If you’re training for a badass endurance event (Ironman, Ultra, Marathon, OCR or Hyrox to name but a few) you’re going to have bad sessions. Not just tired sessions or slightly off sessions—I’m talking about the ones where everything goes wrong. The bike interval where your power drops like a stone. The run where your heart rate refuses to cooperate. The strength session where that weight you lifted last week suddenly feels impossible.

Here’s what most athletes don’t realize: those sessions aren’t setbacks. They’re exactly what you need.

The Comfort Zone Trap

Too many athletes live in their comfort zone without realizing it. They stick to weights they know they can lift, power zones they’re confident hitting, and paces that feel manageable. Every session gets ticked off as “completed” and they feel like they’re making progress.

But here’s the truth—if you’re hitting every target in every session, you’re not training hard enough. You’re maintaining fitness, not building it.

Real Endurance coaching isn’t about creating sessions you can always complete perfectly. It’s about finding your limits and then pushing just beyond them. That’s where growth happens.

What Failure Actually Looks Like

Let’s be clear about what I mean by failure in training:

• Missing your target power by 20 watts in the final interval
• Having to drop the weight mid-set because your muscles give out
• Watching your heart rate drift despite holding the same effort
• Cutting a run short because your legs have nothing left

These aren’t signs you’re weak or not cut out for endurance sports. They’re data points telling you exactly where your current limits are.

Why Failure Drives Progress

When you fail at something in training, your body gets a clear message: this isn’t good enough yet. That’s when the real adaptations start happening.

Your muscles don’t get stronger from the reps you complete easily. They adapt from the ones that push them to their breaking point. Your cardiovascular system doesn’t improve from staying in your comfortable heart rate zones. It develops when you demand more from it than it can currently deliver.

The same applies to your mental game. Every time you push through discomfort, every time you attempt something you’re not sure you can complete, you’re building mental resilience. That’s the difference between athletes who crumble when things get tough and those who find another gear.

The Different Breed Philosophy

At Different Breed, we operate on a simple principle: you never truly fail unless you give up completely. Until then, everything is just an attempt.

Didn’t hit your target wattage in that bike session? That’s not failure—that’s information. Now we know where your current threshold sits and we can work from there.

Had to drop out of a long run early? Perfect. We’ve found the edge of your current endurance and we know exactly what needs work.

This shift in perspective changes everything. Instead of seeing difficult sessions as proof you’re not ready, start seeing them as proof you’re training at the right intensity.

How To Use Failure In Your Training

The key is being smart about when and how you push your limits. Here’s how to make failure work for you:

Progressive overload matters. Don’t jump from comfortable to impossible overnight. Gradually increase demands so you’re regularly challenging yourself without overwhelming your system.

Track everything. When you don’t hit a target, note why. Was it physical fatigue, mental fatigue, environmental factors, or just a hard day? This information guides your next session.

Recover properly. Pushing limits only works if you give your body time to adapt. Hard sessions need to be balanced with easier ones.

Stay consistent. Missing targets occasionally is normal and beneficial. Missing them constantly means you need to adjust your approach.

The Mental Game

The biggest barrier isn’t physical—it’s mental. Most athletes are afraid to fail because they think it reflects poorly on their potential.

Flip that thinking. The athlete who never fails in training is the one who’ll struggle most when race day gets tough. They haven’t practiced pushing through when things don’t go to plan.

When you’re comfortable with challenging sessions, when you’ve practiced performing under pressure, you develop confidence that goes beyond fitness. You know you can handle whatever race day throws at you because you’ve handled worse in training.

Moving Forward

Stop aiming for perfect sessions every single time. Start aiming for some challenging ones. The session where you barely hung on to your target power is worth more than ten sessions where you crushed it easily in Z3.

Your coaching should at times push you to places that feel uncomfortable. If it doesn’t, you’re not getting the adaptation you’re aiming for.

Remember: every professional athlete fails in training regularly. It’s not a sign of weakness—it’s a sign they’re training at the level needed to improve.

The difference between good athletes and great ones isn’t that great athletes never fail. It’s that they fail better, learn faster, and keep pushing forward.

Learn this and you are truly becoming Different Breed.

Are you constantly finishing workouts feeling destroyed but not seeing progress in your performance? You might be chasing the wrong thing.

The Endurance Athlete’s Biggest Mistake

Here’s the hard truth: That burning sensation in your muscles, the complete exhaustion, and the next-day soreness don’t automatically translate to improved performance. Too many endurance athletes confuse punishment with progress.

As an endurance coach, I’ve seen countless athletes fall into this trap. They put themselves through brutal training sessions, clock insane mileage, and pride themselves on how wrecked they feel afterward—yet their race times plateau and injuries mount.

The uncomfortable reality: Any coach can design a workout that leaves you in a puddle on the floor. It doesn’t take skill to exhaust someone. What takes real expertise is designing a program that delivers results without unnecessary suffering.

The Science Behind Smarter Endurance Training

Endurance performance doesn’t improve through destruction; it improves through strategic adaptation. Your body needs the right stimulus—not necessarily the most painful one—followed by proper recovery to build aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and efficiency.

Research consistently shows that elite endurance athletes don’t maximize training intensity or volume; they optimize it. They follow what I call the Minimal Dose Response principle: doing the minimum amount of work required to trigger the specific adaptations they need.

Consider these facts:

• Studies show that increasing training volume beyond certain thresholds provides diminishing returns while exponentially increasing injury risk
• Many elite endurance athletes spend 80% of their training at surprisingly moderate intensities
• Strategic, targeted high-intensity work is more effective than random “suffering sessions”

Quality Over Quantity: The Endurance Coaching Difference

Every workout in your program should have a clear purpose. Every interval, every long run, every recovery session should serve a specific goal in your development. If your coach can’t explain exactly why you’re doing something, you shouldn’t be doing it.

This approach doesn’t mean training becomes easy—far from it. The work is still challenging, but it’s purposeful. A well-designed endurance program includes:

1. Targeted intensity work that addresses your specific limiters
2. Strategic volume that builds your aerobic engine without excessive breakdown
3. Deliberate recovery that allows adaptations to occur
4. Progressive overload that builds fitness systematically, not haphazardly

Warning Signs You’re Chasing Pain Instead of Progress

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you measure workout success by how destroyed you feel afterward?
• Are you constantly battling minor injuries or fighting through persistent fatigue?
• Has your performance plateaued despite increasing training volume?
• Do you feel compelled to make every session “epic” or extreme?

If you answered yes to these questions, you might be stuck in the cycle of chasing sensations rather than results.

The Different Breed Approach to Endurance Coaching

My philosophy is simple but effective: We chase outcomes, not feelings. Every training session has a specific purpose within your larger development plan. We systematically identify your limiters and address them with precision.

For endurance athletes especially, this approach minimizes the overuse injuries that plague so many runners, cyclists, triathletes, and swimmers. After years of refining this methodology, I’ve developed programming that maximizes results while minimizing unnecessary risk and suffering.

Don’t misunderstand—you’ll still work incredibly hard. There will be challenging sessions that test your limits. But you’ll never suffer pointlessly. Every drop of sweat serves your progress.

The Bottom Line

A great endurance coach knows the difference between making you tired and making you better. They understand that results come from smart training, not just hard training.

If you’re putting in the work but not seeing the performance improvements you want, it’s time to reconsider your approach. Stop chasing the feeling of exhaustion and start pursuing tangible results.

Your body will thank you. Your race times will thank you. And you’ll discover that sustainable progress feels a whole lot better than constant punishment.

Ready to train smarter? Let’s talk about how Different Breed’s endurance coaching can help you achieve the results your hard work deserves.

Let me ask you directly—are you truly acting like the athlete you want to become?

How about this question: If I followed you around for one week, how serious would I think you were about achieving your goals?

As an endurance athlete coach, I work with competitors across a spectrum of sports: Triathlon, Obstacle Course Racing, Hyrox, and more. Every single athlete has goals they’re striving toward. For some, it’s claiming an age category win or podium finish. For others, it’s simply completing their A-race with a performance they can be proud of.

What unites these goals? They all demand sacrifice, consistent hard work, and unwavering dedication.

The Gap Between Knowing and Doing

Most athletes have a solid understanding of what achieving their goals requires:

• Countless training hours
• Restructuring daily life to make time for training
• Precision nutrition
• Early nights and earlier mornings
• Declining social events that conflict with training
• Skipping favorite races that don’t align with the big goal

For some, this list seems overwhelming and not worth the effort. That’s why many settle for average performance—or less.

Some athletes hide behind “busy lives” and manufacture excuses to avoid doing what’s truly necessary. Others claim they want success, but their actions never align with their words.

Getting Real With Yourself

Maybe you’re not ready yet. Maybe you like the idea of being an elite athlete but aren’t willing to do what it takes.

I’ve been there. I would declare ambitious goals while:

• Neglecting proper nutrition
• Making poor food choices
• Watching my weight increase without taking action
• Claiming I was “too busy” to track macros (which takes minutes)
• Telling myself training sessions alone were enough

I wasn’t truly committed to becoming the athlete I needed to be to reach my goals. Eventually, I shed that mindset and can now honestly say I embody the person required to achieve my ambitions.

The First Step to Endurance Success

Start by getting brutally honest with yourself. Are you genuinely willing and able to do what your goals demand?

This might require a conversation with your endurance coach. You may have the willingness but lack clarity on implementing necessary changes, especially with a seemingly inflexible schedule. Yes, sacrifice is inevitable, but an experienced coach can help minimize disruption while maximizing results.

Is this process difficult? Absolutely. But living behind excuses and never reaching your potential is equally hard. Both paths present challenges—one leads to fulfillment, the other to regret.

Own Your Performance

We’ve all encountered athletes who arrive at the start line with preloaded excuses:

• “I barely slept last night”
• “I woke up with this strange pain”
• “My training got derailed by [insert excuse]”

These prepared justifications give mentally weak competitors an escape route. Their poor performance doesn’t matter because they predicted it and absolved themselves of responsibility.

Don’t be that athlete.

Complete ALL the required work—not just the parts you enjoy—and own your results, good or bad.

Remember one of my favorite mantras: No one cares. Work harder.

Once you commit to a goal as an endurance athlete, go all in and back yourself completely.

Your Next Steps

Ready to stop making excuses and start making progress? Professional endurance athlete coaching might be exactly what you need to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

Whether you’re training for your first marathon or aiming for that triathlon podium, our personalised coaching programs at Different Breed help athletes of all levels maximise their potential through structured, goal-oriented training.

#ActLikeTheAthleteYouWantToBe

Recovery isn’t optional—it’s where your real gains happen. But not all recovery is created equal. Understanding when to completely rest versus when to engage in low-intensity movement can make the difference between bouncing back stronger and falling into the overtraining trap.

Why Recovery Matters for Endurance Athletes

The brutal truth about endurance training? Your body doesn’t get stronger during workouts—it gets stronger when you recover from them. Every time you push through a grueling session, you create microscopic damage to your muscles and deplete your energy systems. It’s only during recovery that these tissues rebuild, adapt, and come back more powerful.

For Ironman athletes especially, balancing training load with proper recovery directly impacts performance. Too little recovery leads to injury and burnout. Strategic recovery, on the other hand, allows you to maintain consistent training volume—the backbone of successful Ironman preparation.

Passive Recovery: When Complete Rest Is Best

Passive recovery means exactly what it sounds like: doing nothing. This is full-stop, guilt-free rest—sleeping, lying down, or sitting with your feet up.

When to choose passive recovery:

After particularly intense or long training blocks
When fighting off illness or feeling run down
Following race day
When experiencing persistent fatigue or early signs of overtraining

During scheduled recovery weeks

Passive recovery allows your nervous system to reset and your muscles to fully repair without any additional stress. Don’t underestimate its power—sometimes the most productive thing you can do is absolutely nothing.

Active Recovery: Strategic Movement for Faster Bouncebacks

Active recovery involves low-intensity, deliberate movement that promotes blood flow without creating additional stress. Think of it as recovery that doesn’t feel like recovery.

Effective active recovery approaches:

• Easy swimming with focus on technique (not pace)
• Light spinning on the bike (<60% of FTP)
• Gentle yoga or mobility work
• Walking (especially in nature)
• Very light resistance training

The magic of active recovery comes from increased circulation, which delivers nutrients to damaged tissues and removes metabolic waste products more efficiently than passive rest alone.

How to Know Which Type of Recovery You Need

Reading your body’s signals separates successful athletes from those constantly fighting injuries. Here’s how to make the call:

Choose passive recovery when:

• Your resting heart rate is elevated (>5 beats above normal)
• Sleep quality has declined
• You feel mentally burned out
• Joint pain or muscle soreness doesn’t improve with movement
• Your performance has plateaued despite consistent training

Choose active recovery when:

• You feel general fatigue but not exhaustion
• Muscles are slightly sore but not painful
• You’ve had multiple consecutive high-intensity days
• You need mental refreshment without complete stoppage
• Between harder sessions during a regular training week

Building an Effective Recovery Strategy for Ironman Training

The most successful Ironman athletes aren’t those who can hammer the hardest—they’re the ones who can recover most efficiently between sessions. Here’s a framework that works:

1. Track your metrics: Monitor morning heart rate, sleep quality, and subjective feelings of freshness.
2. Plan recovery days: Schedule 1-2 dedicated recovery days per week—don’t leave them to chance.
3. Be flexible: Sometimes an active recovery day needs to become a passive one based on your body’s feedback.
4. Prioritize sleep: No recovery technique compensates for poor sleep.
5. Create recovery routines: Develop consistent post-workout practices that signal to your body it’s time to repair.

The Bottom Line

The difference between good and great Ironman athletes often comes down to recovery intelligence. Those who can honestly assess their recovery needs—without ego getting in the way—typically experience fewer injuries and more consistent improvement.

Remember: there’s no medal for being the most exhausted athlete in training. The medal comes from being the athlete who arrives at the start line healthy, well-rested, and ready to perform.

Whether you choose active or passive recovery on any given day, make it deliberate. Your body will thank you—usually with better performance when it matters most.

When injury strikes, it feels like your world is collapsing. Trust me, I get it. Having recently deferred my own Ironman—my A race for the year—I’ve been living this reality. But here’s the truth: injuries aren’t just setbacks; they’re opportunities in disguise. As endurance athletes, we’ll all face them sooner or later. The difference between those who emerge stronger and those who don’t comes down to one thing: mindset.

Your Worth Isn’t Your Next Finish Line

First things first: you are not your race results.

Your entire identity and worth aren’t wrapped up in crossing that finish line. Whether you complete your planned Ironman, Ultra, or OCR challenge this year or not, your life fundamentally stays the same. Your family still loves you. Your friends still value you. Your career continues. The sun still rises.

I once told an Ironman athlete that it wasn’t going to say “Ironman” on their tombstone. They actually told me it will! While I respect the dedication, it highlights how we sometimes lose perspective when deeply invested in our goals.

When You Can’t Train, Evolve

A forced training break doesn’t mean wasted time. It means redirected energy. Here’s where you can focus instead:
Nutrition: Most athletes barely scratch the surface of optimizing their fueling strategies. Use this time to dial in your nutrition, experiment with different pre-workout meals, or finally figure out why you bonk at mile 18.
Technical Knowledge: Become the person who understands every component of your bike. Learn the mechanics of running form. Study race strategy for your next event.
Mental Training: The mind is your most underutilized performance tool. Practice visualization, develop pre-race routines, or learn meditation techniques that will serve you when you return to full training.

Find Joy Outside Your Sport

The most resilient athletes I coach have identities beyond their training logs. When injury strikes, they pivot to other passions:

A triathlete in my group learned Spanish during her recovery from plantar fasciitis—conveniently preparing for her bucket-list Barcelona Ironman the following year.

Another athlete took up painting by numbers (similar to what my friend bought me during my recent setback). He lost hours to this newfound hobby, giving his mind the same focused rest that training previously provided.

Other productive distractions my athletes have embraced:
Learning musical instruments
Improving handwriting
Journaling
Meditation practice
Reading those performance books collecting dust on the shelf

Work Around, Not Against

If you’re dealing with a specific injury rather than complete rest, adapt your training. Don’t fight your body’s signals.

Can’t run? Focus on your swim technique or get in the gym on the elliptical – same HR and maintains your endurance. Shoulder injury? Time to focus on some solid lower body strength work, or perfecting your cycling cadence. Back issues? Perhaps core stability work becomes your priority.

The path to your goal isn’t always linear. Sometimes detours make you stronger, more resourceful, and ultimately faster when you return.

The Victim-to-Victory Mindset Shift

The single most important factor in injury recovery isn’t your physical therapy exercises (though do those religiously). It’s your mindset.

Victims ask: “Why did this happen to me?” Champions ask: “What can I do with what I have right now?”

This shift from focusing on what you can’t do to what you can do transforms everything. It puts you back in control. It turns frustration into fuel.

The Comeback Blueprint

1. Accept your current reality without judgment
2. Identify what aspects of performance you can still influence
3. Create a modified plan with specific, achievable goals
4. Celebrate small wins in your recovery journey
5. Connect with others who’ve overcome similar setbacks

Final Thoughts

Injuries feel like interruptions to your story as an athlete. They’re not. They’re chapters—often the most significant ones—where character is built and new strengths are discovered.

I’ve seen countless triathletes, OCR competitors, and runners come back from injury not just as the athletes they were before, but as smarter, more balanced performers. Their training gained intention. Their recovery became non-negotiable. Their appreciation for the sport deepened.

Your setback is temporary. What you learn from it is permanent.

Remember: focus on what you can do, not what you can’t. This is how you turn your mindset from victim to victory—and become a Different Breed of athlete in the process.

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) they will already be analysing and using this data. However, for those riding solo, or just interested in learning what goes on behind the curtain, let’s dive into what TSS is and why understanding it could be your key to better results.

What Exactly Is Training Stress Score?

Training Stress Score (TSS) is a numerical value that captures both the intensity and duration of your workout in a single, easy-to-understand number. Developed by Dr. Andrew Coggan and Hunter Allen for cycling training, the concept has since expanded to running, swimming, and other endurance disciplines.

At its core, TSS represents how much strain you’ve put on your body during a workout compared to what you could sustain for an hour at your maximum sustainable effort. The calculation takes into account your workout duration, normalized power (or equivalent metric for your sport), and intensity factor relative to your functional threshold power (FTP) or threshold pace.

For reference, an all-out one-hour effort at your threshold would give you a TSS of 100. A gentle recovery session might score 30-40, while a brutal three-hour race could rack up 250+ points. This standardization makes TSS incredibly valuable for comparing different types of workouts and tracking your training over time.

Why TSS Matters for Your Performance

Training without tracking TSS is like managing your finances without looking at your bank account. Sure, you might be able to get by on feel, but you’re missing crucial information that could help you make better decisions.

Objective Measurement of Training Load

Even the most experienced athletes can misjudge workout intensity. One day, a moderate effort might feel easy because you’re well-rested; the next day, that same workout might feel brutally hard because you’re tired, stressed, or didn’t fuel properly.

TSS cuts through the subjective experience and tells you exactly how much work your body performed. This objectivity becomes invaluable when planning training progressions and recovery periods.

Preventing the Overtraining Trap

The path to improved endurance performance involves pushing your limits—but push too far, too often, and you’ll find yourself injured, burnt out, or watching your performance plateau.

By monitoring your weekly TSS totals, you can ensure you’re training hard enough to stimulate adaptation without crossing into dangerous territory. Experienced coaches typically recommend different weekly TSS ranges based on your goals and experience level:

Recreational athletes pursuing general fitness might aim for 300-450 TSS per week, while serious amateurs training for competitions might target 450-700. Elite athletes can handle 700-1000+ TSS weekly, but they’ve built up to these levels progressively over years.

More importantly, TSS helps you avoid sudden increases in training load—often the primary culprit behind overuse injuries. The general guideline is to limit weekly TSS increases to 10-15% at most.

Precision-Guided Periodization

All effective training plans incorporate some form of periodization—alternating between building fitness and recovering—but TSS makes this process much more precise.

Instead of vaguely planning “hard weeks” and “easy weeks,” you can set specific TSS targets. A common approach is the 3:1 model: three weeks gradually increasing TSS followed by one week at 60-70% of your highest week’s load. This structure provides enough stress to stimulate adaptation and enough recovery to absorb the benefits.

Tracking Fitness and Fatigue

TSS contributes to two critical training metrics that help forecast your performance:

Chronic Training Load (CTL) represents your fitness level, calculated as the average daily TSS over the past six weeks. As this number rises, so does your capacity for endurance work.

Acute Training Load (ATL) indicates your fatigue level, based on average daily TSS over the past week. This number increases rapidly when you train hard and drops when you rest.

The difference between CTL and ATL gives you your Training Stress Balance (TSB), which predicts your race readiness. A positive TSB suggests freshness, while a negative number indicates fatigue.

Strategic Race Preparation

Perhaps the most practical application of TSS is in tapering for important events. Most athletes perform best when they reach the starting line with a TSB between +5 and +25, indicating they’ve reduced fatigue while maintaining fitness.

By managing your TSS in the weeks leading up to competition, you can hit this optimal range with precision rather than guessing at how much to cut back. This approach helps eliminate the common race day problems of feeling flat (overtapered) or tired (undertapered).

Making TSS Work For Your Training

Understanding the concept of TSS is just the beginning. Here’s how to implement it effectively in your training:

Establish Accurate Baseline Values

Before TSS can provide meaningful data, you need accurate baseline measurements for your current fitness. For cyclists, this means determining your Functional Threshold Power through testing. Runners will need their threshold pace or power, while swimmers should establish their threshold pace.

These values change as your fitness improves, so plan to reassess every 4-8 weeks during focused training blocks.

Focus on Weekly Patterns, Not Daily Numbers

While it’s tempting to analyze each workout’s TSS in isolation, the more important metric is your weekly total. This broader view helps you maintain perspective and avoid the trap of making every workout “special.”

Successful athletes typically follow patterns where training load increases gradually for 3-4 weeks, then drops for a recovery week before building again. This approach allows for consistent progress without overreaching.

Create Meaningful Contrasts Between Workouts

The most effective training plans include clear distinctions between hard and easy days. When viewing your training through the lens of TSS, this means some workouts should generate high TSS values while others should deliberately aim for lower numbers.

A well-structured week might include one or two high-TSS key sessions that push your limits, several moderate maintenance workouts, and two or three low-TSS recovery sessions. This variance allows your body to absorb the stress of hard training through adequate recovery.

Consider Intensity Distribution

Two workouts with identical TSS values can affect your body in dramatically different ways. A four-hour easy ride might generate the same TSS as a 45-minute high-intensity interval session, but they stress different energy systems and require different recovery strategies.

For optimal development, most endurance athletes need a mix of both approaches: long, steady efforts to build aerobic capacity and shorter, intense sessions to improve power and speed. TSS helps you quantify both types of stress, but you’ll still need to consider the nature of each workout when planning your training.

Understanding the Limitations

As valuable as TSS is, it’s not a perfect measurement of all training stress:

TSS doesn’t fully account for environmental factors like heat, humidity, or altitude, all of which can significantly increase the physiological cost of training. A 100-TSS workout in 95-degree heat is much more demanding than the same workout in comfortable conditions.

It also doesn’t distinguish between different types of physiological stress. A workout heavy on anaerobic efforts might generate the same TSS as a purely aerobic session but could require much more recovery time.

Perhaps most importantly, TSS only measures training stress, not life stress. Sleep quality, work pressure, family responsibilities, and countless other factors influence your ability to recover from training.

Use TSS as a powerful guiding tool, but combine it with subjective measures like perceived exertion and recovery quality for a complete picture of your training status.

Putting It All Together

Training Stress Score gives you an objective way to quantify, track, and plan your endurance training. By monitoring this metric over time, you can train more effectively, recover more strategically, and perform better when it matters most.

Most importantly, TSS helps you avoid the two most common training mistakes: doing too much too soon and failing to recover adequately between hard efforts. Whether you’re preparing for your first century ride or your tenth marathon, understanding and applying TSS principles can help you train smarter, not just harder.

In endurance sports, where consistent training over months and years leads to success, tools that help you sustain your efforts without breakdown are invaluable. TSS might just be the most important number you’re not yet tracking.

Are you using TSS to guide your training? Share your experience in the comments below, or reach out if you need help implementing this powerful metric into your training plan.

Tech has turned us into data junkies. Heart rate monitors, power meters, GPS trackers – we’re drowning in numbers. But here’s the real deal: sometimes your body speaks louder than any device.

The Metrics Trap

Most athletes – whether you’re tackling your first race or gunning for an age group podium – get stuck in the numbers game. We forget the most advanced performance tracker is right here: your own body.

What Are Subtle Performance Signals?

These are the early warning signs your body sends before things go sideways:

• Crappy sleep patterns
• Mood swings that don’t make sense
• Tiny changes in morning heart rate
• Weird muscle tension
• Motivation tank running on empty

Reading Your Body’s Roadmap

Sleep: Your Performance Canary

Red flags in your sleep mean trouble:

• Lying awake staring at the ceiling
• Waking up feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck
• Sleeping enough but still exhausted

These aren’t just bad nights. They’re your body screaming, “Hey, slow down!”

Mental Game Signals

Performance isn’t just physical. Watch for:

• Training feels like a chore
• Workouts suddenly feel impossible
• Randomly irritable or flat

Your brain is trying to tell you something.

Physical Warning Lights

Keep an eye on:

• Persistent muscle soreness that won’t quit
• Movement feeling slightly… off
• Unexpected muscle tightness
• Reduced flexibility

How to Get Real with Your Body

1. Morning Body Check: 2-3 minutes of paying attention. How do you actually feel?
2. Ditch the Perfectionist Log: Track more than just numbers. Energy. Mood. The stuff that matters.
3. Weekly Reality Check: Every Sunday, look for patterns. Be honest with yourself.

When to Hit the Brakes

Seeing 2-3 of these signals? Time to:

• Dial back intensity
• Add a recovery day
• Focus on mobility
• Talk to a professional

The Different Breed Reality Check

Peak performance isn’t about grinding harder. It’s about working smarter.

Real Talk: You’re not a pro athlete getting paid to break yourself. You’re an athlete who loves pushing limits – but smart limits.

Listen to your body. Adapt. Keep showing up.

The scenario is all too familiar: You’ve trained diligently for months. Your fitness is peak. Your equipment is dialed in. Your nutrition plan has been tested on long training days. Yet somehow, 3 hours into your Ironman or 10 miles into your marathon, your stomach revolts. Nausea sets in. Cramping begins. The portaloo toilet stops multiply. Your carefully calculated pace slows to a walk, and your race goals begin slipping away.

Gastrointestinal issues represent one of the most common reasons endurance athletes fail to achieve their potential on race day. Studies suggest up to 90% of ultrarunners and 70% of triathletes experience some form of GI distress during competition. Even more frustrating, nutrition strategies that worked flawlessly in training can suddenly fail during events.

The good news? Many mid-race nutrition disasters can be troubleshot and corrected before they completely derail your performance. Let’s explore why these issues happen and how to address them when they strike.

Why Race Day Is Different

Understanding why your digestive system behaves differently during competition is the first step toward prevention and troubleshooting:

Race intensity often exceeds training intensity, redirecting blood flow away from the digestive system and toward working muscles. This reduced blood flow compromises digestive function.

Adrenaline and stress hormones spike on race morning, slowing gastric emptying and altering how your body processes nutrients.

Weather conditions may differ significantly from your training environment, changing sweat rates and electrolyte needs.

The cumulative fatigue of a long event creates a progressively more sensitive gut as the race continues.

Race morning routines often disrupt normal eating patterns and timing, throwing off your digestive rhythm.

Common GI Issues and Real-Time Solutions

Problem: Nausea/Feeling of Fullness

This often indicates that your stomach isn’t emptying properly, creating a backlog of fluid and nutrition.

Real-time fixes: Temporarily reduce intake concentration by drinking plain water for 15-20 minutes while continuing to sip very small amounts of your nutrition.

Switch to a different carbohydrate source. If using maltodextrin-based products, try glucose or fructose options instead, or vice versa.

Slow down your pace temporarily to allow more blood flow to return to your digestive system.

Try solid food if you’ve been using only liquids, or liquids if you’ve been relying on solids. Sometimes the change itself can trigger improved digestion.

Problem: Bloating and Gas

This typically signals either excess air swallowing, carbonation from sports drinks, or fermentation of certain carbohydrates in your gut.

Real-time fixes: Focus on your breathing pattern to reduce air swallowing, especially during high-intensity efforts.

Switch to different carbohydrate sources that may be easier for your body to absorb – often individual carbohydrates (just glucose or just fructose) are easier to process than blends when your system is stressed.

Try ginger chews, which naturally aid digestion and can reduce gas formation.

Take smaller, more frequent sips rather than large gulps of fluid.

Problem: Diarrhea or Urgent Bowel Movements

This is often caused by hyperosmolar solutions (too concentrated nutrition), excess magnesium or vitamin C in supplements, or simply the jostling motion of running.

Real-time fixes: Reduce the concentration of your sports drink immediately by adding more water.

Eliminate caffeine from your remaining nutrition plan.

Consider taking a fast-acting anti-diarrheal medication (only if you’ve tested this previously in training).

Temporarily switch to easily digestible solid foods like white rice or plain saltine crackers.

Focus on sodium intake, as sodium helps your intestines absorb water.

Problem: Cramping and Stomach Pain

These can have multiple causes, including electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, or consuming too much fiber or fat before or during the event.

Real-time fixes: Try taking additional sodium (600-1000mg) in concentrated form.

Sip flat cola which provides both easily digestible sugars and small amounts of caffeine that can aid absorption.

Apply gentle pressure or massage to cramping abdominal muscles.

For severe cramping, walk while tall with arms overhead for 30-60 seconds to create more space for your digestive system.

The Decision Framework: Push Through or Adjust?

When GI issues strike, athletes face a critical decision: try to maintain pace and original nutrition strategy, or make adjustments. Consider these factors:

Time remaining in the event: Early problems in long events almost always require adjustment rather than pushing through.

Severity of symptoms: Mild discomfort can often be tolerated, but significant pain or multiple bathroom stops require intervention.

Relationship to intake: If symptoms worsen immediately after consuming nutrition, that’s a clear signal to change your strategy.

The “15-Minute Rule”: If you make a nutrition change, commit to it for at least 15 minutes before judging its effectiveness or making additional changes.

Creating Your Nutrition Rescue Kit

Smart athletes prepare for potential GI issues by assembling a “rescue kit” of alternative nutrition sources. Consider including:

Different carbohydrate sources than your primary nutrition (if your plan relies on maltodextrin, include glucose or fructose alternatives)

Easily digestible real foods like boiled potatoes with salt, white rice, or saltine crackers

Ginger chews or capsules for nausea

Sodium tablets separate from your regular electrolyte sources

Liquid options if you normally rely on solids, and some solid options if you typically use liquids

Anti-diarrheal medication (only if pre-tested in training)

Prevention Through Simulation

The best way to handle race-day nutrition disasters is to prevent them entirely. In the months leading up to your key event:

Practice your exact nutrition strategy during race-simulation workouts at target intensity

Train your gut by using increasingly concentrated nutrition during specific training sessions

Experiment with your pre-race meal timing to identify your optimal window

Test your race-morning routine, including timing, food choices and bathroom schedule, multiple times

Practice your nutrition strategy under various conditions – heat, humidity, different intensities

When Disaster Strikes: The Mental Game

Perhaps the most critical aspect of handling mid-race nutrition problems is maintaining perspective. GI issues, while physically uncomfortable and performance-limiting, are temporary. Many champions have overcome significant stomach problems to finish strong.

Rather than catastrophizing (“My race is ruined!”), frame the situation as a problem-solving challenge: “This is a temporary setback. I have tools to address this.”

Remember that slowing down temporarily to fix nutrition problems often results in stronger performance later in the race compared to pushing through and suffering increasingly severe consequences.

Your Post-Race Learning Opportunity

If you experience GI issues during an event, document everything while it’s fresh in your mind. Note the specific symptoms, when they began, what you consumed before they started, and what interventions helped or hurt. This information becomes invaluable for preventing similar issues in future races.

Analyze the differences between your training environment and race conditions. Did weather, intensity, pre-race routine, or specific foods differ significantly?

GI issues are rarely random – they typically follow patterns that, once identified, can be addressed systematically.

Proper nutrition remains one of the most trainable aspects of endurance performance. With careful attention to troubleshooting when problems arise and dedicated practice to prevent future issues, you can transform this common race-day disaster into one of your competitive advantages.

Has a nutrition disaster affected your race performance? Reach out by email to share your experience or to inquire about personalized nutrition strategies for your next endurance challenge.

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 routines. Suddenly, that meticulously crafted training plan seems impossible to maintain. Many athletes face an uncomfortable choice: push through regardless and risk burnout, or abandon training entirely and watch fitness gains slip away.

There’s a better approach. Let’s explore how to adapt your training during high-stress periods without sacrificing the fitness you’ve worked so hard to build.

Recognizing the Signs

The first step is acknowledging when life stress is becoming problematic for your training. Your body doesn’t distinguish between training stress and life stress – it all draws from the same recovery resources. Watch for these warning signs:

Sleep quality deteriorates despite fatigue. You’re physically exhausted but lie awake with racing thoughts or wake frequently during the night.

Heart rate metrics change. Your resting heart rate rises, heart rate variability drops, or your working heart rate at familiar intensities feels unusually high.

Minor injuries or niggles persist rather than improving with regular recovery methods.

Workouts that normally energize you leave you feeling depleted for hours or days afterward.

Motivation wanes, and sessions you typically enjoy become something you dread.

When these signs appear, it’s time to adapt – not push through. Your body is telling you something important.

The Science of Preservation Training

Research in exercise physiology offers good news: maintaining fitness requires significantly less training volume than building it initially. A concept called “preservation training” shows we can maintain most adaptations with as little as 1/3 of our normal training volume for periods of 2-3 weeks.

The key is maintaining some intensity while reducing overall volume. High-intensity interval training stimulates many of the same adaptations as longer steady-state work but with far less time commitment.

Practical Adaptation Strategies

When life stress peaks, consider these practical adjustments:

Shorten workouts but preserve intensity. A 20-minute session with focused intervals can maintain many of the physiological adaptations of longer training. For example, replace a 90-minute threshold ride with 3-4 x 3-minute threshold intervals after a short warm-up.

Prioritize key sessions and eliminate others completely. Rather than trying to squeeze in every workout at reduced quality, maintain full quality on 2-3 key sessions per week and let the others go.

Combine modalities when possible. A brick workout combining a short swim immediately followed by a run can preserve stimulus across multiple disciplines in less time than separate sessions.

Focus on sleep quality over early morning training. During high stress periods, an extra hour of sleep often provides more performance benefit than an extra hour of training.

Recovery Becomes Primary, Not Secondary

During normal training blocks, recovery supports training. During high stress periods, this relationship flips: limited training supports recovery.

Increase emphasis on simple recovery techniques: compression wear after workouts, proper hydration, protein intake within 30 minutes of training, and brief active recovery sessions like easy swimming or cycling.

Consider adding daily meditation or breathing practices, which research shows can significantly reduce cortisol levels and improve recovery during stressful periods.

Real World Success: A DB Athlete’s Story

One of my athletes, an age-group triathlete preparing for their 2nd Ironman, faced an unexpected work crisis eight weeks before their race. Their usual 15-hour training weeks became impossible with required overtime and increased responsibilities.

Rather than abandoning the race goals, we restructured our approach. We maintained the weekly long ride and run but reduced both by 20%. We condensed the swim training to two weekly sessions focused on technique and short intervals. Most importantly, we eliminated all moderate-intensity miles and replaced them with either full recovery or targeted high-intensity work.

The result? My athlete arrived at race day with less overall training volume but feeling fresher and more confident. They finished within five minutes of their goal time and reported feeling stronger throughout the marathon portion than in their previous Ironman event.

Using this approach early on in my Ironman Coaching journey has informed and shaped the the way I program, and is definitely my own personal preferred method of training myself.

The Mental Adjustment

Perhaps the biggest challenge in adapting training isn’t physical but psychological. Athletes often tie their identity to their training volume. Reducing hours can trigger anxiety about losing fitness or falling behind competitors.

Remember that consistency across months and years builds extraordinary fitness, not heroic efforts during already stressful weeks. The athlete who adapts intelligently during high-stress periods often arrives at their goal race mentally fresher and physically stronger than those who force their normal training through at all costs.

High performance comes from applying the right stimulus at the right time – and sometimes, that means less training, not more.

Has life stress impacted your training recently? I’d love to hear how you managed it. Email me with your experiences or reach out for personalized guidance on navigating your next training challenge. Remember, smart adaptation during stressful periods can be the difference between arriving at your race refreshed or burnt out.

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 easy effort – is possibly the most underutilized yet powerful tool in endurance development. It’s the pace where you can easily hold a conversation, where your breathing is controlled, and where, frankly, your ego might be screaming that you should be going faster.

But here’s the thing: this “easy” pace is building your aerobic engine in ways that harder efforts simply cannot.

What Exactly is Zone 2?

Zone 2 typically corresponds to:

60-70% of your maximum heart rate. A perceived effort of 4-5 out of 10. A pace where conversation is completely comfortable. Below your aerobic threshold.

While the exact numbers vary between training systems, the principle remains the same: Zone 2 is working hard enough to stimulate adaptations but easy enough to recover from quickly.

The Science Behind Slow Running

When you train in Zone 2, several crucial adaptations occur:

Increased mitochondrial density in muscle cells. Enhanced fat oxidation (your body gets better at using fat for fuel). Improved capillary development. Strengthened cardiac muscle. Reduced strain on joints and connective tissue.

These adaptations build the foundation upon which all your higher-intensity work depends. Without this base, you’re building a house on sand.

The 80/20 Rule

Elite endurance athletes across disciplines – from marathoners to triathletes to ultrarunners – typically follow an 80/20 approach:

80% of training in Zones 2 (easy, aerobic work). 20% in Zones 3-5 (moderate to high intensity).

This ratio isn’t accidental. It’s the sweet spot that maximizes adaptations while minimizing injury risk and burnout.

Why We Resist Going Slow

Despite its benefits, Zone 2 training faces major resistance from many runners:

First, there’s ego – It can feel embarrassingly slow, especially if others see you. Second comes misunderstanding – The “no pain, no gain” mentality is deeply ingrained. Third is impatience – Results from Zone 2 take time to manifest. Finally, technology – Constant data feedback makes us want to “beat yesterday.”

How to Get Your Zone 2 Right

Finding Your Zone 2

You can determine your Zone 2 through several methods however, I recommend testing your lactate threshold and setting your zones from there.

You can find out how to do that here:
https://differentbreed.io/why-lactate-threshold-trumps-max-heart-rate-for-endurance-training/
https://differentbreed.io/how-to-test-your-lactate-threshold/
https://differentbreed.io/setting-your-hr-zones-how-to-judge-progress/

Other methods:
Heart rate: 60-70% of maximum heart rate.
Talk test: You should be able to speak in complete sentences comfortably.
Rate of perceived exertion: Around 4-5 out of 10.

Common Zone 2 Mistakes

Starting too fast and “settling in.” Creeping up in pace as you warm up. Pushing uphills too hard. Getting competitive when others pass you.

Practical Implementation

1. Dedicate specific sessions to Zone 2 training.
2. Leave the watch at home occasionally to connect with effort rather than pace.
3. Use heart rate or perceived exertion rather than pace as your primary metric.
4. Plan routes without steep hills that might force you out of Zone 2.
5. Run alone if group dynamics push your pace up.

The Long Game: Results Take Time

The benefits of Zone 2 training aren’t immediate. You’re making fundamental adaptations to your aerobic system that might take 6-12 weeks to fully manifest. But when they do, you’ll notice:

Better endurance at all intensities. Faster recovery between hard efforts. Improved efficiency. Lower resting heart rate. Less fatigue during daily activities.

A Zone 2 Challenge

I challenge you to commit to the following for the next four weeks:

1. Make at least 80% of your running time strictly Zone 2.
2. Keep a training log specifically noting how you feel during and after runs.
3. Record resting heart rate daily.
4. Note any changes in sleep quality.
5. After four weeks, test yourself with a time trial.

The results may surprise you. Many athletes find that after a dedicated Zone 2 block, they can run faster at the same heart rate or maintain the same pace at a lower heart rate – the definition of improved efficiency.

Beyond Running: Zone 2 Across Activities

The Zone 2 principle applies to all endurance activities. Whether cycling, swimming, rowing, or using the elliptical, the same physiological benefits apply. This makes Zone 2 work perfect for cross-training days or active recovery.

Final Thoughts

In our constant pursuit of improvement, sometimes the best path forward is to slow down. Zone 2 training isn’t flashy, doesn’t make for impressive Strava posts, and requires patience. But it builds the engine that powers every PB, every summit, and every finish line.

Give yourself permission to go slow. Your future faster self will thank you 

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 Think About Heat Now?

British weather is notoriously unpredictable. Recent years have shown us that:
Early spring can bring unexpected warm spells
April marathons have seen temperatures from 5°C to 22°C
Greenhouse effects in city marathons can add several degrees
Even moderate heat (15-18°C) can impact performance if you’re not prepared

The Advantage of Early Adaptation

Starting your heat training now provides several benefits:
6-8 weeks to build heat tolerance gradually
Time to test different strategies
Ability to include heat adaptation in peak training
Buffer for adjusting training if needed
Race-day confidence in any conditions

Why British Athletes Need to Take Heat Seriously

Our temperate climate can be both a blessing and a curse. While those mild training days are comfortable, they don’t prepare us for:
Summer races hitting 25°C+ by midday
Mediterranean races averaging 30°C
The humidity that often accompanies British summer heat
Sudden temperature spikes that can catch us off-guard

The Science of Heat Adaptation

When your body adapts to heat, several beneficial changes occur:
Blood plasma volume increases
Sweat rate increases and starts at a lower core temperature
Heart rate at given efforts decreases
Perceived effort in heat decreases
Electrolyte conservation improves

Strategic Heat Training for British Weather

Phase 1: Indoor Preparation (Early Spring)

Overdress for easy indoor treadmill runs
Use a warm room for strength training
Take longer hot baths after training
Consider using a sauna after key sessions

Phase 2: Tactical Outdoor Training (Late Spring)

Run at midday when temperatures are highest
Wear an extra layer during easy runs
Target sunny, windless routes
Use conservatories or greenhouses for static exercises

Phase 3: Heat Simulation (When Needed)

Layer up for short portions of long runs
Practice race nutrition in warmer conditions
Use indoor training rooms without fans
Consider heat chamber sessions if targeting hot races

Warning Signs vs. Adaptation Signs

Positive Adaptation Signs:

Earlier onset of sweating
More even sweat distribution
Reduced perceived effort in mild heat
Faster recovery from hot sessions
Better maintenance of pace in warm conditions

Warning Signs to Watch:

Dizziness or nausea
Reduced urine output or dark urine
Inability to maintain normal paces
Excessive fatigue post-session
Elevated resting heart rate

Practical Implementation for UK Athletes

Nutrition and Hydration Adjustments:

Start hydrating earlier in the day
Increase electrolyte intake gradually
Practice different hydration strategies
Monitor weight pre/post sessions
Adjust fuelling for increased sweat rates

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Rushing the Process

Heat adaptation takes 10-14 days
Benefits peak around 2-3 weeks
Adaptation is lost quickly if not maintained

Overdoing It

Not every session needs heat exposure
Quality sessions should prioritise performance
Recovery becomes more important

Ignoring Individual Responses

Some athletes adapt faster than others
Previous heat exposure helps
Health conditions can affect adaptation

Race-Specific Preparation

For UK Summer Races:

Check historical weather data
Train during predicted race-day temperatures
Practice with expected race conditions
Have multiple race-day strategies ready

For Overseas Races:

Arrive early if possible (7-10 days ideal)
Begin heat training before travel
Account for humidity differences
Consider time zone impacts

Moving Forward

Start your heat adaptation journey now, before you need it. The gradual transition from spring to summer provides a perfect opportunity to build heat tolerance naturally. Remember, the goal isn’t to make every run a suffer-fest – it’s to prepare your body systematically for the demands of summer endurance training and racing.

Remember: In typical British fashion, the weather will remain unpredictable. But with proper preparation, you’ll be ready for whatever race day brings.

You’ve completed multiple races, logged hundreds of training miles, maybe even tackled an ultra or an Ironman. Yet somehow, when someone calls you an “endurance athlete,” you feel like a fraud. Sound familiar?

The Endurance Imposter

Here’s a reality check: that elite runner you admire? They once stood where you are. That veteran ultra-runner sharing war stories at your local trail group? They too wondered if they were “real” runners. Imposter syndrome doesn’t discriminate based on ability level, experience, or achievement.

Signs You’re Experiencing Athletic Imposter Syndrome

Attributing your successes to luck rather than preparation
Feeling like you don’t belong at race starting lines
Downplaying your achievements (“It was just a small ultra”)
Constant comparison to “real” athletes
Fear of being “found out” as a fraud

The Identity Paradox

Here’s the fascinating thing about athletic identity: it’s not built on achievements alone. Some finishers of multiple 100-milers still don’t see themselves as “real” ultra-runners, while others confidently claim their runner identity after their first 5K. The difference isn’t in the miles – it’s in the mindset.

The Truth About Becoming

Becoming an endurance athlete isn’t about mimicking what you think an athlete should be.
It’s about:

Embracing Your Journey
Every athlete’s path is unique
Your struggles and triumphs are equally valid
Your “non-traditional” approach might be exactly what works for you

Owning Your Process
Focus on personal growth rather than external validation
Celebrate your consistency, not just your achievements
Acknowledge the daily choices that make you an athlete

Building Authentic Goals
Set targets that resonate with YOUR why
Create benchmarks based on personal progress
Define success on your own terms

Practical Steps for the Identity Shift

1. Start with Language
Replace “I’m trying to be a runner” with “I am a runner”
Stop qualifying your achievements (“just” a marathon, “only” a 50K)
Share your experiences without self-deprecation

2. Document Your Journey
Keep a training log that includes mental and emotional progress
Take photos of everyday training, not just race day
Write down your “firsts” and milestones, no matter how small

3. Connect Authentically
Share both struggles and successes with fellow athletes
Mentor newer athletes (yes, you have something to offer!)
Engage in community events at your current level

4. Create Identity-Based Habits
Build daily routines that reinforce your athletic identity
Make decisions based on “what would an athlete do?”
Surround yourself with supportive influences

The Power of Micro-Identities

Remember, you don’t have to claim the title of “elite athlete” to be a real athlete.
Consider building these micro-identities:
The consistent trainer
The dedicated recoverer
The perpetual learner
The resilient competitor
The supportive community member

When Achievement Isn’t Enough

Sometimes, the more you achieve, the stronger imposter syndrome becomes. This paradox often strikes after significant accomplishments. Remember:

Achievement doesn’t automatically create belonging
Identity is built through consistent small actions
Your worth as an athlete isn’t measured in miles or medals

Moving Forward

The next time you line up at a start line or join a group run, remember:

Every athlete around you has experienced self-doubt
Your presence there is not an accident
You’ve earned your place through every training day, every early morning, and every choice to keep going

The shift from mimicking to becoming happens gradually, through conscious choice and consistent action. It’s not about waiting until you feel ready – it’s about claiming your identity now and growing into it day by day.

Start today: Say it out loud: “I am an endurance athlete.” The more you embody this truth, the more naturally it will flow, and the more authentically you’ll show up in your training and racing.

Remember, the only person who needs to believe you’re an athlete is you. The rest will follow.

When I kicked off our nutrition month challenge in my Private Facebook Group, the DB Endurance Zone, I wanted to prove something important: successful nutrition isn’t about perfection – it’s about consistency and balance. Our community members have been achieving amazing results by following these principles together.

The Five Fundamentals We Covered

1. Protein Intake: Building Blocks for Success

We started with protein because it’s fundamental to both performance and body composition. The science is clear about our needs as athletes:

Let’s break down what science tells us about protein requirements:

• Sedentary adults: 0.8g per kg of body weight daily (baseline)
• Moderate training (3-5 sessions/week): 1.2-1.4g/kg
• Heavy training blocks: 1.6-1.8g/kg
• Peak training (multiple sessions/day): up to 2g/kg

For example, a 70kg athlete in heavy training needs 112-126g protein daily. Spread this across your day with 20-30g at meals and 10-15g in snacks. This supports recovery, manages hunger, and maintains energy levels

Focus on whole food sources: lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, and plant-based options for our vegetarian athletes.

2. Strategic Meal Timing

Timing isn’t everything, but it can significantly impact your performance. Here are the key principles:

• Eat your final meal at least 2 hours before bed
• Never train fasted – even morning sessions need fuel
• Pre-training: Eat 2-4 hours before, depending on the meal
• Post-training: Refuel within 30 minutes (up to 60 for men)
• Space meals/snacks 2-3 hours apart

Remember: Don’t stick to a routine just because it’s familiar. Be open to experimenting with what works best for you.

3. Tackling Sugar Cravings

This was perhaps our most discussed topic in the DB Endurance Zone. Instead of demonising sugar, we explored the psychology behind cravings and developed strategies for healthier alternatives. More importantly, we acknowledged that sometimes, having that chocolate bar is perfectly fine – it’s about the overall pattern, not individual choices. Our group members have shared some brilliant alternative snack ideas that actually work!

4. Fighting Inflammation Through Diet

As endurance athletes, managing inflammation is crucial for both performance and recovery. While some inflammation is a natural part of training adaptation, excessive inflammation can impair recovery and increase injury risk.

5. Understanding Carbs and Fibre

We finished with perhaps the most misunderstood nutrient: carbohydrates. By exploring the role of both carbs and fibre, we established how to fuel performance while supporting gut health – a crucial balance for endurance athletes.

Real Results: My January Journey

The numbers tell an interesting story:

• Weight loss: 2kg
• Fat Loss: 1.5%
• Muscle gain: 1kg

But here’s what makes these results significant: they were achieved while maintaining a balanced lifestyle. During this period, I:

• Had McDonald’s twice
• Enjoyed chocolate on three occasions
• Kept the rest of my nutrition on point

The 7-Day Challenge

To wrap up nutrition month, I’m challenging everyone to track their intake for seven full days. Not to restrict or judge, but to learn. Understanding what you’re actually consuming – not what you think you’re consuming – is often eye-opening. Our FB group members are already sharing their eye-opening discoveries and supporting each other through this challenge!

Key Takeaway: The Power of Moderation

The most important lesson from this month isn’t about specific foods or timing – it’s about sustainability. My favorite saying has become: “You can have anything you want. You just can’t have everything you want.”

This approach works because it’s:

• Sustainable long-term
• Mentally healthy
• Compatible with real life
• Focused on progress, not perfection

What’s Next?

Ready to transform your nutrition and performance? Here’s your action plan:
1) Take on the 7-day tracking challenge with our community
2) Share your journey and learn from others who are walking the same path

Tracking everything for 7 days is one of the biggest nutrition hacks that very few seem willing to do! In our group, you’ll find tips, tricks, and support to make it easier.

➡️ Join the facebook group ‘The DB Endurance Zone’ if you don’t want to miss out on daily tips, support, and motivation from fellow athletes who understand your journey.

Remember: Your journey is unique. Focus on progress, not perfection, and celebrate every win, no matter how small. Our community is here to celebrate with you!

#DBEnduranceZone #NutritionSuccess #EnduranceNutrition

As one of Team DB took on their first 100-miler of 2025 last weekend there was a lot of discussion about how you keep going during something like that.

Let’s dive into one of the most powerful tools in an endurance athlete’s mental toolkit: self-talk. What you say to yourself during those challenging moments can make the difference between pushing through and throwing in the towel.

The Pink Elephant Effect

Try this: Don’t think about pink elephants.

What happened? You immediately pictured a pink elephant, didn’t you? This isn’t just a quirky mind game – it demonstrates a fundamental truth about how our brains process information. When we encounter a negative command (“don’t”), our brains often struggle to process the negative aspect, instead focusing on the core image or concept.

The Science Behind Self-Talk

Recent research in sports psychology has revealed that the structure of our self-talk significantly impacts our performance. When we use negative phrases, even with positive intentions, our brains focus on the very thing we’re trying to avoid:

“Don’t quit” becomes simply “quit” in our mental processing

“Don’t slow down” translates to “slow down”

“Don’t give up” emphasises “give up”

This cognitive mechanism can sabotage our best intentions, especially during the later stages of an endurance event when our mental defences are compromised by fatigue.

The Power of Process-Focused Self-Talk

Studies have shown that focusing on the “how” of movement – what sports psychologists call process-oriented self-talk – can be remarkably effective. 

While running might seem simple (just put one foot in front of the other, right?), we can break it down into specific, actionable focus points:

Physical Cues for Stronger Running

Arm position: Maintain 45-degree angles, drive upward, hands moving heart to hip

Upper body: Shoulders relaxed and down, head level, gaze forward

Footwork: Light, quick steps minimising ground contact time

Breathing: Rhythmic and controlled, matched to your cadence

Strategic Focus Points

Checkpoint-to-checkpoint thinking

Form maintenance during fatigue

Efficiency optimisation

Rhythm establishment

Reframing Your Mental Dialogue

Instead of negative-based commands, transform your self-talk into positive, action-oriented statements:

Traditional Phrases → Improved Alternatives

“Don’t stop” → “Keep moving forward”
“Don’t slow down” → “Maintain this rhythm”
“Don’t quit” → “Stay strong”
“Don’t lose form” → “Run tall and smooth”

Practical Application for Your Next Long Run

Pre-Run Preparation
Set specific process-focused mantras
Identify key form cues for different stages of your run
Prepare positive phrases for challenging moments

During the Run
Break the distance into manageable segments
Rotate through your form cues every few minutes
Use your prepared positive phrases when fatigue sets in

When Things Get Tough
Focus on immediate, achievable actions
Return to your breath and form cues
Use checkpoint-to-checkpoint thinking

Remember

The mind is a powerful ally in endurance sports, but it needs the right programming to work in your favor. By consciously shifting your self-talk from negative-based to positive, process-focused cues, you’re setting yourself up for stronger, more confident performances.

Every mile isn’t measured by perfection, but by persistence.

In the unforgiving world of endurance sports, a single bad run can feel like a devastating blow—a silent whisper that questions your entire athletic identity. But what if that moment of struggle wasn’t a setback, but a setup? What if each challenging training session is actually a masterclass in resilience, teaching you more about your potential than any seamless performance ever could?

Reframing the Struggle

Resilience isn’t about never falling; it’s about how you rise after each stumble. When a training session goes sideways—your pace feels off, your legs are heavy, your mind is battling—it’s crucial to shift your perspective. These moments aren’t failures; they’re fundamental building blocks of athletic growth.

Key Strategies for Mental Resilience:

Analytical Approach: After a tough workout, take 10 minutes to journal. What specifically felt challenging? Were there environmental factors? Physical fatigue? Mental barriers?

Positive Reframing: Replace “I had a terrible run” with “This run taught me something about my current limits and potential.”

Context Matters: Remember that professional athletes have bad days too. One session doesn’t define your athletic journey.

Practical Resilience Techniques

Physical Recovery

Prioritise quality sleep
Maintain consistent nutrition
Use active recovery techniques
Listen to your body’s signals

Mental Recovery

Practice mindfulness meditation
Use visualisation techniques
Develop a supportive self-dialogue
Set flexible, adaptive goals

The Bigger Picture

Resilience is a skill, not a genetic lottery. It’s developed through consistent practice, reflection, and a commitment to growth. Your worst training days are often the catalysts for your most significant breakthroughs.

Action Steps

Create a “lesson learned” journal for challenging workouts
Develop a 5-minute post-workout reflection routine
Build a support network of fellow athletes
Practice self-compassion

Final Thought

Your resilience as an endurance athlete isn’t measured by how perfectly you execute every training session, but by your ability to learn, adapt, and continue moving forward—one step at a time.

Remember: The strongest athletes aren’t those who never struggle, but those who know how to transform struggle into strength.

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 walls, or hang their own doors. However, paying for expertise generally means getting the job done faster and to a higher standard.

I often hear athletes proudly proclaim, “I achieved ‘X’ on my own through pure determination, discipline, and willpower. I don’t need anyone else.” To which I always respond: That’s impressive – now imagine what you could have achieved with the extra support the right coach provides.

There’s a reason why every great sportsperson has a coach. You might not be aiming to be a world champion, but don’t you want to be the absolute best version of yourself?

Notice I’ve repeated “the right coach” – and that distinction is crucial.

After years in this game, I’ve learned that the relationship between coach and athlete is everything. Sometimes a partnership starts brilliantly but evolves to reveal fundamental misalignments. When that happens, the healthiest approach is to part ways professionally, thanking each other for the journey.

For a coaching relationship to work, you need shared core values and beliefs. I’ve separated from athletes whose approaches conflict with my fundamental philosophy that a better person makes a better athlete. If an athlete is willing to cut corners or prioritise outcomes over integrity, we’re not a good match.

I’ve also moved on from athletes who consistently undermine structured training. Rest days aren’t suggestions – they’re critical. An athlete adding an “easy” 10-mile run on a recovery day or sneaking in unnecessary strength work isn’t demonstrating commitment; they’re potentially sabotaging their own progress.

My mantra is always “Your Goals are My Goals” – but that doesn’t mean blindly supporting every impulse.

I’ve invested years studying endurance, biomechanics, and strength conditioning. For the right athlete, I can be transformative. For the wrong one, I’m likely seen as an obstacle.

The Tangible Benefits of Coaching: 

A great coach transforms your athletic journey through systematic, science-backed support:

Structured Learning and Optimisation:

Coaches provide training plans rooted in scientific principles and proven methods. Unlike self-devised programs, these structured approaches are designed for maximum efficiency, ensuring every training session has purpose and precision. For athletes balancing training with work, family, and other responsibilities, this targeted approach means achieving better results in less time.

Customised Performance Strategy:

 Cookie-cutter training plans are a thing of the past. A skilled coach tailors programs to your:

• Unique physiological makeup
• Individual strengths and weaknesses
• Specific age and fitness level
• Personal performance goals

This level of personalisation is virtually impossible to achieve through self-teaching or generic online resources.

Accountability and Psychological Support 

Beyond physical training, a coach serves as:

• A motivational catalyst
• An emotional support system
• An accountability partner who ensures you:
  
  • – Stick to training schedules
  • – Push through performance barriers
  • – Overcome mental and physical setbacks

Safety and Technical Mastery 

Coaches bring critical expertise in:

• Proper form and technique
• Injury prevention strategies
• Recognising signs of overtraining
• Biomechanics optimisation

Advanced Insights and Continuous Improvement 

Leveraging years of experience working with diverse athletes, coaches offer:

• Nuanced performance feedback
• Constructive criticism
• Performance monitoring
• Strategic technique refinement

The Holistic Approach 

A great coach doesn’t just improve your athletic performance – they invest in your comprehensive development as an athlete and individual. They bring a wealth of knowledge accumulated through years of working with athletes across various disciplines.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to train harder, but to train smarter. The right coach can be the difference between good and great – between potential and breakthrough.

Closing Thoughts: Your Potential, Unleashed

Ultimately, a coach isn’t about replacing your drive or undermining your self-belief. A great coach is a catalyst – someone who helps you unlock potential you didn’t even know you possessed. They’re the mirror reflecting your capabilities, the strategist mapping your path, and occasionally, the gentle but firm voice that keeps you accountable.

Whether you choose to work with a coach or continue your journey independently, the most important thing is maintaining curiosity, commitment, and a growth mindset. 

Keep learning, keep challenging yourself, and never stop believing in your capacity to improve.

Your athletic journey is uniquely yours. Own it.

As endurance athletes, we pour our hearts and souls into training for our biggest races. The months of gruelling workouts, careful nutrition, and mental preparation all culminate in that one pivotal event – the “A” race we’ve been building towards. But once the finish line tape is broken and the elation of achievement begins to fade, many athletes are left feeling a sense of emptiness and letdown. This post-race comedown is a natural part of the cycle, but handling it effectively is crucial for avoiding burnout and setting yourself up for future success. In this post, we’ll explore the reasons behind the post-race slump and share strategies for emerging from it stronger than ever.

There are several key factors that contribute to the post-race comedown:

Hormonal shift: 

During intense training and competition, our bodies produce elevated levels of hormones like cortisol, adrenaline, and endorphins that keep us energized and focused. But once the race is over, these hormone levels plummet, leading to a feeling of lethargy and emotional flatness.

Lack of structure: 

The regimented training schedule that provided a clear sense of purpose for months on end is suddenly gone, leaving athletes feeling lost and unsure of what to do next. This abrupt shift in routine can be disorienting.

Identity crisis: 

For many endurance athletes, their sport is a core part of their identity. When that intense focus is no longer required, it can leave a void and lead to feelings of losing one’s sense of self.

Unmet expectations: 

Even if an athlete achieves their goal, there can still be a sense of disappointment if the experience didn’t live up to their lofty expectations. The “let-down” feeling can set in as a result.

Recovery demands: 

The physical toll of the race means the body requires extensive rest and recovery, which can make athletes feel sluggish and unmotivated compared to their peak performance state.

Understanding these underlying reasons is the first step towards developing effective coping strategies. 

Now let’s explore practical ways for athletes to navigate the post-race comedown and position themselves for future success. 

Here are some proven techniques for handling the post-race comedown:

Allow for a recovery period: 

Rather than immediately jumping back into training, give yourself ample time to physically and mentally recover. Listen to your body’s signals and don’t rush the process. Aim for 1-2 weeks of active recovery before gradually ramping back up.

Maintain a routine: 

Even if your training schedule is on hold, try to maintain a sense of structure and purpose in your daily life. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule, continue healthy eating habits, and find other fulfilling activities to occupy your time.

Engage in self-care: 

Use this downtime to focus on your overall wellbeing. Indulge in hobbies, spend quality time with friends and family, and make time for relaxation and rejuvenation. Activities like yoga, meditation, and massage can be particularly helpful.

Set new goals: 

Once you’ve given yourself time to recover, start looking ahead to your next challenge. Set new training and performance goals that will reignite your passion and sense of purpose. Having a clear vision for the future can help provide motivation.

Reflect and celebrate: 

Take time to acknowledge your accomplishments and the hard work that led you to this point. Journal about your race experience, share your story, and ALL your feelings with loved ones and whoever is part of your support crew; coach, training partners etc, and find ways to commemorate your achievement. This positive reinforcement can help offset feelings of emptiness.

By implementing these strategies, endurance athletes can navigate the post-race comedown in a healthy way and emerge even stronger for their next big challenge. The key is being proactive, patient, and focused on long-term growth rather than immediate gratification.

The post-race comedown is an unavoidable part of the athletic journey, but with the right mindset and proactive approach, you can overcome it and use it as fuel for your next big challenge.

Be patient with yourself, focus on self-care, and keep your long-term goals in sight. By doing so, you’ll be able to ride the emotional waves of the sport without letting them pull you under.

So take the time you need to rest and recover, then get ready to rise up and tackle your next big adventure.

The finish line may be behind you, but the road ahead is full of boundless opportunity.

Recovery is the secret weapon that many endurance athletes overlook in their quest for peak performance. While the thrill of pushing through tough workouts and logging long miles can be addictive, it’s actually during rest that your body adapts, rebuilds, and grows stronger.

Think of recovery as the invisible training partner that transforms all your hard work into tangible gains. Whether it’s a strategic active recovery session, a well-placed rest day, a deload week, or a carefully planned taper before your big race, mastering the art of recovery is just as crucial as nailing your hardest workouts. 

Let’s explore how to optimise your downtime to maximise your performance.

Active Recovery Sessions

Active recovery sessions are a strategic tool in your training arsenal, designed to promote blood flow and accelerate the body’s natural healing processes without adding additional stress. These low-intensity workouts—typically performed at 50-60% of your maximum heart rate—help flush metabolic waste products from your muscles while promoting the delivery of oxygen and nutrients essential for repair. The key is to stay well below your aerobic threshold; think easy runs where conversation flows effortlessly, gentle swims that feel more like a glide than a workout, or light cycling with minimal resistance. For most endurance athletes, these sessions should last 30-45 minutes and can include dynamic stretching, mobility work, or light cross-training activities. Research shows that active recovery can reduce muscle soreness, improve range of motion, and maintain neuromuscular pathways—all while giving your body the break it needs from high-intensity training.

Complete Rest Days

Complete rest days are non-negotiable pillars of any solid training program, serving as your body’s opportunity for deep physiological restoration. During these zero-training days, your muscles repair micro-tears, glycogen stores fully replenish, and your endocrine system rebalances—particularly cortisol levels, which can become elevated during sustained training blocks. Most athletes require 1-2 full rest days per week, though this may vary based on training age, volume, and intensity. Remember: rest days are not signs of weakness but rather strategic opportunities for adaptation that ultimately lead to stronger performance.

Deload Weeks

Deload weeks represent a broader recovery strategy, typically implemented every 4-6 weeks of structured training. During these periods, training volume is reduced by 40-60%, allowing for comprehensive recovery while maintaining fitness. This systematic reduction prevents the accumulation of physical and mental fatigue that can lead to overtraining syndrome. A well-designed deload week maintains the basic structure of your training but scales back the challenging elements—shorter long runs, fewer high-intensity intervals, and an overall decrease in training stress score (TSS). This periodic reset is particularly crucial during high-volume training blocks or when preparing for key events.

Tapering

Tapering is the sophisticated art of reducing training load before a target race while maintaining fitness and ensuring peak performance. An effective taper, typically lasting 7-21 days depending on your event and training history, involves a calculated reduction in volume while preserving some high-intensity work to maintain neuromuscular sharpness. Research indicates that a proper taper can improve performance by 2-3%, which could mean several minutes in a marathon. The key is to reduce training volume by 40-60% progressively while maintaining approximately 80% of training frequency and including short, race-pace efforts to stay sharp. This approach allows your muscles to fully repair, glycogen stores to peak, and your central nervous system to refresh—all while preventing the staleness that can come from complete rest.

Remember that mastering recovery is as much an art as it is a science – it requires patience, self-awareness, and often the discipline to do less rather than more. The most successful athletes aren’t just the ones who train the hardest, but those who understand that adaptation happens during recovery, not during the workout itself. By strategically implementing these recovery tools – from active recovery sessions to well-planned tapers – you’re not just preventing burnout and injury; you’re actually building a stronger, more resilient athlete. Listen to your body, trust the process, and give yourself permission to embrace these essential periods of restoration. Your future race-day self will thank you.

Practical Breakdown of Examples for Each Recovery Strategy

Active Recovery Sessions:

Runners: A 30-minute easy jog at conversational pace (heart rate below 140 bpm), followed by 15 minutes of mobility work including leg swings, hip circles, and ankle mobility exercises

Cyclists: 45 minutes of spinning at 50-60% FTP (Functional Threshold Power), keeping cadence high (90+ rpm) but power low

Cross-training options: A 30-minute swim focusing on form rather than speed, or a yoga flow session focusing on stretches beneficial for endurance athletes

Sample weekly placement: Schedule these sessions after hard interval workouts or long endurance efforts

Rest Days:

Complete rest: Truly inactive days – no structured exercise at all.
Light movement only: Gentle walking, basic stretching, or foam rolling as needed.
Recovery tools: Use compression boots for 30-45 minutes, take an epsom salt bath, or focus on getting an extra hour of sleep.
Optimal timing: Place these after your hardest training days or longest endurance sessions, typically following Saturday/Sunday big training blocks.

Deload Week Example (Marathon Training): 

Normal Week vs. Deload Week comparison:
Long run: 20 miles → 12 miles
Interval session: 8x800m → 4x800m
Tempo run: 8 miles → 4 miles
Weekly mileage: 50 miles → 30 miles
Maintain: Same number of sessions but reduced duration/intensity

Tapering Example (for a marathon): 

3 weeks out:
Reduce volume by 20%
Keep 2 quality sessions but reduce repeats
Long run reduced to 2.5 hours maximum

2 weeks out:
Reduce volume by another 20%
One medium-long run at 90 minutes
Include 2-3 mile race-pace segments in runs

The path of an endurance athlete isn’t always paved with perfect health and peak performance. 

As dedicated athletes, we often face the frustrating dilemma of whether to lace up our shoes when our bodies are fighting off seasonal bugs. 

While the temptation to push through illness can be strong – especially with upcoming races or training goals – the decision to train or rest requires both wisdom and strategy. 

Let’s explore how to navigate the delicate balance between maintaining fitness and respecting your body’s need for recovery when illness strikes.

Fitness lost during illness

First, let’s address the elephant in the room: fitness loss during illness. Many athletes panic at the thought of losing hard-earned gains during a forced break. However, research shows that it takes significantly longer to lose fitness than most people think. A week of modified training or even complete rest won’t derail your season. In fact, pushing too hard during illness is far more likely to set you back than taking appropriate rest.

Understanding your body’s signals is crucial during these times. That scratchy throat or unusual fatigue isn’t just an inconvenience – it’s your body’s way of demanding attention. Think of illness as a yellow traffic light in your training journey. Sometimes you need to slow down, other times you need to stop completely, but rushing through at full speed is never the answer.

The tricky part comes in distinguishing between situations where modified training can be beneficial and those where rest is non-negotiable. This isn’t just about comfort – it’s about understanding how exercise affects your immune system and overall recovery. Training with certain symptoms can actually strengthen your body’s response, while exercising with others can compromise your immune system and extend your illness.

The Mental Game

Let’s talk about the mental game – because let’s face it, that’s often the hardest part. Being sidelined, even temporarily, can mess with our heads. We start to stress about lost fitness, missed training blocks, and derailed race plans. But here’s the reality check we all need: some of the world’s most successful athletes have faced illness mid-season. What sets them apart isn’t their immunity to getting sick – it’s their approach to recovery.

Consider this your opportunity to work on the often-neglected aspects of athletic performance. When you can’t hit your usual training intensities, you can focus on mobility work, technique analysis, or even mental preparation. Many athletes emerge from illness breaks with improved form and fresh motivation, having used the downtime to reset both physically and mentally.

Impacting Others

One often overlooked aspect of training through illness is the impact on those around us. Training partners, gym-mates, and fellow athletes depend on us to make responsible decisions. Showing up to a group workout while contagious isn’t dedication – it’s potentially compromising others’ training and health. Part of being a mature athlete is recognising when staying home isn’t just best for us, but best for our entire athletic community.

The Plan

The key to navigating illness lies in developing a strategic approach rather than making emotional decisions. This means having a clear protocol in place before you get sick, so you’re not making judgment calls when you’re already under the weather. Think of it as another aspect of your training plan – one that’s just as important as your workout schedule or nutrition strategy.

Remember, your relationship with endurance sports is a marathon, not a sprint. Every elite athlete’s career is marked by periods of adaptation and adjustment. Those who sustain long-term success aren’t the ones who never get sick – they’re the ones who master the art of working with their bodies rather than against them. The ability to pivot, adjust, and sometimes completely step back is as valuable a skill as any training technique.

As we head deeper into cold and flu season, take time to develop your own illness protocol. Write it down, share it with your coach or training partners, and commit to following it. Consider it an investment in your long-term athletic development. After all, the true measure of an athlete isn’t just their ability to push through tough workouts – it’s their capacity to make intelligent decisions that support sustained performance.

In the end, illness doesn’t have to be a complete roadblock in your endurance journey. With the right approach, it can be a temporary detour that ultimately leads to greater body awareness, smarter training decisions, and more sustainable athletic development. The next time you feel those first symptoms coming on, remember: responding with wisdom today keeps you stronger for all your tomorrows.

Judging Symptoms and their Severity

The general rule of thumb is the “neck check”:

Symptoms above the neck (runny nose, sore throat, mild headache): Usually OK to exercise at reduced intensity

Symptoms below the neck (chest congestion, body aches, fever, stomach issues): Rest is essential

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

When it’s OK to train (with modifications):

• Mild cold symptoms
• Clear runny nose
• Minor sore throat
• Train at 50-70% of normal intensity
• Reduce duration
• Stay well hydrated
• Monitor how you feel and stop if symptoms worsen
  

When you should rest:

• Fever (absolutely no training)
• Influenza symptoms
• Chest congestion/cough
• Severe fatigue
• Body aches
• Stomach issues
• Any difficulty breathing

Return to training protocol:

• Wait until major symptoms resolve
• Start at 50% intensity for first 2-3 sessions
• If feeling good, increase by ~10-15% each subsequent session
• Take 5-7 days to return to full training

Remember that training while seriously ill can:

• Prolong recovery time
• Weaken immune response
• Increase risk of complications (like myocarditis)
• Lead to poor performance and injury due to compromised coordination

How to Modify accordingly

Endurance/Cardio Modifications:

1. Heart Rate Based
   Keep heart rate 20-30 beats below normal training zone
   Stay in aerobic zone (conversational pace)
   Stop if heart rate is unusually high for the effort level
   
2. Duration Changes
   Reduce session length by 30-50%
   Example: If you normally run 60 minutes, cut to 30-40 minutes
   Break longer sessions into shorter chunks with rest periods
   
3. Intensity Adjustments
   Replace high-intensity intervals with steady-state work
   If you normally run, switch to power walking
   If you cycle, reduce resistance/stay seated
   Pool workouts: focus on technique rather than speed

Specific Activity Modifications:

• Running: Walk/run intervals instead of continuous running
• Swimming: Technical drills instead of hard sets
• Cycling: Flat routes, avoid hills, lower gear
• Use perceived effort scale of 1-10: stay at 4-6 maximum

Recovery Modifications:

• Double your normal rest intervals
• Take extra recovery days between sessions
• Include more dynamic stretching
• Focus on breathing exercises

Environmental Considerations:

• Train indoors if possible to control temperature
• Avoid training in cold/wet conditions
• Stay extra hydrated (illness increases fluid needs)
• Wear additional layers to stay warm

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 actually mean, and how do they impact your performance? 

In this post, we’ll break down these key concepts in simple, easy-to-understand language. 
By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of the science behind your stride and how you can use this knowledge to become a more informed, efficient runner. 

Let’s dive in and demystify some of the most common—and commonly misunderstood—running terminology.

Running mechanics: 
Running mechanics refers to how a person moves their body while running. 
It includes things like:
Arm swing
Foot strike (how your foot lands)
Stride length
Body posture
Cadence (steps per minute)

Good running mechanics can help prevent injuries and improve performance.

Example:
Let’s use arm swing as an example:
Inefficient mechanics: A runner who swings their arms across their body (crossing the midline) wastes energy and may cause rotation in the torso.
Efficient mechanics: Arms swing forward and back, close to the body, with elbows bent at about 90 degrees. This helps maintain balance and can actually assist with forward momentum.

Running economy: 
Running economy is how efficiently a runner uses oxygen at a given pace.
It’s like fuel efficiency in a car, but for runners. A runner with good economy uses less energy to maintain a certain speed. Factors that affect running economy include:
Running mechanics
Body composition
Training adaptations
Environmental conditions

Example:
Alex and Sam are both training for a marathon.
During a 10-mile training run at the same pace:
Alex consumes 70 ml of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute
Sam consumes 65 ml of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute

Why this matters:
Sam is using less oxygen (energy) to run at the same pace as Alex.
This means Sam is likely to feel less fatigued at the end of the run.
Over the course of a marathon, this difference in energy expenditure becomes significant.
Long-term implications:
Sam may be able to maintain this pace for a longer distance.
Sam might recover more quickly between training sessions.
In a race scenario, Sam would have more energy reserves for a strong finish.
Practical outcome:
If both increase their pace, Sam might be able to sustain the faster speed longer than Alex.
In a marathon, Sam might finish several minutes ahead of Alex, despite starting at the same pace.

Running efficiency:
Running efficiency is closely related to running economy.
It’s about how well a runner converts energy into forward motion.
An efficient runner wastes less energy on unnecessary movements. Improving efficiency can help runners:
Run faster with the same effort
Run longer before fatigue sets in
Recover more quickly between runs

Example: Let’s compare two runners over a 10K race:
Runner A finishes in 45 minutes, taking 180 steps per minute with a stride length of 1.5 meters.
Runner B also finishes in 45 minutes, but takes 170 steps per minute with a stride length of 1.6 meters. 
Runner B is more efficient because they cover the same distance in the same time with fewer steps, suggesting less energy expenditure.

As we’ve explored the concepts of running mechanics, economy, and efficiency, it becomes clear that these aren’t just fancy terms for coaches and elite athletes. They’re practical tools that every runner can use to improve their performance and enjoyment of the sport. 
By understanding how your body moves, how efficiently it uses energy, and how to optimise your running form, you’re empowering yourself to become a better runner. 
Remember, small improvements in these areas can lead to significant gains over time, whether you’re aiming for a new personal best or simply want to run more comfortably. 
So the next time you lace up your shoes, take a moment to think about your mechanics, consider your economy, and strive for efficiency. 
Your future running self will thank you. Keep learning, keep improving, and most importantly, keep running!

Spark Your Endurance:
Why Intensity is the Secret Ingredient Your Training is Missing

I see so many athletes, including those that work with coaches logging endless miles without seeing significant improvements in their endurance performance, and often getting easily avoided overuse injuries. It seems it is still believed that volume is the only thing that matters.

It’s time to shake up your training routine and truly embrace the power of intensity. While building volume is crucial for endurance athletes, relying solely on long, slow distance workouts is like trying to win a race with only half your engine firing.

Properly and precisely incorporating high-intensity training into your regimen isn’t just a trend—it’s a scientifically backed, well researched game-changer and it can unlock your true potential, boost your performance, and make those gruelling races feel a whole lot easier, taking you from ‘good’ to ‘great’.

Benefits of adding Intensity Work

Improved VO2 max:
High-intensity workouts can increase the body’s ability to utilise oxygen during exercise, leading to better overall endurance performance.

Enhanced lactate threshold:
Intense training helps the body become more efficient at clearing lactic acid, allowing athletes to maintain higher intensities for longer periods.

Increased power output:
High-intensity intervals can improve an athlete’s ability to generate force quickly, which is crucial for sprints and hill climbs in endurance events.

Time efficiency:
Intense workouts can provide significant fitness gains in shorter training sessions, which is beneficial for athletes with limited training time.

Mental toughness:
High-intensity training can help athletes develop the mental resilience needed to push through discomfort during competitions.

Improved economy:
Intense workouts can enhance an athlete’s efficiency of movement, leading to better performance with less energy expenditure.

Metabolic adaptations:
High-intensity training can boost the body’s ability to use fat as fuel, potentially improving endurance performance.

Injury prevention:
Incorporating intensity can help maintain muscle strength and power, which may reduce the risk of overuse injuries common in endurance sports.

Avoidance of training plateaus:
Mixing high-intensity workouts with traditional endurance training can prevent adaptation stagnation and continue performance improvements.

Race-specific preparation:
Intense workouts can simulate the demands of racing, helping athletes prepare for the varying intensities they’ll face in competition.

Common Types of Intensity Training

Interval Training:
Short intervals: 30 seconds to 2 minutes of high-intensity effort followed by equal or slightly longer recovery periods.
Long intervals: 3-5 minutes of hard effort with 1-3 minutes of recovery.

Fartlek Training:
Swedish for “speed play,” this involves alternating between high and low intensities during a continuous run.
Can be structured (e.g., 1 minute hard, 2 minutes easy) or unstructured (based on feel or landmarks).

Tempo Efforts:
Sustained efforts at or slightly above lactate threshold pace.
Typically last 20-40 minutes or can be broken into shorter segments with brief recoveries.

Hill Repeats:
Short, intense uphill runs (30 seconds to 2 minutes) followed by easy downhill recovery.
Helps build strength and power while improving running economy.

Pyramid Workouts
Intervals that increase in duration or intensity, then decrease (e.g., 1-2-3-2-1 minutes of hard effort with recovery between).

Sprint Training:
Very short (10-30 seconds) all-out efforts with full recovery between repetitions.
Improves neuromuscular coordination and power output.

Tabata Protocol:
20 seconds of maximum effort followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated 8 times (4 minutes total).
Highly effective for improving both aerobic and anaerobic capacity.

Lactate Threshold Workouts:
Efforts at or just below the lactate threshold, often done as longer intervals (e.g., 2 x 20 minutes) or as a continuous effort.

VO2 Max Intervals:
Work periods of 3-5 minutes at or near VO2 max intensity with equal rest periods.
Highly effective for improving maximal oxygen uptake.

Race-Pace Training:
Intervals or sustained efforts at goal race pace, helping to improve efficiency and pacing at race-specific intensities.

Example of a Weekly Plan for an Advanced Triathlete
(70.3 – Specific Prep Phase, nearing Peak Week)

Monday
Rest Day

Tuesday
AM: Bike – 90 min, including 5×5 min threshold intervals
PM: Strength training – 45 min full body workout (Speed + Power Focus)

Wednesday
AM: Swim – 45 min endurance with technique drills
PM: Run – 60 min, including 8x400m repeats

Thursday
AM: Bike – 60 min steady endurance ride
PM: Mobility and flexibility work – 30 min

Friday
AM: Swim – 60 min, including 10x50m sprint intervals
PM: Run – 45 min tempo run

Saturday
AM: Long bike ride – 2.5 hours, including 3×15 min race-pace efforts; plus
Transition practice – 30 min brick run off the bike

Sunday
AM: Long run – 90 min, with last 30 min at race pace

Key features of this plan:

1. Multiple disciplines each day to improve overall endurance
2. High-intensity sessions (intervals, tempo runs) to boost performance
3. Long endurance sessions, especially on weekends
4. Recovery and cross-training activities (yoga, easy swims)
5. Brick workout (bike-to-run) to practice transitions

REMEMBER…

As you embark on your journey to elevate your endurance performance, remember that intensity is not just about pushing harder—it’s about training smarter.

By strategically incorporating high-intensity workouts into your regimen, you’re not only maximizing your training time but also unlocking new levels of physical and mental resilience. Embrace the challenge, listen to your body, and watch as your performance soars to new heights.

The path to endurance excellence isn’t just about going far; it’s about going far, fast, and with purpose. So lace up, gear up, and get ready to redefine your limits. Your best performance is waiting on the other side of intensity.

Visualization may sound like New Age mumbo-jumbo to skeptics, but the science backing its efficacy in endurance sports is hard to ignore.

Far from being a mystical practice, visualization is a concrete mental technique that leverages the brain’s neuroplasticity to enhance athletic performance. When an athlete vividly imagines executing their sport, their brain fires in patterns strikingly similar to those observed during physical practice.

This mental rehearsal strengthens neural pathways, improving muscle memory, reaction times, and even physiological responses like heart rate and breathing patterns.

For endurance athletes facing long hours of grueling physical exertion, this powerful mental tool can be the difference between hitting the wall and pushing through to victory.

How athletes use visualisation: 

Mental rehearsal:
Athletes can use visualisation to mentally rehearse their performance, imagining themselves successfully completing their event or overcoming challenges. This helps build confidence and familiarity with the task.

Stress reduction:
Visualising calm, successful performances can help reduce pre-race anxiety and stress.
Try to experience every part of the race. See it, hear it, Feel it. 

Goal setting:
Athletes can visualise achieving their goals, which can increase motivation and commitment to training.

Technical improvement:
By mentally practicing perfect form and technique, athletes can reinforce proper movement patterns.

Race strategy:
Visualising race plans and tactics can help athletes prepare for different scenarios and make better decisions during the event.

Recovery and healing:
Visualisation can be used to promote relaxation and potentially aid in the recovery process.

How to effectively use visualisation: 

• Make the imagery as vivid and detailed as possible, engaging all senses
• Practice regularly, ideally daily
• Visualise both the process (training, race execution) and the outcome (crossing the finish line, achieving a goal time)
• Include positive self-talk and emotions in the visualisations

Transform Pain into Power

One of the most interesting uses of visualisation is relating to Pain management.

Endurance athletes often face discomfort during long events. Visualisation can be used to imagine managing pain effectively, helping athletes prepare for and cope with physical challenges.

When the body screams and every fibre begs to stop, endurance athletes face their greatest challenge: managing pain. While physical training is crucial, the mind plays an equally vital role in pushing through these moments of intense discomfort.

Enter visualisation – a powerful mental technique that transforms the abstract concept of “mind over matter” into a tangible, practical tool.

Far from being mere imagination, these mental exercises can rewire an athlete’s perception of pain, turning it from an insurmountable barrier into a manageable aspect of performance.

By harnessing the brain’s incredible plasticity, endurance athletes can develop a mental toolkit that not only helps them cope with pain but can actually alter how they experience it.

Let’s dive into some specific visualisation techniques that can make the difference between hitting the wall and breaking through it.

Specific visualisation exercises for pain management

The Pain Colour Transform
Visualise your pain as a specific colour, perhaps red or orange. As you breathe deeply, imagine this colour gradually changing to a cool, soothing colour like blue or green. With each breath, see the colour shift and the pain diminish.

The Numbing Glove
Imagine putting on a special glove that has numbing properties. Visualise this glove slowly covering your hand, then your arm, and eventually your entire body. Feel the numbing sensation spread, dulling any pain or discomfort.

The Pain Dial
Picture a dial or slider in your mind, representing your pain level. Visualise yourself slowly turning down this dial, reducing the pain intensity. As you turn the dial, feel the pain decreasing throughout your body.

The Healing Light
Imagine a warm, healing light entering your body through your breath. With each inhale, see this light spreading to areas of discomfort. As you exhale, visualise the pain leaving your body as dark smoke.

The River Flow
Picture your pain as leaves floating on a river. As you run or compete, see these leaves (your pain) flowing away downstream, leaving you feeling lighter and more comfortable with each passing moment.

The Strength Absorber
Visualise your body as a sponge, absorbing strength and endurance from your surroundings. As you take in this energy, see it pushing out any pain or discomfort, making you stronger and more resilient.

The Pain Bubble
Imagine encapsulating your pain in a bubble. See this bubble slowly floating away from your body, taking the discomfort with it. As it drifts further away, feel the pain becoming more distant and manageable.

To use these effectively:

• Practice regularly, not just during competition
• Combine with deep, rhythmic breathing
• Be as detailed as possible in your imagery
• Experiment to find which techniques work best for you
• Use positive self-talk along with the visualisations

Mastering these visualisation techniques for pain management is not an overnight process, but rather a skill honed through consistent practice and personalisation.

As athletes integrate these mental strategies into their training regimens, they often discover benefits that extend beyond pain tolerance – improved focus, enhanced recovery, and a deeper mind-body connection.

Ultimately, the power of visualisation lies not in escaping discomfort, but in redefining one’s relationship with it. By embracing these mental tools, endurance athletes can transform pain from a formidable foe into a familiar companion on their journey to peak performance, unlocking new levels of endurance and achievement previously thought impossible.

In Conclusion:

Visualisation, for all of it’s benefits, isn’t just for elite athletes or new-age enthusiasts; it’s a practical, scientifically-backed tool accessible to anyone seeking to elevate their performance and well-being.

By harnessing the power of your mind, you can unlock hidden reserves of strength, resilience, and focus that you never knew existed.

So why not give it a try? The only limit is your imagination, and the potential rewards – both on and off the field – are boundless.

Conditioning, a cornerstone of athletic preparation, extends far beyond mere cardiovascular endurance.

It encompasses the holistic development of an athlete’s physiological systems to meet the specific demands of their sport or activity.

So many PT’s will be claim to be Strength and Conditioning Experts, or tell you their specialism is S&C but don’t be fooled. While most might be good at the “S” part – Strength training, the “C” is a far more complex.

This multifaceted approach to fitness enhances not only stamina, but also an athlete’s ability to perform at high intensities, recover rapidly, and maintain technical proficiency under fatigue.

By systematically stressing and adapting various energy systems, conditioning sculpts the body into a more efficient and resilient machine, capable of withstanding the rigors of competition and training. Whether it’s a marathon runner pushing through the final miles or a soccer player making a crucial play in extra time, effective conditioning can often be the difference between victory and defeat.

Conditioning refers to the cardiovascular and muscular endurance component of fitness training in the context of Strength & Conditioning (S&C).

While strength focuses on developing muscular power and force production, conditioning aims to improve an athlete’s ability to perform repeated efforts over time without fatigue.

Key aspects of conditioning:

Say Goodbye to RICE and Hello to PEACE & LOVE

If you’ve ever twisted an ankle or pulled a muscle, you’ve probably heard the age-old advice:
RICE – Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
For decades, this has been the go-to protocol for managing acute soft tissue injuries.
But what if I told you that sports medicine has moved on, and there’s a new approach in town?
Enter the PEACE & LOVE protocol, a more nuanced and scientifically-backed method that’s changing how we treat everything from sprains to strains.

In this post, I’ll explore why it might be time to put RICE on ice and embrace a more dynamic approach to healing.

PEACE & LOVE Protocol:

PEACE (Immediately after injury)

Protection:
Unload and avoid painful movements for 1-3 days to minimise further injury and reduce the risk of aggravating the damaged tissues.

Elevation:
Optimise fluid flow by lifting the injured limb higher than the heart, which can help manage swelling in the acute stage.

Avoid anti-inflammatory modalities:
Let the natural inflammatory process run its course, as it’s a necessary part of the healing process.
Avoid ice and anti-inflammatory drugs, which can potentially delay healing.

Compression:
Use elastic bandages or taping to reduce swelling and provide support to the injured area.

Education:
Understand that pain is normal and doesn’t always indicate tissue damage; adopt an active approach to recovery.

LOVE (After first few days)

Load:
Introduce gradual, pain-free loading to stimulate repair and remodeling of injured tissues.

Optimism:
Foster a positive attitude and realistic expectations about recovery to improve outcomes and reduce the risk of chronic problems.

Vascularization:
Engage in pain-free cardiovascular activities to increase blood flow to the injured tissues and promote healing.

Exercise:
Restore mobility, strength, and proprioception through targeted exercises specific to the injured area and overall function.

Uses of PEACE & LOVE

The PEACE & LOVE protocol is applicable to a wide range of acute soft tissue injuries, not just sprains.

Here’s an overview of the types of injuries where this approach can be beneficial:

Muscle strains: Injuries to muscle fibres or tendons.
Ligament sprains: Stretching or tearing of ligaments (not just ankle sprains, but also knee, wrist, or other joint sprains).
Contusions (bruises): Injuries caused by blunt force trauma.
Tendinopathies: Acute inflammation of tendons.
Minor tears: Partial tears in muscles or tendons.
Bursitis: Inflammation of the small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion bones, tendons, and muscles.
Overuse injuries: When caught in the acute phase.
Sports injuries: Many common sports-related soft tissue injuries.
Whiplash: Neck strain often associated with auto accidents.
Repetitive strain injuries: When they flare up acutely.
Minor joint injuries: Where there’s no fracture or dislocation.

The PEACE & LOVE protocol is particularly useful for injuries where inflammation and tissue repair are key parts of the healing process. It’s designed to support the body’s natural healing mechanisms while promoting optimal recovery and return to function.

However, it’s important to note that this protocol is not suitable for all types of injuries. For example:

Fractures
Severe tears requiring surgical intervention
Dislocations
Head injuries
Internal injuries
Wounds requiring stitches

These types of injuries require immediate medical attention and specialised treatment.
Additionally, for chronic conditions or injuries that aren’t improving with self-care, it’s always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

In conclusion, the PEACE & LOVE protocol represents a significant shift in how we approach soft tissue injuries. By working with our body’s natural healing processes rather than against them, we can potentially achieve faster and more complete recovery.

While RICE served us well for many years, it’s time to embrace this up to date and truly beneficial approach.

Remember, however, that every injury is unique, and it’s always wise to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice. As we continue to learn more about the intricacies of healing, who knows what future innovations in injury management might bring?

For now, give PEACE & LOVE a chance – your body might thank you for it.

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 incorporate walking into your training regimen when aiming to get faster, this strategic approach can lead to significant gains in speed and endurance. 

By alternating between periods of running and walking, you can train more efficiently, recover more effectively, and ultimately run faster than you ever thought possible. 

In this post, we’ll explore how run/walk intervals can be your secret weapon for unlocking new levels of speed, whether you’re a beginner looking to run your first 5K or an experienced marathoner aiming for a personal best.

Benefits of the Run/Walk for all levels of run ability

• Reduced risk of injury:
  By allowing regular recovery periods: The walk intervals give your muscles and joints brief respites from the impact of running. This reduced cumulative stress can help prevent overuse injuries, especially for new runners or those returning from injury. It also allows you to maintain better form throughout your workout, further decreasing injury risk.

• Improved endurance and cardiovascular fitness:
  By alternating between higher and lower intensities, you challenge your cardiovascular system in ways similar to interval training. This method allows you to spend more total time exercising than you might if running continuously, leading to greater endurance gains over time.

• Mental breaks during longer runs:
  The walk intervals provide short mental respites, making longer distances feel more manageable. This can be especially beneficial for newer runners or those tackling longer distances, as it breaks the run into smaller, less daunting segments. It can also help reduce the mental fatigue that often accompanies endurance running.

• Easier transition to continuous running:
  For beginners, run/walk intervals offer a gentler introduction to running than trying to run continuously from the start. As fitness improves, you can gradually increase the running intervals and decrease the walking periods. This progressive approach helps build confidence along with physical ability, making the transition to continuous running feel more natural and achievable.

Remember to adjust intervals based on individual fitness levels and goals. Gradually reduce walking time as running ability improves.

How it works for the different levels of runners

Beginners:
Start with shorter running intervals and longer walking intervals, such as 1 minute running and 2 minutes walking.
Gradually increase running time and decrease walking time as fitness improves.
Aim for 20-30 minutes total workout time, 3 times a week.
Focus on consistency and building a habit rather than speed or distance.

Intermediate runners:
Increase running intervals to 3-5 minutes with 1-2 minutes of walking.
Experiment with different interval ratios, like 4:1 or 5:1 (run:walk).
Aim for 30-45 minutes total workout time, 3-4 times a week.
Incorporate one longer run per week using run/walk method.

Experienced runners:
Use run/walk intervals for specific purposes, such as recovery runs or long distance training.
Try advanced interval patterns, like 10 minutes running with 1 minute walking.
Use this method to gradually increase distance in marathon training.
Implement run/walk strategy in races to maintain overall pace and reduce fatigue.

Detailed strategies for using run/walk intervals to improve speed

Progressive Interval Training:
Start with a 3:1 run-walk ratio (e.g., 3 minutes run, 1 minute walk)
Gradually increase the running interval and decrease the walking interval
Aim to eventually reach a 9:1 or 10:1 ratio
Focus on maintaining a faster pace during the running segment

Fartlek-style Run/Walk:
Incorporate varying speeds during your running intervals 
Example: 3 minutes easy run, 1 minute walk, 2 minutes hard run, 1 minute walk
This trains your body to handle different paces and improves overall speed

Tempo Run/Walk:
Use run/walk intervals during tempo runs (runs at a “comfortably hard” pace)
Run at tempo pace for 5-10 minutes, then walk for 1 minute
Repeat for the desired workout duration
This helps you maintain a faster pace for longer cumulative distances

Hill Run/Walk:
Find a moderate hill and run up for 30-60 seconds, then walk back down
Repeat 6-10 times
This builds leg strength and power, translating to improved speed on flat ground

Descending Intervals:
Start with longer run/walk intervals and gradually shorten them
Example: 5 min run/1 min walk, 4 min run/1 min walk, 3 min run/1 min walk, etc.
Increase your pace slightly with each shorter interval

Race Pace Practice:
Use run/walk intervals to practice your goal race pace
Run at your target pace for 3-5 minutes, then walk for 30 seconds to 1 minute
This helps your body adapt to the faster pace while still allowing for recovery

Long Run Speed-Play:
During your long runs, incorporate faster-paced run/walk intervals
Example: Every 10 minutes, do a 2-minute faster run followed by a 30-second walk
This maintains the endurance benefits of long runs while adding a speed component

* Remember to warm up properly before these workouts and cool down afterwards.
Also, don’t do speed work more than 2-3 times per week to allow for proper recovery. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of these workouts over time.

Summary

Incorporating run/walk intervals into your training routine isn’t just a strategy for beginners or a way to build endurance – it’s a powerful tool for runners at all levels to boost their speed and performance.

By allowing for strategic recovery, higher-intensity efforts, and increased training volume, this method can help you break through plateaus and achieve new personal bests. Remember, improving your speed is a gradual process that requires consistency, patience, and smart training.

Whether you’re tackling your first 5K or aiming to shave minutes off your marathon time, give run/walk intervals a try. You might be surprised at how taking periodic walks can lead you to run faster than ever before.

So lace up your shoes, set your timer, and embrace the power of the run/walk method – your next PR might be just a few intervals away.

RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport is a serious thing and something all endurance athletes should have a little bit of awareness of, as well as anyone who is active and looking to shed some body fat and change their body composition.

Low Energy Availability (LEA) discussed in a previous post (find it here: https://differentbreed.io/low-energy-availability-lea/)and RED-S are closely related concepts in sports nutrition and exercise physiology.

Studies suggest that 20-60% of endurance athletes may experience LEA which can then lead to RED-S. Female endurance athletes are at higher risk, but male athletes are also affected. Ironman triathletes and ultramarathon runners are particularly susceptible due to extremely high energy demands.

Definition:

RED-S refers to impaired physiological functioning caused by relative energy deficiency and includes, but is not limited to, impairments of metabolic rate, menstrual function, bone health, immunity, protein synthesis, and cardiovascular health.

Evolution of the concept:

• Originated from the Female Athlete Triad (disordered eating, amenorrhea, osteoporosis).
  *The Female Athlete Triad is a syndrome of the three interrelated conditions that was first recognised in the 1990s. It’s an important concept in sports medicine and women’s health
• Expanded to include all athletes, regardless of gender.
• Recognises a wider range of health and performance consequences.

Health consequences:

• Menstrual function: Irregular or absent periods in females
• Bone health: Decreased bone mineral density, increased fracture risk
• Endocrine system: Hormonal imbalances (e.g., thyroid, growth hormone, cortisol)
• Metabolic rate: Decreased BMR to conserve energy
• Cardiovascular health: Reduced heart rate, blood pressure changes
• Gastrointestinal function: Delayed gastric emptying, constipation
• Immunological function: Increased susceptibility to infections
• Hematological: Anaemia
• Growth and development: Potential stunting in adolescents
• Psychological: Depression, anxiety, disordered eating

Performance consequences:

• Decreased endurance capacity
• Reduced muscle strength
• Increased injury risk
• Decreased training response
• Impaired judgment
• Decreased coordination and concentration
• Irritability and depression
• Increased risk of fatigue and exhaustion

Risk factors

RED-S is more prevalent in endurance athletes due to the potentially high training volumes, which is one of the key risk factors.
It can also be seen in sports where leanness is seen as the ideal, and also sports utilising weight categories as these can lead to rapid weight loss practices.
Other common risk factors are disordered eating, a lack of nutrition knowledge leading to excessive calorie deficits and also perfectionist personality traits.

Diagnosis and assessment:

There is no single diagnostic test, instead the usual routes to diagnosis involve:
– Comprehensive assessment including building a detailed history of medical records, nutrition, psychological mapping, training history etc.
– Physical examination
– Laboratory tests ( hormones, bloods, bone density etc)

Challenges specific to endurance sports

As touched on above endurance athletes are an at risk group due to training volumes.
The key to be aware of and manage to avoid LEA and RED-S is consuming enough calories during long training sessions and also proper management of pre and post fuelling.

Where some athletes struggle is:
– Suffering gastrointestinal issues during prolonged exercise.
– Having a suppressed appetite after intense endurance exercise.
– Dealing with the pressure to maintain low body weight for perceived performance benefits.

Prevention strategies for endurance athletes:

• Regular monitoring of energy intake, body composition, and performance
• Emphasizing fueling for performance rather than weight loss
• Incorporating strength training to maintain muscle mass and bone density
• Periodizing nutrition to match training cycles
• Education on nutrition and the importance of adequate fuelling during long training sessions and races

Final Thoughts

As we navigate the complex landscape of athletic performance and health, it’s crucial to remember that our bodies are not mere machines, but intricate systems requiring balance and care.
RED-S serves as a stark reminder that the pursuit of athletic excellence should never come at the cost of long-term well-being.
I hope that by fostering a culture of open communication, prioritising education, and embracing a holistic approach to training and nutrition, I can help create an environment where athletes thrive both on and off the field.
The journey towards peak performance is a marathon, not a sprint, and maintaining energy balance is the fuel that will carry athletes through their careers and beyond.
I want to champion a future where athletic achievement and vibrant health go hand in hand, creating a legacy of sustainable excellence in sports.

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.

By strategically varying training intensity and focus over time, periodization helps you build fitness, prevent burnout, and hit your peak performance when it matters most.

Whether you’re training for your first 5K or gunning for a podium finish, understanding periodisation can take your endurance game to the next level.

Let’s dive into the different models. I have listed them in the order from most commonly used / easiest to understand to the most complex model.

The Different Periodisation Models:

Linear Periodisation

This is the traditional model, involving a gradual progression from high-volume, low-intensity training to low-volume, high-intensity training as the competition approaches. It’s divided into distinct phases:
– Preparatory phase (building base fitness)
– Competitive phase (race-specific training)
– Transition phase (active recovery)
Best suited for: Novice to intermediate athletes, or those with a long preparation phase before a main event.
Strengths: Simple to implement and understand. Allows for steady progression.
Weaknesses: May lead to performance plateaus for advanced athletes. Less flexible for multi-peak seasons.

Reverse Linear Periodisation

As the name suggests, this model reverses the linear approach. It starts with high-intensity, low-volume training and progresses to higher volume, lower intensity work as the competition nears. This can be beneficial for some endurance events.
Best suited for: Athletes in sports where maintaining power or speed is crucial even as endurance increases.
Strengths: Can help maintain power while building endurance. Useful for sports like rowing or swimming.
Weaknesses: May not provide sufficient base endurance for some athletes.

Undulating Periodisation

This model involves more frequent variations in training volume and intensity, often on a daily or weekly basis. It can be further divided into:
– Daily Undulating Periodisation (DUP): Training variables change daily
– Weekly Undulating Periodization (WUP): Training variables change weekly
Best suited for: Advanced athletes, those needing to maintain multiple fitness components simultaneously, or athletes with frequently changing competition schedules.
Strengths: Provides variety, potentially reducing burnout. Allows for simultaneous development of multiple fitness attributes.
Weaknesses: More complex to plan and implement. May not allow for optimal development of any single attribute.

Block Periodisation

This approach concentrates on developing specific abilities in blocks, typically lasting 2-6 weeks. Each block focuses on a particular aspect of fitness (e.g., aerobic endurance, lactate threshold, VO2max).
Best suited for: Elite athletes, those with multiple performance peaks in a season, or athletes needing to dramatically improve specific aspects of fitness.
Strengths: Allows for concentrated development of specific abilities. Flexible for multi-peak seasons.
Weaknesses: Requires careful planning to avoid detraining in non-focused areas. May be too intense for novice athletes.

Polarized Periodisation

This model emphasizes a distribution of about 80% low-intensity training and 20% high-intensity training, with very little moderate-intensity work. It’s gained popularity among endurance athletes in recent years but needs to managed very carefully.
Best suited for: Endurance athletes in sports like running, cycling, or cross-country skiing.
Strengths: Mimics the natural training patterns of successful endurance athletes. May reduce risk of overtraining.
Weaknesses: May not provide enough specific preparation for some events. Can be psychologically challenging due to the intensity of the hard sessions.

Wave-Loading Periodisation

This involves alternating periods of high and low training stress, creating a wave-like pattern in training load over time.
Best suited for: Athletes prone to overtraining or those who respond well to frequent recovery periods. Strengths: Built-in recovery periods can prevent burnout. Allows for multiple peaks within a season.
Weaknesses: May not provide enough consistent stimulus for some athletes. Requires careful monitoring to ensure proper loading.

Conjugate Periodisation

Originally developed for strength sports, this model simultaneously develops multiple fitness components and can be adapted for endurance athletes.
Best suited for: Multi-sport athletes or those needing to maintain a wide range of physical abilities. Strengths: Allows for simultaneous development of multiple fitness components. Can prevent boredom and staleness.
Weaknesses: Complex to design and implement. May not allow for optimal development in any single area.

Fractal Periodisation

This is a more complex model that applies similar training patterns across different time scales (days, weeks, months), creating a fractal-like structure.
Best suited for: Highly advanced athletes or those with very long-term development plans.
Strengths: Provides a coherent structure across multiple time scales. Can be highly individualized.
Weaknesses: Very complex to design and implement. Requires sophisticated monitoring and adjustment.

Key Considerations:

1. Athlete’s experience level: Novice athletes often respond well to simpler models like linear periodisation, while advanced athletes may benefit from more complex approaches.
2. Competition schedule: Single-peak seasons might suit linear models, while multi-peak seasons often require more flexible approaches like block or undulating periodization.
3. Sport-specific demands: Some sports require maintaining multiple fitness components simultaneously, favoring models like conjugate or undulating periodisation.
4. Individual response: Athletes respond differently to training stimuli. Some may thrive on variety (undulating), while others may need more focused blocks of training.
5. Available time: More complex models often require more time to see significant benefits, which may not be suitable for athletes with shorter preparation phases.

Sometimes, the most effective approach often involves combining elements from different models to create a personalised plan that addresses the specific needs and constraints of the individual athlete and their sport.

What is LEA?

LEA occurs when an individual’s energy intake is insufficient to support the body’s functions after accounting for energy expended in exercise.

It’s essentially an energy deficit that can occur in both athletes and non-athletes.

It’s calculated as energy intake minus exercise energy expenditure, relative to fat-free mass. This can be a complex calculation involving a lot of monitoring but there is a simple explanation further below.

LEA can occur even when total calorie intake seems adequate, if exercise energy expenditure is high. It can lead to various physiological and performance issues, including REDs which we will discuss in the next post.

It can, paradoxically, lead to weight gain in some cases. This is most commonly seen in women and is definitely something active women should be aware of if they cut calories and or/up the activity levels.

Weight Gain

Consuming less calories and then gaining weight might seem counterintuitive, but there are several mechanisms through which this can occur:

Metabolic Adaptation:
Chronic LEA can cause the body to lower its metabolic rate to conserve energy.
When normal eating resumes, this lowered metabolism can result in weight gain.

Hormonal Changes:
LEA can disrupt hormonal balance, particularly affecting thyroid hormones and cortisol.
These hormonal changes can lead to increased fat storage and water retention.

Increased Appetite:
After periods of restriction, the body may signal increased hunger, leading to overeating.
This can result in rapid weight gain, often exceeding the original weight.

Changes in Body Composition:
LEA can lead to loss of lean muscle mass.
When weight is regained, it’s often in the form of fat rather than muscle, changing body composition.

Insulin Sensitivity:
Prolonged LEA can affect insulin sensitivity, potentially leading to increased fat storage when normal eating resumes.

Disrupted Hunger and Fullness Cues:
Chronic undereating can disrupt natural hunger and fullness signals, making it harder to regulate food intake.

Psychological Factors:
The stress of restrictive eating can lead to binge eating episodes, contributing to weight gain.

Edema:
In some cases, especially when LEA is severe, the body may retain water, leading to temporary weight gain.

Rebound Effect:
When energy intake is increased after a period of LEA, the body may overcompensate by storing extra energy as fat.

It’s important to note that while LEA can sometimes lead to weight gain, the primary concern should be overall health and performance rather than weight alone.

All Impacts of LEA

Physiological impacts:
Metabolic rate reduction
Bone Mineral density decrease
Impaired protein synthesis
Cardiovascular changes; i.e. lower heart rate, blood pressure
Hormonal disruptions; i.e. decreased estrogen, testosterone

Psychological impacts:
Increased irritability
Difficulty concentrating
Depression
Anxiety

Performance impacts:
Decreased endurance
Reduced muscle strength
Increased injury risk
Impaired training adaption

Addressing LEA involves gradually increasing energy intake to support bodily functions and athletic performance, which may or may not result in weight changes.

How to calculate LEA

LEA is defined as dietary energy intake minus exercise energy expenditure, normalized to fat-free mass (FFM).
The formula is: Energy Availability = (Energy Intake – Exercise Energy Expenditure) / Fat-Free Mass.

The Thresholds are:
Optimal energy availability: >45 kcal/kg/FFM/day
Reduced energy availability: 30-45 kcal/kg FFM/day
Low energy availability: <30 kcal/kg FFM/day

Let’s look at an example of someone weighing 70 kg with 20 body fat%

Step 1:
Calculate Fat-Free Mass (FFM):
Body Fat Mass = 70 kg × 20% = 14 kg
Fat-Free Mass (FFM) = 70 kg – 14 kg = 56 kg
Step 2:
Energy Availability (EA) Calculation EA = (Energy Intake – Exercise Energy Expenditure) / Fat-Free Mass

For our 56 kg FFM individual:
Optimal EA threshold: 56 kg × 45 kcal/kg = 2,520 kcal/day
Low EA threshold: 56 kg × 30 kcal/kg = 1,680 kcal/day

Example scenarios:

A. Optimal EA: Energy Intake: 3,000 kcal Exercise Energy Expenditure: 400 kcal EA = (3,000 – 400) / 56 = 46.4 kcal/kg FFM/day (Optimal)

B. Reduced EA: Energy Intake: 2,500 kcal Exercise Energy Expenditure: 600 kcal EA = (2,500 – 600) / 56 = 33.9 kcal/kg FFM/day (Reduced)

C. Low EA: Energy Intake: 2,000 kcal Exercise Energy Expenditure: 800 kcal EA = (2,000 – 800) / 56 = 21.4 kcal/kg FFM/day (Low)

These calculations demonstrate how increased exercise energy expenditure or decreased energy intake can lead to reduced or low energy availability, even when total calorie intake might seem adequate.

Carb-Load Like a Pro!

Whether you’re lining up for a marathon, ultra-endurance event, or all-day sufferfest, proper pre-race nutrition can be the difference between bonking at the wall and unlocking next-level performance.

While pretty much all endurance athletes understand the importance of staying fuelled during an event, I find that the actual understanding how to do this can be pretty lacking.

It can feel like a mindfield… so I’m going to break it down and make it as simple as I can for you.

In a nutshell it means optimising what you eat in the days beforehand and it is a massively underrated part of the high-performance equation.

By strategically carb-loading and topping off fuel stores through precise nutrient timing and food choices, you can start your biggest races topped up with maximum muscle glycogen levels – allowing you to go harder, longer, and put your training to its fullest test.

Carbohydrate loading to maximize glycogen stores

Glycogen stores can deplete relatively quickly during prolonged endurance events, which is why carbohydrate loading in the days leading up to the event is so important.

Here are the headlines:

• Muscles store glycogen as the primary fuel source for high-intensity exercise lasting longer than 90-120 minutes.
• A well-trained endurance athlete may have 350-700g of glycogen stored in their muscles prior to carb loading.
• During a marathon or long endurance event, these glycogen stores can become depleted after about 2-3 hours of activity.
• Glycogen depletion is a major cause of hitting “the wall” or bonking during prolonged exercise when the muscles run out of easily accessible carbohydrate fuel.
• The carb loading protocol aims to maximize muscle and liver glycogen levels by tapering training and consuming a high-carb diet (7-12g/kg bodyweight) in the 1-3 days before the event.
• Proper carb loading can increase the total glycogen stores by 50-90% over normal levels, delaying fatigue.
• The timing of carb loading is important – loading too early results in glycogen depletion before the event.

Good Pre Race Foods to Include in your Carb Load Phase:

• White rice or pasta with a simple tomato/marinara sauce
• White or sweet potatoes
• Bagels or English muffins with jam/honey
• Bananas
• Rice cakes or crisp breads
• Sports drinks and electrolyte beverages
• Low-fiber cereals such as porridge, Ready Brek or Shredded Wheat.

Simple Pre-Race Meal Examples:

• Baked potato with salt, small side salad, and a sports beverage
• Plate of pasta with marinara sauce and a banana
• Bagel with peanut butter, a handful of pretzels, and a smoothie
• White rice, grilled chicken, steamed veggies, and an electrolyte drink
• Oatmeal with honey, a piece of toast with jam, and a fruit cup

The key things that make these “simple” are:

• Easily digestible carb sources like rice, potatoes, pasta
• Limited fiber, fat and protein to avoid GI distress
• Hydrating fluids like sports drinks
• Familiar, bland foods that the athlete tolerates well
• Single-plate or bowl meals for easy consumption

The focus is on providing high-quality carbs to top off glycogen stores, along with some protein, antioxidants, and fluids – without overwhelming the system before the endurance event begins.

Other things to consider:

Optimal Timing and Composition of the Pre-Event Meal:

• Timing is crucial – the pre-event meal should be consumed 3-4 hours before the start to allow for proper digestion and absorption
• Composition should be high in easily digestible carbs (e.g. white rice, pasta, potatoes, bread) and low in fat/fiber to minimize GI distress
• Fluids should be included to top off hydration levels
• Some protein can be included, but the focus should be on carb-rich foods
• Individualize based on personal tolerances – avoid any foods that typically cause GI issues
• Portion sizes depend on the event duration but usually around 3-4g/kg carbs

Hydration Strategies Before the Event:

• Begin hydrating heavily 2-3 days out by increasing fluid intake
• Aim to consume 5-10mL per kg bodyweight about 2-4 hours pre-race
• Include sodium in pre-race hydration to better retain fluids
• Monitor urine color to ensure proper hydration levels
• Don’t over-hydrate excessively, as this can cause hyponatremia
• Customize hydration based on individual sweat rates and event conditions

Summary:

The key for pre-event fueling is to maximize carb/fuel stores through proper loading, time the final fuel intake for optimal digestion and utilization, and ensure adequate but not excessive hydration levels heading into the endurance event.

This primes the body’s energy systems for the upcoming demands. It ensures you have done everything you can via your nutrition to back up the hard work you have put in via your training.

As we know, the human body has an incredible ability to adapt and become stronger in response to the physical demands placed upon it.

This adaptive process, when done specifically, is known as supercompensation. It is a fundamental principle that underpins effective training for athletes across a wide range of sports and disciplines.

At its core, supercompensation describes how, after being exposed to a new training stimulus that causes short-term fatigue, the body overcompensates during the recovery period by enhancing its capabilities beyond the pre-training level.

By strategically applying the supercompensation model, endurance athletes and those following supporting strength and conditioning programs can maximise their performance gains, avoid overtraining, and unlock their full physical potential.

Supercompensation is more than just regular training because it follows a specific pattern and principles.

Here are some key points that distinguish it:

Overload Principle;
Supercompensation requires exposing the body to greater stress/workload than it is accustomed to, through increased volume, intensity, or new training stimuli. This overload causes temporary fatigue.

Recovery Period ;
After the overload, there must be a recovery period where the training load is reduced to allow the body to adapt and rebuild itself stronger than before.

Cycle Pattern;
Supercompensation follows a cyclical pattern of overload -> fatigue -> recovery -> enhanced capacity. This cycle is repeated as fitness levels increase.

Timing;
There is an optimal timing element. If the recovery period is too short, the body won’t fully supercompensate. If too long, detraining can occur before the next overload.

Individualization;
The overload stimulus and recovery time required varies per individual based on factors like training age, genetics, nutrition, etc.

Progressive Overload;
As the body adapts, greater overload is required to continue supercompensating and making fitness gains over time.

Specificity;
The supercompensation effects are specific to the muscles, energy systems, and skills trained under overload.

Whether you’re a marathoner looking to shave minutes off your PR, a cyclist striving for that extra watt of power output, or a weightlifter aiming to break through frustrating plateaus, strategically applying the principles of supercompensation can be a game-changer.

By precisely calibrating periods of overload training followed by optimal recovery, you unlock the ability to push past previous limits and take your physical capabilities to newfound heights.

The human body’s supercompensatory powers are remarkable – learning to precisely harness this phenomenon is what separates those who achieve extraordinary gains from those who stagnate. It is also where a coach can really help you make the difference as a great coach will know how to read your training data and apply the right cycles at the right times to get you your best results. .

Embrace the cycle of overload and renaissance, and prepare to redefine your personal performance potential.

Even endurance athletes with true mental grit and mental toughness will inevitably face dark moments when shit gets tough, motivation plummets and the prospect of quitting seems tempting.

The ability to overcome these psychological slumps separates the middle-of-the-pack finishers from the podium contenders.

While physical conditioning is paramount, having an arsenal of mental strategies to deploy when the inner voice turns negative can mean the difference between succumbing to the brain’s quit signals or finding renewed focus and determination.

Your Emergency Mindset Toolkit:

This is your emergency mindset toolkit – a collection of psychological techniques to reboot mental grit when the shadow of burnout and despair looms large over your endurance ambitions.

Breathing Exercises

• Specific rhythmic breathing patterns to use to re-center and recover mentally (e.g. box breathing, 4-7-8 technique)

Positive Visual Cues

• Having predetermined positive images/visions to call upon to rebuild inspiration (e.g. loved ones, past successes)

Memory Anchors

• Pre-planned positive memories to vividly recall and reconnect with sources of determination

Body Scanning

• Systematic tension-release routines to bypass mental fatigue and reconnect with the physical

Chunking

• Breaking down races into motivational segments rather than focusing on the whole daunting distance

Power Postures

• Adopting postures and stances associated with confidence, resilience to reset the mindset

Cognitive Reframing

• Countering negative thoughts by consciously reframing them in a more empowering light

External Anchors

• Identifying motivational competitors, pacer groups or markers on the course to re-engage with

Endurance races create an inevitable ebb and flow of emotional peaks and valleys.

When the tides of motivation go out, the greatest endurance athletes have a toolbox of psychological tactics to draw from.

By implementing these mental coping strategies – whether it’s breathing exercises, positive visual cues, or cognitive reframing – you build resilience against the forces trying to derail your mindset.

You develop the capacity to override the brain’s impulses to quit and instead access renewed focus and determination. Cultivate and practice these techniques, and you’ll fear no motivational abyss, armed with the mental ammo to charge through the lowest lows en route to the finish line.

The mind quits long before the body, but with these coping tools, you’ll be the master of both.

As I approach a weekend with a DB Athlete undertaking another massive challenge (their second 100 mile Ultra in 6 weeks) the subject of managing your mindset during a BIG event is clearly on my mind.

So… I’m sharing one of my favourite concepts, first introduced to me by ‘The Iron Cowboy’ James Lawrence during his “50” challenge where he completed 50 IronMan distance triathlons in 50 US States in 50 days.

This is the Concept of: “Don’t Get Too High. Don’t Get Too Low”

The ability to regulate emotions and maintain an unwavering mental focus can separate the champions from the also-rans in grueling endurance competitions.

While physical preparation is crucial, how you manage your mindset and psychological state during the inherent ebbs and flows is equally vital.

This emerging philosophy emphasises cultivating a even-keeled, balanced state of mind – steadfastly avoiding the pitfalls of overconfidence during high points and despondency during low points.

Here are some key aspects of this mindset approach:

1. Emotional regulation:
   Endurance events involve physical and mental ups and downs. The theory suggests regulating emotions to avoid getting carried away by momentary feelings, whether positive or negative, which could disrupt pacing and focus.
2. Consistency:
   Maintaining a consistent level of effort and concentration is considered ideal, rather than expending too much energy in bursts of over-enthusiasm or letting negative emotions drain commitment.
3. Pacing:
   Getting too high can lead to starting out too fast and burning out prematurely. Getting too low can cause one to slow down unnecessarily or even give up. An even pace matching one’s training is recommended.
4. Objectivity:
   The idea is to objectively assess the situation at each point, without the extremes of over-optimism from temporary good feelings or despair from temporary setbacks.
5. Resilience:
   Avoiding emotional peaks and valleys can help cultivate resilience to overcome the inevitable challenges that arise.

The ultimate goal is to stay level-headed, stick to one’s race plan, and persist with determination throughout the ups and downs until the finish line.

Proponents believe this balanced mindset allows athletes to perform closer to their full potential over the entire distance.

If you want to truly become the best athlete you can be, you have to first master and the weaponise your mindset and this is a key asset.

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 of this concept.

What is it all about?

Periodisation is a strategic way of structuring your training program to maximize results and prevent burnout or injury. It involves cycling through different phases of training with varying intensities and volumes.

The basic idea is to alternate between periods of harder, more intense training (like lifting heavier weights or increasing your mileage) and periods of lighter, lower-intensity training. This allows your body to work hard and make gains during the intense phases, while also giving it a chance to recover and avoid overtraining during the lighter phases.

For example, you might have a 4-week block of really challenging workouts where you’re pushing yourself hard. Then, you’d follow that with a 1-2 week period of easier, recovery-focused training to let your body rest and adapt to the previous training stress. This cycle of hard work followed by planned recovery is repeated throughout your overall training plan.

The benefits of periodisation:

1. It helps prevent plateau by constantly introducing new training stimuli
2. It reduces your risk of injury or burnout from doing too much too soon, and ensures you’re fresh and rested for important competitions or events.
3. It’s a way of strategically managing your body’s finite energy resources over time for long-term, sustainable progress.

How periodisation allows athletes to maximize training adaptations while preventing overtraining and burnout:

Periodisation is designed to facilitate the body’s adaptive responses to training stress while also allowing for adequate recovery and replenishment of energy stores.

This is achieved through structured periods of overload followed by planned periods of reduced training load or complete rest.

During the overload phases, the body is exposed to increased training volumes, intensities, and often both.

This overload stimulus initiates physiological and metabolic processes that lead to adaptations such as increased muscle strength, improved cardiovascular fitness, and enhanced energy utilization.

However, if the overload continues indefinitely without respite, the body’s finite energy resources will eventually become depleted, leading to overtraining and burnout.

To counteract this, periodisation incorporates recovery phases or periods of reduced training load.

These recovery periods serve several crucial functions:

1. Energy replenishment: They allow the body to replenish depleted energy stores, such as glycogen in the muscles and liver, which are essential for high-intensity training and performance.
2. Tissue repair and adaptation: Recovery periods provide the necessary time for damaged muscle fibers to repair, for the body to adapt to the previous training stimulus, and for the central nervous system to recover from the accumulated fatigue.
3. Psychological recovery: Periods of reduced training load help alleviate mental fatigue and burnout, allowing athletes to maintain motivation and enthusiasm for their sport.

By respecting the body’s need for recovery and replenishment through periodisation, athletes can maximize their training adaptations without exceeding the body’s finite energy resources or pushing it into an overtrained state.

This strategic approach to training not only enhances performance but also reduces the risk of injuries, illness, and burnout, enabling athletes to train consistently over the long term.

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 in endurance training.

This should provide valuable insights and practical strategies for endurance athletes and coaches seeking to maximise training gains while mitigating the risk of overtraining and burnout.

Common Signs and Symptoms of Overtraining:

1. Persistent fatigue:
   Feeling unusually tired and sluggish, even after adequate rest and recovery periods.
2. Decreased performance:
   A noticeable drop in athletic performance, despite maintaining the same training load.
3. Muscle soreness:
   Prolonged and excessive muscle soreness that persists for days after training sessions.
4. Increased injuries:
   Experiencing more frequent or nagging injuries, which can be a sign of overtraining and insufficient recovery.
5. Disturbed sleep:
   Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or experiencing poor quality sleep.
6. Mood disturbances:
   Changes in mood, such as increased irritability, anxiety, depression, or a lack of motivation.
7. Suppressed appetite:
   A noticeable decrease in appetite or a loss of interest in food.
8. Increased resting heart rate:
   An elevated resting heart rate, which can indicate the body’s inability to fully recover.
9. Increased susceptibility to illness:
   Frequent colds, flu, or other illnesses due to a compromised immune system.
10. Menstrual irregularities:
    In female athletes, overtraining can lead to changes in menstrual cycles or amenorrhea (absence of menstruation).

* It’s important to note that overtraining is a complex condition, and individuals may experience different combinations of these symptoms. Monitoring and addressing these signs and symptoms promptly is crucial to prevent more severe consequences, such as burnout, prolonged performance decrements, or long-term health issues.

5 Simple Strategies for Assessing Fatigue Levels

1. Resting Heart Rate Monitoring: Monitor your resting heart rate (RHR) first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. An elevated RHR compared to your baseline can be an indicator of fatigue or incomplete recovery from previous training sessions.
2. Subjective Rating Scales: Use a simple rating scale (e.g., 1-10) to quantify your perceived level of fatigue, muscle soreness, motivation, or overall well-being. Tracking these subjective measures over time can help identify patterns and potential overtraining.
3. Performance Tracking: Monitor your performance metrics during training sessions or competitions. If you consistently struggle to hit your target paces, power outputs, or lift the same weights as before, it could signal accumulated fatigue.
4. Sleep Quality Assessment: Pay attention to your sleep quality and quantity. Persistent poor sleep, difficulty falling asleep, or frequent waking during the night can be signs of overtraining and inadequate recovery.
5. Mood and Motivation Monitoring: Keep track of your mood and motivation levels. Persistent irritability, anxiety, depression, or a lack of enthusiasm for training that you previously enjoyed could indicate overtraining and the need for a recovery period.

By incorporating these simple strategies into your training routine, you can gain valuable insights into your body’s fatigue levels and make informed decisions adjusting your training load, incorporating more recovery periods, or seeking professional support if necessary.

Hopefully this helps and gives you some better insight into how to monitor and manage your fatigue levels.

To fully understand fitness and how to make lasting and meaningful changes to your endurance you really have to understand the key concepts of stress and recovery.

Training is just a form of stress and training stress refers to the physical and mental demands placed on the body during exercise or athletic activities.

Recovery, on the other hand, is the process by which the body repairs and adapts to the stress imposed during training.

It should be simple right. You put your body under stress through your training and then you take a bit of time to recover, and the improvements happen. Rinse and Repeat…

Unfortunately though, it isn’t quite that simple, especially for those trying to reach a new level of performance. This is because both stress and recovery utilise the most important resource the body has: Energy!

The relationship between training stress and recovery:

This is a delicate balance that athletes and fitness enthusiasts must maintain for optimal performance and injury prevention.

Adequate recovery is crucial for allowing the body to replenish energy stores, repair muscle damage, and promote adaptation.

Without proper recovery, excessive training stress can lead to overtraining, increased risk of injury, and diminished performance.

Therefore, it is essential to strike a balance between training stress and recovery, allowing for appropriate rest and recovery periods to maximise the benefits of training and prevent burnout or overuse injuries.

The human body has a finite energy source:

Proper management of this energy is crucial for making gains in fitness and avoiding overtraining or burnout.

Here’s an explanation of how this works:

1. Energy stores: The body’s primary energy sources are glycogen (stored in the muscles and liver) and fat. These energy stores are limited and can be depleted during intense or prolonged exercise.
2. Depletion and replenishment: During training, the body utilizes these energy stores, leading to depletion. If the energy stores are not adequately replenished through proper nutrition and rest, the body will eventually reach a state of fatigue and diminished performance.
3. Recovery and adaptation: After a training session, the body needs time to recover and adapt to the stress imposed during exercise. During this recovery period, the body replenishes its energy stores, repairs muscle damage, and adapts by becoming stronger and more efficient.
4. Overtraining and burnout: If the body is not given sufficient time to recover and replenish its energy stores, it can lead to overtraining and burnout. This can result in decreased performance, increased risk of injury, and prolonged recovery times.

Making gains in fitness while managing the body’s finite energy source:

To do this it is essential to follow these principles:

1. Periodization: Incorporate periods of high-intensity training followed by periods of lower-intensity training or active recovery to allow the body to replenish its energy stores and adapt to the training stimulus.
2. Nutrition: Consume a balanced diet with sufficient calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats to fuel the body and support recovery and adaptation.
3. Rest and sleep: Allow for adequate rest and sleep, as these are crucial for recovery, energy replenishment, and muscle repair.
4. Monitoring: Pay attention to signs of fatigue, decreased performance, or increased susceptibility to illness, as these can indicate the need for more recovery time.

By respecting the body’s finite energy source and implementing proper training, nutrition, and recovery strategies, athletes and fitness enthusiasts can maximize their gains in fitness while avoiding overtraining and burnout.

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 help you develop and maintain that regular breathing pattern.

1)Rhythmic Breathing:
Practice inhaling for a specific count (e.g., 3 or 4) and exhaling for the same count, syncing the breath with your movement patterns.

2)Nasal Breathing:
Breathe through your nose as much as possible during low-intensity activities to promote diaphragmatic breathing.

3)Breath Counting:
Simply count your breaths (e.g., 1-2-3-4 inhale, 1-2-3-4 exhale) to reinforce a consistent rhythm.

3)Use a Metronome or Music
Set a metronome or select music with a consistent beat per minute (BPM) that matches the desired breathing rate. Try to synchronise your inhalations and exhalations with the metronome or music beats.

4)Breathing Ladders
Start with a short breathing pattern (e.g., 2 steps per inhalation, 2 steps per exhalation) and gradually increase the length (e.g., 3 steps per inhalation, 3 steps per exhalation).
Alternate between shorter and longer patterns to challenge breathing control.

5)Straw Breathing:
Breathe through a small straw during low-intensity activities to promote controlled, diaphragmatic breathing.
This can help you become more aware of your breathing patterns and maintain a consistent rhythm.

6)Visualisation and Cue Words:
Visualize and mentally rehearse your desired breathing patterns before and during activities.
Use cue words or phrases (e.g., “inhale, exhale,” “rhythm,” “control”) to reinforce consistent breathing.

8) Focused Breathing During Warmups and Cooldowns:
Dedicate specific segments of your warmup and cooldown routines to focus solely on controlled breathing exercises.
This can help you establish a consistent breathing pattern before and after intense efforts.

The key thing when practising any of these methods is to start with shorter durations and gradually increase the time and intensity as you become more comfortable with maintaining a regular breathing pattern.

Consistency and regular practice are key to developing this important skill.

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 of oxygen is incoming.

Therefore, the more regular the breathing pattern, the lower and more stable the heart rate.

To break it down further here are the key reasons building and sustaining a regular breathing pattern will elevate your athletic performance.

1) Oxygen Efficiency: It can help improve the efficiency of oxygen uptake and utilisation during exercise. This in turn can enhance endurance and delay the onset of fatigue.

2) Respiratory Muscle Training: It helps train the respiratory muscles, such as the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, to work more efficiently. Stronger respiratory muscles can improve breathing economy.

3) Stress Reduction: It has been shown to have a calming effect on the body and mind. You can better manage stress and anxiety, which can negatively impact performance.

4) Pacing and Rhythm: It can help establish a steady pace and rhythm during activities where maintaining a consistent effort level is crucial.

5) Recovery: Proper techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing or nasal breathing, can aid in recovery. They can help facilitate the removal of metabolic waste products and promote faster recovery.

6) Mental Focus: Focusing on breath work can help you stay present and focused during your sessions. It can also improve concentration and mental toughness, which are essential for optimal performance.

7) Technique Reinforcement: In some endurance sports, like swimming or rowing, a regular breathing pattern is closely tied to proper technique. Emphasising good breath work can reinforce good technical habits and improve overall efficiency.

A thought-provoking question recently popped up in my Instagram inbox, courtesy of one of my athletes: “Is athletic success determined by genetics or mental toughness?” It sparked a lively debate, prompting me to delve into this topic for this week’s blog.

Firstly, it’s crucial to acknowledge that opinions on this matter vary widely. If you have thoughts to share, head over to my social media post and join the conversation.

In my view, success in athletics is influenced by a combination of genetics and mindset. Undoubtedly, genetics endow certain individuals with predispositions for particular sports due to factors like muscle fiber distribution and oxygen efficiency. However, it’s essential to emphasize that genetics are individualistic, and attributing success to race is unfounded.

Nevertheless, genetics merely provide a foundation; it’s the interplay of nature and nurture that molds elite athletes. Rigorous training and opportunities are indispensable for realizing one’s athletic potential. Different sports demand diverse innate abilities, but achieving true greatness requires more than sheer effort.

While hard work is vital, I’m inclined to believe that innate physical aptitude often outweighs it. Occasionally, exceptional individuals defy this notion, almost transcending humanity with their prowess. Yet, for most, achieving extraordinary feats hinges on mental fortitude.

The stories of David Goggins, James Lawrence, Sean Conway, and Ross Edgley exemplify the power of the mind in overcoming physical barriers. For recreational athletes, irrespective of their level, nurturing mental resilience is as crucial as physical training. That’s why at Different Breed, we emphasize both the five Training Pillars and five Mindset Pillars, laying the groundwork for success.

I’ve witnessed remarkable transformations in athletes when their mindset shifts. Enhanced self-belief, focus, and determination invariably elevate performance levels. To unlock your true potential, set audacious goals that intimidate you, and pursue them relentlessly.

Yet, few are willing to embark on this journey. What sets exceptional individuals apart is their unwavering commitment to improvement and their aversion to mediocrity. As one of my athletes aptly puts it,

“Training talks. Bullshit walks
(with a whole of excuses).”

Are you ready to step up your game? If you’re driven to push your limits and aspire for greatness, join our community. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or aspiring podium finisher, together, we’ll redefine your boundaries.

Sign up for our athletic endurance performance coaching today or leave a comment below to be part of the discussion. Let’s embark on this journey to excellence together.

Liza xXx

Embrace the lows, they’re the launchpad to your highs.

The 5th Training Principle of Different Breed focuses on recovery and understanding that the highs and the successes are only possible due to the dips and the down time.
This can be one of the hardest things for some athletes to put into practice

Everyone I work with is more than happy to do all the training sessions but often I get a lot of push back or reluctance regarding rest days, active recovery days, deload weeks and taper phases.

One of the main reasons given is guilt. Guilt for taking time off when they could be doing something, which feels lazy. I totally understand this notion but it is not a healthy attitude or a smart logic.

These aspects of training are just as important as the work. Without them the effort you are putting into to your training could end up wasted.

So, let’s break it down a little, one by one…

Rest days during a training block are crucial to allow your body to adapt to the stress of hard training. On rest days, avoid strenuous activity and let your body and mind recharge. Minimum one rest day a week which involves nothing more than walking and mobility work is the standard rule.
Proper rest days enable you to come back stronger for your next hard workout. Without adequate rest, you’ll experience fatigue, loss of motivation, and increased injury risk. Plus you could experience a progress plateau, or even a regression as your body fails to recover and absorb the level of training stress you are enduring.

Active recovery days involve light exercise that increases blood flow to enhance recovery without producing additional fatigue. This could be an easy jog, swim, spin or even involve some light bodyweight strength work as long as it done at low intensity. The increased blood flow will transport nutrients to fatigued muscles while removing metabolic waste products. Staying moving on recovery days will help you feel fresher when returning to hard training while still allowing adaptation to occur. If only having one rest day every 7 then including one active recovery day could make a massive difference.

Deload weeks should occur every 3-4 weeks of hard training. The purpose is to back off and allow more complete physiological, mental, and emotional recovery – not just within a week but accumulated over weeks of training. Reduce your training volume by around 50% during the deload week. You can maintain some intensity but this should not be high for every session. You’ll return rejuvenated and ready to stress your body with hard training again during the next mesocycle. Deloads prevent overtraining, burnout, and loss of enjoyment.

Tapering prepares you to perform at your peak on race day. Gradually reduce your training volume by 30-50% over 1-3 weeks leading up to your key event. Frequency and intensity stay higher to maintain fitness. The reduced load allows time for any accumulated fatigue to dissipate. You’ll feel refreshed, motivated and ready to give your best effort. An effective taper requires patience and avoidance of the temptation to overtrain during this crucial phase.

Hopefully this helps you understand a bit more about the how and why of effective endurance training and how recovery plays such a critical role. You should now fee l totally confident to put these key phases in to your plans without a hint of guilt, knowing you are doing exactly what you need to do to help move the needle on your fitness, outside of the hard graft of training.

The 4th Training Principle of Different Breed focuses on being consistent with your training, but also being adaptable and not letting life’s curveballs completely derail your progress.
We all know that sometimes ‘life gets in the way” but having a solid plan in place and building commitment and discipline is the true way forward to race day success.

Let’s talk first about why consistency is so important.

Consistency in endurance training is key to seeing continued improvements and being prepared on race day. By training regularly – following a plan and sticking to a steady weekly mileage or hours training – your body adapts to the stress of exercise. Consistency allows physiological changes like increased aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and lactate threshold. It also prevents overtraining injuries.

Athletes who train sporadically, or too much, often find themselves injured, exhausted, or hitting a performance plateau.

Showing up regularly and putting in the miles, intervals, strength & conditioning, core and cross training outlined by your training plan is equally important in those last key weeks leading up to race day. Consistency sets you up to taper and fully absorb all the hard work you’ve put in.

By settling into a regular routine and habits, you don’t need to think about motivation or readiness. You’ve trained your body and mind to deliver a peak performance. A consistent training block pays off on race day.

However, sticking to the plan can sometimes be extremely taxing when you have a full and busy life that demands you pull focus from your training plan.

But, it doesn’t mean you just give up. If what your are working towards is truly important you will find a way through the tough times.

If you are lucky enough to be working with a coach, the first thing is to talk to them. They will help you figure out what you can do, to keep you progressing.

If you are flying solo, you have to figure it out on your own.

In both scenarios, here are the two key pieces of advice:

1) Be honest with yourself about how much time and energy you actually have available.
There is no point putting a plan in place that you know deep down is just too much for you. Progress can still be made, even if you have to accept that your gains are going to come a little bit slower. The takeaway is that you will still making progress… which is the goals right!

2) Focus on what you CAN do. Not what you can’t.
OK, so life is going to look a bit different for a little while, and it doesn’t look how you want it to. So what? Change the picture, you are where you are and you can either adapt, or you can fail… and remember, at Different Breed you only truly fail when you give up completely.
When you are dealing with life’s curveballs remember:
Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly:
Every small step fortifies your foundation. When hurdles appear, leap higher.

Staying flexible and adjusting your expectations are key to dealing with life’s curveballs that negatively impact your training. Rather than getting fixated on a specific race goal or mileage target for the week that is now unattainable, shift your mindset to maintenance and damage control.

Accept that you may need to take a few days off, cut back intensity or distance temporarily, or modify your workouts. The priority becomes holding onto the baseline fitness you built up without trying to forcibly progress.

Use crosstraining and active recovery to keep moving when you can. Mentally prepare for the fitness setback but know it is temporary. Stay focused on getting through this short detour without losing too much ground by supporting overall health first. Trust that when life stabilizes again, you can gradually ramp back up.

The successful athlete understands that they need to be flexible and that unexpected interruptions as part of the training process.

Hopefully this helps you understand a bit more about the how and why of effective endurance training plans.

Now, don’t get it twisted when reading that headline… I am not saying minimum effort as in you can sand bag your training sessions.

What I am talking about it the Minimal Dose Response, the third training principle of Different Breed.

Endurance training aims to improve the body’s ability to sustain prolonged physical activity. As you do more endurance exercise, your fitness and endurance capacity improves. However, there is a minimal amount of training that produces most of these adaptations.

If you train beyond this minimal dose, additional benefits become smaller and more gradual. The body can only adapt so quickly – extra training stimulates diminishing returns. So more endurance exercise is not always better once the minimum stimulus threshold is surpassed.

In fact, training well beyond the minimal dose without proper recovery can lead to overtraining, fatigue and burnout. This impairs performance and endurance capacity. So for efficient and sustained fitness gains, the minimal effective training dose with good recovery time optimized long-term development.

Simply put, more endurance exercise is not always more beneficial if the minimum dose is already achieved.

The second reason this principle is so important is because it minimises the injury risk.

When you regularly train well beyond the minimum recommended endurance training volumes and intensities, it dramatically increases repetitive impact and strain on the body. For example, ramping up running mileage too aggressively places a lot of stress on joints and tissues.

This accumulative overload over weeks and months gradually fatigues structures like tendons, cartilage, and bones beyond their capabilities.

It makes them more vulnerable to microtears and inflammatory conditions – this manifests as painful overuse injuries like stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, patellofemoral pain.

By sticking closer to the minimum effective endurance training you ensure adequate rest and recovery between sessions. The body has more time to adapt and get stronger to withstand subsequent sessions. Tendons, bones and muscles are strengthened overtime before being exposed to heavier loads.

So in every way, less training can equate to more in the long run.

Hopefully this helps you understand a bit more about the how and why of effective endurance training plans.

Your ability to sustain is your ticket to success and is the substance behind my second principle of training. You must adapt, endure and then you can conquer.

Specificity develops the physiological capacities, technical skills and fortitude in the exact muscles, energy systems and movements needed to excel in your chosen endurance activity. It puts focus into every training session for everyday athletes.

The SAID principle is commonly used by coaches in all sports and it stands for Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands.

It is a key training principle for endurance that states your body will adapt specifically to the type of training you do and the amount of training stress you endure.

Some of the key points regarding the SAID principle:
It targets the specific energy systems and muscles needed for your sport/activity. Endurance activities like running, cycling, swimming etc. rely heavily on aerobic energy systems and slow twitch muscle fibers. Training plans tailored to these systems and muscles will optimize endurance capabilities.

It matches the specific movements and mechanics. The motions and techniques of running are different from swimming or cycling. Sport-specific drills and training adapts the body to handle those unique demands efficiently.

It allows for proper recovery and adaptation. Endurance training causes microscopic tears and fatigue in muscles and energy systems. Sport-specific training doses the right amount of stress so you can recover and bounce back stronger in time for your next training session or event.

It prepares you for the specific rigors and conditions. Training should mimic the motions, duration, terrain and conditions of your goal event as closely as possible. This sport-specific overload principle boosts specific fitness and skills.

The SAID principle highlights the need for specificity in training and endurance athletes need to focus their training on taxing the aerobic system.

However, if you just repeat the same session over and over again your body will soon adapt to that training stress and your progress will plateau as there is no demand there any more. Similarly just doing generic exercise won’t necessarily improve endurance, not to any great degree anyway. It certainly won’t yield the results you are truly capable of.

This means you have to do a variety of different training sessions that specifically target different outcomes if you want to be able to race faster for longer.

Here is a 4-session running plan that provides different stimuli for endurance athletes:
Long Slow Distance (LSD) Run: A long run at an easy, conversational pace. This builds aerobic endurance and teaches the body to burn fat as fuel. Aim for 60-90 mins.
Tempo Run: Run at lactate threshold pace, which is slightly faster than marathon pace. This improves speed and efficiency at higher intensities. Aim for 20-40 mins.
Interval Training: Short, fast intervals (e.g. 800m-1200m) with rest periods in between. This builds speed and anaerobic capacity. Aim for 6-10 x 800m with 2 min rest.
Hill Repeats: Short, fast hill repeats targeting max effort. Builds leg strength and power. Aim for 6-10 x 30 sec uphill sprints with jog back recovery.

The long run provides an endurance base, while the faster sessions develop speed and efficiency. The intervals add anaerobic and leg power.

Combining these different stimuli allows runners to become stronger and faster overall.

Rest and recovery around the hard sessions is also key.

This week we are going to delve a little bit deeper into the first training principle of Different Breed:

Strength Reigns Supreme in Endurance.

To excel in your chosen endurance sport you obviously need to practise the disciplines of your sport and build an extraordinary level of fitness in all required i.e running, cycling, swimming

However, the key to racing your true best performance lies in developing a robust strength foundation.

Full-body compound movements such as the squat, deadlift and bench press will provide the muscular endurance to maintain proper form through the later miles when fatigue sets in. During the early off season while you are in the General Prep Phase you should focus on maximal strength, so lifting heavy, to bulletproof your body meaning you will be less prone to injury and able to sustain high levels of training stress.

Accessory exercises improve balance, engage stabiliser muscles, increase your range of motion and help prevent overuse injuries. Unilateral exercises (single leg or arm) allows athletes to identify and improve any muscular imbalances.

Core exercises train the abs, obliques, lower back and hips through their full range of motion. Developing endurance in these muscles leads to better form, injury prevention and stronger overall core stabilization. This allows endurance athletes to maintain power and efficiency even after many miles on the course when fatigue sets in. A strong core is a must for excelling over any long distance event.

Very smart and specific sprint intervals performed at the end of a strength session boost stamina and fatigue resistance.

Committing to an S&C program encompassing all these elements will give you a huge payout on race day.

Right now is the perfect time in the season to implement a smart S&C program so get on it, if you haven’t already.

Remember, if there is a particular subject you want covered, drop me a message and let me know. I want this conversation to be as useful to you as possible.

I had a great response to my New Year’s message email earlier this week and some of you shared some really inspiring “word for 2024”

Better. Balance. Focus. Energy. Achieve. These are just a few.
Hold on to your word and use it to shape and guide your year.

As promised, the DB Conversation email will be back to dropping weekly, every Thursday, full of information that will help you become the best version of you, as both an athlete and a person, as possible.

To start the new year right I thought the first thing I would share is the 5 underlying principles of the Different Breed training methodology that I apply to all my athletes programming to ensure they have the best chance of hitting their goals.

1) Strength Reigns Supreme in Endurance:
There’s no such thing as too strong for an endurance warrior.

2) Minimum Effort, Maximum Impact:
Train smarter, not harder. Extract the most from the least.

3) Specificity is King:
Adapt, endure, conquer. Your ability to sustain is your ticket to success.

4) Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly:
Every small step fortifies your foundation. When hurdles appear, leap higher.

5) Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs:
Embrace the lows, they’re the launchpad to your highs.
I’ll expand on each one separately in future communications but this gives you all an understanding of the basics I use without exception to build ultimate endurance warriors.

Remember, if there is a particular subject you want covered, drop me a message and let me know. I want this conversation to be as useful to you as possible.

I was recently interviewed for a magazine and one of the questions I was asked was:

Q: What are the biggest mistakes people make with their overall endurance training?

As this is clearly such an important topic I thought I would share my answers with you here 🙂

A: People make so many mistakes when left to their own devices but here are the main three that are the most common, and the most serious.

1) Ignoring S&C!
I speak to so many triathletes who just run, bike and swim and think that time doing S&C work is time wasted. Or, they do it but they don’t take it seriously. They do it to just tick the box.

Smart S&C can be the thing that truly elevates someone’s endurance performance as there are so many benefits: Better running economy, better posture, better form, improved speed and power, better muscle fibre recruitment, faster reflexes… to name just a few 🙂

You will never be the best endurance athlete you can be if you are not doing really good S&C… and the ‘C’ is important. A lot of people focus on the Strength and not the Conditioning.

Plus S&C is the biggest prehab tool for injury prevention. It’s how you become a bulletproof racer.

2) Repetitive training.
I see people share their run/cycle/tri training plans and they include the same sort of session week in, week out. The same sort of runs, the same rides etc.
The SAID principle is so important in both Endurance and S&C.
Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands.
You need to force your body to adapt to different stimulus to ensure progression. If you only ever run at a similar pace, lift a certain weight or bike for a certain time or distance you are blunting your progress because there is nothing for your body to adapt to.

3) Thinking more is more, and wanting to do way too much.
I know so many athletes that think deload weeks are wasted weeks and that tapering means just not doing anything for a couple of days before the race. It can be a real struggle to help someone truly understand, appreciate and most importantly execute a strategic and meaningful deload or taper period.

Too many endurance athletes either break themselves, burn out or hold themselves back simply by doing too much.

Personally I am a fan of the minimal dose response – using the minimum amount of good, targeted, specific work, to gain the maximum amount of benefit. I have honed this technique over my years of coaching and my athletes really benefit. One of the common pieces of feedback I get is ‘I cant believe how much I’ve improved. I thought I would have to do way more to achieve these results.’

The SAID principle stands for Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands.

It is a key training principle for endurance that states your body will adapt specifically to the type of training you do.

Some key points about the SAID principle:
Your body adapts to the specific demands and stresses placed on it during training. The adaptation is very specific to the type of training.
To improve endurance, you need to do endurance training that stresses the aerobic energy system. To improve strength, you need to stress the muscles with resistance/strength training.
The training needs to be progressive, gradually increasing volume, intensity and frequency over time to see continued adaptation and improvement.
There needs to be enough recovery between training sessions for the adaptation to take place.
Variety and periodization of training is important to promote continued adaptation. Always doing the same training will lead to a plateau.

The SAID principle highlights the need for specificity in training.

Endurance athletes need to focus their training on taxing the aerobic system.

This means doing a variety of different training sessions that specifically target different outcomes.

Just doing generic exercise won’t necessarily improve endurance. It certainly won’t yield the results you are truly capable of.

The training stimulus needs to match the specific demands of the sport/event.

That’s why the SAID principle is so foundational – it underpins the need to tailor training properly for the athletic goals and events being targeted.

Here is a 4-session running plan that provides different stimuli for endurance athletes:

Long Slow Distance (LSD) Run: A long run at an easy, conversational pace. This builds aerobic endurance and teaches the body to burn fat as fuel. Aim for 60-90 mins.

Tempo Run: Run at lactate threshold pace, which is slightly faster than marathon pace. This improves speed and efficiency at higher intensities. Aim for 20-40 mins.

Interval Training: Short, fast intervals (e.g. 800m-1200m) with rest periods in between. This builds speed and anaerobic capacity. Aim for 6-10 x 800m with 2 min rest.

Hill Repeats: Short, fast hill repeats targeting max effort. Builds leg strength and power. Aim for 6-10 x 30 sec uphill sprints with jog back recovery.

The long run provides an endurance base, while the faster sessions develop speed and efficiency. The intervals add anaerobic and leg power.

Combining these different stimuli allows runners to become stronger and faster overall.

Rest and recovery around the hard sessions is also key.

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 to best effect and leverage heart rate training to achieve yous race goals:

Zone 1 – Recovery: Below 80% lactate threshold
Zone 2 – Aerobic: 80-90% lactate threshold
Zone 3 – Tempo: 90-99% lactate threshold
Zone 4 – Lactate Threshold – 100%-104%
Zone 5 – VO2 max: 105% – Above lactate threshold

Zone 1 Recovery: Below 80% lactate threshold
This is light, conversational pace training. Running in this zone helps develop basic aerobic fitness, allows for recovery runs, and serves as a good warm up/cool down. It shouldn’t be the bulk of training but is useful.

Zone 2 Aerobic: 80-90% lactate threshold
This is general aerobic training.
Running in this zone builds aerobic base, improves fat burning capabilities, and prepares the body for harder efforts. It makes up the largest percentage of easy/long run training.

Zone 3 Tempo: 90-99% lactate threshold
This is tempo/threshold training.
Running in this zone starts to challenge the lactate threshold which improves speed and efficiency. It also develops mental toughness crucial for racing. Including tempo runs helps build strength, both physically and mentally.

Zone 4 Lactate Threshold – 100%-104%
This is lactate interval training.
Running in this zone stresses the VO2 max to increase it over time. The hard efforts tap more into speed and anaerobic power. Including lactate work builds speed and tolerance to pain/fatigue.

Zone 5 VO2 max: 105% – Above lactate threshold
This is full-out sprint training.
Running all-out in this zone boosts max speed and form. The intense bursts train the nerves to fire faster and recruit more muscle fibers. Including sprints develops power and leg turnover.

Following a training plan that incorporates all the heart rate zones will provide physiological and mental benefits to fully optimize your fitness for your goal race distance.

In short, Yes! 

I’m currently 44 and for the last year or so I’ve been feeling like I’m suffering from some perimenopausal symptoms. Not enough to warrant talking to my doctor about HRT but enough to make me look for some answers and find some help. 

Having opened up the conversation within Forza Fitness, talking very open and honestly with pretty much all my female clients, it’s clear a lot of feel the same way. We might be experiencing different effects, we might be different ages but we’re all looking for things we can change to help us with this period of hormonal chaos.  

I had a lot of people who’s voices I trust talking about herbal adaptogens so I decided to explore this avenue as they were all saying how this has helped. 

I’ve been taking Ashwagandha and Schisandra now for over 7 months, as they were the two best suited to help me with my particular symptoms, and I can honestly say they have been the answer for me. I am under no illusion that further down the line I may need to look seriously at HRT and if that time comes, trust me, I will not hesitate, but for now this is enough and I feel like myself again. 

As your oestrogen levels decline your stress levels increase which in turn upsets your mood and concentration – brain fog was a big one for me for sure – I have, in the past, even forgotten my own post code!

To help your body combat this stress, you can introduce adaptogens. Herbal adaptogens work by increasing your body’s resistance to stress and they do this by targeting the neuroendocrine system that controls your reaction to stress and regulates multiple bodily functions such as mood, temperature control, immunity and digestion. 

Taking adaptogens means that over time, they build up in the body and block your cortisol response. This means you experience less stress. 

Here’s the low down on the three different herbal adaptogens that have come up most often in my research: 

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha increases your DHEA testosterone, which helps lower anxiety and cholesterol. It also improves insulin sensitivity meaning you’ll better blood sugar control and less prone to storing fat. 

Research on athletes has shown that it can help increase endurance and power. 

It is also an anti-inflammatory so can help reduce soreness after those tough workouts. 

It has also been known to help regulate body temperature so can help reduce hot flashes. 

Recommended Dose: 250 to 300mg twice a day (tablet)

Contraindications: Can affect your T3 and T4 thyroid hormones so those on thyroid medication should avoid. 

Schisandra 

Schisandra is widely used in Chinese Medicine and is commonly known as Five Flavoured Fruit. 

It is is the adaptogen for brain fog as it stimulates the central nervous system and improves cognition. This means it can clear the fog and help with your concentration and focus. 

It helps strengthen your mitochondria (where energy is created in the cells) so it can improve aerobic capacity. 

Finally it can help regulate fluctuating hormone levels and reduce hot flashes. 

Recommended Dose: 500mg to 2grams a day (powder) 

*I add mine to my morning coffee

Caution: It has a caffeine like effect increasing alertness so can disrupt sleep. It best taken in the morning and avoided in the afternoon / evening. 

Maca

Maca Root is often referred to as Peruvian Ginseng and is a hormone modulator. It also works as a steroid hormone so is a powerful herb! 

It helps improves the onset of night sweats, hot flashes. 

It can increase mood and help overcome the onset of anxiety and/or depression which are common during perimenopause. 

Research has found it can improve energy levels as well as mood and some people describe Maca as giving them a natural high. 

It also has anti inflammatory properties so can help reduce muscle soreness after workouts/ 

Recommended Dose: 450mg three times a day (tablet)

Contraindications: Can affect adrenal and thyroid function so those on thyroid medication should avoid. 

Some products containing Maca are also on the WADA banned substance list so if you are a competing athlete subject to drug tests either avoid or be 100% the product you are taking is ok. 

***Please remember I am not a doctor. The information shared here is purely for general information purposes. It is not medical advice. 

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 able to set your training zones as follows:

• Zone 1 – Recovery: Below 80% lactate threshold
• Zone 2 – Aerobic: 80-90% lactate threshold
• Zone 3 – Tempo: 90-99% lactate threshold
• Zone 4 – Lactate Threshold – 100%-104%
• Zone 5 – VO2 max: 105% – Above lactate threshold

Equip your watch (and connect your heart rate straps) to record data for zone training. 

Re-testing lactate threshold every 2-3 months (depending on the fitness age of the athlete) is required as zones will need adjusting as fitness improves, meaning your field tested data stays accurate and allows for fully robust training sessions. 

As you improve your aerobic fitness, you would expect your average heart rate during a 30 minute lactate threshold time trial to decrease. 

This is because the heart becomes more efficient at pumping blood and oxygenating the muscles as cardiovascular fitness increases.

There are a few key reasons why heart rate at lactate threshold pace decreases with training:

• Increased stroke volume – The amount of blood pumped per beat increases, so the heart can deliver more oxygen at a lower heart rate.
• Improved diastolic filling – More blood fills the heart between beats, boosting stroke volume.
• Increased capillary density – More blood vessels in the muscles allow better oxygen extraction.
• Greater mitochondrial density – More cellular mitochondria let muscles utilize oxygen more efficiently.
• Enhanced fat burning – Greater reliance on fat metabolism and less on limited glycogen stores.

The cumulative effect is that the cardiovascular system can sustain a given pace with less effort and lower heart rate.

So if you see your lactate threshold heart rate dropping over time, it’s a good sign you are building robust cardiovascular fitness.

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 a simple way to test your lactate threshold on your own, meaning you need no fancy equipment (beyond your watch and ideally a heart rate chest strap for better accuracy) or a coach to deep dive into a load of data and do a lot of analysis.

The method I am going to explain here is not the only one, but it is the most accurate I have found for an athlete to do by themselves.

The Incremental Step Test

1) Complete an easy 10 minute warm up.

2) Run progressively faster 1/2 mile intervals, starting easy and increasing the pace each mile and take note of your average heart rate during each mile

Aim for a pace increase of 30 seconds per interval.

Take a short break between intervals to allow your heart rate to come down.

When you start to struggle to complete an interval or your heart rate stops increasing with increased effort, you are nearing lactate threshold.

The interval before you start struggling is around your lactate threshold pace and heart rate.

For example, if you struggled to complete the 7:30 pace interval but the 8:00 pace felt sustainable, your threshold is around an 8:00 mile pace. If your average heart rate during that 8:00 mile interval was 158, then your lactate threshold is 158.

You then confirm this by running a 30 minute time trial at your lactate threshold heart rate.

If you can sustain it for 30 minutes, it’s likely a valid measure of your lactate threshold.

Only do this test after a full period of recovery. If you try to go off to soon you will skew the data.

I advise doing this as a two day process, following a full rest day with the Incremental Test on day 1 and the Time Trail on day 2.

Retest every few months as your fitness improves. Using lactate threshold for training helps target the right intensities to build your endurance and speed.

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 buildup rapidly accelerates.

For most runners, this occurs between 80-90% of maximum heart rate.

The problem with just using max heart rate for training is that it varies widely between individuals based on factors like genetics and fitness level.

So a heart rate that’s 80% max for one runner could be too easy or too hard for another.

Lactate threshold is a more functional measure of your ability to work aerobically.

Knowing your lactate threshold heart rate zone allows you to tailor your training to target the ideal intensity for building endurance – hard enough to challenge your body, but not so hard that you’re wheezing or struggling.

Using lactate threshold for heart rate training helps optimize development of your aerobic system.

Previously I gave a little bit of insight into my Coaching Ethos and Athlete Philosophy and my 5 golden rules.

I’m diving a little bit deeper in to each one in separate posts. So far I’ve discussed Rule #1 Control the Controllable, #2 Find the Positive, #3 Focus on You and #4 100% Effort.

Time for the last piece of the Mindset puzzle…

#5 – Extreme Ownership

Hands up, this one isn’t mine. I stole it from Jocko Willink, ex Navy Seal.

If you haven’t heard of him or heard of his theory of Extreme Ownership before do yourself a favour and look it up. He has many YouTube clips, there is a short 13 minute TedxTalk and he has actually published a book called Extreme Ownership and it is 100% worth a read, or a listen.

In a nutshell Extreme Ownership means having a unwavering “the buck stops here” attitude.

It means owning your failures and your mistakes. It means never looking for someone else to blame, even if other people did contribute to the situation.

Why? Because when we own our problems we find solutions. When we take ownership we get shit done.

Ultimately you are responsible for your life. If you want to be a success, take full responsibility.

Stop blaming the fact you are tired, you are busy blah blah blah.
Most people are tired, most people are busy. You aren’t so different, your circumstances arent all that special.
You are just getting in your own way.

If it is something worth chasing, find a way to make it happen. It might look a little different to how you thought it would but if it works, it’s working.

If you want to truly be the best version of you, it’s time to take

#ExtremeOwnership

Previously I gave a little bit of insight into my Coaching Ethos and Athlete Philosophy and my 5 golden rules.

I’m diving a little bit deeper in to each one in separate posts. So far I’ve discussed Rule #1 Control the Controllable, #2 Find the Positive and #3 Focus on You.

Time for…

#4 – 100% Effort

This should be the easiest of all the rules to absorb and commit to quickly.

If you can’t you are, for whatever reason, just not fully ready for the journey yet.

It doesn’t require any deep mindset practice or any great amount of thought… and really, is pretty self explanatory!

It simply requires you to show up and do what it required, giving your true best effort every time, all the time.

It means never dialling it in. It means not cutting a warm up, a RAMP, an interval, a set/rep or a piece of mobility as they all have value and meaning and are there to make you better.

It means not looking for the shortcut or quick fix as you know such things don’t exist. True champions know this all too well.

100% effort means just that. 100% effort. In EVERY aspect of your life that requires it in order for you to achieve your goals. In sport and in life.  

Everyone has a different level of ability which means that your 100% and mine may look a little, or a lot different. That does make one less valuable than the other  – and if you have truly taken on board rule 3, Focus on You, you won’t be aware or concerned about what anyone else is doing anyway!

It comes back to ‘better athlete = better person’. 100% effort means having integrity and doing the work, regardless of who is watching as you know that it has to be done.

If you want to be the best you, you will do the work. All of the work.

It’s that simple.

#100%Effort

Previously I gave a little bit of insight into my Coaching Ethos and Athlete Philosophy and my 5 golden rules.

I’m diving a little bit deeper in to each one in separate posts. so far we have covered Rule #1 Control the Controllable and Rule #2 Find the Positive.

Time for…

#3 – Focus on YOU

This can be the hardest one for some athletes to get.

It sound simple but in a world of social media and Strava (Social media for sport) there are a thousand and one distractions.

It is one of the reasons I advise all my athletes to leave the facebooks groups etc at least two weeks before their events. Those places become a drain and if you have trained right, they are not needed. They mostly just become a source of anxiety and annoyance – not great for building the right headspace to head into an event with.

Thanks to the ability now to constantly see what everyone else is up to, you can be fooled in to thinking that your goal is to go faster than other people.

It isn’t. Your only goal is to go as fast as YOU can go.

You are put in a start pen, or on a starting line, against other athletes but your job is not to race them. It is to be the best that you can be.

I get so much push back from athletes when I tell them I want them to come off Strava. “I like seeing what others are doing” “I’m only looking at ‘X’” are common replies.

If you are focusing on other people, you are not 100% focussed on yourself. And that means wasted time and wasted energy.

My most successful athletes are the athletes that really buy into this way of thinking.

Their only focus is on their pacing, their Heart Rate zones, their FTP, their preparation etc. They don’t engage with other people about what they are doing in their training as it is of no concern to them.

This doesn’t mean they don’t support others. It is not about being selfish or shut off. It doesn’t mean they don’t want the best for their fellow athletes. They do. They just don’t need to see the numbers or hear about the details.

As their coach, I need to know the numbers. I am data driven when planning their training. I need to know what results we are aiming for. But thats another part of what a great coach will do for you. They will unburden you of all the noise and distraction and build you the stage on which you can rise to your true, full potential. You just have to want to perform.

If you are still looking all around you at what others are doing, you are just not there yet. You are not really ready.

If your focus is anywhere but on your own capacity and capability you will never reach your true best.

So cut the noise and cut the distractions.

If you want to become Great stop competing with others and start only competing with yourself.

#FocusOnYou

First thing to remember:

The very important rule: 

If the race is important to you, nothing new on race day! 

Do not be tempted to try that snack new bar in the vendor village. You have trained hard for this event so no point screwing up your chances by putting something in your system that may not agree with you, or not digest properly leaving you feeling sluggish, or worse, with digestive issues. 

Breakfast

You will need to be prepared to consume a few hundred calories in the morning to ensure that you start the day right and end up properly fuelled to begin the event. 
*This may be hard for some athletes, so be sure to practice prior to the event. 

Breakfast should be easy on the stomach so it needs to be low in fibre and easily digested.  Stick with simple carbohydrates again like a bagel or even rice, possibly some fruit and just a little bit of easy to digest protein like egg or nut butter.

Include your normal coffee/caffeine routine.

In an ideal world you would finish breakfast 2 hours before race start and once you have eaten you should aim to consume 500ml of water every hour until you are out on course. 

Race Start
At the 10 minute countdown to race start, you should be drinking 1/2 to full bottle of sports drink or a sports gel plus water for a final carbohydrate boost. Do not take the gel without water as it will not digest well. 

Avoid taking in this fuel in the 30-60 minute pre-start window as you will lose the benefit of the boost and are more likely to suffer a drop in blood sugar at race start.

Front Half of the Race
In the “front half” of the race (especially the early stages) your gut is able to absorb the nutrients much easier than when your body begins to shut down blood flow completely to the gut in the closing stages of the race. 

In the closing stages your body will be sending all blood flow to your working skeletal muscles, which means limited flow will be sent to the gut and this often results in those dreaded GI issues. 

A common mistake people make is going too hard in the early stages and then failing to hydrate and refuel efficiently. This leads to a big drop off in performance thanks to the combination of fatigue, dehydration and low energy. 

General Rule of Thumb
Endurance athletes should aim to eat 60-90 grams of carbohydrate per hour during their event. You will need to practice and experiment to see what exact levels work for you. 

Fluid Intake
Your fluid intake plan needs to take into account the hourly amount of fluid you need (example, some athletes need about 1 litre/hour to match their sweat rate – others need half that amount and some need nearly double that).
*The only accurate way to really know is to perform a sweat rate test which means taking pre and post body weight checks when racing in similar conditions and intensity as you have on race day

Ensure you have practiced with your chosen electrolyte fluids and that it has enough of the critical component; sodium 800 mg/litre of fluid is a good “starting” amount. If racing in particular hot conditions this may need to be closer to 1000-1,500mg/litre while some people suffice with only 400-500mg/litre,

Back Half of the Race
The total fuel intake here is typically lower. However, you still need to ensure you are maintaining hydration and electrolyte balance (again – the importance of sodium) and going with more fluid energy intake, rather than eating bars/chews. 

Consuming a caffeine liquid, such as a flat coke on the last couple of laps is common place in endurance sports such as Ironman and can be beneficial but I generally wouldn’t recommend starting to drink coke until you’re at least half way through the back half. Ideally you would, if needed, consume something like this in the last 10K to 10 miles.

There Three Big Mistakes

1. Not hydrating early enough. If you wait to start your hydration plan this can result in early dehydration. This can have a huge negative impact on your race as your body then has a reduced ability to process fluids and fuel for the rest of the day. 
2. Not having enough sodium in your fluids. This means you do not ingest enough sodium which at best can cause bloating and at worst, potentially dangerous hyponatremia (low blood sodium) which can result in coma and even death. 
3. Taking on too much fuel and/or taking on too much fuel in one go. If the body needs to work at digesting food it will divert blood flow away from the working muscles to the digestive system and your race will suffer. 

The Week leading up to your Race

As you are heading into your race week your training phase will be Competition Phase. 

During the Competition Phase your macronutrient intake will switch slightly to slowly increase your carbohydrates and fully build your glycogen stores. 

During the Prep Phases you will most likely sit somewhere around a 40%P, 30%C, 30%F split (as a guide) as we are looking to build lean muscle to increase power and speed as well as maintaining a strong base of muscular endurance and cardio ability. 

In Competition Phase the split will be a little more carb heavy to ensure you are properly and fully fuelled for racing. Not the best for body composition but that’s not the concern now as that work has been done

A Competition phase will look more like 25%P, 50-55%C, 20-25%F (again as a guide, each athlete will have there individual needs). 

Do not leave your carb loading until the night before and just eat all the carbs thinking you’ll be good… you won’t be! 

Best Carbohydrate Sources

Increasing carb intake should be done smartly, using the best sources possible to maximise your results. 

You don’t want to smash the chips, crisps and pizza thinking “hey, it’s carb loading!” 

You want to include foods that are low on the Glycemic Index, especially the closer to race day you get as these are broken down more slowly in the body and do not cause spikes in blood sugar. 

Some of the best food choices are:
Bananas
Berries
Brown Rice or Quinoa
Yogurt
Oats 

Avoid Food that causes inflammation

This sounds obvious but some people are not aware of the inflammatory actions of some foods. As you approach race day you want to reduce and ideally eliminate your intake of all these bad boys.  

Biggest Offenders are:

Red Meat and Processed Meat
Refined Grains including White Bread/Rice/Pasta and a lot Breakfast Cereals
Snack Foods such as Crisps, Cookies, Pastries etc
Dairy Products 
Fried Food
Anything with added sugar
Soda and Sweetened Drinks
Alcohol

Why Eat after a workout

Focusing on recovery is one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of proper sports nutrition.

An effective nutrition recovery plan supplies the body with the right nutrients at the right time.

Recovery is the body’s process of adapting to the previous workload and strengthening itself for the next physical challenge.

The key nutritional components of recovery are:
Carbohydrates to replenish depleted fuel stores.
Protein to help repair damaged muscle and develop new muscle tissue.
Fluids and electrolytes to rehydrate.

A full, rapid nutritional recovery plan supplies more energy and hydration for the next workout or event, which improves performance and reduces the chance of injury, meaning we become fitter and improve our endurance.

Rapid recovery is especially crucial during periods of heavy overload training and anytime two or more training sessions happen within 12 hours 

When to start replenishing carbs

Training will generally deplete muscle glycogen.

The first 30 minutes or so after exercise provide the best opportunity for nutritional recovery due to factors such as increased blood flow and insulin sensitivity, which boosts cellular glucose uptake and glycogen restoration. 

To maximise muscle glycogen replacement, you should consume a carbohydrate-rich snack within this 30-minute window. Ideally this should include foods providing 1.0-1.5 g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight. Since it can be difficult to eat whole foods so quickly after exercise liquid and bar supplements may be useful and convenient choice. 

For endurance athletes especially, if you are going to do another intense session within 24 hours you should ideally repeat this carbohydrate load for 2-hour intervals for up to 6 hours, 

Consuming smaller amounts of carbohydrates more frequently may be the way to go if the previous recommendation leaves you feeling too full.

Now on to Protein

Recovery nutrition is essential for muscle tissue repair and muscle growth. Whether you’re focusing on endurance or strength training – or both, taking on protein after your session provides the amino acid building blocks needed to repair muscle fibres that get damaged and promote the development of new muscle tissue. 

As a rough guide, as protein requirements vary from person to person, consuming 15-25 g of protein within 1 hour after exercise can increase the muscle rebuilding and repair process and help you achieve those all important strength gains. It will also help those trying shift, or maintain, their body composition from fat to lean muscle and can be worked into a calorie restricted diet. 

Effective Rehydration

Pretty much all weight lost during exercise is fluid, so weighing yourself (without clothes) before and after exercise can help gauge net fluid losses. Knowing this is something recommended for endurance athletes especially. 

Be sure to replace fluids gradually and not by gulping down an entire litre of water as soon as you are done. The recommendation is, over the course of 4 to 6 hours drink 1/2 a litre of your chosen recovery fluid or water for every pound of weight lost. 

It is essential, for performance levels, to properly rehydrate before your next exercise session. If your sessions are an hour or less as low to moderate intensity than water should suffice. However, if you are in hot or humid conditions, or undertaking long or high intensity sessions you will likely find rehydration more effective if sodium is included with the fluid and food consumed. 

GET IT RIGHT

As with effective pre workout nutrition, post workout nutrition will need personal experimentation regarding the best fluids and foods to deliver the necessary nutrients. 

Everything here is a guideline, a recommendation and a starting off point. There are no exact hard and fat rules that suit every individual.

Pay attention to how you feel during your sessions. Notice when you feel like you have no energy to being with or when you book really quickly on your runs and/or rides.

Play around with timings and quantities until you hit upon what really works for you and your body. 

Previously I gave a little bit of insight into my Coaching Ethos and Athlete Philosophy and my 5 golden rules.

I’m diving a little bit deeper in to each one in separate posts. Last week was Rule #1 Control the Controllable

This week it’s Rule #2

Number 2) Find the Positive

Like the first Golden Rule, this one takes a lot of practice and commitment. You can’t just wake up one day and change your mindset. It takes work.

Finding the Positive, like Control the Controllable, means embracing the Stoic way of thinking and controlling your reaction to situations.

As an Endurance Athlete finding the positive is crucial to success.

You are going to have bad races. You are very likely going to experience a DNF. You are very likely going to get injured at some point.

Endurance events are tough. You are going to spend a lot of time feeling beaten up and wondering “why the hell am I doing this”  

How you handle being placed in tough situations, as well as dealing with the lows,  are what is going to make you as an athlete.

Race DNF – sure it sucks, but what went well.

Why did you DNF? What can you learn?
I had a mechanical failure very early on the bike leg at an Ironman, which was my first DNF ever. It was devastating BUT I had a great swim. I took that away with me. Attempt 1 done… live it, learn it… head back for Attempt 2. Yay, I get swim in the gorgeous lake again.

Injured – yep, its annoying for sure but injuries are opportunities.

Can you train around it?

Yes, then let’s go and it might be the chance to work on a new strength or skill!

No, ok great. Then you now have a bunch of time to devote to developing a different skill that will help you become a better athlete, and a better person.  

Jocko Wilink, ex Navy Seal, calls his take on this theory ‘“Good”.

Whatever happens, the response is “Good”

Didn’t get the promotion you wanted.

Good. It gives you more time to sharpen your skillset and become better in your current role.

Can’t afford that fancy piece of equipment you wanted.

Good. It gives you more time to become a savage using the basic things you have available.

As I said, this one isn’t easy but it is worth it.

People love to complain. People love to make excuses… but those people are the  ones content with being average at best.

If you want to rise up, you will find the positive and say “Good”

#FindThePositive

In a previous blog I gave a little bit of insight into my Coaching Ethos and Athlete Philosophy and my 5 golden rules.

I’m going to dive a little bit deeper in to each one, starting here with Rule Number 1

Number 1) Control the Controllable

Only certain things are within our control. If it isn’t something you have any say over, forget it. Only expend energy on the things that you can directly influence.

My personal belief system and ethics are shaped by philosophies and teachings of Buddhism and Stoicism.

At the heart of Stoicism is the understanding that the only thing we can truly control is our reaction to the things that happen. If we can learn to control our reactions and remain steady there is no situation that can either completely undo us or over inflate us.

It doesn’t mean not feeling joy or celebrating the wins. It also doesn’t mean never feeling sad, angry or let down.

What it does mean is learning to control those emotions so that they don’t overtake your life and screw you up.

Learning this lesson as an athlete can help set you free and elevate your performance.

Weather looks bad on race day – nothing you can do about it and it’s the same for everyone. What can you control? Having the right kit. Practising in all conditions throughout your training so you know how it feels.

Can you actually turn this into an advantage? Going to a hit race? So many people underperform in heat – can you heat train? I did some of my turbo sessions in front of my fire in my living room, in a hat and long sleeves to prepare for the weather in Spain)

Forgot a piece of kit, maybe a piece of clothing or nutrition – What can you do about it? Is ranting, swearing, getting stressed out helpful? Absolutely not. So what can you do? Do you have time to source something? Can others around you possibly help? If not, whats the best case scenario.

At an Ironman event this year someone got to the swim having left their wetsuit back at their hotel. They spoke to the IM announcers. The announcers asked over the PA system if anyone had a spare wetsuit and within 5 minutes that athlete had their pick of 4 wetsuits!

These are just two examples.

Anyone that knows my story from IronMan Vitoria Gastiez in 2022 knows that I came up against obstacle after obstacle in a race that ended in a mechanical DNF 20km into the bike.
Without all of the work I have done on my mindset over the last 5 years that situation probably would have broken me, especially as that race was 4 years in the making.

Yes I got upset. Yes I was bitterly disappointed. But I was also making a plan for my come back before the first athletes had even crossed the finish line that same day.

Another big lesson – Its only failure if you give up completely. Otherwise, it’s just an attempt.

For me, that race was merely attempt 1. I hadn’t failed yet. Attempt 2 was July this year, one year later, and I finished that damned race!

Whatever situation you face…

#ControlTheControllable

My personal ethics and belief system are a mixture of Buddhism and Stoicism and this heavily influences who I am, both as an athlete and a coach.

As an athlete, I hold myself accountable to same 5 rules that I apply to my coaching, and I try and instil these into my athletes.

As an Endurance Expert these 5 rules have been shaped over many years of racing and they are the foundation I believe every great success can be built upon.

*I’ll go into each one in more detail as the subject of their own conversation.

1) Control the Controllable

Only certain things are within our control. If it isn’t something you have any say over, forget it. Only expend energy on the things that you can directly influence.

2) Find the Positive
Even in the most disappointing situation (that race DNF, that training injury) there will be a positive IF you are willing to look for it.

3) Focus on You

This is one of the hardest ones for athletes to really internalise and act upon. Looking at what others are doing on Strava and/or comparing yourself to other athletes is a waste of your time and mental energy. All of your focus should be on your own performance.

4) 100% Effort
In everything you do. This feeds into the message of the previous weeks conversations…Integrity to do the work even when none is looking and acting like the athlete you want to become.

5) Extreme Ownership

Thank Jocko Willink for this one. No matter what the situation or anyone else’s involvement, take ownership. Don’t find someone else to blame. Make it your problem and find a solution.

#TheFiveRules

Is it true that people who are working hard to become better athletes also become better people?

In my experience yes, and a lot of it comes down to one thing – Integrity.

Integrity means doing the right thing, even when no one is looking.

It means putting in the hard work because you know it’s the right thing to do and will yield the best results.

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.

This is true in sport, and also true in life.

When you examine your training can you put your hand on your heart and say that you never cut corners? Can you say with 100% truth that you completed every meter, every rep, every set AND every rest break?

Becoming a better athlete teaches us discipline and commitment. We set goals and we work hard to achieve them. We learn that if we can do this for our sport, we can apply these same skills to other areas of our lives such as work and family. As we achieve our goals we build confidence. We feel seen and feel that we have a greater sense of purpose.

When we encounter setbacks we learn how to deal with them, we develop critical thinking and problem solving, the art of not sweating the small stuff and always finding a positive.

Through all of this we become a better version of ourselves and the best bit is that those around us, that matter most to us, benefit from the person we are becoming.  

Work hard to become a better athlete. Become a better person.

#1%BetterEveryday

Isn’t that an Oxymoron?

I have been programming active recovery sessions once a week for one of my athletes for the last couple of months, since he completed his B race, and is building to his A race.

Last week I received a message from said athlete, asking (in their own words) “WTAF is recovery training?”

What I loved about this was that they had been doing the sessions religiously each week, regardless of not really understanding the purpose of them. This to me proved the trust they have in me. However, I didn’t love that I had an athlete in my camp blindly following workouts without knowing the why.

Now I get that not every athlete wants to understand everything (“thats your job” is something one of my guys likes to point out. “Monkey see, Monkey do, Monkey gets results” as he says) but I like to try and share the methodology behind everything we do so that they can execute every session to maximum advantage.

One of my biggest things, across every form of coaching that I do, is that if a client asks me “why are we doing this” if I can validate that question and explain the reason for the movement, or the workout, we shouldn’t be doing it.

As one of my experience athletes didn’t understand Recovery Training, I figure there must be others out there in the same boat so here’s the overview:

Recovery Training is a workout focussed on speeding up your recovery, rather than putting your body under any further stress.

To avoid stress we need to avoid high intensity, high impact, fast pace, or heavy loads. Recovery Training is ideally a maximum of 45 minutes and performed at a low intensity, keeping the heart rate down at around 30-60%. (*Note – It is NOT a zone 2 run. A zone 2 run occurs at a higher % of heart rate and although these often feel easy compared to the speed and power sessions, they are definitely still training and not recovery!)

I generally program indoor cycle sessions as active recovery sessions for my Ironman athletes but it can be swimming, walking, or maybe even some active mobility.

The goal is to move the body into a recovery state; a lowered heart rate, a lowered blood pressure – pushing your body to become more parasympathetic. This can drive up Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and people with a high HRV may have greater cardiovascular fitness and may be more resilient to stress.

Getting the body moving without stress will stimulate blood flow and help push fresh blood (and fresh oxygen) to every muscle fibre which will speed up recovery.

Working out at low intensity means you will be able to focus on the quality and rhythm of your breathing and the quality of your movement. Under fatigue we are all aware our form can go to shit and we are often gasping for breath any way we can get it. Recovery Training gives us time to build or reinforce our foundations, thus improving future workouts. I often spend some of my sessions focussing on my breathing patterns so that it becomes ingrained and less likely to fall apart under stress.

In a nutshell a Recovery Training session should make you feel better than when you started. It should help you feel more mobile, re energised and lessen the effects of the heavy, intense sessions that have come before.

A few months ago I decided to try the bio hack that Dr Stacy Sims talks about in her book ROAR. (Side note – if you are female and care about your athletic performance, you really need to read this book!) I got pretty decent results so thought I would share it here as it may help many of you.

In the book she shared an action plan that she created for a mother daughter duo who were talking the mountain biking world by storm, with both women rising to the top of their game.

This action plan helped both women master their cycles and not let PMS affect their power or performance.

The plan

The plan is in four stages and is this:

1. Peak Performance during PMS:
   For the 7 days before your period starts, at night take the following;
   250 milligrams of magnesium, 45 milligrams of zinc, 80 milligrams of aspirin (baby aspirin) and 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acid (flaxseed and fish oil)
2. Pre-training:
   Take 5 to 7 grams of BCAAs (branched chain amino acids).
   *Stacy doesn’t state how long before training you should take this. I did this around 30 minutes before starting my session.
   The science behind taking the BCAAs is that these amino acids cross the blood-brain barrier and therefore help to decrease the estrogen-progesterone effect on central nervous system fatigue. In other words it can hep fight the lack of mojo and help you find some energy.
3. In Training:
   Consume approx 0.45 gram of carbohydrate per pound of body weight, per hour.
   During this high hormone phase you want to consume a few more carbs per hour and should be aiming to get close to the above amount. During the first 2 weeks of your cycle, the low hormone phase, you can go lower at about 0.35 gram per pound of bodyweight, per hour.
   *I used this for longer endurance based sessions only. For my CrossFit classes I only ever consume water during and make sure my pre and post fuelling strategy is on point. I am however going to rectify that and follow this part of the plan too.
4. Post Training
   Consume 20 to 25 grams of protein within 30 minutes of finishing your session.
   Recovery is key. It is often overlooked yet so critical, especially as this point in your cycle. Progesterone, which is peaking during this phase, is extremely catabolic, which means it breaks down muscle. Getting that protein in post workout means you will be able to fight this process and boost, rather than inhibit, your recovery.
   
   What did I notice?
   It definitely helped me beat the bloat and keep my usual energy levels… something that never normally happens. I’m lucky that I don’t get super moody (although my husband may say otherwise!) but I do get a bit lazy, a bit “can’t be arsed” and a bit “m’eh”. Following this protocol meant I felt like me regardless of the time of the month 🙂 Who doesn’t want that!
   
   If you feel PMS is holding you back, give this power protocol a go and see if you can learn to master your cycle too.
   
   

Back in December last year, after seeing my friend Hannah’s results, I decided to take on the 75Hard challenge. I’d looked at it earlier in the year but dismissed it as I didn’t understand it properly. 75 days of training without a rest day? No thanks! I don’t even do 14 day challenges that don’t factor in rest and recovery as that’s just a straight road to overtraining, loss of performance and possible injury.

Hannah posted her results and I immediately messaged her to ask some questions. She gave me all the info I needed to finally understand this challenge and decide that yes, this could actually be one for me.

I shared it with the 3 other Team NBR members (my accountability group)that I would be starting this on 1st Jan and in sharing it for accountability reasons I actually inspired (although he’ll say peer pressured) Chris James to do it with me.
We had several discussions about our individual ‘Why’ as we both had similar thoughts… “it doesn’t actually sound that hard”, “thats pretty much what we do anyway” “I don’t really know what I’d get out of it”… and I think we both came to the same conclusion; This is the Why… because we think it’ll be easy/simple and it must be called 75Hard for a reason. I was also still massively motivated by Hannah’s results but also aware that she is an absolute beast when it comes to fitness so it was unlikely I could achieve what she had.

What is 75 Hard?

It a mindset challenge, not a fitness challenge, designed by Andy Frisella, also known as the MF CEO. It’s 75 days of discipline abiding by the following 6 rules:
1) Two 45 Minute workouts. 1 MUST be outside. They cannot be consecutive and 3 to 4 hours apart at least.
2) Follow a diet. You choose the diet to match your goals but it must be strict. If you decide on calorie deficit and macro counting you cannot just have a takeaway pizza one day and make the rest of the day fit. It must be clean.
3) No alcohol or cheat meals.
4) Take a progress photo every day.
5) 1 gallon of water a day. This is a US gallon which is basically 4 litres.
6) Read 10 pages of a non fiction book every day. Not a e-book, not an audio book. An actual book.

I completed day 75 yesterday and can honestly say this is one of the most surprising challenges I have ever done. I didn’t expect it to be so worthwhile or interesting. I got so much more out of doing this than I ever imagined. It was also a better experience for doing it alongside Chris as we had a lot of the same revelations and thoughts.

Ok, so what did I get out of it?

Well for starters I look better. I start there because it’s the most obvious change. I’m the lightest I’ve been for about 20 years maybe, but the body composition shift is all the right way. Fat% down and muscle % up.

I’m stronger than I was. During the 75 days I PB’d my 1RM Deadlift and Strict Press and have been challenging myself to use heavier options during CrossFit classes.

I read more, I read better. I have loved carving out a little bit of time everyday to sit down with a book and this is definitely something I will be continuing. I’m always listening to audiobooks and reading my kindle but very rarely read an actual book and this is staying. I found it makes such a difference putting the book in my hands. Its a different focus as there are no devices, no electronics and I really liked that a lot. I finished 6 books and am a third of a way through the 7th.

I have proved again to myself that all the stuff I say about myself is true. I am disciplined. I have strong mental grit. I have a strong work ethic. If I say I’m going to do something I do it. There were days when it got to 8pm and I still hadn’t hit the workout criteria so had to get shit done before I could think about going to bed. I’m Ironman training so many days I would hit 2, some days even 3 workouts but because they were either brick sessions, or all indoors or outdoors, I hadn’t followed the rules. In this situation a few people said to me “what does it really matter” “you’ve done 2 workouts” and thats true, but thats not the rules and you can say the rules are stupid/not fair/whatever but I knew the rules going in so bitching about them would have been pointless. I could have quit, saying the rules don’t suit my lifestyle… but thats the point. It’s meant to be difficult, it’s meant to be inconvenient so head down, mouth shut, do the work!

I discovered how much of a difference refined sugar makes to how I feel day to day. Both Chris and I cut refined sugar as part of the diet rule. Neither of us are mass consumers and we were both surprised as how a small change made such a big difference. I followed a strict high protein, calorie deficit diet with no refined sugar. I’ve been doing the high protein, calorie deficit thing for a while, although not as strictly, so the major difference was the sugar piece. After the cravings on day 5 and 6, it was actually really easy to stick to. I thought this would be the hardest bit but not at all. I feel a bit in love with no sugar me. I had more energy, I didn’t feel the need to power nap every afternoon (although I still love a nap – I just didn’t need one), I was just, well, better. Thats not to say I’m never eating refined sugar ever again but it was a learning experience and will for sure shape my diet moving forward.

I finally found a type of yoga I can get on board with. As mentioned at the start, the bit I struggled with when I first heard about 75Hard was the 75 days of 2 workouts a day. After speaking to Hannah, and listening to Andy’s podcast ( a must for anyone thinking of doing this), I understood that you can still have rest and recovery days. An outdoor workout can be a walk and an indoor workout can be yoga. I’ve never been a fan of Yoga but Hannah was using the downdog app and suggested I look at the Yin Yoga. Ok, game changer! I LOVE Yin Yoga. I’m a huge fan of mobility work so this was perfect for me and although I only did maybe 1 or 2 sessions a week, my mobility improved, my squat technique improved and I genuinely enjoyed every session. Like the reading an actual book, weekly yoga is staying as part of my new routine.

The Results:
*for the before and after photos you’ll need to check my social media.

Body Compostion:
Weight – Day 1; 82.4kg – Day 75; 74.6kg (Total loss: 7.8kg)

Body Fat % – Day 1; 32.8 – Day 75; 27.5 (Total loss: 5.3%)

Muscle% – Day 1 29.8 -Day 75; 33.2 (Total gain: 3.4%)

Bust/Back – Day 1; 38.5 / 31.5 – Day 75; 36 / 28 (Total loss: 2.5″ / 3.5″)

Waist – Day 1; 34 – Day 75; 29 (Total loss: 5″)

Hips – Day 1; 39 – Day 75; 36 (Total loss: 3″)

Other Stats:
Resting Heart Rate – Day 1; 52bpm – Day 75; 45bpm

Bike FTP – Day 1; 195 – Day 75; 235

Bike Watts per kg (avg) – Day 1; 2.1 – Day 75; 2.5

Vo2 Max – Day 1; 42 – Day 75; 45

Cycling Vo2 Max – Day 1; 44 – Day 75; 51

Workout Totals:
Open Water Swimming – 1

Pool Swimming – 10

Outdoor Cycle  – 2

Indoor Cycle – 24

Run – 23 (92 miles) 

CrossFit Class – 45

Training with Toby – 12

Indoor Strength – 1

Outdoor Strength – 2 

Indoor Row – 1 

Yoga / Mobility – 19

Recovery Cardio/Mobility – 5

Total sessions – 145 + 62 (45 min+) walk

After The Grizzly on the previous Sunday this week was always going to be a bit of a slow builder while I gave my body some time to recover. I was honestly expecting to feel a little worse after all those miles and hills but I’m generally ok. A little tired but thats about it. My foot feels no different to how it did a week ago so it’s still all systems go!

Mon – Rest Day
6pm – Restorative Yoga (via Down Dog App)
*Just a 45 min easy restorative yoga session this evening, rather than Yin as this is very gentle, after a nice long dog walk in the morning.

Tues – Rest Day
8:45 – Yin Yoga via Down Dog App
*Another day of dog walking and Yoga… feeling good and ready to get back to it.

Weds
6:45am – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Week 12 of 12; The Vortex. A max interval session. 4 min blocks of 105% FTP+ holding 85/90RPM with increasing amounts of full recovery down in the white zone.

7:40am – 2 mile Brick Run
*Easy 2 miles of the bike with George, one of my Forza Performance clients who also attends my Indoor Cycle classes.

12:30pm – CrossFit Class
50-40-30-20-10 Kettlebell Swing, Sit Up +30 Double Under each rd
*If there was a workout made for me, this would be it. I can’t swim this week as I had my hair done on Monday and I cant get it wet for a week so the stars aligned and gifted me this joy of a wod. I’d gone to the box with the thought of RX’ing this one as DU’s are the one RX skill I have. However, I’d expected the RX KB weight to be 20kg and it was 24! Luckily Pam (good friend and owner of Big Croc) was in the class and convinced me to go for it still… she RX’d it with me saying “we can fuck ourselves up together” and sometimes you need someone like this around you to give you that push. I am very much a coward when it comes to a lot of CrossFit and one of the things I’m working on is to try and be braver.

Thur
12:30pm – CrossFit Conditioning Class
40 Min EMOM- Min 1-3 30 sec on (you can do 40 but this is active recovery for me), Min 4- 60s
1; Plate Ground to Overhead,  2; Burpee to Plate, 3; Goblet Squat, 4; Alt Run. Row, Bike Ski 5; Rest
*No, I didn’t swim today either. The sessions available didn’t fit my day so easy indoor conditioning it is.

6:30pm – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Same as Weds am.

Fri
12:30pm – CrossFit Open 22.3
This wod is too long to write in full so you can go find it elsewhere online if you really care.
*I completed the first set of thrusters and single unders and spent about 10 minutes fighting to get 10 Pull Ups out.
The video of my struggle to get these pull ups out is on my socials if you want to giggle -they are not pretty but they were effort!

2:00pm – Just Move EMOM with Head Coach Toby (and James & the hubby)
30 Min EMOM
1:16 DB Snatch 2: 20 Air Squat 3: 14 Hang Power Clean 4: 16 Down Up 5: “Recovery” Assault Bike

Sat
8am – CrossFit Class, Partner WOD with Si
25 Min AMRAP; 400m run together then 20 Weighted Box Step Up, 30 DB Snatch, 40 Cal Row, 30 KBS, 20 Devil Press (split reps)
* I’d planned for this to be an easy, light recovery session but as often happens with Si and I, we went all in and pushed each other to the max. I didn’t go super heavy but I didn’t go as light as I’d planned.

9am -7k Row with Si
I’d planned to run after class but Si said he was doing a row instead so I jumped in on that instead 🙂

5:45pm – 45 Min C2 Bike (easy recovery)
As I haven’t finished the 75hard yet I still needed an outdoor workout to meet the rules for the day so I dragged the C2 bike into the garden, set up the 2018 CF Games film on my iPad and just peddled. No stress, just moving.

Sun – Extra Rest Day
5:45pm – Restorative Yoga via Down Dog App
* I was feeling VERY beaten up today so I gave myself permission to take life easy. I got up with the dog at 6am and we went for a gorgeous 2 hour walk around Staunton Park and The Thicket before the rest of Havant woke up and then a yoga session in the evening.
Even though these yoga sessions are low intensity I am feeling the benefits greatly as my mobility has improved no end since discovering Down Dog. My squat form continues to get better and better and I am definitely more flexible. It really is time well spent.

This week was a tense one. Sunday saw the arrival of my first big race of the season, The Grizzly, and the first big test for my foot. Since my initial sit down with my CrossFit coach, Kerry, back in January, when we agreed I’d take a small step back to focus on my IM training, we’d put this race as a marker. If my foot didn’t make it my IM/Tri season was probably dead in the water. If it survived it was 100% game on!

It was also week 2 of The Open and I was feeling pretty good about my performance in week 1… would that com crashing down come Friday. It doesn’t matter, right – I’m not focussing on the Open. This was what I had to keep telling myself many, many times.

Things were a little quieter this week leading up to The Grizzly, although not a lot… here’s how it went:

Mon
6am – CrossFit Class
For Time: 50 Air Squat, 40 Box Step Over, 30 Jumping Pull Up, 20 Hanging Basket, 10 Jumping Bar Muscle Up
* This was fast, and fun. Still not jumping on boxes due to my foot but if it survives the weekend I will try and few box jumps next week.

1:15pm – 45min Zone 2 Run
*Threw all the layers on to try and make myself more uncomfortable and still control the HR to zone 2.

Tues – Rest Day
3pm – Yin Yoga via Down Dog App
*45 min mobilty session with a lower body boost in prep for the weekend.

Weds
6:45am – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Week 11 of 12; Faster, Better, Stronger. A repeated pyramid session of tabata sprints, heavy climbs and rest.

7:40am – 2 mile Brick Run
*Easy 2 miles of the bike with George, one of my Forza Performance clients who also attends my Indoor Cycle classes.

12:30pm – CrossFit Class
18 Min AMRAP; 21 Wall Ball, 12 Cal Row, 9 Over Rower Burpee
*I was supposed to swim today but I really, really liked the look of the workout so decided to switch my days around and Crossfit today and swim tomorrow. I love, love, LOVED this workout.

Thur
12:30pm – CrossFit Conditioning Class
42 Min EMOM- 30 sec on, 30 sec rest (you can do 40/20 but this is meant to be active recovery
1; Weighted Box Step Up,  2; Row, 3; Goblet Squat, 4; Ski, 5; Down Up, 6; Ski 
*No, I didn’t swim today either. The sessions available didn’t fit my day so easy indoor conditioning it is.

6:30pm – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Same as Weds am.

Fri
12:30pm – CrossFit Open 22.2
For Time: 1 to 10 to 1 – Deadlift @ 43kg + Bar Facing Burpee (Time Cap – 10 minutes)
*Not a bad workout overall. I’m not the biggest fan of fast deadlifts for time but I don’t mind a Bar Facing Burpee. It got gassy real quick but it was only 10 minutes so you could push.

2:00pm – Just Move EMOM with Head Coach Toby (and James & the hubby)
30 Min EMOM
1: 1 Snatch, 3 Bar Muscle Up Progressions + 15 Air Squat, 2: 30s Handstand Hold, 3: 50 Double Under, 4: 20 Sit Up, 5: Rest

Sat
8am – CrossFit Class, Partner WOD with Si
9 Min AMRAP; 3,6,9,12,15,18.. Hang Power Clean, Push Press, Hanging Leg Raise (split reps between you)
6 Min – to establish a heavy 3 Thruster
9 Min AMRAP; 8 Front Squat, 20 Double Under (1 rd each, U Go, I Go)
* After the day before and all the deadlifts my hamstrings were feeling a little tight so no heavy weights todaybut still moving fast.

Sun
Race Day – The Grizzly
20 Miles, All Terrain with a total of 1065m of elevation.
*This race is nuts. Carl and I always run this one together as it’s so challenging. It’s down in Seaton in Devon and it is the hardest 20 miles I’ve ever run in one go. This was our third time doing it so we knew what to expect as the route rarely changes from year to year.
I was bricking it that my foot would blow up and that would be it but I did what I tell my clients to do – control the controllable and find the positives. My foot has been “ok” since January. No, it isn’t 100% right but it hasn’t stopped me doing anything (except box jumps) all year. After some reassurance from my close friends, who also form Team NBR (No Bling required) – my accountability group, and lots of good luck messages from my coaches and friends I felt ready.
The headline of the day is: “Liza’s Foot is OK and happily survived the full 20 miles with no repercussions”
I was ELATED on the drive home (and pretty much all the way round to be honest) and it now really feels like this season is here and happening. It really is time to get to work!

This week saw the start of the CrossFit Open. I wasn’t going to join in the fun this year, apart from as a Judge, as it detracts from my primary goal but when my box said they were going to run an In House Comp and all proceeds would be reinvested back in the gym, well, how could I not sign up! I now have three weeks of competition where I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not taking it seriously and I AM NOT bothered about how it goes… honest! Fun times 🙂

I had an Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilisation treatment with Muscle Therapies 640 on Monday and we focussed solely on the foot and connecting areas. Paul managed to trace some of the issue to my achilles so hopefully this issue will get sorted once and for all within the next couple of months.

Other than that, nothing much has happened this week beyond the norm so here’s what my week looked like.

Mon
6:30am CrossFit Class
Every 3 mins x 5; 30 x Double Under, 20 x Pistols Squat (Foot behind ankle), 10 x Handstand Push Up from a box

Tues –
11:45am – 2000m Pool Swim
*Boom! Longest swim to date, after only a few weeks of swimming and the only reason I stopped was because the pool session is capped to one hour!

Weds
6:45am – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Week 10 of the 12 week Program = The Force, or as my husband calls it, The Kitchen Sink as I’ve thrown everything at this one. It’s a full on interval session that flies by.
No brick run today as, following my treatment Monday I’m not allowed to run until Saturday.

12:30pm – CrossFit Class
Deadlift;  3 Reps every 3 mins x 5 
Then
Every 90 seconds; 5 Deadlift + 10 Burpee over the Bar

Thur
12:30pm – CrossFit Conditioning Class
42 Min EMOM (Min 1 to 4 40sec, Min 5 60sec)
1 – Down Ups,  2 – KB Swings, 3 – Top Of Plank Hold, 4 – Weighted Box Step Ups, 5 – Alt Row/Ski, 6 – Rest 

6:30pm – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Same as Weds am.

Fri
12:30pm – CrossFit Open 22.1
18 Min AMRAP; 3 Scaled Wall Walk, 12 Alt DB Snatch, 15 Box Step Over
*A fun start to The Open. Very happy with Snatches and Box Step Overs… not practiced Wall Walks a lot lately but the scaled version was simple enough.

2:00pm – Just Move EMOM with Head Coach Toby (and James & Jack)
30 Min EMOM
1: 1 Snatch, 3 Bar Muscle Up Progressions, 2: 16 Wall Ball, 3: 100ft Dbl KB Front Rack Carry, 4: 12 Hanging Leg Raise, 5: Rest

Sat
8am – CrossFit Class, Partner WOD with Si
25 Min AMRAP (U go, I go but run together); 1000m Row, 200m Run, 75 Thurster, 200m Run, 50 Bar Facing Burpee, 200m Run, 25 Hang Power Clean, 200m Run.

Sun
Rest Day
* Myself and a couple of the Forza Performance crew went to Southsea to support one of our own, George, participating in the Portsmouth Duathlon. That was ahard fought race in brutal wind whipped conditions. I was very glad I hadn’t signed up!

8pm – Yin Yoga (via DownDog App)
* A chilled way to end the week 🙂

This week I had my first dark day. My foot has been playing up more than usual and I was still a week away from treatment. I knew I had to cut back the running and thats not great for someone less than 5 months away from a 140.6, with no more than 8 continuous miles under their belt.

Still, the first things I try to instil in my athletes is “Control the controllable” and “Find the positive”. I am usually pretty good at this and up until Wednesday I was doing ok. However, for whatever reason, I woke up feeling less than chipper. I then had a disaster session in the pool and my mindset went black. I’d been feeling a little guilty for all the training hours taking me away from my husband, my dog and my home but I know my husband understands (and has never complained so this is ALL in my head) and while things are going great it’s ok as it all feels worthwhile.

Normally one bad session wouldn’t be enough to derail me but this week, for whatever reason, it was. I am only human after all and sometimes things get the better of you. Realising that I’d forgotten to check in with a close friend, who is really going through something shit, pushed me over the edge. It all seemed pointless. Thoughts of “whats the point in doing all this, if you’re going to fail anyway” plagued me, along with “this just isn’t worth it, you’re a shit triathlete and all this is going to count for nothing” and more along the same theme. Dramatic right! I know! But when you get beat down, you get beat down and it happens to the best of us.

What really matters though is what you do next.. how you deal with the black thoughts and whether you pull yourself out of the quagmire. Obviously I did. I quit the swim as it clearly wasn’t working. I went home, ran a bath and took 15 minutes of relaxed silence to reprogram my thoughts. I told myself it’s inevitable to have bad days. I always tell my team its the bad days that define us. Its easy when everything goes right. It’s how we deal with the tough times that show us who we really are. So, who am I? Oh right, I’m a muthafucking badass bear and badass bears don’t wallow in self pity. They take charge, they fix shit and they keep moving forward. Once out of the bath I first messaged my friend, then rescheduled my week to attack the swim again at the end of the week and got back on with my day.

Why am I sharing this? Because everyone will have self doubt at some point, especially anyone training for an Ironman (or crazy ass endurance event) as it takes such a commitment and so many other things have to take a back seat. Its a dark side of endurance training that we need to normalise and learn how to deal with. We all know the mantra; It’s ok not to be ok and it’s true. We just have to be kind to ourselves, take a few deep breaths and rationally look at the big picture, not just that one bad day!

Overall, my training week was pretty good so here it is:

Mon
12:30pm CrossFit Class
15 Min AMRAP
100m Farmer Carry 2x DB then 2 Rounds of DB DT (12 x Deadlift, 9 x Hang Power Clean, 6 x STOH)
*This was, as you can imagine, a grip burner. I survived better than I thought I would and my forearm only really went on my lefthand side. More unilateral grip strength work needs to be done clearly!

Tues – Rest Day
6:30am – Active Recovery Session at CFID
*Usual mobility and HR Z1 cardio to just move and focus on some deep mobility.

Weds
6:45am – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Week 9 of the 12 week Program = My favourite week of the program. It’s called Le Tour and is basically an homage to my favourite stage of the 2019 Tour De France. It was an Alpine stage so lots of heavy, heavy climbs and a bit of fast racing in between.

No brick run today as my foot has been a more tender than usual so had to cut it. Already by this stage of the week I was getting a little concerned that my training activity had dropped from it’s usual level, which as contributing to the dark mood I described in the opening of this blog.

In reality I’d missed a session on Monday (which is an added bonus if I do it anyway) and a 20 min run but today was the day my PMS kicked in and my mood dropped as a result of a hormone change but I wasn’t being rationale at this stage and mentally berating myself pretty damn hard.

12:45pm – Pool Swim
1 mile for time – was the plan but the world had other ideas (or, I let my mindset slip and get the better of me so I quit!)
*I have been saying in every other IM blog so far this year that my swim karma was seemingly a bit too good. Well, today it all changed. I was already being down on myself. When I arrived at the pool the changing room was loud, busy, chaotic and everything about it just rattled me. Then I went to put on my swim hat and it snapped. I was stood, in front of the mirror with my swimsuit on, watch set, googles in hand staring at my now useless swim hat thinking “well that’s that then. I cant swim today” Ridiculous maybe, but I have long, thick dreadlocks which do nothing to aid buoyancy or aerodynamics and weigh a ton when wet. I did tell myself I was being ridiculous though, pulled my hair into something i thought might work in the water and hit the lane. It was a DISASTER. My hair fell out of the ponytail/bun thing I had tried to secure it as, it pulled my head and neck down in the water. I retied it and tried to keep going but it kept slipping and threw my whole swim off. My feet were hitting the bottom of the pool, I was over-rotating, everything was just wrong. I persevered for 400m and then gave up. Another contributing factor to my dark mood and building sense that this week was going to shit.

I teach my athletes three key things when it comes to mindset;
1 – Control the controllable
2 – Find the positive
3 – Learn the lessons
I tried to apply these to this situation, both in the moment and after. Doing this is one of the main reasons I pulled myself out of my funk.
Instead of not swimming I thought “what if this happens on race day, what if you end up having to swim without hat” – actually, this is not only unlikely but would probably secure you a disqualification as generally, all swimmers must be wearing the issued swim cap so they can be easily identified, and I would have spare hats so that if one split or snapped when putting it on, I would just grab another.
The positive was that at least I tried. I managed 400m. Ok, it wasn’t much in the grand scheme of things but it was something.
Lessons learned – buy a couple more swim hats (I need a special size swim hat because of my hair so couldn’t even just go to reception and buy one) and keep spares in your bag.

Thur
11:30am – Mono-structural Cardio Conditioning Session
45 Min; 5 Min Row, Assault Bike, Ski – Each 5 min starts with 400m run
*I pulled my head out my ass and decided that if my main concern was my lack of activity this week, find some space and add a session in. I had 60 minutes spare before the CF class so went in early and got some shit done. I could have stayed at home and done this session in my own gym but I like going to the box. Its separate to my work and my home and if I’m going there, it’s for the purpose of training (or to drink coffee, but thats usually only ever after training!)

12:30pm – CrossFit Conditioning Class
42 Min EMOM (Min 1 to 4 40sec, Min 5 60sec)
1: Alt Devil Press, 2: Goblet Squat, 3: Sit Up, 4: Box Step Up, 5: Row, 6: Rest

6:30pm – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Same as Weds am.

Fri
12:30pm – CrossFit Class
Part A: For Time 
10-9 -8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1  2xDB Front Squat + Bar Facing Burpees  At minute 10: 
6 mins to establish a heavy complex for the day; 1 x Clean, 1 x Front Squat, 1 x STOH
*This was a variation of an Open workout from 2018. Part A was an exact copy so we got to test ourselves against our previous best. I was really pleased as I beat my score by over a minute. Happy Liza! The complex was new as in The Open it was only a 1RM Clean. I was strong with the Clean and Front squat but as usual my confidence in/fear of pushing a heavy bar over my head let me down. Once this Ironman is done and dusted I am going to spend a few months focussing mainly on overcoming some of the major weaknesses in my CrossFt repertoire.

2:00pm – Work on your Weaknesses EMOM with Head Coach Toby
30 Min EMOM
1: 1 Snatch, 3 Bar Muscle Up Progressions, 2: 16 Box Step Over, 3: 6/6 DB Hang Clean & Jerk, 4: 2 x 16kg KB 100ft Farmer Carry, 5: Rest

Sat
7:15am – 4 Mile Run

8am – CrossFit Class, Partner WOD with my husband
25 min AMRAP; Run 400m – Together (row for me)  30 x Power Cleans, 20 x Box Jumps (Steps for me, Stoopid foot!), 30 x STOH 
20 x Pull Ups 
TeamSmith got to train together today as my usual CF Partner was out with a bad back. Carl and I don’t often train together so it’s really fun when it happens. We both agreed to push ourselves with a heavier barbell weight and go hard on the run/row. We both tried, and we both succeeded. Go Us 🙂

Sun

9am – Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle Class
* as a participant rather than coach.

10am – 1650m Swim
* yep, thats right I redid my swim session and it was fine. It was better than fine. It was good.
It also helps that I’m on restricted running right now as normally I’d run on Sundays but rather than sulk about not being able to run, find the positive. No running means time available. What sucked this week, what can I put right? What can I try and fix?

This biggest thing this week I re-engaged with my Nutrition Coach, Demi @ Deep Health Nutrition, as I’m still dropping weight quite quick due to the 75Hard and the increased training levels that come from IM training. I’m hitting protein goals (30% of daily intake every day) and I am still losing fat and building muscle but I just need to ensure I’m eating enough, at the right times etc to maximise my performance and not let all this hard work go to waste.

I definitely had fat and weight to lose so I’m not at all concerned about dropping weight, but 5kg in 6 weeks is quite fast and if I had done it any other way I would know its not sustainable. It just shows that my calorie deficit was a little too aggressive, although occasionally in the very short term, this can be ok. I PB’d a couple of lifts in this time and both my running speed and bike power has improved so all signs show this was all perfectly ok. But, I know it wont last… soon, if I’m not careful I will lose performance due to being inadequately fuelled and that cannot happen.

Now, I could absolutely sort my nutrition myself but a) I don’t want to have to think about that as well as program my own training etc b) I want to be accountable to someone and c) I am smart enough to know what I don’t know and would rather lean on another expert to help me get this right. You should all know that one of my biggest beliefs is that the best coaches are ultimately coachable and have coaches. I stand by my beliefs.

And with that out of the way… on to the weeks activities.

Mon
6am – CrossFit Class
2k Row for Time – A classic cardio test
* I equally love and hate the 2k row test. I love it because rowing is something I am strong at but man the 2k hurts. If it doesn’t, you didn’t do it right. No PB today but I was too conservative in the first 1000m. Still 5s off isn’t too bad.

Tues – Rest Day
6:30am – Active Recovery Session at CFID
*Once again my coach Kerry let me crash the early morning class, hide up the back and just do my own recovery session. 5 minute rounds of 3min easy (Z1) row or ski and 2 min mobility. I have had a few people ask me what sort of mobility I do here and it standard stuff; couch stretch, pigeon stretch off the box, lizard stretch, back extensions using the GHD, deep squat holds etc. Nothing fancy, just basic shit that works.

Weds
6:45am – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Week 8 of the 12 week Program = Get Stronger, which basically means climbing week. One of my favourites as I much prefer to climb than race.

7:30am – 2 Mile Brick Run

10am – Pool Swim
1 mile for time
*Still got good swim karma. One mile, no stopping and it was both easy and enjoyable. Surely this enjoyment of swimming can’t last. I don’t ever remember liking it like this, or finding it so easy. I am also aware that I have not even hit half distance of what I require on race day but leave me alone, let me enjoy this while it lasts 🙂

12:30pm CrossFit Class
Back Squat Day
Lift every two minutes: 5 reps, 5, 5, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2
*My squats have never felt so good, or looked so good according to Toby, who was coaching the class. I think the Yin Yoga is paying off. Who know… oh right, almost anyone who’s done any amount of decent yoga.

1:30pm Post CF 4 Mile Run
* This run sucked. I felt so tired, which is completely justified after everything else I had done today. I would normally only Cycle, Run and Swim on a Weds but I had no clients after 10am so I took full advantage and snuck in a couple of extra sessions. Let’s face it, being able to run tired, on fatigued legs is a skill all Ironman and potential Ironmen should develop so as much as it sucked, it was also great.

Thur
12:30pm – CrossFit Conditioning Class
42 Min EMOM (Min 1 to 4 40sec, Min 5 60sec)
1: Plank DB Taps, 2: SA DB Thruster L, 3: DB Box Step Up, 4: SA DB Thruster R, 5: Assault Bike, 6: Rest
*As per last week, I used this class as active recovery so easy intensity all the way through, a med weight DB, not too heavy but also not crazy light.

6:30pm – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Same as Weds am.

Fri
11am – Conditioning with Head Coach Toby
60 Min AMRAP
5 can Row, 5 Cal Bike, 5 Cal Ski, 2m Burpee Broad Jump *add 5 class every round.
* The goal here was to keep Heart Rate in Zone 3. This meant having to pull back on the bike but push a little harder on the Ski. 60 minutes passed fairly easily.

12:30pm – CrossFit Class
4 Rounds for Time
400m Run, 50ft SA DB Overhead Walking Lunge, 25 DB Push Press
*Not a lot to say about this one. It wasn’t as horrific as I thought it would be so happy days… move on.

2:00pm – Work on your Weaknesses EMOM with Head Coach Toby
30 Min EMOM
1: 1 Snatch, 3 Bar Muscle Up Progressions, 2:2 x 16kg KB 50ft Farmer Carry , 3: Alt 8 Pull Up / 30s Active Hang, 4: 8 Toes to Rings 5: Rest

Sat
Boxercise Refresher Course

Sun

10am – 6 Mile Run

5:30pm – Yin Yoga Practice

Start of the week brings me to 31 Days complete of the 75Hard challenge. This means I still need to hit the 2 x 45 minute workouts, one must be outdoors and they must not be consecutive rule so most days, due to bricking a lot of my sessions, my activity level continues to rise 🙂

Mon
12:30pm – CrossFit Class
Barbell Day
WOD For Time:
18, 15, 12, 9, 6, 3 Hang Power Snatch and Clean & Jerk
*Loved this workout. Grip strength held out and my plan for the WOD worked well. I finished just within the time cap, as in, with literally seconds to spare.

6:30pm
45 min Zone 2 Run
*Lots of layers, hat and gloves as it was pretty bitter outside. Still took over 5 minutes to get my HR out of zone 1 and in to zone 2 but once it was there, it was a steady run. It felt a little harder than a usual zone 2 due to me being completely ready for my rest day tomorrow.

Tues – Rest Day
8:20pm – 45 min Yoga Practice via DownDog App
*Another Yin Yoga session. Definitely more my style of yoga and definitely what I needed today to help me recover from the last few days of effort.

Weds
6:45am – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Week 7 of the 12 week Program = Unbreakable. A no rest, pyramid session using a mix of racing and climbing peaking in the middle with a brutal mountain climb.

7:30am – 2 Mile Brick Run
Two of my clients who also come to Indoor Cycle Class kept me company on the run this week. Its what I called a “Naked” run – I set the watch but don’t look at it while moving. This is a great way to test if your perceived effort matches your actual effort. The goal of this run was to keep it comfortable and the data showed a mix of Zone2/3 so not far off.

12:45pm – Pool Swim
1000m for time
*Aiming to continue my positive experience with swimming I decided to just swim this week. No repeats, no stopping, just swim 1000m and see what happens. I’m not going to break any speed records thats for sure but that isnt my goal. My only goal is to get through the swim relatively unscathed and without exerting too much effort. Today’s 1000m was fairly effortless, i enjoyed it and when I uploaded it to garmin, it turns out it was 3 minutes quicker than back in 2020… Result!

Thur
6:30pm – CrossFit Conditioning Class
42 Min EMOM (Min 1 to 4 40sec, Min 5 60sec)
1: Ski Erg, 2: No Push Up Burpee, 3: Double Under, 4: Alt DB Hang Clean & Jerk, 5: Row, 6: Rest
*Used this class as active recovery so easy intensity all the way through. First time having skipping in a conditioning class so I took the opportunity to play with all my different ropes and alternated my speed rope, heavy rope and drag rope. I’m easily pleased and found this fun 🙂

6:30pm – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Same as Weds am.

Fri
12:30pm – CrossFit Class
15 Min AMRAP
800m Run + AMRAP 12 Alt DB Snatch, 6&6 Devil Thruster, 12 Weighted DB Step Up
*This was brutal! And yes, you read that right… Devil Thrusters! Do A S/A Devil Press, add a S/A Thruster and boom – one Devil Thruster. Another genius move from our Head Coach Toby.

2:00pm – Conditioning EMOM with Head Coach Toby
60 Min EMOM1: 30s Active Hang, 2: 20 Air Squat, 3: 30s Handstand Hold, 4: 60 Alt Single/Double Under 5: 20 Kettlebell Swing, 6: Rest
*It was Toby’s deload week so a it was a bit different this week…no crazy programming today. It was good but I’m looking forward to getting back to normal next week.

Sat
7:15am – Pre CrossFit 3 Mile Run
*With my CF training partner Simon, and my husband Carl 🙂

8:00am – CrossFit Class (Partner wod with Simon)
30 Min AMRAP
Part A – P1 400m Farmer Carry, P2 Max Effort Row
Part B – Combined Row Cals x 2 = Wallball total to be completed (split reps)
Part C – Establish max weight for BB complex: Deadlift, Clean, Hang Clean, Jerk
*This looked horrific and while it was tough, both Simon and I really enjoyed it.

9:00am – Post CF 4 Mile Run
*Carl stayed to drink coffee and be sociable while Simon and I went back out for a few more miles. We hit the trails not far from the box and I discovered there are nicer places to run in Waterlooville than I realised.

6:00pm – Yoga Practice via DownDog App

Sun

6:00pm – Yoga Practice
*Originally I was going to do my usual Indoor Cycle Class and run, then I was going to go for a swim instead as that would be a little less, but I went to bed exhausted Saturday night so decided to just give myself permission to wake up without an alarm and have a lie in. Carl and I went for a long dog walk in the morning which was just perfect. Took an extra rest/active recovery day and didn’t stress about it at all as I knew I needed it.

Week 2 – Completed

Last week in my first IM training blog of 2022 I outlined my approach for this 6 month block of training, which will take me from 0 to 140.6.

There isn’t really much to say about this week so on to the specifics:

Mon
9:30am Outdoor Upper Body Strength & Core EMOM
1: 10 Min 3xPull Up, 2: 10 Min 3xPush Up 3: 10 Min 30s Hollow Hold, 4: 10 Min 30s Arch Hold
All with 2 min rest between

12:30pm – CrossFit Class
Mono-structural Cardio day today
30 Min AMRAP – 400m Row, 400m Run, 50 Double Unders
*My goal was to keep every round consistent and hope my foot holds out with the combo of running and double unders – I did, and it did 🙂

Tues – Rest Day
6:30am – “Just Moving” Recovery Session at CrossFit
*Same as last week – without 75Hard I would likely just do the dog walk and that would be but as I need that second workout I went to hang out with the early morning crew again and did an easy (zone 1 max) session. I threw in the Ski Erg as well as the Assault Bike for of 9 x 3 min cardio + 2 Minutes mobility – and I threw in the GHD to work on some deep back extensions.

Weds
6:45am – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Week 6 of the 12 week Program = Get Faster aka Speed Week. I’m a better climber than racer so this is a good week for me to work on my weaknesses.
No brick run post class this week as I had no one to run with (meaning I had no one to store my bag with as I cycle to the gym). I know I could have done it once I got home but I got through the door and Cracker dog was so happy to see me I couldn’t turn round and leave hime again straight away… weak sauce I know but dog owners, you will understand.

12:45pm – Pool Swim
14 x 100m repeats with 1 min rest.
*Building on the positives of my first session last week I simply aimed to add two more 100m repeats. I ended up doing 4 more, with the intention of completing 16 to get the mile but I ran out of time as the session ended. Note to self – find out how long the session is so I can plan accordingly.

Thur
12:30pm – CrossFit Conditioning Class
40 Min EMOM (Min 1 to 3 40sec, Min 4 60sec)
1: Burpee Box Step Up, 2: Alt Ring Row/Push Up, 3: KB Swing, 4: Alt Row/Ski, 5: Rest

6:30pm – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
*Thurs night is the same as Weds morning so a second crack at speed week. It’s always interesting to compare the two efforts and weirdly there isn’t a clear pattern of best performance. One week my morning session will be stronger, another the evening.

Fri
12:30pm – CrossFit Class
Heavy Strength Day today
Every 3 min x 10 = 1 Deadlift + 10 Hanging L Raises (add one deadlift every set)
*The deadlift was advised to be 50/60% of your 1RM and completed in unbroken sets. My current 1rm is 95kg so I went for 55kg. It felt solid, I could maintain good form and consistent pacing on each set and more importantly my grip lasted the workout. I split the hanging leg raises from the start into 2 sets of 5 and held this throughout.

2:00pm – Conditioning AMRAP session with Head Coach Toby
100 Wallball for time + 4 min rest.
*The goal here was to complete as big a set as possible for the first set, same again for second set getting it done as quickly as possible with as few breaks as possible. I hit a set of 50, 20, 20, 10. Toby, because he’s a rock star hit 70, 30!
1 min on, 1 min off: 5 cal row + 2 Burpee over Rower. Add 2 Burpee until you cannot finish.
*A twisted take on Death by Burpee -I got the round of 14 but could only get 12 reps. Toby, again because he’s a rock star got to the round of 20 but got timed out at 19 reps;
EMO2M 5/5 Single Arm Dumbbell Squat Snatch x 6
* I cannot squat snatch a dumbbell I found out. I had never tried before and it did not go well. I cannot even really single arm squat with a dumbbell so I went back to basics, removed the weight and just worked on bodyweight single arm squats. I def found something I suck at which I will need to work on.

Sat
8:00am – CrossFit Class (Partner wod with Simon)
25 Min AMRAP (Run together, split the reps)
400m row, 50 Wallball, 50 Burpee Box Step Over
400m row, 50 Alt Devil Press, 50 Weighted Box Step Up
400m row, 50 Hang Power Clean, 50 Push Jerk
*It was meant to be a run but I cant run in my CF shoes so Simon ran while I rowed. We both decided we wanted to push ourselves so we both went heavier with the dumbbell and barbell. During the warm up I genuinely felt done and was properly worried about how this was going to play out. I shouldn’t have worried. I loved every second of it. I worked harder than I honestly thought I could and thoroughly enjoyed it.

9:00am – 4 Mile Run w/ weight vest
*No Simon to run with this week so I decided if I didn’t have him to push my pace, I would throw on my weight vest and mix it up that way. I ran 2 miles out, 2 miles back, so I couldn’t be tempted to dial it in early. It was practically spring like outside so no layering up required. Shorts, vest top, weight vest – Go.

7:00pm – Yoga Practice via DownDog App
*So I discovered Yin Yoga on the app and let me tell you, I am a fan. I bought a new yoga matt in the week, one with the alignment lines on it (which actually helps a lot) as new kit always helps right 🙂 These two things combined mean that I think I can say, I enjoyed yoga.

Sun
9:00am – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class
*Again, not coaching the session I upped my FTP and just let Chris tell me what to do. It must have been a good session as at least twice when he gave an instruction I told him to fuck off (in my head of course). It’s like I tell my athletes, if every so often you aren’t cursing me during a session, I’m probably not doing my job right. No, it shouldn’t be high intensity, max effort all the time but occasionally you need to go to war with yourself and I did that in the class today.

10:00am – 400m Hill Reps
*Post Cycle Brick Run session but this week focussed on building leg strength, cardio endurance and quick recovery. Once again Lorraine was the only one willingly to jump in with me and we spent around 40 minutes running 200m up 200m down the same incline for 3.5 miles. The goal is not to sprint up and jog down, the goal for this run was consistency. Same pace up, same pace down.

7:00pm – Yoga Practice
*The exercise rule of 75Hard, is as you may remember, 2 45 minute workouts (can be longer), 1 must be outdoors, they cannot be consecutive. I’d hit the first two parts of the rule but same as yesterday, they were consecutive so I had to hit a third workout to meet the rules. Let’s face it, Yoga is never going to be a bad thing to do and I am determined to get to a place where I like yoga – yes I enjoyed the practice yesterday but that doesn’t yet make it something I relish and look forward to.
I tried a second Yin Yoga session and I think because it feels more like the mobility sessions I’m used to it’s more comfortable (mentally, not necessarily physically). Again, I enjoyed it and could def feel the pain points in my body releasing a little.

First week of proper, focussed training.

As we know, I am not going to quit CrossFit, as I love it and its been proven again and again that it works to build a brilliant training base encompassing strength, speed, power and overall conditioning.

My aim for this 6 month training block is to continue pretty much as normal at CrossFit (with a few tweaks here and there which I will discuss as they happen) and hit 8 to 10 hours of specific Ironman Training alongside. This duration will increase as we get closer to the event but not by a huge amount, I expect.

It’s worth mentioning that I am also currently doing Andy Frisella’s 75Hard challenge, which I started on Jan 1st. I will be posting a separate post about this challenge on my Fitness Blog so head there if you want to ready anymore about this. What this does mean is that I have to do two workouts a day, min 45 minutes, 1 must be outdoors and they must not be consecutive, and at least 3 hours apart. I walk my dog every day for around an hour and as this often constitutes the outdoor workout I have turned it into a ruck, taking the weight plates out of my weight vest and putting them in my rucksack.

So, on to my week and the training specifics:

Mon
12:30pm – CrossFit Class
3 x 3 Min AMRAP of 20 Box Step Over, 12 Cal Row, 5 Hanging Leg Raises

3:30pm – Concept 2 Bike Erg Session
Zone 2 HR for 50k – took just over 1hr 45.
*Why use a C2 bike and not a turbo – Simply the C2 bike is there in my studio and to use the turbo I have to get the turbo out, put the bike on the turbo, load up a program blah blah blah. No it means I’m not putting the time in on my bike but right now, building bike endurance is all that matters and that can happen anywhere. There will be time to build bike craft and work on technique later.

Tues – Rest Day
6:30am – “Just Moving” Recovery Session at CrossFit
*Without 75Hard I would likely just do the dog walk and that would be but as I need that second workout I went to hang out with the early morning crew and did an easy (zone 1 max) session of 9 x 3 min Assault Bike, 2 Minutes mobility – holding static stretches for 1 minute or 1 min per side.

Weds
6:45am – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
Coaching Indoor Cycle is a blast. It’s where I started my FitPro life. Coach by Colour is power based training using your FTP and power zones. Its now the only type of Indoor Cycle I will do as its meaningful and measurable. I run my classes on a 12 periodised program (which I created) with FTP testing every 13th week. Luckily, as its expected for the coach to be in with the participants I can actually use this session as a training session. Good coaches are not “paid to train”. That is the mantra of lazy, crap trainers. Coaches are paid to Coach and I believe one of the very few expectations to this rule is on the bike.

7:30am – 2 mile Brick Run
As soon as the class is over me and one of my clients and friends, Gary, hit the road for a 2 mile blast. Nothing special, nothing fast, just a bit of a brick session to build endurance and ability. Plus, it gives us a chance to catch up, which is always nice!

Thur
6:30am – CrossFit Conditioning Class
2 x 20 Min EMOM
1: Down Ups, Air Squats, Row, Rest and 2: Ski, Alt Sit Ups/Plank, 600m Assault Bike, Rest

12:45pm – Pool Swim
10 x 100m repeats with 1 min rest.
*This was my first session back in the pool since March 2020 and I was dreading it. I had to really force myself to go to the pool. Turns out, I had nothing to worry about. I have never been, nor will I ever be, a good swimmer but I get by and this session was a huge confidence builder.

6:30pm – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class (as Coach)
Back in the Cycle Studio for Class 2. Same session as Weds as I keep both classes on the same schedule. This week was Wk5 in the 12 wk program and that meant Power Pyramid. 3 Repeats of Hill Climb, Tabata Sprint, Rest. A brutal but effective session and a firm favourite amongst my squad.

Fri
12:30pm – CrossFit Class
Benchmark WOD Nancy – 5 Rds of 400m Run, 15 Overhead Squat.
I had to row this one as I have been dealing with a crazy foot injury that is finally healing. However, it not healed enough to allow me to run in my CF shoes, and I cannot OHS in my Running Shoes so rowing was the solution.

2:00pm – Conditioning AMRAP session with Head Coach Toby
9 Min AMRAP: 15 Burpee Box Step, 30 Lunge, 15 Power Clean and Push Jerk, 4 Min Rest
9 Min AMRAP: Ring Muscle Ups and Double Unders (no need to write the specific rep scheme!)
*Every Friday I jump in with our Head Coach Toby on whatever he has programmed, purely so he has someone to train alongside. I call myself his “Anti Sandbagger” His coach Matt has a bit of an evil streak and some of these sessions are the worst I have ever encountered (but in that really good way). This one was waaayyyy spicer than I thought it would be. Fun though.

Sat
8:00am – CrossFit Class
3 Min Max Effort Row for Meters, 2 Min Rest
6 Min Build to Heavy 3 Thruster, 2 Min Rest
3 Min Max Effort for Meters, 2 Min Rest
10 Min AMRAP (partner WOD) 2, 4, 6, 8, etc Cal Row, Thruster, Burpee Over Bar
*Saturdays are Partner WOD at our box and I am lucky to have landed on my feet with my regular training partner, Simon, another triathlete, who is this year again attempting the DECCA (thats 10 full 140.6 Triathlons in 10 days)

9:00am – 5 Mile Run
Layer up, change shoes and Simon and I were out the door straight after class. My plan was to run 4 miles, he needed 5 so 5 it was. It was one of those beautiful runs where you felt you could run forever. Again, it wasn’t fast, the HR was a bit too high (thanks to that beast of a CF class – that isn’t a complaint, I bloody loved it) but it felt comfortable and we had a really good chat all the way round.

4:15pm – Yoga Practice via DownDog App
I am not a yoga fan but I am trying to find some love for it. I had to add something else in today to meet the 75Hard requirements and a bit of yoga seemed like the sensible choice. This was my 2nd session and I liked it a bit more than my first – I guess thats something right. We are going in the right direction at least.

Sun
9:00am – Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class
This time I was on the other side of the class and not coaching. In this weather I am not risking outdoor rides os decided to head to the gym and see my favourite Indoor Cycle Instructor – who also instructs Coach By Colour. Not being the one on the stage I didn’t have to think. I didn’t have to talk. I just had to ride so I whacked my FTP up by 10 watts to see how I’d get on and I held it ok. Will be keeping this up the next few weeks while the weather is questionable.

10:00am – 5 Mile Run
Again, layer up, change shoes and straight out the door after class for a run. This time Lorraine met me. Its so nice having so many people around me, willing to jump in and train with me. Lorraine is another friend and client and she’s training for her first attempt at competitive OCR so was more than happy to work on her running.

5:00pm – Yoga Practice
Again, as the first two sessions were back to back I needed a second session for 75Hard. Yoga practice was about all I was up for and again, I “enjoyed” it a little bit more BUT I cannot breathe that slowly. I guess all that comes with time… I find it ok for the first few minutes but then the voice on the app is saying “and breathe out” and I’ve taken 3 breaths! Is this normal? Do others struggle with this?

No body comp stats this week as Sunday morning is my check in and we were in Devon.

Mon: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

Simple yet effective work… the shit that gets yo fit (if you hit it hard enough); 35 minutes of Row, Bike, Ski – 40 secs on, 20 secs off.

Mon: 1pm Upper Body Strength Work

5 x Negative Pull Ups, 10 min EMOM of 3 Strict Banded Pull Ups and 10 min EMOM of 3 Strict, chest and thighs to the ground, tricep Push Ups. Working hard for bullet proof shoulders 🙂

Mon: 1.30pm Strong Leg Programming

After a chat with Kerry a couple of weeks ago where we agreed I was missing weekly leg strengthening sessions, she wrote me a Strong Leg programme and today was day 1.
Build to a heavy set of 3 Front Squats followed by 5 sets of 5 at 80%.
I was also supposed to do 5 x 5 Barbell Split Squats but ran out of time and the gym was shutting.

Mon: 6:30pm Indoor Cycle Class + 2 mile Run

I got asked to cover a Monday night class which meant a bit of extra bike work 🙂 I chose a favourite playlist, which I put together specifically for cover classes as it showcases most of the key elements that go into making my periodised programme. Gary and the husband did the class with me so we all turned it into a brick session and added the usual post class 2 mile run.

Tue: 1:30pm Pool Swim

This was one of those sessions were everything leading up to it went wrong so I was just not in the mood! I had to hunt around for change for the parking meter only to lose the ticket down the front of my dashboard. I then went to pay for my session and realised I’d left my debit card at home. Once changed I found I didn’t have the right hairband, only my Tough Mudder headband which is too big for my swim cap meaning I couldn’t put my hair up and wear my cap. No cap meant my dreadlocks getting wet which gets heavy fast. In the pool the space was really busy, which in turn meant the lane was busy and given my foul mood I got my head down, did 400m and got out.

Wed: 6:45am Indoor Cycle Class and 2 mile Run

One more go at coaching my Le Tour session. Definitely my favourite session of my programme and given the feedback I got, a lot of the class seemed to feel the same way.
The post class run was bloody cold and both Gary and I felt it in the legs.

Wed: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

3 workouts split by a 2 minute rest.
1) 10 min partner AMRAP. 1 = 12 cal Assault Bike. 2 = Max Effort Ski Erg
2) 10 min EOMOM. Max Effort Row
3) 10 min AMRAP of something that I didn’t write down and cannot remember! Seriously, I cannot remember what it was so maybe it was so awful I wiped it from memory!

Thu: 9:30am Indoor Cycle Class

Split the sessions today so that I’m doing the same thing in the morning and the evening. This morning we did an old session I created in 2018 all focussed on endurance. 40 minutes split over 6 tracks meaning 3 long ass climbs broken up by some varied sprint work.

Thu: 1pm Pool Swim

I took my time today, made sure I had everything I needed and arrived at the leisure centre in a much better mood than Tuesday. I felt in the mood to swim and was determined to have a positive experience.
The aim was to swim an easy mile and I achieved that goal, leaving with a smile on my face 🙂

Thu: 6:30pm Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle Class

Week 10 of the programme. Just two more weeks before FTP test week and tonights offering is a pure interval session. Each track offers a different type of interval with strict RPM and Watt guidance. I was extremely pleased with how this session went as it was way better than I had hoped it would be. Everyone was moaning at the end, so job done I guess.
No brick session tonight as on Sunday the husband and I are running The Grizzly and I have a running interval session planned for tomorrow courtesy of Head Coach Toby, and his coach Matt.

Fri: Unplanned Rest Day

So, as just mentioned I had planned to do a running interval session today but I went to Big Crocodile HQ straight from coaching my classes at Nuffield Chichester and ended up staying longer than planned. It was a productive visit with Pam (owner of Big Croc) and not just because I had stopped at Marks and Spencer on the way so that we could try some of their weirdly flavoured Jaffa Cakes (note: the raspberry are much nicer than the peach and passion fruit). We sorted out quite a few things so it was worth missing my run session for.

Sat: Rest Day

Sun: 10.30am The Grizzly

If you’ve never heard of The Grizzly Race it is a brilliant but brutal 20 mile run across the beaches, fields, swamps, hills and cliffs in and around Seaton, Devon. Carl and I ran the race in 2017 but that year the weather was very much on our side and it was a different, nicer beast. This year it truly was a mental and physical slog. I said to Carl at about mile 15 that if I say in August that we should enter the ballot again he had permission to punch me in the face! However, even on the way home I was already thinking that actually, we may just be doing it again. I left my Garmin watch at home charging and it was quite nice to run ‘naked’ as it’s sometimes called and not worry about heart rate, pace etc.

Body Comp Stats 
Weight: 75.1kg (-1.0kg)
Body Fat %: 28 (-0.3)
Muscle %: 33.8 (+/- 0)

Mon: 12:30pm 6 Hour Hell Session

Kerry (my coach for you new readers) kindly agreed to do this once a month for me and this one came around real quick. I felt a bit like I had gone to war with CrossFit and I although I survived, I got my butt well and truly kicked in the process.
Workout 1:
100 Jumps over the Jerk Blocks
Every 10 reps = 10 Russian Twist (10kg plate)
Every 20 reps = 20 Kettlebell Swing (16kg KB)
Every 50 reps = 10 Sumo Deadlift (35kg)

Workout 2 / 3 / 4:
Accumulate;
2 min Handstand Hold
10 min Wall Sit
6 min Hollow Hold at top of Dip Bar

Workout 5:
7k Run
5k Assault Bike
3k Ski Erg
*all in weight vest

Workout 6: Memorial Workout ‘Gilbert Drake’
Accumulate 6 minutes hanging from the rig
1st drop from rig = 800m Run + 20 Burpee Box Jump Overs
2nd drop from rig = 600m Run + 20 Burpee Box Jump Overs
3rd drop from rig = 400m Run + 20 Burpee Box Jump Overs
4th and every subsequent drop = 200m Run + 20 Burpee Box Jump Overs
*Should have only been Burpee Box Jumps but I misread the workout!
This one hurt. For one of the first times ever I started to hate burpees. Luckily Toby was on hand to present me with a little written motivation…

Workout 7: The Finale
100 cal Assault Bike
100 cal Ski Erg
100 cal Row
Every 2 minutes = 10 meter walking lunge w/ 12.5kg Dumbbell

All done and my lats, delts, glutes and hamstrings felt completely beaten up, exactly what I wanted so once again it was time to thank Kerry for an amazing job and head home to start the clean up process as I appeared to have been cleaning the floor of the gym with my legs….

Tues: Rest Day – funny that!

Wed: 6:45am Indoor Cycle Class + 2 mile Run

Coach cycle. Run with Gary. Standard Weds morning and I was surprised at how well my legs held up. I thought this would be the slowest run ever but I did ok. Again, the constant chat helped 🙂

Thu: 9:30am Indoor Cycle Class

Coached week 9 of my programme which is an homage to my favourite stage of The Tour last year. Stage 15, a mountain stage with awesome climbs and an uphill finish.

Thu: 6:30pm Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle Class

Second attempt at The Tour stage, I enjoyed it just as much the second time round and it may just be my favourite week of the programme this year. The plan was to hit another run after class with Gary but he forgot and I took the easy way out and went home, rather than run on my own.

Fri: 1pm CrossFit Class

Kerry asked me when I arrived how I was feeling and I answered honestly that I felt really good. Skill/Strength focus was all about the Overhead Squat but if I put anything more than a PVC pipe above my head I could really feel it in my lower back (yes, I am still struggling with it nearly 2 months on!) so it was Front Squats for me… 5 sets of 3, building up to a heavy 3 for the day. Given everything I did Monday I didn’t go near my usual heavy but what I did do felt heavy enough and as Kerry says “If it feels heavy, thats because it’s heavy!”
The workout was a 10 minute AMRAP of 1 Front Squat, 1 Pull Up (jumping for me), adding another rep of each movement every round. Three rounds in and I realised how tired my lats, triceps and shoulders still were. When I told Kerry this she just laughed and said “I thought that would be the case!” Remember kids, just like your mum, your coach knows everything!

Sat: Planned Rest Day

Sun: Unplanned Rest Day

My alarm went off at 6:30am so I could get up and head to the pool, followed by the cycle studio but I rolled over, turned it off and snuggled back down in bed with my husband and our dog.
I decided to give myself one lazy morning and have a day where I’m not getting up, rushing around and then catching up with my husband later in the day. Even on rest days I have to get up for work so we don’t get mornings like this anymore.
Did I feel guilty? No
Did I completely enjoy sitting in bed drinking tea, reading my book and even (horrific gasp!) eating a few biscuits? You fucking bet I did.
So there will be an X over this mornings session. Big deal. It is just one session and as long as this doesn’t become the habit (which I already know won’t happen as a I am too focussed on my goal) there is no harm done. 
I know how much effort I put in this week and I made the instant decision to put just as much effort into some pure quality time with my family as that was where I have been slacking this week!

Body Comp Stats 
Weight: 76.1kg (+0.5kg)
Body Fat %: 28.3 (-0.6)
Muscle %: 33.8 (+0.4)

Mon: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

Come on, you know it by now… Monday = Row, Bike Ski 🙂
Today it was 1 min Row, Bike, Ski, 2 min, 3 min, 4min and back down. No rest and, as those that mentioned this found out, no sympathy either!

Mon: 1pm 20 min Core Conditioning

Another go at Eliud Kipchoge’s core routine (taken from his training camp for the 2 hour attempt) which takes roughly 10 minutes and then 10 minutes of GHD, Sit Up, Russian Twist, V Up work.

Tue: 12:15pm FTP Test (Take 2)

It isn’t really advisable to do two FTP tests in two weeks but I wanted to validate my Ramp Test result with a 20 minute Test and I really wanted to do it on a Concept Two Bike -Erg. Luckily my Coaches recently purchased one and very kindly let me have some quality time with it.