Creative Suffering In TX

In Burleson, Texas, elite cyclists and triathletes can now train in a festival atmosphere.

Of course, it’s endurance training, so it’s a festival of hard work, perspiration, and, yes, suffering. In fact, they call it the Sufferfest.

The athletes assemble in the studio room at C3 Cryo Club. Most bring their own bicycles, which they attach to trainers, though there are also spin bikes available for those who need them. Then high-energy music kicks in, a video with a title like “The Wretched” or “Sufferfest Fight Club” begins to play, and they begin to pedal.

"Sufferfest videos make you faster," says class supervisor William Pruett. 

Pruett runs CorioVelo, a multi-sport coaching and consulting company. He had personally used training videos from a concern calling themselves The Sufferfest, who produces videos for cyclists to watch whilst training. The pieces brandish a cheeky attitude about torturing oneself for one’s fitness, while also incorporating actual footage from some of cycling’s biggest races, like the Tour de France.

“It gives you the feeling like you're riding in a pack, like in a group ride, so it's a little bit different than just being in a room by yourself,” said recent participant Leslie Haas.

“I had always wanted to do (a) Sufferfest (class), because Sufferfest is designed so well for cyclists,” said Pruett.

“William Pruett knows how to get the most out of his athletes to help them achieve their goals,” said David McQuillen, Chief Suffering Officer at The Sufferfest, via email. “So we’re thrilled that CorioVelo has become a Sufferlandrian Embassy and is using our videos to help guide those athletes to victory.”

Pruett is beginning with classes four days a week. Weekday sessions will last a half hour. He’ll offer longer Sunday rides designed to appeal to athletes in training for upcoming races, though one of the setup’s appeals is its ability to cater to multiple types of athletes at the same time.

“You have different levels of experience,” said Haas, “But they get the same workout because it's (based) on perceived exertion.”

On a trail, an inexperienced rider would get left behind no matter how hard he or she pushed. In the studio, each person can perform – and suffer – equally. The shared experience creates an element of camaraderie and motivation that might be missed when riding at home by oneself.

“Leslie gave me a high-five in the middle,” said rider Eva Diana Iguaran.

“You're all in it together,” noted Haas. “When everyone else is in the room doing it, it’s like, ‘all right, we can all do this.’”

"You shouldn't be talking. You should be climbing," joked Pruett at one point in their class.

The videos’ editing and graphic elements are based on workouts designed by coach Neal Henderson of APEX Coaching and the BMC Racing Team’s sports science staff. Each film features changes in cadence and effort level designed to mimic the ups and downs one would encounter in a race. Having pictures helps.

“Looking at the screen is like riding on the road,” said Pruett. “You keep your head up."

As the moderator, Pruett watches a rundown sheet that lists upcoming climbs and sprints and keeps his charges aware of how long certain elements will last. He also keeps an eye on the exercisers’ gear settings and other technical elements to help them get the most from their ride. He says being able to use one’s own machine without having to brave weather or traffic is an advantage in training.

“You can bring your bike specifically fit for you, and you can do these harder workouts to increase your fitness, but on your bike. So that's the beauty of this.”

The cyclists will also be watching beautiful scenery from around the world, and indeed, the Sufferfest is an international company. Though based in Singapore, they have created their own ersatz nation, dubbed Sufferlandria. Cycling studios who license their videos for classes are known as “Embassies,” and only they are allowed to exhibit the works publicly

Pruett’s is the only such outpost in North Texas, having achieved the embassy designation. It gives him the privilege of bestowing naturalization on those intrepid trailblazers whom The Sufferfest has just directed to move their “legs like a (suffering) hummingbird” or been told it’s “time to separate the Sufferlandrians from the weak.” At the end of the session, Pruett distributes high-fives and congratulations.

“You’re all official Sufferlandrians!” he said.

One can purchase passes for Sufferfest classes at https://squareup.com/store/coriovelo-enterprises-llc. For more information on CorioVelo, visit http://www.coriovelo.com/.

Rush Olson has spent two decades directing creative efforts for sports teams and broadcasters. He currently creates ad campaigns, television programs, and related creative projects for sports entities through Rush Olson Creative & Sports and FourNine Productions.

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