If you’re serious about improving your endurance performance, there’s one training metric that stands above the rest in importance: Training Stress Score (TSS). This powerful number can transform how you train, recover, and perform when it matters most. Now if you are lucky and working with a coach (like me)…

As endurance athletes, we often approach training with unwavering dedication. The structured weekly hours, the carefully planned workouts, the progressive overload – these are the cornerstones of improvement in triathlon, Ironman, and ultrarunning. But what happens when life throws a curveball? Work deadlines pile up. Family emergencies arise. Travel disrupts…

When was the last time you truly took it easy on a run? And I mean genuinely easy – not “this feels comfortable” or “I could chat if I wanted to,” but properly, deliberately slow? The Overlooked Power of Zone 2 Zone 2 training – that deliberately slow, seemingly too…

With spring marathon season approaching in April, now is the crucial time to start thinking about heat adaptation. While we all dream of perfect 10°C race day conditions, the reality is that spring weather in the UK can be surprisingly warm – and unprepared runners often pay the price. Why…

Do You “Need” a Coach? Obviously, the answer is no. No one strictly “needs” a coach. BUT if, as an endurance athlete, you have specific goals, the right coach will always be hugely beneficial. Anyone can do it themselves, just like anyone can cut their own hair, paint their own…

As runners, we’re bombarded with a plethora of technical terms and jargon that can sometimes feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a seasoned marathoner or just lacing up your shoes for the first time, you’ve likely heard phrases like “running mechanics,” “running economy,” and “running efficiency” thrown around. But what do these terms…

The Surprising Strategy That’s Boosting Speed for Runners at Every Level Running faster isn’t just about pushing harder – sometimes, it’s about knowing when to slow down. Enter the run/walk method, a training technique that’s revolutionising how runners of all levels approach speed improvement.  While it may seem counterintuitive to…

Cracking the Code: 8 Periodization Models to Revolutionize Your Training Ever wonder how top athletes seem to peak at just the right moment? The answer lies in a powerful training strategy called periodisation. This systematic approach to planning workouts isn’t just for Olympians—it’s a game-changer for athletes at all levels….

Periodisation… a term every endurance athlete has probably heard but it is obvious from many conversations I have had recently that few actually understand what it is all about. Even if you have a coach who plans your training it is still beneficial for you to have a basic understanding…

Building on from the previous DB Conversation, All About Stress (https://differentbreed.io/the-relationship-between-training-stress-and-recovery/) I am going address the importance of monitoring and managing fatigue levels during endurance training. This topic aligns nicely with the discussion about balancing training stress and recovery, managing the body’s finite energy source, and optimising performance and adaptation…

Last week I gave you some insights into why how you breathe really does matter if you want to take your endurance performance to the next level. If you missed it, you can read it here This week I am going to give you some practical tips and exercises to…

In short, Yes! Now for the longer answer: The more efficient your breathing the better you will perform. In endurance aerobic capacity is such a key element of your fitness. Oxygen is your primary energy source and your heart rate spikes when your brain doesn’t know when the next hit…

Over the past couple of weeks we have been discussing Lactate Threshold Testing and why using your Lactate Threshold is better for endurance training than Max Heart Rate. Now you know how to test and how to set your zones, here is some information about how to use those zones…

We’ve been discussing how Lactate Threshold trumps Max Heart Rate for Endurance Training (LT over Max HR) and in the last post I explained how to test your Lactate Threshold (Test your LT) Once you have done the two step test and properly determined your Lactate Threshold you will be…

In last week’s conversation I discussed why Lactate threshold is a better guide than maximum heart rate for heart rate run training.   In a nutshell it’s becuase it gives you a more personalized and accurate measure of your aerobic capacity. As promised, this week I’m going to lay out…

Lactate threshold is a better guide than maximum heart rate for heart rate run training because it gives you a more personalized and accurate measure of your aerobic capacity. As you exercise harder, lactic acid builds up in your muscles and bloodstream. Lactate threshold is the exercise intensity where this…

So many of my clients either have started or want to start running. Those that have still will not refer to themselves as a “Runner”. When I ask why, they invariably tell me things like “well, I’m a jogger really”, “I’m not that fast” or “I’m not good enough to…