TrainingPeaks has today announced the addition of a Diversity and Inclusion in Endurance Sports Panel. This will be hosted live at the 2020 Endurance Coaching Summit, which is virtual this year and free to all registrants on November 17th-19th
The panel will discuss topics such as diversity in endurance sports, the unique obstacles that minorities face and it will aim to explore ways to inspire meaningful change.
Speakers include Nike Running Coach Jes Woods (Moderator), American cyclist Rahsaan Bahati, Mental Endurance Coach Vanessa Faye Foerster, Paratriathlon Head Coach Jonathon Riall, and influential cyclist Yewande Adesida.
“It’s no secret that there are few BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of colour) participants in endurance sports,” said Jes Woods. “If you’re looking at sports like IRONMAN or ultra running through photographs, much of the imagery shows that there isn’t a large amount of variety in representation, and we all need to work collectively to change this.
“The goal of this panel discussion is to give the attendees actionable takeaways and recommendations to push for change and break down the lack of diversity in endurance sports.”
TrainingPeaks co-founder and Chief Evangelist, Dirk Friel said, “Our goal is to bring together a diverse panel of endurance experts to have a thoughtful discussion about the challenges our sports face as it relates to diversity. We hope that by having an honest conversation about our industry, we can work together to create a more inclusive community for all.”
To help drive change, TrainingPeaks has teamed up charitable organizations around the world to promote open access to endurance sports for everyone, including HBCUs Outside. Participants can visit ECS and donate to show support to one of these organizations. For every donation received, TrainingPeaks will match dollar-for-dollar up to US$20,000.
ECS will also offer the opportunity to attend sessions highlighting diversity and inclusion in endurance sports. These include:
- Building an Anti-Racist Running Industry with Alison Desir
- The Invisible Truth: Diversity and Inclusivity in the Pro Peloton with Carol Austin, and
- Inspiring More Women to Coach with Holly Seear.
