Scott Ellis Coaching

As the regular season for the Kane County Cougars wraps up this weekend, there's been a lot of bus time to reflect on my crazy summer and new life out in Chicago. I've spent the last 14 years in clinical PT roles and suffered a lot of burnout and funks in recent years. However when we moved out to Chicago I decided to try a few new roles by going back to professional baseball which has been a God-send for my mental health and enjoyment. Like they always say "it's hard not to be romantic about baseball". Then while I was loving life working in baseball, the opportunity arose to try something else new professionally and I was given the chance to become a full time professor at North Central College in a Naperville and it has been more fulfilling than I ever thought. Even though I am working twice as many hours a week with these two jobs and haven't had a day off since May, it's amazing to see the fact that there is not a single drop of burnout. Following my passion, even with 100 hours a week, has made me feel more fulfilled and excited to work than I have been in years. So take this as your reminder that burnout doesn't come from hours worked- it comes from not following your heart. I cannot thank for letting me be a part of their team this season, and special thank you to my coworkers at for taking a chance on this old work horse to trust teaching their students clinically, as well as in the classroom. Hopefully I can continue to grow their program that makes them, and all my other educational mentors proud as well. In the words of the great Tom McPoil, one of my first educational role models,.... "Life is good, huh"

says that Toro Performance was born in the Midwest and fine tuned in the desert. I decided to reverse engineer his recipe and fine tune my skills in the Midwest after being born in the desert (hopefully that doesn't undo my Toro brotherhood!)

But after a week of getting settled in, the Chicago-based Toro office is officially up and functional. I even had the honor of helping out with their indoor race this morning and met some wonderful local triathletes and runners.

For those looking to get your training dialed in for the upcoming season, now is the best time to talk with a coach so feel free to reach out.

Also, Kona says hi in the final picture.

Who wants to road trip for some summer climbs?

The 20 Toughest Cycling Ascents in America Plan a trip to one of these cycling hotspots. With a range of locations, challenges, and intensities, you can challenge your fitness and get some scenic views.

Normally before races I would always have a "PreracePrefontaine" quote for some inspiration, but it's time for a new tradition. Toeing the line for my first Ironman (70.3) race since my dad, one of my biggest supporters, passed in February, I decided to honor him with a new pre race tradition. I give you the first edition of "The Prerace Dad Joke" (And I have to use one of his favorites):

I shot an elephant the other day in my pajamas- I still don't know how he got in my pajamas!

LFG!

"The deleterious effects of social media on mental health, body image, harassment, and democracy are well documented and discussed at length. But my immediate thought proceeding news of Musk’s acquisition got me thinking: Might there also be a significant brain drain? Data from Statista shows that the average internet user spent two-and-a-half hours per day on social media in 2021, up nearly sixty-five percent since 2012.

In 2021, when researchers asked internet users ages sixteen to sixty-four why they use social media, the prompt that garnered the second most responses, behind only “keeping in touch with family and friends,” was “filling spare time.” This is troubling since research shows that idleness and mind-wandering are crucial for creativity; particularly the kind of breakthrough, “aha” insights that are integral to innovation and progress.

“One of the skills we’re losing is the ability to tolerate boredom. As soon as we’re bored, even for a few seconds, we unlock our phones and resume the script of jumping from one social media feed to the next,” says Adam Alter, a professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business and author of the book Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked.

I think the best metaphor for social media is a giant cocktail party. You can meet people, exchange ideas, poke jabs, and have fun. If you go to a cocktail party once a week for an hour or so and have a drink or two, it can be energizing. But if you go to a cocktail party every day for multiple hours and have multiple drinks, you’ve got yourself a real problem. Perhaps we are spending too much time at the social media cocktail party, to our individual and societal detriments?"

This is an excerpt from Brad Stulberg's post on The Growth Equation's newsletter.

A year ago (almost to the day) I was taken to the ER for emergency surgery on my broken and dislocated hip. My surgeon said going in it was 50/50 I was coming out with a hip replacement, and even afterwards when he didn't have to, he still told me I was 50/50 I'd still need one within 6 months.
A year later I'm back to racing without restriction, able to run, and able to hunt on the course. Today I took the top of the box in my division for the Olympic triathlon. My first 1st place division finish in several years.
The emotions of the day didn't hit until the finish line. The tears came for two reasons. One good. One painful.
The return to racing after being told I may have a hip replacement before 40 (which would result in not being able to run anymore) was overwhelming. I felt like I was "back"
But more on the forefront of my brain all day was that this was the first race without my dad who passed in February. I carried him with me from the opening gun and used his words as motivation all day. It felt a little empty not having him at the finish line as he always was, but I know he was still with me.
This one was for you, Pop.

Who doesn't love gingers?!?

Because We ❤️ Gingers

PC:

- Having a community of people can often times be the difference between failure and success. Falling off the wagon or sticking with something. So, why does community matter so much?

1. Purpose - Providing a vision of what we want out of this discipline.

2. Belonging - Providing people a sense of value within the community and support.

3. Resilience - Providing the opportunity to work through adversity and difficult circumstances.

Community builds some of the most vital tools that we use to make it through training and, let's be honest, life. Moral of the story: Lean into your strong community.



Article Link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2020/10/25/how-to-build-community-and-why-it-matters-so-much/?sh=5286a38e751b

- The most important step is taking action. Less "I should" and more "I am."

Race for something bigger than finish lines-

The Pride Run series has been a race we've done for years because of what it means. While it's a great race to push your pace and stretch the legs, the entire event centers around love, equality, and inclusion. It's an honor to run it each year with my friends that know that sometimes simply showing up and giving a hug can matter most to those around you that need the support.

Some races are more than just your finisher's medal. Supporting your friends that may not have the love and support from others and showing you are a safe place for them is much more important than a PR.

Never miss an opportunity to be productive. Thank you to for the birthday present book to start improving the quality of

Family commitments, employment responsibilities, traffic or weather can force many cyclists indoors. One question we are often asked is whether or not to engage ERG mode. Our answer? No. Toro Coaches are not huge fans of ERG mode. Why not?

Riding too often in ERG mode can limit the development of skills that are important on race day. Your ability to gauge your effort level and determine appropriate pacing, controlling your power output through appropriate gear selection and cadence, and having the mental fortitude to push hard entirely of your own volition can be negated by overusing ERG mode.

While it’s great to be able to ride a workout without too much thinking involved, sometimes the focus needed in continually adjusting your own resistance and cadence to meet your power targets can add interest to a session.

So, switch the ERG mode off as it will help you find the power much more organically when you do get outdoors.