to your personality and style. Of course, this is not to say the Endurance Nation coaches are not perfectly suited for different personalities and styles, and may I also say that I am very impressed with the knowledgebase and ability of Patrick McCrann and Rich Strauss, and I respect them both as triathlon coaches.
Finally, I noticed while responding to this question that the Endurance Nation logo has a five point star and the Rock Star Triathlete Academy ALSO has a five point star. To anyone who may be suspecting copycat is at play, this is actually complete coincidence, and as a matter of fact, I just noticed it today!
So in sum, both EN and RSTA focus on Quality over Junk Miles, but RSTA appeals to nearly a 50% base of Sprint and Olympic distance triathletes, with a strong focus on nutrition, a deep library of member bonuses, and different coaching personalities!
I hope that helps – gotta get back to work now: I’m creating a rock-solid training video that shows you how to prepare for your next race using Google Earth!