Chicago Endurance Sports

What Chicago Endurance Sports does

Chicago Endurance Sports, LLC (CES) is a privately-held Illinois LLC that operates as Fleet Feet Training x CES, a regional endurance sports coaching service based in Chicago. The company delivers structured group training programs and one-on-one coaching for runners and triathletes, spanning beginner-level events (5K, half marathon) through to Ironman World Championship-level preparation. Its coach roster of 30+ certified professionals is deployed across four Fleet Feet retail locations — South Loop, Old Town, Lincoln Square, and Elmhurst — plus a standalone virtual coaching program led by Virtual Lead Coach Autumn Anderson. Management includes Head Coach Lori McGee Koch (USATF certified, 15+ years of distance coaching), Program Manager Christopher Ott, and Director of Charity Relations Lisa Zimmer.

The business is built on a tri-channel revenue model: training program registration fees for structured marathon, half marathon, and triathlon programs; individual 1:1 coaching sold through the Final Surge platform with limited slots per coach; and charity partnership coordination, in which 40+ nonprofits (American Cancer Society DetermiNation, American Heart Association, Special Olympics Chicago, Lurie Children's, and others) provide athletes with guaranteed race registrations to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and Chicago Triathlon in exchange for fundraising commitments. CES invoices charity organizations directly for training fees in many cases, having offset over $50,000 in athlete training fees for charity partners in 2018.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight: CES does not operate a proprietary platform and instead licenses Final Surge, a third-party training management tool, for workout delivery, athlete communication, and cancellation notifications. The company's competitive position rests on its certified coaching talent, its physical distribution through Fleet Feet retail storefronts, and its community-driven model anchored by charity partnerships and group workouts rather than on technology differentiation. Sponsorships from Hoka One One and Gatorade provide supplementary brand and marketing support.

Name

Chicago Endurance Sports

Legal name

Chicago Endurance Sports, LLC

Website

https://chicagoendurancesports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago Endurance Sports is a privately-held Chicago LLC operating as Fleet Feet Training x CES, providing group and 1:1 endurance sports coaching for runners and triathletes across four Fleet Feet retail locations plus a virtual program, with 30+ certified coaches and 40+ charity partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Endurance Sports Coaching Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSADAEAD

Endurance & Conditioning Coaching (running, cycling, triathlon)

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Sports Coaching & Athletic Performance

SECONDARYHSADAAAG

Endurance & Running/Cycling Training

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Personal Training (In-Person & Virtual)

SECONDARYMPAKAJAH

Endurance Sports Coaching & Training Camps (Running, Cycling, Triathlon, Swimming)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Camps, Academies & Training Centers

Keywords

• Endurance sports coaching
• Marathon training programs
• Triathlon training services
• Running coaching
• Personal fitness training

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Training Program Registration: Fees for structured training programs including marathon training, triathlon training, and specialty programs. Charity discount codes available for fundraising athletes.
2. Personal 1:1 Coaching: Individual coaching sessions offered through Final Surge platform with limited availability per coach.
3. Charity Partner Coordination: Partnership arrangements where charities provide guaranteed race registrations; CES provides training services. In 2018, helped offset over $50,000 in training fees for charity partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Chicago Endurance Sports, operating as Fleet Feet Training x CES, delivers coached endurance sports training programs in the Chicago metropolitan area, including marathon training, half marathon training, triathlon training, and run/walk programs for athletes from first-time runners to Ironman World Championship qualifiers. Services are delivered through in-person coached group workouts at multiple Fleet Feet retail locations and a virtual coaching track supported by the Final Surge training management platform. The company also coordinates 1:1 personal coaching and charity-affiliated training slots for athletes fundraising through partner nonprofit organizations.

Product overview

Chicago Endurance Sports operates as Fleet Feet Training x CES, offering a unified training platform that combines group training programs with personal coaching services. The core offering is the Fleet Feet Training x CES program, which provides coached group workouts and structured training for marathon, half marathon, and triathlon athletes. Additional offerings include 1:1 virtual and in-person personal coaching, a podcast for athlete engagement, and charity partnership programs that offer training discounts for athletes raising funds for cause-based organizations. The company uses Final Surge as its training management platform for scheduling, communications, and workout tracking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fleet Feet Training x CES (Group Training Program) Structured group endurance sports training program (marathon, half marathon, triathlon, run/walk) for individual athletes from beginners to elite competitors, delivered via coached group workouts at Fleet Feet retail locations and through the Final Surge platform.
• Personal 1:1 Coaching One-on-one coaching service provided virtually (or in-person) by certified CES coaches with limited slots per coach, serving athletes from beginners to World Championship competitors including Ironman Kona qualifiers.
• Charity Training Partnerships Training program slots for athletes participating in events like the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and Chicago Triathlon on behalf of partner nonprofit charities, with discounted or charity-covered training fees for registered fundraising athletes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $50,000 in training fee offsets provided to charity partners in 2018 alone

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Cancer Society — DetermiNationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Charity partnership providing guaranteed race registrations to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Athletes train with CES while raising funds for cancer research. Part of a global network including Berlin, London, and NYC Marathons.
• American Diabetes Association — Team DiabetescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for athletes training while fundraising to prevent and cure diabetes and improve lives of those affected.
• American Heart AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Charity running program partner working to create a world of longer, healthier lives through training athletes for race events.
• American Liver FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Liver Life Challenge partnership for Bank of America Chicago Marathon, bringing awareness to liver disease and supporting patient services.
• Les Turner ALS FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Over 40 years of individualized approach to ALS care. Partnership provides Team Race for ALS participants with professional training support.
• ALZ Stars (Alzheimer's Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support, and research. Partnership since 1980 provides marathon training for fundraising athletes.
• Back on My FeetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Combats homelessness through running, community support, and essential employment and housing resources.
• Big Brothers Big SisterscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Mentorship organization helping children reach potential through one-to-one relationships with volunteer mentors.
• Big Shoulders FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 202435+ years helping Chicago children in need achieve dreams through quality, values-based education.
• Chicago Coalition for the HomelesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Advocating for public policies to curb and ultimately end homelessness.
• Special Olympics ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024World's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions.
• Lurie Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024One of the top pediatric providers in the nation treating Chicago's children.
• Hoka One OneminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Sponsoring brand of running footwear. Logo displayed on CES website as official sponsor.
• GatorademinorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Sponsoring brand of sports nutrition gels. Logo displayed on CES website as official sponsor.
• Final SurgecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Training management platform used for workout delivery, athlete communication, cancellation notifications, and personal coaching registration.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Strava: Subscription fitness tracking and social platform widely used by endurance athletes; competes for community, motivation, and basic training structure that CES provides through its group programs.
• Running Room: North American specialty running retailer that operates in-store training programs, learn-to-run clinics, and coached group sessions; broadly comparable as a retail-anchored endurance coaching model.
• Fleet Feet: National running specialty retailer and CES's branded partner operating 'Fleet Feet Training x CES'; offers retail, in-store training events, and franchise-style footprint that CES is currently embedded within across multiple markets.
• Nike Run Club: Free Nike-owned mobile running app with guided runs, structured training plans, and coach-led audio sessions; competes with CES at the beginner-to-intermediate training level on price and accessibility.
• Adidas Runners: Global brand-sponsored free community running network offering coached group runs and training programs in major cities including Chicago; competes with CES's community-led GTM motion at zero price point.

Others

• Final Surge: Training management platform that CES currently uses for workout delivery, communications, and 1:1 coaching registration; adjacent technology peer with overlapping functionality to what CES could internalize.
• TrainingPeaks: Endurance coaching and training-software platform used by coaches to deliver structured plans to athletes; comparable to CES's use of Final Surge as enabling technology for its coaching operation.

Direct peers

• Hal Higdon Training Programs: Long-established marathon and half marathon training plan provider offering structured 8–18 week programs for beginner through advanced runners; comparable to CES's group marathon training product line.
• McMillan Running: Personalized online running coaching service offering custom training plans, calculators, and 1:1 coaching for runners of all levels; directly comparable to CES's individual coaching arm and virtual training program.

Regional players

• Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA): Chicago-based nonprofit running club and race organizer offering group training programs, training schedules, and race management for the Chicago marathon and other events; directly competitive regional peer in CES's core market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chicagorunning
• Facebookfacebook.com/chicagoendurancesports
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-endurance-sports

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago Endurance Sports