The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete

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.

  • The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
  • Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
  • The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
  • Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
  • The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
  • “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
  • The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
  • Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
  • Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
  • Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
  • Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
  • S&C – What does the C actually mean?
  • Rethinking Injury Management:
  • Walk Your Way to Faster Running
  • RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
  • Periodisation Deep Dive
  • Low Energy Availability (LEA):
  • How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
  • Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
  • Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
  • Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
  • Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
  • The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
  • Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
  • All About Stress
  • Train your breathing for better race results
  • Does how you breathe really matter?
  • Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
  • Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
  • Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
  • Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices

    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

    1. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
    2. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
    3. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
    4. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
    5. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
    6. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
    7. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
    8. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
    9. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
    10. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
    11. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
    12. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
    13. Rethinking Injury Management:
    14. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
    15. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
    16. Periodisation Deep Dive
    17. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
    18. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
    19. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
    20. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
    21. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
    22. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
    23. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
    24. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
    25. All About Stress
    26. Train your breathing for better race results
    27. Does how you breathe really matter?
    28. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
    29. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
    30. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
    31. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success

      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.

    32. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
    33. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
    34. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
    35. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
    36. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
    37. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
    38. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
    39. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
    40. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
    41. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
    42. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
    43. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
    44. Rethinking Injury Management:
    45. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
    46. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
    47. Periodisation Deep Dive
    48. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
    49. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
    50. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
    51. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
    52. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
    53. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
    54. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
    55. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
    56. All About Stress
    57. Train your breathing for better race results
    58. Does how you breathe really matter?
    59. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
    60. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
    61. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
    62. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training

      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.

    63. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
    64. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
    65. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
    66. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
    67. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
    68. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
    69. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
    70. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
    71. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
    72. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
    73. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
    74. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
    75. Rethinking Injury Management:
    76. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
    77. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
    78. Periodisation Deep Dive
    79. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
    80. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
    81. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
    82. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
    83. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
    84. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
    85. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
    86. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
    87. All About Stress
    88. Train your breathing for better race results
    89. Does how you breathe really matter?
    90. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
    91. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
    92. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
    93. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice

      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.

    94. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
    95. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
    96. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
    97. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
    98. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
    99. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
    100. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
    101. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
    102. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
    103. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
    104. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
    105. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
    106. Rethinking Injury Management:
    107. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
    108. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
    109. Periodisation Deep Dive
    110. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
    111. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
    112. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
    113. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
    114. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
    115. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
    116. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
    117. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
    118. All About Stress
    119. Train your breathing for better race results
    120. Does how you breathe really matter?
    121. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
    122. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
    123. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
    124. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”

      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.

    125. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
    126. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
    127. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
    128. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
    129. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
    130. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
    131. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
    132. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
    133. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
    134. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
    135. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
    136. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
    137. Rethinking Injury Management:
    138. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
    139. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
    140. Periodisation Deep Dive
    141. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
    142. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
    143. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
    144. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
    145. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
    146. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
    147. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
    148. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
    149. All About Stress
    150. Train your breathing for better race results
    151. Does how you breathe really matter?
    152. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
    153. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
    154. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
    155. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.

      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

    156. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
    157. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
    158. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
    159. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
    160. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
    161. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
    162. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
    163. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
    164. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
    165. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
    166. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
    167. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
    168. Rethinking Injury Management:
    169. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
    170. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
    171. Periodisation Deep Dive
    172. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
    173. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
    174. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
    175. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
    176. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
    177. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
    178. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
    179. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
    180. All About Stress
    181. Train your breathing for better race results
    182. Does how you breathe really matter?
    183. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
    184. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
    185. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
    186. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness

      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
    187. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
    188. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
    189. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
    190. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
    191. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
    192. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
    193. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
    194. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
    195. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
    196. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
    197. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
    198. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
    199. Rethinking Injury Management:
    200. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
    201. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
    202. Periodisation Deep Dive
    203. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
    204. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
    205. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
    206. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
    207. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
    208. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
    209. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
    210. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
    211. All About Stress
    212. Train your breathing for better race results
    213. Does how you breathe really matter?
    214. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
    215. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
    216. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
    217. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know

      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!

    218. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
    219. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
    220. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
    221. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
    222. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
    223. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
    224. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
    225. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
    226. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
    227. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
    228. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
    229. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
    230. Rethinking Injury Management:
    231. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
    232. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
    233. Periodisation Deep Dive
    234. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
    235. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
    236. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
    237. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
    238. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
    239. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
    240. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
    241. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
    242. All About Stress
    243. Train your breathing for better race results
    244. Does how you breathe really matter?
    245. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
    246. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
    247. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
    248. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.

      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.

    249. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
    250. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
    251. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
    252. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
    253. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
    254. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
    255. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
    256. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
    257. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
    258. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
    259. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
    260. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
    261. Rethinking Injury Management:
    262. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
    263. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
    264. Periodisation Deep Dive
    265. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
    266. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
    267. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
    268. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
    269. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
    270. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
    271. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
    272. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
    273. All About Stress
    274. Train your breathing for better race results
    275. Does how you breathe really matter?
    276. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
    277. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
    278. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
    279. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy

      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.

    280. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
    281. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
    282. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
    283. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
    284. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
    285. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
    286. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
    287. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
    288. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
    289. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
    290. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
    291. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
    292. Rethinking Injury Management:
    293. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
    294. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
    295. Periodisation Deep Dive
    296. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
    297. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
    298. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
    299. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
    300. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
    301. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
    302. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
    303. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
    304. All About Stress
    305. Train your breathing for better race results
    306. Does how you breathe really matter?
    307. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
    308. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
    309. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
    310. S&C – What does the C actually mean?

      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:

      Cardiovascular endurance: Improving the heart and lungs’ capacity to supply oxygen to working muscles during prolonged activity.

      Muscular endurance: Enhancing the muscles’ ability to perform repeated contractions over extended periods.

      Sport-specific energy systems: Targeting the predominant energy pathways used in a particular sport (e.g., aerobic, anaerobic lactic, or anaerobic alactic).

      Recovery: Improving an athlete’s ability to recover between bouts of intense activity.

      Work capacity: Increasing the overall volume of work an athlete can handle in training and competition.

      Conditioning methods:

      High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

      Circuit training

      Sport-specific drills

      Tempo runs

      Repeated sprint training

      Cycling and swimming for low-impact conditioning

      The goal of conditioning in S&C is to prepare athletes for the physical demands of their sport, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of fatigue-related injuries.

      The art and science of conditioning in Strength & Conditioning programs is a dynamic and ever-evolving field.

      As our understanding of human physiology and sports performance deepens, so too does the sophistication of conditioning methodologies.

      The key to successful conditioning lies not just in pushing physical limits, but in intelligent program design that balances intensity, specificity, and recovery. When implemented thoughtfully, conditioning transforms athletes into more robust, adaptable, and efficient performers.

      It builds not only the body, but also the mind, fostering mental toughness and confidence that transcends the training ground.

      Ultimately, effective conditioning empowers athletes to push beyond their perceived limitations, setting new standards of excellence in their chosen disciplines and unlocking their full athletic potential.

      1. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      3. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      4. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      5. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      6. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      7. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      8. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      9. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      10. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      11. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      12. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      13. Rethinking Injury Management:
      14. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      15. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      16. Periodisation Deep Dive
      17. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      18. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      19. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      20. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      21. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      22. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      23. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      24. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      25. All About Stress
      26. Train your breathing for better race results
      27. Does how you breathe really matter?
      28. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      29. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      30. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      31. Rethinking Injury Management:

        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.


      32. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      33. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      34. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      35. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      36. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      37. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      38. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      39. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      40. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      41. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      42. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      43. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      44. Rethinking Injury Management:
      45. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      46. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      47. Periodisation Deep Dive
      48. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      49. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      50. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      51. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      52. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      53. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      54. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      55. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      56. All About Stress
      57. Train your breathing for better race results
      58. Does how you breathe really matter?
      59. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      60. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      61. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      62. Walk Your Way to Faster Running

        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.

      63. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      64. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      65. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      66. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      67. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      68. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      69. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      70. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      71. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      72. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      73. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      74. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      75. Rethinking Injury Management:
      76. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      77. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      78. Periodisation Deep Dive
      79. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      80. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      81. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      82. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      83. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      84. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      85. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      86. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      87. All About Stress
      88. Train your breathing for better race results
      89. Does how you breathe really matter?
      90. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      91. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      92. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      93. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport

        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.

      94. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      95. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      96. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      97. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      98. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      99. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      100. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      101. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      102. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      103. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      104. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      105. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      106. Rethinking Injury Management:
      107. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      108. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      109. Periodisation Deep Dive
      110. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      111. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      112. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      113. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      114. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      115. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      116. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      117. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      118. All About Stress
      119. Train your breathing for better race results
      120. Does how you breathe really matter?
      121. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      122. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      123. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      124. Periodisation Deep Dive

        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.

      125. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      126. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      127. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      128. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      129. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      130. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      131. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      132. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      133. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      134. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      135. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      136. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      137. Rethinking Injury Management:
      138. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      139. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      140. Periodisation Deep Dive
      141. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      142. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      143. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      144. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      145. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      146. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      147. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      148. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      149. All About Stress
      150. Train your breathing for better race results
      151. Does how you breathe really matter?
      152. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      153. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      154. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      155. Low Energy Availability (LEA):

        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.


      156. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      157. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      158. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      159. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      160. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      161. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      162. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      163. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      164. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      165. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      166. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      167. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      168. Rethinking Injury Management:
      169. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      170. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      171. Periodisation Deep Dive
      172. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      173. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      174. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      175. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      176. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      177. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      178. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      179. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      180. All About Stress
      181. Train your breathing for better race results
      182. Does how you breathe really matter?
      183. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      184. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      185. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      186. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…

        When you are looking to achieve a body composition change and loose fat the one key thing is a Calorie Deficit, which means burning more calories than you eat.
        When we think calorie burn, most of us will immediately think “Exercise” but thats just a small part of the puzzle.

        Here are all the ways our bodies burn calories:

        1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR):
          This is the energy your body uses to maintain basic life functions while at rest, such as breathing, circulation, and cell production. It accounts for the majority of calories burned daily.
        2. Physical Activity:
          Any movement burns additional calories. This includes:
          • Exercise (e.g., running, swimming, weightlifting)
          • Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT): daily activities like walking, cleaning, fidgeting
        3. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF):
          The energy used to digest, absorb, and metabolize food. It typically accounts for about 10% of total daily energy expenditure.
        4. Adaptive Thermogenesis:
          The body’s ability to generate heat in response to environmental changes or diet.
        5. Growth and Development:
          Children and adolescents burn extra calories for growth. Pregnant women also burn additional calories to support fetal development.

        The component that contributes most to our daily calorie burn for most people is the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

        BMR typically accounts for 60-75% of total daily energy expenditure for sedentary individuals. This means that even if you were to lie in bed all day, your body would still burn a significant number of calories just to keep your basic life functions operating.

        The exact percentage can vary based on factors such as:

        1. Age: BMR tends to decrease with age.
        2. Body composition: More muscle mass increases BMR.
        3. Gender: Men generally have a higher BMR than women due to greater muscle mass.
        4. Genetics: Some people naturally have a higher or lower BMR.
        5. Health conditions: Certain medical conditions can affect BMR.

        It’s important to note that while BMR is the largest contributor to calorie burn for most people, physical activity can significantly increase total daily energy expenditure, especially for very active individuals. For athletes or people with physically demanding jobs, the calories burned through activity might approach or even exceed their BMR.

        The one that generally gets overlooked but can actually end up having a BIG effect on your daily burn is NEAT – Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.

        Tips for increasing NEAT in daily life:

        1. At Work
          Use a standing desk or treadmill and vary your position throughout the day.
          Take walking meetings instead of sitting in a conference room.
          Set a timer and stand up at least once every hour. Add in a stretch if possible, or a walk around the building.
          Use a smaller water bottle so it needs filling more often.
        2. At Home
          Do more vigorous versions of chores (scrub the floor rather than mop for example).
          Stand or pace while using your phone.
          Do simple exercises or stretching during tv commercials, or between episodes.
          Dance while listening to music.
        3. During Commutes / Errands:
          Park further away from entrances of buildings.
          Get off public transport one stop early and walk the rest of the way.
          Carry groceries instead of using trollies for small shops.
          Walk or bike instead of using your car wherever possible.
        4. Social Activities:
          Suggest active things to do; mini golf, bowling etc.
          Play active video games that require movement.
        5. Throughout the day:
          Fidget more; drum your fingers, tap your feet etc.
          Increase your daily step count wherever possible.
          Use a smaller water bottle so it needs filling more often.
        6. At Night:
          Do some light stretching or yoga before bed.
          Tidy your living spaces before going to bed.

        Remember, the goal is to make movement a natural part of your day. Even small increases in activity can add up over time and contribute to higher overall calorie burn.

      187. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      188. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      189. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      190. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      191. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      192. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      193. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      194. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      195. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      196. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      197. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      198. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      199. Rethinking Injury Management:
      200. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      201. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      202. Periodisation Deep Dive
      203. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      204. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      205. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      206. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      207. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      208. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      209. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      210. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      211. All About Stress
      212. Train your breathing for better race results
      213. Does how you breathe really matter?
      214. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      215. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      216. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      217. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:

        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.

      218. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      219. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      220. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      221. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      222. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      223. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      224. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      225. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      226. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      227. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      228. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      229. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      230. Rethinking Injury Management:
      231. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      232. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      233. Periodisation Deep Dive
      234. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      235. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      236. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      237. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      238. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      239. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      240. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      241. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      242. All About Stress
      243. Train your breathing for better race results
      244. Does how you breathe really matter?
      245. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      246. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      247. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      248. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.

        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.

      249. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      250. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      251. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      252. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      253. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      254. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      255. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      256. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      257. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      258. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      259. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      260. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      261. Rethinking Injury Management:
      262. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      263. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      264. Periodisation Deep Dive
      265. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      266. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      267. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      268. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      269. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      270. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      271. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      272. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      273. All About Stress
      274. Train your breathing for better race results
      275. Does how you breathe really matter?
      276. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      277. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      278. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      279. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows

        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.

      280. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      281. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      282. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      283. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      284. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      285. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      286. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      287. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      288. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      289. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      290. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      291. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      292. Rethinking Injury Management:
      293. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      294. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      295. Periodisation Deep Dive
      296. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      297. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      298. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      299. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      300. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      301. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      302. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      303. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      304. All About Stress
      305. Train your breathing for better race results
      306. Does how you breathe really matter?
      307. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      308. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      309. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      310. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing

        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.

      311. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      312. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      313. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      314. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      315. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      316. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      317. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      318. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      319. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      320. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      321. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      322. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      323. Rethinking Injury Management:
      324. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      325. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      326. Periodisation Deep Dive
      327. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      328. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      329. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      330. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      331. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      332. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      333. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      334. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      335. All About Stress
      336. Train your breathing for better race results
      337. Does how you breathe really matter?
      338. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      339. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      340. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      341. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training

        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.

      342. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      343. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      344. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      345. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      346. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      347. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      348. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      349. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      350. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      351. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      352. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      353. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      354. Rethinking Injury Management:
      355. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      356. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      357. Periodisation Deep Dive
      358. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      359. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      360. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      361. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      362. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      363. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      364. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      365. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      366. All About Stress
      367. Train your breathing for better race results
      368. Does how you breathe really matter?
      369. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      370. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      371. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      372. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training

        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.

      373. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      374. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      375. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      376. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      377. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      378. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      379. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      380. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      381. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      382. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      383. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      384. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      385. Rethinking Injury Management:
      386. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      387. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      388. Periodisation Deep Dive
      389. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      390. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      391. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      392. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      393. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      394. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      395. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      396. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      397. All About Stress
      398. Train your breathing for better race results
      399. Does how you breathe really matter?
      400. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      401. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      402. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      403. All About Stress

        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.

      404. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      405. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      406. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      407. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      408. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      409. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      410. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      411. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      412. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      413. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      414. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      415. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      416. Rethinking Injury Management:
      417. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      418. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      419. Periodisation Deep Dive
      420. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      421. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      422. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      423. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      424. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      425. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      426. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      427. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      428. All About Stress
      429. Train your breathing for better race results
      430. Does how you breathe really matter?
      431. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      432. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      433. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      434. Train your breathing for better race results

        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.

      435. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      436. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      437. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      438. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      439. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      440. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      441. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      442. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      443. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      444. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      445. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      446. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      447. Rethinking Injury Management:
      448. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      449. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      450. Periodisation Deep Dive
      451. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      452. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      453. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      454. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      455. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      456. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      457. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      458. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      459. All About Stress
      460. Train your breathing for better race results
      461. Does how you breathe really matter?
      462. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      463. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      464. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      465. Does how you breathe really matter?

        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.

      466. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      467. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      468. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      469. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      470. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      471. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      472. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      473. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      474. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      475. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      476. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      477. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      478. Rethinking Injury Management:
      479. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      480. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      481. Periodisation Deep Dive
      482. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      483. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      484. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      485. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      486. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      487. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      488. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      489. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      490. All About Stress
      491. Train your breathing for better race results
      492. Does how you breathe really matter?
      493. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      494. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      495. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      496. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture

        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

      497. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      498. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      499. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      500. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      501. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      502. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      503. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      504. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      505. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      506. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      507. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      508. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      509. Rethinking Injury Management:
      510. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      511. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      512. Periodisation Deep Dive
      513. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      514. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      515. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      516. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      517. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      518. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      519. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      520. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      521. All About Stress
      522. Train your breathing for better race results
      523. Does how you breathe really matter?
      524. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      525. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      526. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      527. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs

        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.

      528. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      529. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      530. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      531. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      532. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      533. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      534. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      535. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      536. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      537. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      538. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      539. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      540. Rethinking Injury Management:
      541. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      542. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      543. Periodisation Deep Dive
      544. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      545. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      546. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      547. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      548. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      549. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      550. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      551. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      552. All About Stress
      553. Train your breathing for better race results
      554. Does how you breathe really matter?
      555. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      556. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      557. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      558. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly

        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.

      559. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      560. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      561. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      562. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      563. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      564. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      565. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      566. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      567. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      568. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      569. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      570. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      571. Rethinking Injury Management:
      572. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      573. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      574. Periodisation Deep Dive
      575. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      576. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      577. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      578. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      579. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      580. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      581. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      582. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      583. All About Stress
      584. Train your breathing for better race results
      585. Does how you breathe really matter?
      586. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      587. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      588. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      589. Minimum effort. Maximum Impact

        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.

      590. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      591. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      592. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      593. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      594. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      595. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      596. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      597. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      598. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      599. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      600. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      601. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      602. Rethinking Injury Management:
      603. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      604. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      605. Periodisation Deep Dive
      606. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      607. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      608. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      609. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      610. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      611. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      612. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      613. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      614. All About Stress
      615. Train your breathing for better race results
      616. Does how you breathe really matter?
      617. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      618. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      619. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      620. Specificity is KING for Endurance

        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.

      621. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      622. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      623. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      624. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      625. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      626. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      627. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      628. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      629. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      630. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      631. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      632. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      633. Rethinking Injury Management:
      634. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      635. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      636. Periodisation Deep Dive
      637. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      638. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      639. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      640. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      641. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      642. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      643. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      644. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      645. All About Stress
      646. Train your breathing for better race results
      647. Does how you breathe really matter?
      648. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      649. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      650. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      651. Strength Reigns Supreme in Endurance

        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.

      652. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      653. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      654. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      655. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      656. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      657. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      658. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      659. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      660. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      661. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      662. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      663. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      664. Rethinking Injury Management:
      665. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      666. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      667. Periodisation Deep Dive
      668. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      669. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      670. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      671. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      672. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      673. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      674. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      675. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      676. All About Stress
      677. Train your breathing for better race results
      678. Does how you breathe really matter?
      679. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      680. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      681. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      682. The 5 Pillars of the DB Training Methodology

        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.

      683. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      684. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      685. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      686. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      687. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      688. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      689. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      690. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      691. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      692. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      693. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      694. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      695. Rethinking Injury Management:
      696. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      697. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      698. Periodisation Deep Dive
      699. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      700. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      701. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      702. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      703. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      704. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      705. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      706. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      707. All About Stress
      708. Train your breathing for better race results
      709. Does how you breathe really matter?
      710. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      711. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      712. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      713. The Three Biggest Mistakes Endurance Athletes make…

        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.’

      714. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      715. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      716. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      717. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      718. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      719. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      720. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      721. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      722. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      723. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      724. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      725. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      726. Rethinking Injury Management:
      727. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      728. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      729. Periodisation Deep Dive
      730. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      731. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      732. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      733. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      734. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      735. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      736. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      737. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      738. All About Stress
      739. Train your breathing for better race results
      740. Does how you breathe really matter?
      741. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      742. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      743. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      744. Mastering the SAID Principle for Endurance Training Success

        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.

      745. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      746. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      747. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      748. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      749. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      750. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      751. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      752. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      753. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      754. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      755. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      756. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      757. Rethinking Injury Management:
      758. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      759. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      760. Periodisation Deep Dive
      761. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      762. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      763. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      764. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      765. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      766. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      767. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      768. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      769. All About Stress
      770. Train your breathing for better race results
      771. Does how you breathe really matter?
      772. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      773. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      774. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      775. Mastering Heart Rate Zones for Peak Endurance Performance

        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.

      776. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      777. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      778. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      779. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      780. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      781. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      782. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      783. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      784. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      785. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      786. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      787. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      788. Rethinking Injury Management:
      789. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      790. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      791. Periodisation Deep Dive
      792. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      793. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      794. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      795. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      796. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      797. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      798. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      799. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      800. All About Stress
      801. Train your breathing for better race results
      802. Does how you breathe really matter?
      803. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      804. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      805. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      806. Can Herbal Adaptogens help Perimenopause? 

        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. 

      807. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      808. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      809. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      810. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      811. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      812. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      813. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      814. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      815. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      816. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      817. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      818. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      819. Rethinking Injury Management:
      820. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      821. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      822. Periodisation Deep Dive
      823. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      824. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      825. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      826. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      827. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      828. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      829. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      830. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      831. All About Stress
      832. Train your breathing for better race results
      833. Does how you breathe really matter?
      834. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      835. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      836. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      837. HIIT – Are you doing it right?

        High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is everywhere. Gyms run HIIT classes, people can download a HIIT timer on to their phone… it’s a really popular way of training due to its efficiency and effectiveness but unfortunately the more popular it’s gotten, the less it actually looks like an actual HIIT workout. Most HIIT classes advertised by gyms are actually just moderate intensity circuit classes!

        There seems to be a common thought process which is ” wow, 5 minutes of that was great… so 10 must be even better… and if I can do 10 then lets go for 20!” This is usually followed with “I don’t need 30 secs rest, I can cut that to 20, actually who needs rest, I’ll cut it to 10 seconds, or get rid of it all together”

        To get a true and effective HIIT session, this is the opposite of what you want to do.

        Constantly adding more work doesn’t make the workout better… in truth it is probably destroying your chance of achieving the desired outcome and effect of the session.

        The rest time must be AT LEAST equal to the work time, and ideally more. If it isn’t you end up with a session that becomes moderate intensity and this isn’t the goal.

        Moderate intensity can still leave you feeling smashed, but it hasn’t done what it was supposed to.
        *This is especially true for Peri Menopausal and Menopausal women. Moderate intensity sessions drive cortisol levels up but not to the level needed to get the right hormonal responses needed to dampen that cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels are one of the reasons women in this age group often struggle with weight and body fat gain.

        What I want to do in this blog is give you a little more detail and understanding so that if and when you do a HIIT session, it really counts.

        Lets start with the fundamental, the Why;

        Why is HIIT so effective?

        As I said up top, the name of the game is efficiency. You can see great results in less time using High Intensity… if it’s done right.

        Good HIIT programming does everything it can to maintain the intensity. If you lose the intensity then all you have is a shorter workout and that just wont get you where you want to be. The point of HIIT is to gain all the fat burning, muscle building, cardiovascular benefits that come from longer workouts in a shorter space of time. Essentially you need to go hard, rest and repeat.

        The amount of work versus rest depends on your goal.
        If your goal is purely cardio/aerobic then longer bursts of effort with shorter amounts of rest are fine. True Sprint efforts must be 30 seconds or less though.
        However, if you want to throw some strength gains in their too then you will have to change it up as when you work out for too long, with not enough rest the intensity drops quickly.

        So, now you get why it works, lets look at the How;

        How should you design a HIIT session?

        As you can see long HIIT sessions with short rest periods will likely lead to a drop in intensity. The other issue is burnout. Trying to work at that pace and level consistently will just leave you feeling drained.

        So, a good starting point for designing a HIIT is to look at the rest time. If you insist on having shorter rest times, you need to also have shorter workouts. Remember, the goal is to maximise intensity (so that you can maximise your results).

        A common and effective HIIT timing is 20 secs work, 40 secs rest. Now to a lot of people reading this, this is going to seem backwards as they would have been expecting 40 secs work, 20 secs rest but I wrote it the right way round, trust me.

        If you stick to a static work/rest timing for your workout then understand that in the latter rounds you will likely experience some drop off in intensity as you become fatigued.

        A great way to program HIIT is to increase the rest as the rounds progress so that you can maintain the same level of output for the whole workout i.e. 20 secs work, 40 secs rest.
        30 secs work, 60 secs rest.
        40 secs work, 120 secs rest.
        The idea is that you rest just enough to recover, while being able to maintain maximum output each set and/or round.

        As for how long the total session should be, well, that will vary from person to person. You should stop your HIIT session at the point where you notice your intensity dropping. Ideally you should start with a shorter session, to try and avoid the drop off, and as you improve you can increase the length of your session.

        Ok, so now we have a how, we need the What:

        What exercises should be used in a HIIT session?

        As has been said many times, the output is High Intensity so the exercises you chose must be ones that can be performed in that way.

        The cardio choices are quite straightforward. You could use a stationary bike or elliptical for example and just go hard during the work periods.

        Other good cardio choices are Sprinting, Rowing, Skipping, Ski Erg and the dreaded Assault Bike (other bikes are also good but I do love to hate the Assault Bike).

        Strength is a little more complex as the weight needs to either be that you can lift it quickly and be explosive or that you can only do maybe 6 to 8 reps (depending on the movement and your timeframe). People often don’t think of strength work as intense but anyone that has done heavy barbell cycling will understand.

        Some of my favourite HIIT choices are Kettlebell Swing, Power Clean, Deadlift, Dumbbell Snatch, Slamball, Box Jumps, Battleropes and Power Bag Burpees.

        And now as we have got our What, we need the final piece of the puzzle, the When;

        When should I do a HIIT session.

        Given the demands on the body you shouldn’t do a HIIT session more than 3 times a week and just as you should build up the length of the session you should also build up the amount of sessions you do.

        Start with one session. Do it well and do it right. After a couple of weeks, add in a second session if you feel like you want to. After another couple of weeks add in a third and stop there!

        Just as intensity can drop during a long session, trying to do too much too often will have the same negative effect on your sessions, and therefore your results.

        Stay focussed on the goal.

        Unleash your Inner Bad Ass.

      838. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      839. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      840. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      841. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      842. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      843. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      844. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      845. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      846. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      847. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      848. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      849. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      850. Rethinking Injury Management:
      851. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      852. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      853. Periodisation Deep Dive
      854. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      855. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      856. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      857. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      858. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      859. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      860. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      861. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      862. All About Stress
      863. Train your breathing for better race results
      864. Does how you breathe really matter?
      865. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      866. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      867. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      868. Setting your HR Zones & How to Judge Progress

        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.

      869. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      870. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      871. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      872. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      873. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      874. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      875. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      876. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      877. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      878. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      879. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      880. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      881. Rethinking Injury Management:
      882. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      883. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      884. Periodisation Deep Dive
      885. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      886. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      887. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      888. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      889. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      890. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      891. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      892. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      893. All About Stress
      894. Train your breathing for better race results
      895. Does how you breathe really matter?
      896. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      897. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      898. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      899. How to Test your Lactate Threshold

        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.

      900. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      901. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      902. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      903. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      904. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      905. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      906. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      907. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      908. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      909. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      910. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      911. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      912. Rethinking Injury Management:
      913. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      914. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      915. Periodisation Deep Dive
      916. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      917. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      918. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      919. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      920. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      921. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      922. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      923. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      924. All About Stress
      925. Train your breathing for better race results
      926. Does how you breathe really matter?
      927. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      928. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      929. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      930. Why Lactate Threshold trumps Max Heart Rate for Endurance Training

        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.

      931. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      932. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      933. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      934. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      935. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      936. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      937. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      938. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      939. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      940. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      941. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      942. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      943. Rethinking Injury Management:
      944. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      945. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      946. Periodisation Deep Dive
      947. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      948. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      949. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      950. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      951. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      952. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      953. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      954. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      955. All About Stress
      956. Train your breathing for better race results
      957. Does how you breathe really matter?
      958. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      959. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      960. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      961. Golden Rule #5 Extreme Ownership

        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

      962. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      963. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      964. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      965. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      966. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      967. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      968. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      969. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      970. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      971. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      972. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      973. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      974. Rethinking Injury Management:
      975. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      976. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      977. Periodisation Deep Dive
      978. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      979. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      980. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      981. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      982. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      983. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      984. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      985. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      986. All About Stress
      987. Train your breathing for better race results
      988. Does how you breathe really matter?
      989. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      990. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      991. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      992. Golden Rule #4 100% 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 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

      993. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      994. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      995. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      996. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      997. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      998. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      999. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1000. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1001. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1002. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1003. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1004. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1005. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1006. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1007. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1008. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1009. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1010. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1011. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1012. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1013. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1014. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1015. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1016. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1017. All About Stress
      1018. Train your breathing for better race results
      1019. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1020. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1021. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1022. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1023. Golden Rule #3 Focus on You

        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

      1024. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1025. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1026. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1027. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1028. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1029. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1030. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1031. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1032. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1033. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1034. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1035. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1036. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1037. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1038. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1039. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1040. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1041. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1042. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1043. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1044. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1045. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1046. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1047. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1048. All About Stress
      1049. Train your breathing for better race results
      1050. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1051. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1052. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1053. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1054. Race Day Nutrition – A Rough Guide

        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. 
      1055. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1056. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1057. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1058. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1059. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1060. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1061. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1062. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1063. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1064. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1065. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1066. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1067. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1068. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1069. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1070. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1071. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1072. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1073. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1074. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1075. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1076. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1077. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1078. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1079. All About Stress
      1080. Train your breathing for better race results
      1081. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1082. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1083. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1084. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1085. Race Week Nutrition 

        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

      1086. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1087. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1088. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1089. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1090. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1091. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1092. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1093. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1094. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1095. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1096. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1097. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1098. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1099. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1100. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1101. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1102. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1103. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1104. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1105. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1106. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1107. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1108. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1109. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1110. All About Stress
      1111. Train your breathing for better race results
      1112. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1113. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1114. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1115. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1116. A feeling or results… which do you want?

        Let’s talk about chasing that feeling… the burn, the agonising soreness.

        Any session can be curated to make you feel burnt out, sore and sweaty but not every workout will actually be curated to make you better.

        Here’s the hard truth: You don’t need to destroy yourself in the gym every day. You don’t need to feel dead inside and out every workout. You don’t need to torture and punish yourself to get results.

        Brutal/long/crazy doesn’t mean better. Only better means better. 

        Walking away from your session tired, beaten up, sore and sweaty doesn’t automatically mean your workout was better or more effective. It does mean you are tired, beaten up sore and sweaty… but maybe thats it. 

        You might be working your butt off and not getting results. If this sounds like you then its time to rework the problem and sort out a new plan. 

        Because here’s the thing. It doesn’t take a great coach to program a workout that will beat you up.

        It sometimes feels like some “coaches” are constantly trying to outdo each other with how “hard” they can make a session.

        But… it’s easy to make a session hard and have your athletes or clients finish feeling like they left their soul behind… but what did it actually achieve?

        I’d bet that if I asked for someone to put together a session that will make everyone exhausted and sore, most of you reading this could do that. 

        However, it does take a great coach to produce meaningful outcomes for their programmes. A great coach knows what is required to get those real, visible, tangible results. 

        I personally am a huge fan of implementing the Minimal Dose Response, which basically means getting my athletes to do the minimum amount of work for the biggest amount of progression.

        Endurance athletes often suffer overuse injuries due to amount of training they do and I have spent a long, long time cultivating and mastering a program that means I can minimise these risks.

        Let’s not get it twisted though. This doesn’t mean that it isn’t hard work, and that it isn’t going to completely suck at times. It is and it will. 

        There will still be long sessions and hard sessions but every session has a point. There is a specific planned stimulus and a clear objective.

        As I tell my athletes often “If I cannot explain why you are doing something, we shouldn’t be doing it”

        Real results take real work but you have to be smart about it. It’s all about working smarter, not harder, and thats where a great coach can really make all the difference.

        If you are not seeing the results you believe your hard work deserves it’s because the work isn’t quite right. It may be hard, and it may feel like you are doing all the right things but the proof is the results.

        Stop chasing a feeling and start chasing results!

      1117. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1118. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1119. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1120. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1121. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1122. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1123. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1124. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1125. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1126. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1127. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1128. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1129. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1130. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1131. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1132. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1133. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1134. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1135. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1136. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1137. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1138. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1139. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1140. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1141. All About Stress
      1142. Train your breathing for better race results
      1143. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1144. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1145. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1146. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1147. Post Workout Nutrition

        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. 

      1148. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1149. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1150. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1151. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1152. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1153. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1154. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1155. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1156. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1157. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1158. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1159. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1160. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1161. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1162. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1163. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1164. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1165. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1166. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1167. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1168. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1169. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1170. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1171. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1172. All About Stress
      1173. Train your breathing for better race results
      1174. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1175. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1176. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1177. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1178. Pre Workout Fuelling

        Why Eat before a workout

        The main goal of eating before a workout is to replenish your glycogen, the short-term storage form of carbohydrate.
        Glycogen supplies immediate energy needs and is especially crucial for morning workouts, as the liver is glycogen depleted from fuelling the nervous system during sleep. The muscles, on the other hand, should be glycogen-loaded from proper recovery nutrition the previous day if you hit the post workout routine right. 

        The body does not necessarily need a lot (depending on the timing and type of session), but it does need something to prime the metabolism, provide a direct energy source, and allow you to perform the session at the planned intensity and for the given 

        As for what the something is, following the basic guidelines it is best to experiment with a few different snack and meal choices and see which works best for you. 

        What to Eat Before a Workout

        As stated above, this will come down to personal preference. 

        The majority of nutrients in a pre workout meal should come from carbohydrates. You also need some protein, but not a significant amount as protein takes longer to digest and does not serve an immediate need at the beginning of your workout. Fat and dietary fibre also should be marginal to minimise the potential for gastrointestinal upset – we’ve all been there right! 

        Research has shown that the type of carbohydrate consumed does not directly affect performance across the board. Some thrive on regular foods (e.g., my personal favourite; a bagel with peanut butter). Some reach for the convenience options such as an energy bars or replacement shakes.

        One crucial element that is often overlooked is Pre-workout fluid intake. This is critical to prevent dehydration, which results in a severe drop in performance as best and serious help issues at worst. Be sure to time your fluid intake so that you are not busting for the loo during your workout. Ideally start 4 hours before and aim for 5-7mls per kilo of bodyweight. 

        When to Eat Before a Workout

        When is a huge consideration for pre workout nutrition and almost as important as what. 

        Eat too early and the calories are gone by the time the exercise begins. Eat too late and the stomach is stealing all your energy trying to do its digestion thing, and making you feel uncomfortable in the process. 

        As a general rule the ideal time for most people to eat is about 2-4 hours before activity. Again, you can play with this depending on the session/day you have and figure out in different situations, what works best. 

        If your meal time is 4 hours before your workout you can safely consume up to 1,000 calories. If the gaps between eating and training are much shorter (a pre-7 a.m. workout, for example), eating a smaller meal of around 300-400 calories or less, about an hour before the workout, can suffice.

        A general recommendation that can be a good jumping off point to figure out what works for you is to consume about 1 gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight if working out 1 hour after eating, 2 g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight if working out 2 hours after eating… and so on. 

        To avoid GI issues it is advised that anything consumed less than 1 hour before an event or workout be in liquid form, such as a sports drink or smoothie.

        Get it Right

        An effective pre workout nutrition plan should be planned based on the duration and intensity of session. You should also take into consideration your ability to supplement during the activity (if longer than 45-60 minutes), your personal energy needs and environmental factors; is it hot, humid, cold etc.

        Determining how much is too much or too little and getting the timing right can be frustrating, but experimenting is vital for success.

      1179. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1180. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1181. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1182. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1183. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1184. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1185. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1186. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1187. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1188. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1189. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1190. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1191. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1192. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1193. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1194. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1195. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1196. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1197. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1198. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1199. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1200. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1201. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1202. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1203. All About Stress
      1204. Train your breathing for better race results
      1205. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1206. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1207. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1208. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1209. Golden Rule #2 Find the Positive

        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

      1210. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1211. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1212. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1213. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1214. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1215. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1216. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1217. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1218. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1219. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1220. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1221. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1222. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1223. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1224. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1225. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1226. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1227. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1228. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1229. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1230. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1231. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1232. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1233. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1234. All About Stress
      1235. Train your breathing for better race results
      1236. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1237. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1238. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1239. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1240. Golden Rule #1 Control the Controllable

        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

      1241. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1242. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1243. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1244. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1245. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1246. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1247. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1248. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1249. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1250. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1251. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1252. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1253. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1254. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1255. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1256. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1257. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1258. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1259. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1260. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1261. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1262. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1263. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1264. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1265. All About Stress
      1266. Train your breathing for better race results
      1267. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1268. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1269. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1270. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1271. My Coaching Ethos and Athlete Philosophy

        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

      1272. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1273. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1274. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1275. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1276. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1277. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1278. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1279. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1280. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1281. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1282. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1283. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1284. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1285. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1286. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1287. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1288. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1289. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1290. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1291. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1292. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1293. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1294. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1295. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1296. All About Stress
      1297. Train your breathing for better race results
      1298. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1299. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1300. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1301. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1302. Do your actions support your goals?

        Let me ask it another way… Are you truly acting like the person, and athlete, you want to be?  

        I work with a range of athletes across various endurance sports; Triathlon, Obstacle Course Racing, Hyrox etc.

        Every single one of them has a goal they are working towards. For some it’s an age cat or podium finish. For others it’s simply to complete their A race and finish it well.

        Every goal, regardless of size, requires some level of sacrifice alongside a huge amount of hard work and dedication.

        Most people have a good idea of what it takes to achieve their goal. The hours of training required, the organisation of daily life to make that time, the dialled in nutrition, the early nights, the early mornings, saying no to certain social gatherings, saying no to certain favourite races or events as they just don’t mesh with the overall Big Goal … the list goes on and for some, it just doesn’t sound worth it.

        Thats why so many people are content with just being average…if that.

        Some are content to make the excuses, hide behind busy lives and find all the reasons not to do what is truly required.

        Others say that they really want it, but their actions just never quite meet their words.

        It may be that they just aren’t quite ready yet, or maybe they like the idea but in practise they really aren’t willing to do what it takes.

        I’ve definately been guilty of this in the past. I would say I really wanted to achieve “X” but I wasn’t acting the person who would do that. I wasn’t watching my nutrition, I was still eating badly, watching my weight creep up but not doing a damn thing about it. I would say I was too busy to count macros but come on – it seriously only takes a few extra minutes of effort to weigh food and log it correctly. I was just being lazy. Plus, that still didn’t explain the amount of crap I was eating!  I was hitting my training sessions, for the most part, but I was content that that was enough. I wasn’t truly ready or willing to do everything it would take.

        Luckily I have managed to shed that person and now I can, hand on heart, say that I truly act like the person I need to be to achieve my goal.

        The first step – getting real with yourself and figuring out if you are truly willing, and able, to do what it takes.

        This might involve a conversation with your coach as you may be willing but not be actually sure exactly how to make it work, especially if you have a very busy life that seems inflexible. As I said in the beginning, it will require some sacrifice but a smart coach will be able to help you figure out how to lessen the impact and make it work.

        Is it hard? Yes… but then so is dialling it in, living behind excuses and not living your true potential. Both are hard. One is infinitely more worthwhile than the other.

        We’ve all met those people. You know the ones. They turn up on the start line and immediately tell you all the “ reasons” why they are likely not going to have a good event. They got a poor night sleep / They woke up that morning with a weird niggle / Their dog ate their training plan…. Preloaded excuses give weak minded people a get out of jail free card. It doesn’t matter if they suck, because they already told you they would… and it’s not their fault.

        Do not be one of these people.

        Do the work that’s required, ALL of the work that’s required and whether you do or not, own your shit.

        Also, remember this (one of my favourites: No one Cares. Work Harder.

        Once you have set your sights on a goal, make sure you go all in and back yourself 100%

        #ActLikeTheAthleteYouWantToBe

      1303. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1304. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1305. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1306. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1307. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1308. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1309. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1310. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1311. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1312. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1313. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1314. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1315. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1316. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1317. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1318. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1319. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1320. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1321. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1322. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1323. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1324. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1325. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1326. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1327. All About Stress
      1328. Train your breathing for better race results
      1329. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1330. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1331. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1332. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1333. Better Athlete / Better Person

        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

      1334. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1335. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1336. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1337. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1338. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1339. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1340. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1341. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1342. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1343. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1344. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1345. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1346. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1347. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1348. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1349. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1350. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1351. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1352. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1353. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1354. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1355. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1356. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1357. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1358. All About Stress
      1359. Train your breathing for better race results
      1360. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1361. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1362. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1363. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1364. 75Hard – a POV from one of my clients

        I completed 75 Hard for the first time in 2022 (https://differentbreed.io/75hard-this-is-what-discipline-looks-like/) and knew that come 1st Jan 2023 I would be doing it again.

        I opened it up to everyone I knew to see who, if any, would set up to the plate. The first time 6 of us started it and only myself and my friend Chris finished it. This time 13 of us started it and only 4 of us; myself, Chris, Pete and Lindsay (and despite this success rating so many people tell me it doesn’t sound that hard!)

        I’ll be honest, Lindsay was one of the last people in my team that I thought would do it but she grabbed the challenge by the horns and fucking ran with it.

        I asked her if she would share her experience and her it is, in her own words:

        Last year my friend and coach Liza asked if I wanted to try the 75HARD challenge designed by Andy Frisella. I dismissed her as when she explained it I thought no way I can’t do all of them.

        The rules are ,

        1. Follow a diet to match your goals, no cheat meals and no alcohol – I could do that I thought
        2. Take a progress picture every day – I could do that as long as no one could see them
        3. Read 10 pages of a non fiction book – I could do that and a good excuse to have some me time I thought
        4. Drink 4 litres of water a day – wow that’s a lot of water, wasn’t sure if I could mange that
        5. Complete two 45 minute workouts every day, one must be outside – absolutely not I thought I haven’t got time for that and it was starting in January, not a good time to be outside.

        Later on at the beginning of December she suggested it again and once again I said I couldn’t do it, ‘All I’m hearing is excuses’ I was told.

        Those words must have resonated with me as later on that evening I thought yes she’s right all I’m doing is making excuses and after all this is a mindset challenge not a weight loss programme or an exercise challenge. So why not give it a go. So I toasted the New Year in with Nosecco and began.

        I completed this challenge on 17th March and wow it was tough but I did it.

        What did I get out of it?

        To start with I am the lightest I’ve been for many many years, I lost over 13 inches from my body and my fat%  is down by a whole 5%. 

        I have proved to myself that I have the mental toughness to take on a challenge like this even when it was tough. I had a 30th and an 80th birthday to go to and a funeral where I was told, ‘go on just have one drink, surely it won’t matter and no one will know’ Well I would have known and I wasn’t going to fail so stuck to it. 

        I cut out refined sugar which meant no cake, chocolate, biscuits, yummy deserts etc and surprisingly once the cravings went I was okay with this. Even when at work the usual ‘cake and cookie table’ looked very appealing I didn’t succumb. Once my manager found out what I was doing I was asked to talk about the challenge to everyone in my office on our monthly coffee and cake catch up. After this I was told that I was inspirational and what an amazing thing to do.

        I went to London for the weekend and was doing a 45 minute yoga session on the hotel floor late in the evening and got back home late so had to cram 3 litres of water in when I got home, I didn’t sleep well that night!

        I spent many hours walking in the rain when it was miserable and cold thinking why am I doing this to myself when I could be in the warm and dry having a coffee.

        My Results

        My body composition has changed as I lost 5% of my body fat and my muscle percentage is up. I feel stronger and healthier than I ever before and ran my first sub 30 minute 5K.

        The 4 litres of water was a challenge to begin with as that’s a lot of water but my body adapted to it and my skin loved me drinking that amount as it now feels softer than before. 

        Weight – Day 1 75.3kg; Day 75 67.9kg Total loss 7.4kg

        Body Fat% – Day 1 32.8; Day 75 27.7 Total Loss 5.1%

        Bust – Day 1 38”; Day 75 36.5” Total Loss 1.5”

        Waist – Day 1 34”; Day 75 30” Total Loss 4”

        Belly – Day 1 40”; Day 75 35.5” Total Loss 4.5”

        Hips – Day 1 42”; Day 75 38” Total Loss 4”

        Total inches lost – 14”

        It’s been two weeks now since I finished this challenge and I am still sticking to most of the rules. Not because I am deliberately trying to but they have become a habit. I still drink at least 4 litres of water, I still generally do two workouts every day(not always one being outside) I am still not eating refined sugar apart from the one cake I had which although tasted good wasn’t as amazing as I expected, I still read most days as this was a great bit of me time.

        Was it tough? – yes but it’s called 75HARD for a reason. 

        Did I Surprise myself with what I achieved? – yes physically and mentally, my day 1 photo is very different to my Day 75 photo.

        Would I do it again? – yes definitely and if you are thinking of trying this challenge I would say go for it as you may just surprise yourself.

      1365. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1366. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1367. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1368. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1369. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1370. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1371. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1372. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1373. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1374. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1375. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1376. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1377. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1378. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1379. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1380. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1381. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1382. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1383. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1384. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1385. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1386. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1387. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1388. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1389. All About Stress
      1390. Train your breathing for better race results
      1391. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1392. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1393. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1394. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1395. Should I take Creatine?

        Creatine has been a popular supplement in the UK for a few years now but just recently it seems to have blown up and I get a lot of my athletes asking me “ Should I be taking it? 

        In short, my answer is usually YES! Male or Female… just YES!

        Here are the things you should know about Creatine: 

        1) It is one of the most researched supplements within the fitness market. Many have tried to (falsely) claim that it causes damage to the kidneys but through all of the highly detailed research and testing done no adverse effects to health have been found. 

        2) Its main benefit is an improvement in maximal strength and power. It is NOT a steroid. Creatine is an energy which saturates the ATP stores hence greater performance comes from greater amounts of creatine stored in the body. 

        3) When taken over time, Creatine can help increase strength, muscle mass and athletic performance. 

        4) Creatine is naturally found in foods such as fish, beef, pork and lamb but the quantities are small so you will never see a real benefit from food. 

        5) Despite what some brands say you do not need to complete a loading phase. A daily dose of 3-5g a day will suffice. 

        6) Beyond the physical benefits latest research also shows there are some amazing cognitive benefits, with improvements in concentration and memory. 

        7) Some people will be non responders – which means they see no real benefit after 3 months of supplementation. This is usually because their body’s already have a high level of muscle creatine storage.

        My Personal Experience. 

        I started taking Creatine in mid January this year and can honestly say I have seen massive improvements in my overall strength and power – which has a carry over to my endurance sports.
        Without specifically training strength in additional way and just following my normal weekly routine of CrossFit, Indoor Cycle, Running and Swimming I have PR’d pretty much every Power and Olympic Lift – in the 5RM, 3RM and 1RM range. My FTP (cycling power measurement) has increased more in tis time frame than it usually would in a 3 and 6 month period and running just feels easier.

        In my opinion, Creatine is the one supplement where I would say it is definitely worth a try. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain. 

      1396. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1397. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1398. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1399. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1400. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1401. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1402. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1403. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1404. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1405. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1406. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1407. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1408. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1409. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1410. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1411. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1412. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1413. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1414. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1415. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1416. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1417. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1418. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1419. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1420. All About Stress
      1421. Train your breathing for better race results
      1422. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1423. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1424. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1425. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1426. How to work out to beat Menopause

        Hitting this period of life, regardless of the age you go through it, can be so tough.

        Some women are lucky and feel very few, if any, effects. The more common story is one of weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, crazy body temperatures and frustration.

        There are 4 things Perimenopausal women should be doing in their training to help overcome these negative symptoms. Trust me when I say you can still be competitive, you can still PB and PR your workouts and you def don’t have to stop and let this change take over your life.

        1 – HIIT Training
        Now most that know me know that “HIIT” is a particular annoyance of mine as it is one of the most over used, and wrongly used phrases in the fitness industry. Check out my blog post here to learn more (HIIT – are you doing it right)

        However, executed properly it is has huge benefit and for this you def shouldn’t be doing any interval for more than a minute and the ideal for menopause is 30 seconds.

        Firstly, it improves insulin sensitivity and lowers fasting blood sugar levels. This is especially helpful during the menopause transition when blood sugar can be harder to manage. It is also good for your general cardiovascular and metabolic health.

        Secondly, it improves your fat burning ability and helps manage visceral fat (the deep internal fat) which usually increases during menopause.

        Finally, when done right, it puts a high demand on your muscles, which in turn sends a message to your brain that you need more human growth hormone (HGH). This increases your testosterone levels, which helps build or regain muscle mass, increasing your power and performance.

        2 – Strength Training
        This doesn’t necessarily mean throwing a heavy barbell around, although if thats your jam then do it. Strength training can mean free weights (kettlebells and dumbbells), resistance bands and even bodyweight exercises. It needs to be strength work though rather than muscular endurance work to be truly effective so think heavier weights and shorter reps per set, rather than long sets of 15/20 reps.

        The risk of osteoporosis rises substantially following menopause due to the decrease in estrogen, which is needed to help build, repair and strengthen bone) so strength training is especially vital. 

        Effective strength training will help to build bone as well as increase muscle strength, burn fat and help boost your metabolism.

        3 – Plyometrics (or Jump Training)
        Jumping is often overlooked but it is brilliant for building strong muscles, bones and joints and making them overall more resilient. It also helps produce and reinforce strong and powerful muscle contractions and as our estrogen levels decrease we lose the hormonal stimulus to do this so jumping overcomes this loss.

        Adding in some plyometrics to your weekly routine can also increase your bone density building stronger bones. It can strengthen your joints, especially knee and hip joints and help keep the joint cartilage healthy plus it’s generally good for your cardiovascular health.

        Simple ways to add jump training into your weekly routine: Box Jumps, Skipping, Jumping Jacks, Squat Jumps and Jump Lunges.
        *As always though make sure you know the correct form for these movements as done incorrectly you can mess yourself up so seek a coaches help if unsure.

        4 – Balance Work
        Balance is a neurological skill, which means it can’t be trained. It has to be practised. Doing some balance work is hugely beneficial for all athletes but adding it to your regular routine for combatting the menopause is a really smart move.

        Women suffering with vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats etc) can often find they become less stable so it makes sense to work on building your stability and balance.

        It can be as simple as practising standing on one leg, and then once you get good at this, doing it with your eyes closed or add in throwing and catching a ball. Or, you can work on moves that also combine some strength work such as Single Leg Deadlifts or Single Leg Squats.

      1427. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1428. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1429. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1430. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1431. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1432. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1433. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1434. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1435. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1436. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1437. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1438. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1439. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1440. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1441. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1442. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1443. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1444. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1445. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1446. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1447. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1448. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1449. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1450. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1451. All About Stress
      1452. Train your breathing for better race results
      1453. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1454. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1455. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1456. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1457. Recovery Training???

        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.

      1458. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1459. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1460. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1461. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1462. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1463. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1464. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1465. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1466. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1467. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1468. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1469. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1470. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1471. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1472. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1473. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1474. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1475. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1476. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1477. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1478. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1479. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1480. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1481. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1482. All About Stress
      1483. Train your breathing for better race results
      1484. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1485. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1486. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1487. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1488. Ladies…Hormones, Training and Fat Loss

        There’s something we don’t often talk about but it can have a major effect on our training and our results and that thing is our menstrual cycle. 

        Do you really know what happens during your 28 day cycle? Do you understand which hormones are spiking when and what that means for your body and your performance? 

        I am about to break it down for you so that, being armed with knowledge, you have a better chance of hitting your goals, or you might at least stop you beating yourself up when you don’t (as long as you’ve done the work!)

        Here are the things you need to know: 

        The Phases

        The day count of the menstrual cycle begins on the first day of menstruation (the first day of your period). 

        The cycle has been assumed to be 28 days, which is the average amount for most women. 

        The entire duration of the cycle is broken down into 4 main phases:

        Menstrual phase (From day 1 to 5)

        Follicular phase (From day 1 to 13)

        Ovulation phase (Day 14)

        Luteal phase (Day 15 to 28)

        I am not here to give you a biology lesson or talk to you about eggs, ovaries and fallopian tubes. In relation to your training, performance and body composition the phases are the important bit.  

        The Hormones

        There are 4 main hormones involved in your cycle but these are two that you need to understand:

        Estrogen:

        This hormone gets a really bad rep and it’s not really fair. The general consensus is that this hormone is responsible for all the crap we can experience but this just isn’t true. 

        The truth is that it reduces your appetite, improves insulin sensitivity and can protect you against muscle soreness. This is great news for your diet and your training.

        Estrogen is the dominant hormone during the follicular phase and this is when we are at our most productive. 

        Progesterone:

        This is actually where you should be directing your anger. It is the dominant hormone during the luteal phase and generally this is when we can find things a struggle. 

        This is because it can raise our metabolic rate, meaning we usually need between 100 to 300 calories more a day but, thanks to the fact that it makes us insulin resistant (meaning we may not handle carbs as well the in phase and that our sugar cravings are likely to increase) it is common for women to eat around 500 extra calories a day!

        How to use this knowledge

        Some women will not be affected at all. If you are one of these, count yourselves lucky! 

        Others will find that they are hugely affected and for you ladies, being aware of what phase you are in may help you manage things better. 

        If you do find yourself affected by your cycle you may find that, as well as throwing your diet out of balance, your coordination, balance and general ability can also suffer during the luteal phase. 

        I know that personally, my lifting suffers. In the first two weeks of my cycle I can hit my 1 rep max and if I’m going to get a new PB, it will usually be during this phase. In the last two weeks I can often struggle to get about 80% of my usual lifts. Now that I’m aware though, I don’t beat myself up.

        Instead I actually use this info to plan my diet and training around my cycle. I slightly reduce my carbohydrate intake in the luteal phase. I plan my heavy resistance work during the follicular phase and I load more metabolic conditioning type workouts during the luteal phase to increase my calorie burn. All of these actions enhance the positives of my estrogen spike and help to balance out the negatives of my progesterone spike. 

        The other main consideration is a biggie….

        When to measure your progress

        If you are tracking your progress with either photos, body measurements or body composition stats (% of fat and muscle) then it makes total sense to ensure that you are in same stage of your cycle when checking yourself. If you take your first measurements in week 1 but then take your next set when you are in week 3 or 4 you could find that you don’t get an accurate reflection of your progress. This may not be because you haven’t done the work or got your diet on point but purely because of your menstrual cycle. Make sure, where possible, you take your stats at the same point every time. 

        I know sometimes it can suck to be a woman but hopefully this little bit of knowledge can empower you to take back a little bit of control. It has definitely helped me and some of my clients. 

      1489. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1490. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1491. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1492. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1493. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1494. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1495. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1496. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1497. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1498. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1499. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1500. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1501. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1502. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1503. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1504. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1505. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1506. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1507. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1508. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1509. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1510. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1511. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1512. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1513. All About Stress
      1514. Train your breathing for better race results
      1515. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1516. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1517. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1518. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1519. Is your fitness suffering thanks to overtraining ?

        One of the things we have likely all seen a lot of during this lockdown period is unqualified Fitness Influencers (seriously, someone still needs to explain what this even is!) and even in some cases PT’s and fitness brands setting up crazy bodyweight challenges as a way to “help” people maintain their fitness during lockdown. 

        Think being challenged to do 100 squats, then add 100 push ups, oh and 100 lunges and hey, why not, do 100 burpees while you’re there… and lets do that every day for 7/14/30 days! 

        So, maybe you are thinking that sounds banging, its hardcore, Yeah! push the limits!… and you’d be right, IF you did that workout maybe twice a month, although that could still be deemed excessive, depending on your current fitness level. 

        Indeed, one of my favourite workouts is one of the CrossFit Girls – Angie; ‘For Time 100 Pull Ups, 100 Push Ups, 100 Sit Ups and 100 Air Squats’
        However, as much as I love it, it’s a workout I will likely do 3 times a year, at the most! In fact I think I’ve done it twice in the last two years. There is a value to doing high rep work but doing so often is just counter productive and probably a waste of your time. 

        Personally, I am huge fan of the minimal dose response, which basically means achieving the desired result with the minimum amount of work required. Do you really need to do 100 squats for 7 days? I’m going to guess that the answer is no! Its a pretty safe bet you can get where you want to go with a smarter approach.

        You have to ask the question “why I am doing this?” “what is it achieving?” and if you don’t know and the person setting the challenge cannot give you a good explanation beyond “Do it! “Go Hard or Go Home’ then do you know what… don’t do it! 

        These are the main issues to consider: 

        Form
        Can the average gym goer actually maintain proper alignment and form for 100 reps?
        Take the squat as one example…
        Let’s be frank, there are a fair few videos circulating showing people doing these types of challenges and squatting with poor form. Now, I know not everyone has the hip or ankle mobility to be able to squat to or below parallel but a good majority of people don’t even know that this is the standard to aim for.
        We see shallow depth, knees pushed in front of toes, chests falling forward and hunched shoulders to name but a few issues. Whats the point of doing 100 reps when the first rep isn’t good?
        Quality over quantity at all times and if you know you cannot squat to parallel with good form then put the work in on your mobility to fix the issue. This would be a much better use of your time! Same goes for every other movement.

        Injury Risk
        Let’s just take a second to consider the injury risks for the volume of repetitive work, especially when repeated over multiple days. The possible shoulder, knee or hip problems that might arise are plentiful so why would you take the risk. So many people are willing to push through workouts suffering from aches and pains and I never understand why. I constantly have to talk to class members about long term success over short term gain. 

        Overtraining – Volume and Intensity
        Simply put overtraining occurs when you the work you put in exceeds the bodies ability to recover. So, doing the same movement pattern over and over again, and then again, and then again will not allow the muscle groups involved to recover. When the muscles aren’t allowed to recover, they can’t perform properly so the end result is a drop in output.
        There is a huge difference between overloading and overtraining. When done right and applied properly, the overload principle will yield brilliant results. Maybe some of these people plan these excessive workouts thinking that they will achieve overload but unfortunately not! They have tipped over into over training.

        Overtraining – Duration
        Some say over training, some say under recovery. Both amount to the same thing and both are correct. As well as programming excessive amounts of reps and high volume work, the other way to over train the body is by skipping rest days. Often these challenges are set with “Hey, lets do this every day for a month!” Yeah, great, let me know how that works out for you in the end!
        Why is it seen as hardcore to say screw it to the rest day? Anyone with this attitude clearly doesn’t understand how to programme fitness effectively.. if this is your coach, please… walk away now!
        The body needs recovery time. It’s as simple as that. Without recovery not much will happen in terms of progress. It often feels like rest is a dirty word. How often have I heard “it’s ok, I’ll rest when I’m dead”! OK then. But why not send your time alive actually making positive adaptations and seeing progress rather than just wearing your body and mind into the ground. Yes, to see change you need to force an adaptation. You need to stress the body and trigger it to adjust to the new stimulus. Just not all the time!

        There are so many negative effects related to overtraining aside from the injury risk and drop in performance and ability. Maybe you aren’t actually injured but it is likely you will suffer from increased inflammation. It can also affect your amount and quality of sleep.

        Ask yourself.. is it worth it?

        Train smart, rest well and achieve something truly bad ass!

      1520. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1521. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1522. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1523. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1524. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1525. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1526. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1527. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1528. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1529. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1530. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1531. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1532. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1533. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1534. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1535. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1536. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1537. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1538. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1539. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1540. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1541. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1542. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1543. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1544. All About Stress
      1545. Train your breathing for better race results
      1546. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1547. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1548. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1549. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1550. Power through your PMS

        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.

      1551. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1552. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1553. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1554. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1555. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1556. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1557. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1558. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1559. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1560. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1561. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1562. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1563. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1564. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1565. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1566. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1567. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1568. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1569. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1570. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1571. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1572. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1573. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1574. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1575. All About Stress
      1576. Train your breathing for better race results
      1577. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1578. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1579. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1580. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1581. Why am I not losing weight?

        This is a question I hear a lot!

        Usually it means the person asking the question is only focussing on the number on the scale and that is not something I’m a huge fan of (but you can read all about that in my next blog!).

        Hopefully you know by now that to achieve fat loss you need to be in calorie deficit.

        The number one reason people who are tracking their calorie intake don’t see movement on the scales is simple… They are under estimating the amount of calories they eat.

        Whether they are tracking via an app such as My Fitness Pal or Chronometer… or keeping a manual diary, it is very common, and very easy to record less calories than you consume.

        Main ways to wrongfully track:

        • Not weighing / measuring your food and estimating the amount.
        • Not tracking EVERYTHING you eat and drink – the snacks, that latte, that slice of cheese… it all adds up.
        • Eating out and not taking into account the added fat etc of restaurant meals.
        • Choosing similar meal options in your tracker app/calorie book which is less than the meal you actually eat.

        The second reason is related to the first and again, really common… Over estimating the amount of calories burnt through exercise.

        FitBit, Apple, Garmin… all the activity trackers, the machines at the gym… nearly all will over inflate your calorie burn. AND if you have your activity tracker linked to your My Fitness Pal, all this will encourage you to do is eat back the calories you burnt.

        DO NOT link your activity tracker to your MFP account, or you chosen calorie tracker app of choice. Figure out what your calorie intake should be to achieve fat loss at a sensible rate (read about that here: Calorie Deficit) set that in your app and eat to that… do not make it more complicated than that!

      1582. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1583. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1584. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1585. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1586. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1587. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1588. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1589. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1590. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1591. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1592. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1593. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1594. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1595. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1596. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1597. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1598. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1599. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1600. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1601. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1602. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1603. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1604. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1605. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1606. All About Stress
      1607. Train your breathing for better race results
      1608. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1609. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1610. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1611. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1612. Understanding Fats – the basics

        The last in this series of three (the other two being 1:Understanding Protein and 2: Understanding Carbs) and it’s time to get to grips with fat.

        Fat is essential to our diet. We need to consume some fat as it contain important nutrients and essential fatty acids. Vitamins A, D, E are fat soluble, which means they can only be absorbed with the help of fat.

        As with carbohydrates, fat has a lower TEF (Thermic Effect of Food) than Protein. In fact, carbs and fat have the same TEF. This means you will burn between 5 to 15% of the calories of the fat from the digestion process.
        Therefore you consume 200 calories of pure fat, around 10 to 30 calories will be burned by digestion.

        Fat is the most calorie dense of the three macronutrients but as stated above it is needed and is not the enemy.

        If fat loss is your goal, you will need to understand that fat comes at a high calorie cost. Calorie deficit is the key to fat loss so limiting your fat intake and making smart choices will be necessary.

        There are two main types of fat; Saturated and Unsaturated.
        *Ideally no more than 10% of your daily calorie intake should come from saturated fat.

        Saturated Fats are found in both sweet and savoury foods and are mainly found in animal products (meat and dairy) although there are exceptions such as coconut oil.

        Examples of saturated fat include:
        Fatty cuts of meat
        Sausages
        Meat pies
        Butter, Lard and Ghee
        Cheese
        Cream and Ice Cream
        Biscuits, Cakes and Pastries
        Chocolate Bars

        Unsaturated Fat is mostly found in oils from plants and fish.

        To reduce your risk of heart disease and maintain healthy levels of cholesterol it would be wise to reduce your overall fat intake and try to ensure you consume mostly unsaturated fat.

        Examples of unsaturated fat include:
        Olive oil and spreads made from olive oil
        Rapeseed oil
        Some nuts i.e. Brazil, Almond, Peanut
        Avocados
        Sunflower seeds
        Oily Fish i.e. Herring, Salmon, Sardines, Mackerel




      1613. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1614. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1615. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1616. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1617. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1618. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1619. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1620. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1621. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1622. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1623. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1624. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1625. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1626. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1627. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1628. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1629. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1630. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1631. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1632. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1633. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1634. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1635. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1636. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1637. All About Stress
      1638. Train your breathing for better race results
      1639. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1640. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1641. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1642. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1643. 75Hard… This is what discipline looks like

        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

      1644. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1645. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1646. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1647. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1648. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1649. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1650. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1651. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1652. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1653. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1654. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1655. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1656. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1657. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1658. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1659. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1660. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1661. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1662. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1663. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1664. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1665. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1666. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1667. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1668. All About Stress
      1669. Train your breathing for better race results
      1670. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1671. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1672. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1673. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1674. IM Training Blog w/c 07.03.22

        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.

      1675. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1676. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1677. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1678. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1679. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1680. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1681. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1682. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1683. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1684. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1685. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1686. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1687. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1688. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1689. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1690. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1691. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1692. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1693. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1694. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1695. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1696. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1697. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1698. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1699. All About Stress
      1700. Train your breathing for better race results
      1701. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1702. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1703. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1704. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1705. IM Training Blog w/c 28.02.22

        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!

      1706. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1707. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1708. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1709. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1710. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1711. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1712. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1713. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1714. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1715. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1716. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1717. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1718. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1719. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1720. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1721. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1722. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1723. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1724. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1725. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1726. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1727. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1728. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1729. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1730. All About Stress
      1731. Train your breathing for better race results
      1732. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1733. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1734. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1735. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1736. IM Training Blog w/c 21.02.22

        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 🙂

      1737. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1738. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1739. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1740. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1741. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1742. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1743. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1744. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1745. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1746. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1747. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1748. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1749. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1750. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1751. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1752. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1753. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1754. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1755. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1756. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1757. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1758. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1759. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1760. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1761. All About Stress
      1762. Train your breathing for better race results
      1763. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1764. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1765. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1766. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1767. IM Training Blog w/c 14.02.22

        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?

      1768. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1769. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1770. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1771. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1772. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1773. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1774. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1775. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1776. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1777. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1778. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1779. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1780. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1781. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1782. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1783. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1784. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1785. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1786. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1787. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1788. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1789. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1790. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1791. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1792. All About Stress
      1793. Train your breathing for better race results
      1794. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1795. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1796. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1797. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1798. IM Training Blog w/c 07.02.22

        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

      1799. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1800. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1801. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1802. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1803. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1804. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1805. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1806. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1807. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1808. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1809. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1810. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1811. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1812. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1813. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1814. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1815. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1816. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1817. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1818. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1819. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1820. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1821. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1822. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1823. All About Stress
      1824. Train your breathing for better race results
      1825. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1826. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1827. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1828. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1829. IM Training Blog w/c 31.01.22

        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.

      1830. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1831. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1832. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1833. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1834. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1835. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1836. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1837. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1838. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1839. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1840. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1841. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1842. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1843. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1844. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1845. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1846. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1847. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1848. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1849. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1850. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1851. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1852. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1853. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1854. All About Stress
      1855. Train your breathing for better race results
      1856. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1857. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1858. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1859. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1860. IM Training Blog w/c 24.01.22

        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.

      1861. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1862. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1863. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1864. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1865. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1866. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1867. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1868. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1869. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1870. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1871. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1872. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1873. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1874. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1875. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1876. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1877. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1878. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1879. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1880. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1881. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1882. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1883. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1884. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1885. All About Stress
      1886. Train your breathing for better race results
      1887. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1888. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1889. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1890. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1891. A Non Alcoholic Wine Tasting

        I stopped drinking alcohol back at the end of 2019, purely because I wanted to see what life would be like. I didn’t have a problem with alcohol at all, I didn’t ever really drink to excess but just wanted to see if would make a difference to my life, my training and my relationships – but mostly my training.

        It’s safe to say, I have never looked back. I do not need a drink to relax, I do not need a drink to be sociable or have a good time and I would definitely much rather use my calories for food than alcohol.

        The only downside of being alcohol free is that I am occasionally judged by others, and have even been excluded from a couple of social events as “I wont enjoy it as I don’t drink!”. Its a minor downside as most of the people I choose to spend my time with are not judgemental but occasionally I come up against the “well, thats really boring” “go on, have one, you’ll have more fun” kinda nonsense that I know says more about the person saying these things, than about me but still, it can be tiresome.

        While I do not like alcohol, I do love Beer – or rather the taste of beer so the recent explosion of alcohol free beer has made me very happy. The other drink I did really enjoy was a glass of red wine, as does my friend Kerry. Now, I say I like a glass of red wine, I think it’s safe to say that Kerry LOVES a glass of red wine, so when she was recently diagnosed with a brain tumour and told to stop drinking this was one of the things she struggled with. Life is tough enough right now without taking away one of her little pleasures in life.

        The Forza Fitness Squad do what we do best. We rallied round and found a supportive solution. We decided to have a Non Alcoholic Red Wine Tasting as a few of us had bought a bottle here and there and no one has found anything good. Now though, we had a reason to get serious so we did.

        Kerry did the research, did the buying (as, as she said herself, she has not a lot else to do right now) and she hosted, with the most gorgeous spread – yes, thats it in the featured image. We tried 5 different wines and here are the results of our tasting. We scored each wine out of 10 and yes, there was a clear winner we all agreed on.
        *Please remember we are just a few women who like a glass of red wine occasionally, we are not wine connoisseurs by any means so these are not sophisticated tasting notes. This is just a brief bullet point rundown of our thoughts.



        DC DeAlcoholised (£6) Shiraz
        Felt and tasted like a Red Wine
        Palatable and strong Shiraz flavour
        *Denise was not a fan of this one hence the single low score, but also isn’t a huge red wine fan anyway (she was mainly along for the company and the chat!)
        Scores: 9, 9, 9, 7.5, 3 Total: 37.5

        Eisburg (£4) Cabernet Sauvignon
        Again a good red wine taste and feel
        A little thinner than the DC but as good as the more expensive options
        A strong berry taste so again sweeter than the DC and the Merlot but not too sweet.
        Scores: 7, 5, 5, 8, 7, Total: 32

        Vintense (£10) Merlot
        Generally tasted closer to a wine but still a little too thin
        Also a bit too watery
        A good Merlot flavour though.
        Scores: 6, 5.5, 6, 7, 7, Total: 31.5

        Carl Jung (£10) Cuvee Rot
        Still a good red wine feel
        Sweeter than the DC and Merlot. A little too sweet for two of us.
        Scores: 5, 4, 7, 6, 8 Total: 30

        WIN12 (£12) Tempranillo
        Very strongly tastes of berries, and Kerry said also Chocolate.
        Very thin
        Very, very Sweet
        *My personal thought on this one was that if you liked drinking this you might as well opt for a ribena, especially at £12 a bottle!
        Scores: 2, 3, 3, 6, 6 Total: 20

      1892. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1893. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1894. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1895. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1896. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1897. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1898. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1899. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1900. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1901. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1902. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1903. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1904. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1905. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1906. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1907. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1908. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1909. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1910. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1911. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1912. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1913. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1914. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1915. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1916. All About Stress
      1917. Train your breathing for better race results
      1918. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1919. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1920. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1921. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1922. IM Training Blog w/c 17.01.22

        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?


      1923. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1924. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1925. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1926. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1927. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1928. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1929. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1930. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1931. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1932. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1933. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1934. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1935. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1936. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1937. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1938. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1939. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1940. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1941. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1942. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1943. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1944. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1945. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1946. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1947. All About Stress
      1948. Train your breathing for better race results
      1949. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1950. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1951. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1952. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1953. Treat yourself like you would your best friend!

        One of the things I have noticed lately in various conversations with some of my athletes lately is that some are unfortunately willing to say some of the meanest things… about themselves.

        Endurance events are tough enough, without making things harder for ourselves.

        Why are some people willing to make things even worse by shrouding themselves in negativity? One of the keys to a bulletproof mindset is “Find the Positive” and this applies when talking about ourselves.

        For some reason some don’t allow the whole ‘Be Kind’ movement to apply to themselves.

        So often recently I have had to say to someone “hey, thats my friend you’re talking about” after they’ve slated themselves for being lazy/pathetic/shit.

        If you overheard someone saying that about your best friend… how would you feel? It would make you angry right? Yet it can be so easy for us to berate ourselves and not even flinch.

        A lot is said of the ideology to love oneself and if you are in that zone where you are truly happy with who you are then great but for some that idea is either a little too abstract or just a little bit difficult so I’ve been pushing something a little bit different… just treat yourself like you would your best friend.

        I don’t know about you but my best friend and I are always honest with each other, but we are never mean. We can say things to each other that others maybe couldn’t but we are never disrespectful. We are each others biggest cheerleader and confidante.

        So, what I mean when I say “treat yourself like you would your best friend” I mean… Would you say those things you just said about yourself about your best friend? Would you tell your best friend they were shit for sucking in that workout? Pathetic for their event placing? Being stupid for feeling overwhelmed or stressed if they were in the same situation as you? Or would you be supportive? Try and find the good in the situation? Acknowledge their feelings and empathise with their feelings?

        Please, next time you are about to call yourself something mean…

        Stop.

        Be kind to yourself.

        You deserve it.

      1954. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1955. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1956. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1957. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1958. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1959. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1960. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1961. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1962. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1963. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1964. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1965. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1966. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1967. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1968. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      1969. Periodisation Deep Dive
      1970. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      1971. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      1972. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      1973. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      1974. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      1975. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      1976. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      1977. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      1978. All About Stress
      1979. Train your breathing for better race results
      1980. Does how you breathe really matter?
      1981. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      1982. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      1983. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      1984. Beyond the Numbers: Why FTP is Your Cycling Game-Changer

        Whether you are a keen Indoor Cycle Class Go-er, or a serious triathlete / cyclist this is one for you to read!

        My journey from a basic Indoor Cycling Instructor to a Power Trainer and then a qualified Ironman U Certified Coach has transformed not just my approach to coaching but also the measurable results my class members and athletes alike achieve. Through advanced certification with industry leaders I’ve gained insights that have revolutionised my ride profiles and delivery.

        The proof lies in the numbers. Every quarter, my team measure their Functional Threshold Power (FTP), a crucial metric that serious cyclists live by. This isn’t just another cycling statistic – it’s the golden standard of cycling performance, one that experienced riders know and track religiously.

        Gone are the days of guesswork and subjective improvements. What we do now is backed by data, driven by science, and most importantly, delivers consistent, verifiable results.”

        Understanding FTP: Your Key to Measurable Progress

        What is FTP?
        Functional Threshold Power (FTP) is your cycling power output measured in watts. Think of it as your cycling engine’s horsepower – a precise measurement of what you can deliver to the pedals.

        Breaking it Down
        In technical terms, your FTP represents the highest average power you can sustain for a full hour. It’s your sweet spot between intensity and endurance – your cycling cruise control, if you will.

        Why FTP Matters
        In the world of cycling, FTP is more than just another metric – it’s the gold standard. Here’s why:
        It provides an unambiguous measure of your cycling fitness
        It enables precisely calibrated training zones
        It offers objective proof of your progress

        Beyond the “Feel Good” Moments
        Sure, beating your riding buddy up Box Hill or setting a new Strava segment record feels great. But these victories, while satisfying, can be influenced by countless variables – weather, rest, nutrition, or even your friend having an off day.

        FTP cuts through these variables. When your FTP number rises, there’s no debate: you’ve gotten stronger. It’s cycling progress quantified, pure and simple.

        Getting Started: The FTP Test

        Ready to discover your cycling potential? Welcome to the world of FTP testing – 20 to 60 minutes that cyclists simultaneously respect and dread. Let’s break down your testing options.

        Testing Protocols

        The Classic Hour Test The purist’s choice:
        Ride as hard as you can for 60 minutes, and your average power is your FTP.
        Simple in theory, brutal in practice. While this delivers the most accurate results, it’s mentally and physically demanding enough that most cyclists opt for shorter alternatives.

        The 20-Minute Test The most popular method:
        After a proper warm-up, ride at your maximum sustainable effort for 20 minutes.
        Take 95% of your average power, and you’ve got your FTP. It’s shorter, more manageable, and still remarkably accurate.

        The 5-Minute Test The quick alternative:
        Give it everything for 5 minutes. This should still be done after a thorough warm up!
        Your FTP will be approximately 85% of your average power. While less accurate than longer tests, it’s a useful benchmark when time is tight or you’re just getting started


        *The 5 minute test is the method I use for testing in my Indoor Cycle Classes and is part of a full 45 minute class profile where the test is completed between minutes 32 and 37. This means it more accurately replicates a longer test, giving a more robust results without putting class members through a true trial, which most would not enjoy.

        Where to Test

        Indoor Options

        Smart trainers or power-equipped indoor bikes
        Controlled environment for consistent results
        Perfect for year-round testing
        Available at many modern cycling studios

        Outdoor Testing

        Typically yields slightly higher numbers
        Requires a bike with a power meter
        Need a flat or steady climb with minimal interruptions
        Weather and traffic dependent

        Remember: The most accurate test is the one you’ll actually complete. Choose a protocol that matches your experience level and time constraints, but stick with it for future tests to track your progress reliably.

        FTP Test Calculations: A Practical Guide

        Let’s walk through real-world examples for each testing protocol:

        60-Minute Test

        Example:
        Average power over 60 minutes = 200 watts
        FTP = 200 watts (no adjustment needed)
        This is your baseline FTP – the gold standard

        20-Minute Test

        Example:
        Average power over 20 minutes = 220 watts
        FTP = 220 × 0.95
        FTP = 209 watts
        The 5% reduction accounts for the shorter duration

        5-Minute Test

        Example:
        Average power over 5 minutes = 280 watts
        FTP = 280 × 0.85
        FTP = 238 watts
        The 15% reduction compensates for the ability to sustain higher power over shorter durations

      1985. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      1986. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      1987. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      1988. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      1989. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      1990. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      1991. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      1992. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      1993. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      1994. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      1995. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      1996. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      1997. Rethinking Injury Management:
      1998. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      1999. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2000. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2001. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2002. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2003. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2004. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2005. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2006. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2007. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2008. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2009. All About Stress
      2010. Train your breathing for better race results
      2011. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2012. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2013. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2014. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2015. Improve your running, get in the Zone… Zone 2 that is!

        Let me preface this by saying if you are already a Zone 2 convert then this post is not for you as you have already learned the secret and it would be a pretty safe bet to assume you are reaping the benefits. 

        However, it seems lockdown has pushed a lot more people to get outside and get running. I’m guessing a good percentage of these will not continue to run when they can get back to their old routines but some will. Some will have started to find that place where running starts to suck a little less and actually becomes something (almost) enjoyable. 

        Maybe thats you, or maybe you’ve been a runner for a long while now but you’ve never heard of Zone 2 or you’ve heard of it but not bothered to look into what it actually means. Well lucky for you, I’m going to break it down and make it real simple for you. 

        Zone 2 training is probably the best tool available to improve your running, especially if you want to get faster over longer distances. This is also the perfect solution for those of you that struggle to breathe properly whilst running. 

        Zone 2 refers to heart rate zone 2 so in order to unlock this magic you will need a heart rate monitor, preferably of the chest strap variety (as these are way more accurate than the monitor in the watch on your wrist). 

        Your Heart Rate Zones

        Zone 1 – 65% to 79%
        Zone 2 – 80% to 89%
        Zone 3 – 90% to 94%
        Zone 4 – 95% to 99%
        Zone 5 – 100% + 

        % of what ????

        I know, I know.. the next question is % of what exactly and the answer is your Lactate Threshold. 

        It is better to work off your Lactate threshold rather than Max Heart as this gives better results for running performance and it is easier to work out your Lactate Threshold than Max Heart Rate; no Max Heart Rate is not 220 minus your age. It’s a calculation used as it’s better than nothing but wildly inaccurate for a lot of people and doesn’t take into account he myriad of factors that affect your heart rate. 

        What is my Lactate Threshold?

        Put as simply as possible the lactate threshold is defined as the fastest pace you can run without generating more lactic acid than your body can utilise and reconvert back into energy. I’m sure you’ve all experienced that uncomfortable burning in the muscles when working at high exertion. That burn is lactic acid! 

        How do I calculate my Lactate Threshold 

        With an uncomfortable 20 minute max effort run.
        This must be completed while feeling rested and refreshed – Do not do this under fatigue!
        Here are the steps to follow…

        1) Ensure you can record your run on a device that will record your heart rate for your 20 minute effort. 

        2) Put your heart rate monitor on (if you have a chest strap)

        3) 10 minute warm up run. Gentle pace but with 2 or 3 sprint intervals that spike your heart rate as high as you can. Ensure the last spike allows for 2 minutes easy recovery.
        Do not record this warm up on your watch or if you do make sure it can be separated from your 20 minute effort.
        You do not want heart rate data from your warm up mixed in with the data from your 20 minute effort. 

        4) 20 minute max effort run. Basically ensure your watch starts when you start and run as hard as you can for 20 minutes.
        Distance is not important, only time and your effort.
        Stop the watch after 20 minutes.
        If you do not go as hard as you can the data will not be accurate, which means your work following this test will not yield the best performance improvement possible. Make sure you give this your all. It will hurt, it will not be any kind of fun but it is important and necessary.

        5) Recover! Make sure you take some time to walk off the effort.
        Please do not finish the 20 minutes and then just collapse on the ground. Take a few minutes, walk around the park/block. whatever. 

        6) Workout your Lactate Threshold – yay… at last I hear you say, and it’s really simple;
        Your Lactate Threshold =  your AVERAGE Max heart rate for the 20 minute effort. 

        Now what? 

        Now, you add Zone 2 runs into your programme. Some of the best runners and endurance athletes do nearly all their training in Zone 2. All you do is go for your planned run and keep your heart rate in Zone 2.

        Sounds easy huh? ell, it is easy but it is also hella frustrating when you first start out. It’ll be frustrating as I can can pretty much guarantee you will end up walking a lot because as soon as you run your heart rate shoots into zone 3 and above.
        I usually advise people to start with 5k. If you haven’t got to that distance yet then you do whatever you can.

        The key to Zone 2 training is patience and perseverance. Because you end up walking a lot in the beginning many, many runners give up, claiming it can’t be doing any good. Oh how wrong they are.
        For maybe the first month it might feel like a pointless exercise but just hold on, good things come to those who wait. 

        Once you manage that first 5k where you can run the whole way and that heart rate stays in the right place you are well and truly on your way.
        You will soon find you can run that 5k at your old pace but in Zone 2, where it feels soooo much easier than it used to. Then you start increasing distance and soon you are running long distance, at a great pace, all in Zone 2 where you feel comfortable and in complete control. 

        Don’t Get to Comfortable   

        Just remember to retest your Lactate Threshold every 3 months or so. The heart is a muscle and like every muscle, the more you train it the fitter it gets.

        To continue getting great results you must ensure you are working with accurate information. 

      2016. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2017. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2018. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2019. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2020. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2021. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2022. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2023. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2024. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2025. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2026. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2027. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2028. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2029. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2030. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2031. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2032. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2033. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2034. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2035. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2036. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2037. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2038. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2039. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2040. All About Stress
      2041. Train your breathing for better race results
      2042. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2043. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2044. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2045. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2046. Is your ego holding you back?

        No! I hear you cry indignantly… and maybe thats the truth but something I see all the time is people sabotaging their chances of success and the reason boils down to ego.

        Ok, what do I mean…

        You know that person in your fitness class or on the gym floor that always puts a bit too much weight on the bar and then lifts with poor form meaning they are doing more harm than good? Ego.

        How about that one person that always goes out way too fast on a run and gets overtaken by those that took it slow and steady? Ego

        What about that person who is always saying “oh I would’ve/could’ve done x/y/z but unfortunately I got injured/felt a niggle/ had a stomach issue/it was too hot/too cold? One time, ok, it’s probably genuine but that person who always seems to come armed with excuses? Ego.

        If you cannot recognise yourself if these examples I’m betting you can recognise someone you know. And, maybe if you are honest with yourself, you can probably think of at least one time when you have let your ego get the better of you and your training session or event has been crap because of it.

        Hell, we’ve all done it. Maybe you loaded the bar a bit too heavy and then skipped a couple of reps every round as your workout is taking way longer than everyone else’s. Maybe you stepped outside to do your run, realised it was really hot but didn’t adjust your pace and burned yourself out.

        If we all do a little bit of critical (and honest) analysis, we can probably all identify one time when we let our ego get the better of us and it came back to bite us in the ass.

        This week, the worldwide CrossFit community took on one of the most famous Hero Workouts in the world, Murph. It’s a gruelling suckfest of a 1 mile run, 100 Pull Ups, 200 Push Ups and 300 Squats, plus another 1 mile run… oh, and you do it in a weight vest.

        I saw so many posts and had so many people comment on my social things like” oh I wish I could but I can’t even do one pull up so I’m out” or “oh it would be amazing to be able to do this but I can’t :0(”

        I would point out that there are many, many scaling options (especially this year as more versions of Murph were released to accommodate those without equipment and those that hadn’t been near their gym in 10 weeks). The responses were upsetting! Along the lines of ‘oh scaling is cheating, either do it or don’t do it!’

        Now, at this point I would like to make sure you know, I scaled Murph. I always scale Murph. I don’t have a choice as guess what, I can’t do 100 pull ups! I split that fucker down into 20 rounds of 5 Ring Rows (for the pull ups) 10 Push Ups (to a 12″ box as I prefer to do a full push up on an incline, than do them on my knees and I can’t do 200 good push ups on my toes) and 15 Squats.

        The point of Murph, and any workout, is not to be exclusive. The point is to challenge yourself to do something tough, something unpleasant and prove to yourself that you are a true bad ass because you finished it.

        It shouldn’t be easy and if you’ve adapted it to the point where it’s easy and you’re posting ‘Hey, Murph smashed sub 30 mins, Boom!” (yep, I saw many of these) You missed the point and do you know why? Yep, you guessed it… Ego!

        But this is the other way ego can hold you back… you make excuses to not do stuff, or you only do the stuff you know you can do, because really, you are too afraid to try.

        It’s pretty obvious that doing something is better than doing nothing and honestly, what is the worst that can happen? You’re a little slower than others you know? You lose your shit mid workout and throw something across the gym (this one is based on personal experience!)? You cry? You scream? You even quit maybe? So what! I truly believe we learn way more in the bad times and in the mistakes than we do when everything is good.

        I am the first one to celebrate the wins with my clients whether they are achieving a new pb, learning to take rest days, dropping fat and inches, or fitting into old clothes but I will spend more time talking about the bad times as thats where the big lessons are.

        I have this one mantra when it comes to my own training: No one cares. Work harder. Now I know that of course Kerry, my coach, and Toby, Head Coach at my gym, absolutely care about my progress but this mantra just sums up the required absence of ego.

        Focus on the lessons.
        Stop holding yourself back.
        Unleash your inner bad ass.

      2047. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2048. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2049. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2050. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2051. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2052. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2053. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2054. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2055. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2056. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2057. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2058. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2059. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2060. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2061. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2062. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2063. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2064. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2065. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2066. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2067. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2068. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2069. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2070. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2071. All About Stress
      2072. Train your breathing for better race results
      2073. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2074. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2075. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2076. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2077. IM Training Log w/c 02.03.20

        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.

      2078. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2079. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2080. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2081. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2082. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2083. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2084. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2085. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2086. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2087. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2088. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2089. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2090. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2091. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2092. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2093. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2094. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2095. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2096. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2097. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2098. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2099. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2100. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2101. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2102. All About Stress
      2103. Train your breathing for better race results
      2104. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2105. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2106. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2107. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2108. IM Training Log w/c 24.02.20

        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!

      2109. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2110. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2111. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2112. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2113. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2114. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2115. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2116. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2117. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2118. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2119. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2120. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2121. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2122. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2123. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2124. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2125. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2126. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2127. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2128. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2129. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2130. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2131. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2132. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2133. All About Stress
      2134. Train your breathing for better race results
      2135. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2136. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2137. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2138. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2139. IM Training Log w/c 17.02.20

        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.

        Man, does it burn!!! My test result was very slightly less than last weeks Ramp Test but I kinda expected that so I wasn’t disappointed. I’m excited to see what I can achieve when I retest in 12 weeks time 🙂
        Toby and I were going to do a second workout, something called Acid Bath (I will explain more when we do it) but he informed me that we were postponing that joy as he was still a bit broken from his session yesterday. The only good thing about this was that I could go all out on the FTP test without worrying about what was coming next.

        Wed: 6:45am Indoor Cycle Class and 2 mile Run

        Certain things are becoming routine and coaching my class then heading straight out with Gary for a quick out and back run is one of them. I am a believer in routine being the enemy but my indoor cycle changes week on week and you can’t beat a brick session when preparing for a triathlon.

        Wed 1pm PT with my Coach, Kerry

        The focus today was on building leg strength and power so say hello to Bulgarian Split Squats, with a barbell. 5 sets of 5, with a little interlude from Toby informing me these were the thing that fucked him up! Obviously I wasn’t doing them anywhere near as heavy as he was, plus I wasn’t doing any of the other stuff he did with it so I was pretty sure I would be ok… and I was. I mean, don’t misunderstand, it was hard work and my glutes were on fire in that way that you are very aware of your ass for the next 24 hours but I was ok.

        Thu: 9:30am Indoor Cycle

        It was week 8 of my indoor cycle programme; Unbreakable, a tough race – climb – race pyramid session and one of those sessions that I was cursing myself for creating at certain points.

        Thu: 6:30pm Double Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle

        I hit the training jackpot this evening. Rather than coaching a class then participating in a class I was asked to cover the second class meaning I got to control the programme. The first class stuck to the programme so, second shot at Unbreakable (I was not the only person cursing me this time!) and then I chose to bring back one of my favourite 2019 sessions called Relentless… which is exactly what it sounds like. A brutal mix of racing and hills that simply didn’t let up.

        Fri: Unplanned Rest Day

        Again, my Friday plans went awry but like last week, because I had coached an Insanity, LBT and Tabata class all by 10:15am I wasn’t too worried. I was also aware that next Monday is Hell Session day so an extra rest day isn’t the worst thing in the world.

        Sat: Planned Rest Day

        Sun: 7:30am Pool Swim and Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle Class

        I made up for my missing swim by hitting the pool early but I guess other people had a similar idea because wow was the pool busy. But, this turned out to be a good thing as I had a lightbulb moment while following an older lady up and down the lane towards the end of the session. I realised that swimming had suddenly got easier and it was simply because I had slowed my stroke.

        I remembered things that I had learned a long time ago and clearly forgotten. Its like rowing… power over speed. Unfortunately I figured this out at the end of the session so I’m excited to get back in the pool and test out my re-learned knowledge.

        Quick change and straight up to the cycle studio. I had 30 minutes before the class so I got to put in a decent amount of time in the saddle. I wasn’t coaching this class so I was able to just focus on the work and nothing else. My training plan had me doing a 40 mile ride and by the end of the class I’d hit 37 so not too bad at all. Hopefully the weather changes soon and I can actually get outside.

      2140. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2141. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2142. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2143. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2144. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2145. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2146. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2147. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2148. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2149. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2150. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2151. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2152. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2153. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2154. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2155. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2156. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2157. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2158. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2159. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2160. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2161. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2162. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2163. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2164. All About Stress
      2165. Train your breathing for better race results
      2166. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2167. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2168. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2169. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2170. IM Training Log w/c 10.02.20

        *No body stats this week. Storm Dennis kicked in and I couldn’t be fudged to go down to the studio in that just to stand on the scales. I can wait until next week!

        Mon: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        Back to our regular scheduled programming, meaning Monday = Row, Bike, Ski. 40 secs on, 20 secs off. Hold the same calories every round, which for me was Row – 13, Bike – 11, Ski – 9. Need to get stronger on that Ski Erg!!!

        Mon: 1pm Core Training

        Starting to step up the amount of core work as I am very aware that I made a slightly tipsy agreement with our CrossFit Box’s Head Coach and I also want to line up on the start line of the IronMan with a 6 pack… not because it will make me a better athlete or more likely to finish but because I want to prove I can dedicate myself to my nutrition and training.
        I did the 10 minute Eliud Kipchoge routine and then spent 15 minutes running through various exercises such as Sit Ups, Russian Twists and GHD Sit Ups (The Glute Hamstring Developer – not hair straighters)

        Tue: 11:30am FTP Test

        Straight after coaching Insanity I headed for the beautiful IC7 indoor bike and started my FTP Ramp Test. Note to self, never do an FTP Test in an open gym when you don’t have your headphones. The constant grime playlist drove me to distraction and I actually quit maybe 1 ramp earlier than I should as I couldn’t stand it anymore. I was still very happy with the result and got an increase of 24 watts! If it had been my one shot as a test I would have dug in and carried on but I knew I could have another go soon. I already have some quality time booked with my coach’s Bike Erg next week and that is to do a 20 minute FTP test.

        Tue: 3pm David Goggins Guided Home Workout

        I felt like doing something extra today and while chatting with my good friend Mr Chris James his plans for a run were foiled so he said he was going to give the Goggins workout a go. I hadn’t yet sampled this particular delight so decided to do the same. He warned me not to preview it and just do it so I did as I was told. My only mistake was doing it in bare feet. My calf muscles did not appreciate that very much and if you give it a go, you will see why.
        if you want to try it, it’s on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SaiiLzTNVmo

        Wed: 6:45am Indoor Cycle Class and 2 mile Run

        Coach a cycle class, run with Gary. A good start to every Wednesday! I slightly felt the effects of yesterdays FTP test in the legs but nothing too bad. Too busy chatting on the run to really even think about whether it hurts or not. I guess that means it didn’t?!

        Wed: 1pm CrossFit Class

        Partner WOD with the husband today. Toby didn’t split us up today (no matter how much I hinted!) so we got to throw down together. It was an awesome workout;
        20 Rounds – 30 min time cap
        You Go I GO – 1 round each at a time
        200m Row, 4 25kg Hang Power Clean, 6 Over Bar Burpees.
        We pushed each other hard and got in just under the time cap. Boom! I always feel lucky that we are able to work out together and push each other. I know some couples that either get too competitive or just too angry with each other but we compliment each other quite well… plus there’s no point being competitive as he is pretty much better at everything than me and I’m ok with that!

        Thu: 9:30am Indoor Cycle Class

        Week 7 = Unbreakable; A pyramid session of endurance, sprint, race, climb, mountain, climb, race, sprint, endurance. It does not let up 🙂

        Thu: 6:30pm Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle Class + RPM class

        Coached the Coach By Colour Class then took a participant bike in studio (next to Gary for some motivation) for the second class. Back to back classes just to get a bit more time in the saddle.

        Fri: Rest Day

        Unplanned rest day. It was one of those days where other things became more important so training went out the window. Some people get really stressed when plans do not run exactly as dictated but I am not one of these people. I don’t get really down and/or angry/stress when injured… if I did, there would have been a whole load of stress last year! I’m currently dealing with a back issue but I am just figuring out how to work around it, although maybe the Hang Power Cleans on Weds weren’t such a good idea.

        Sat: Planned Rest Day

        Sun: 9:45am Indoor Cycle Class

        I was supposed to be out on my bike this morning but Storm Dennis made sure that, for the second week in a row, that didn’t happen. However, yesterday evening I got a request to cover Cycle at Nuffield Chichester and gladly accepted. I introduced them to the Power Pyramid session and from the feedback I got, they LOVED it! I’m glad as so do I.
        Not quite the milage I should have done but better than nothing.

      2171. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2172. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2173. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2174. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2175. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2176. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2177. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2178. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2179. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2180. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2181. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2182. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2183. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2184. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2185. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2186. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2187. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2188. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2189. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2190. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2191. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2192. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2193. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2194. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2195. All About Stress
      2196. Train your breathing for better race results
      2197. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2198. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2199. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2200. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2201. IM Training Log w/c 03.02.20

        Body Comp Stats 
        Weight: 75.5kg (-0.1kg)
        Body Fat %: 28.9 (-0.1)
        Muscle %: 33.4 (+/- 0)

        This week is my first de-load week of the year and after a hell session on Monday and 33 mile Ultra on Sunday man, did I need it!

        Mon: Rest Day

        Normally the day after a marathon/ultra I would go to the box and do a very light recovery total body conditioning session but I was told by many sources (Kerry – my coach and Tim @ We Dominate Nutrition, my nutrition coach to name just two) to just take the day off. I quite like to move the day after as I think it helps my recovery so I took Cracker dog for a long walk instead.

        Tue: 10:30am Insanity Class

        Coaching this class wouldn’t normally even be considered as part of my training but on de-load week it counts.

        Wed: 6:45am Indoor Cycle Class and 2 Mile Run

        I asked my class this morning “have you ever seen a Spin Instructor die on a bike before?” Even during the warm up my legs felt heavy and my breathing was very laboured. I struggled through the entire class but made it through and weirdly, the run was absolutely fine. Well, I say fine. It is supposed to be a zone 2 run and on checking my watch at the end it was pretty much all in Zone 3. I had Gary for company again (thanks Gary) so maybe the fact that we just chat had something to do with that.

        Wed: 1pm Pull Up and Push Up work

        Amy and I, same thing every week, working on a couple of our weaknesses for half an hour. I recently found Eliud Kipchoghe’s 10 minute core routine from his training camp on YouTube and did this before we started the Upper Body Work.

        Thu: 9:30am Indoor Cycle Class

        The first go at Speed Week this year, renamed ‘Get Faster’ for 2020. I was a little nervous after how hard yesterday’s class was, especially as speed work is not my favourite. It was still tough, but I felt a little better than yesterday.

        Thu: 6:30pm Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle Class

        Get Faster take 2… Having the power meter and colour zones keeping me honest and controlling my output meant nowhere to hide and I honestly don’t think I have worked as hard on that bike as I did in this class to keep up. I hated myself a little bit for creating the damn session!

        Fri: 10:30am 400m Swim

        After coaching Insanity, LBT and Tabata classes I took advantage of the Nuffield Chichester facilities and hit their pool for an easy 400m. They only had one lane open as there was an aqua aerobic class going on which made the swim a little busy and choppy. I guess thats good IM training in itself.

        Sat: Rest Day

        Sun: 9:30am Sunday Funday Boxing Session

        I was due to do a 15 mile cycle today but thanks to Storm Ciara I decided to bin this idea and Saturday night I put a call out to some of the Forza Fitness squad to see if anyone fancied a boxing session. Lorraine and Anna answered the call and we spent about an hour boxing, combining it with Squats, Jump Lunges, Slamballs, Push Ups and Sit Ups. All done by 10:45 meaning The Boy and I had the rest of the day to binge watch The Stranger (in between taking Cracker Dog to his training school) and yes, we finished the entire series by 10:30pm!

      2202. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2203. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2204. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2205. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2206. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2207. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2208. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2209. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2210. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2211. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2212. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2213. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2214. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2215. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2216. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2217. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2218. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2219. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2220. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2221. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2222. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2223. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2224. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2225. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2226. All About Stress
      2227. Train your breathing for better race results
      2228. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2229. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2230. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2231. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2232. IM Training Log w/c 20.01.20

        Body Comp Stats 
        Weight: 75.6kg (-0.4kg)
        Body Fat %: 29 (+/- 0)
        Muscle %: 33.4 (+/- 0)

        Mon: 12.15pm Total Body Conditioning

        10 Rounds of 40 seconds on 20 seconds off; Row, Bike Ski, Rest.
        That rest minute meant that each 40 seconds of work should be a hard effort. I tried but it got tough!!

        Mon: 1pm 10 min Pull Up EMOM + 10 min Push Up EMOM

        Same as last week but we (meaning me and my friend Amy, who is doing this extra work with me) have added in some negative phase work before the banded work to try and fast track our Pull Up progress.

        Tue: 12pm Pool Swim

        Today was a CrossFit day according to my training plan but I decided to go back to the pool and put a bit of extra work in on my swimming. Just a short session focussing on trying to improve my breathing, working specifically on breathing on every 3rd stroke. I’m fine on 2 but if I do 3 stroke alternating sides, after 50 meters my lungs feel like they want to explode. It got a little easier but it needs a lot of work.

        Wed: 6:45am Indoor Cycle Class

        I do love coaching indoor cycle and no matter how tired or sluggish I feel when I wake up by the time I start this session I am buzzing. Tracking my performance this year I can already see that I definitely don’t perform as well at 6:45am as I do later in the day.

        Wed: 7:30am 2 Mile Run

        Straight out of the spin studio on to the road for a little run. Training is usually better with someone else and this was no exception. My friend, PT client and fellow Ironman in training (he has already done one though) Gary did my Indoor Cycle class and then kept me company on the run. I do love my friends :0)

        Wed: 1pm PT with my Coach, Kerry

        Does your Coach make you cry with laughter during your sessions? Mine does! We did some strength work, specifically Strict and Push Press, and between lifts she was telling me a story that had me howling with laughter. Thank goodness, as the lifting was enough to make me cry with frustration… but so far I’ve only cried over a deadlift and I don’t want to add to that list! I know I lost a lot of strength due to “ribgate” but it’s still a little frustrating to realise how much. At least knowing where I am means I can figure out what I want to do about it. Before I signed up for the IronMan I had planned on focussing on the Barbell and improving all of my lifts. I think this will be the first thing I do after… once we get back from our trip to the CrossFit Games.

        Thu: 9:30am Indoor Cycle Class

        Ohhhh the hamstrings were feeling the workload today. I got asked recently if, as the instructor, I ever turn it down and coast through the class. The honest answer is no I don’t. I ask my class participants to give me 100% so it only seems fair I give them the same. I know that I find it difficult to engage with an indoor cycle class if the coach isn’t in it with me. If I have a reason to take it a bit easy I tell the class beforehand. I coached a 1hr class the day before the London Marathon. I said to the group I was heading straight to London after the class so I would be just having an gentle ride (what I call a “Do as I say, not as I do” class) but I got wrapped up in the class and ended up leaving a sweaty mess as usual.

        Thu: 11:45am Pool Swim

        It was time to increase the distance with 3 x 400m metre intervals with a 3 minute rest in between. I alternated between 2 and 3 stroke breathing so that I could focus a little more on distance and pace. It still isn’t what I would call smooth or easy but it did feel a little better.

        Thu: 6:30pm Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle Class

        Oh my god, I struggled towards the end of this one. It’s week 4 of my programme, which means ‘The Scorpion’, an intense, progressive interval session which improves active recovery. Twice in one day was tough. Enough said really!

        Thu: 7:30pm 2 mile Zone 2 Run

        Rather than doing a double in the spin studio I swapped the second class for another little brick session of cycle and run. This time the Boy (meaning the Husband) kept me company and to be honest, to have 20 minutes of side by side running, just the two of us, was pretty lovely. We train at CrossFit together quite a lot, participate in OCR together quite a lot but hardly ever is it just the two of us. Hopefully there will be a bit more of this.

        Fri: Unplanned Rest Day

        Today was supposed to be a TBC and CrossFit day but after coaching my three classes at Nuffield Chichester I decided to take the rest of the day off. I tweaked my glute during Insanity at 6:45am and if a client had done that I would be telling them to go home, stretch and look after themselves. So, I listened to my own advice and did just that.

        Sat: Pool Swim

        My friend and client Anna wanted a bit of company in the pool so she picked me up at 7:15am (!) (Saturday is normally my rest day which means I lie in until about 7:30/8am) for the lane swimming session. Just an easy recovery session for me consisting of 800m all done in breaststroke.

        Sun: 8am Bike Ride

        The boy was happy to stay in bed with the dog so I was on my own today. God, it is a bit dull on your own! I’m also not overly familiar with cycle routes, roads etc so headed out to see if I could do 30 miles without getting lost. I chose a fairly straightforward (and straight) out and back but after 9 miles my hamstring started to really pull so I turned round earlier than planned and headed home. Slightly annoying but with a 6 hour hell session tomorrow and a 50k ultra run on Sunday it is all about the long game.

      2233. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2234. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2235. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2236. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2237. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2238. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2239. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2240. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2241. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2242. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2243. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2244. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2245. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2246. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2247. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2248. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2249. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2250. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2251. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2252. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2253. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2254. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2255. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2256. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2257. All About Stress
      2258. Train your breathing for better race results
      2259. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2260. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2261. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2262. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2263. IM Training Log w/c 06.01.20

        Body Comp Stats 
        Weight: 78.2 kg (+0.9kg)
        Body Fat %: 26.4 (- 4.1)
        Muscle %: 33.1 (+2.5)
        * Take a moment to digest these figures. I am constantly talking to my clients about the fact that the scales won’t always accurately represent your journey, especially if you are training hard and fuelling efficiently. If I just went by the number on the scale I would probably be feeling a little deflated. Luckily, I learnt along time ago that number only tells me about gravity’s effect on my body and nothing more. I always do my measurement and take progress photos and alongside losing fat and gaining muscle I also dropped a total of 2.5 inches.
        Other things to consider are the fact that I am sleeping well (apart from one rubbish night) and have more than enough energy to complete all my planned training sessions and can give my clients and class members 100% of my energy, just as they deserve.

        Mon: 12.15pm Total Body Conditioning (Recovery Style)

        Recovery TBC means I do a round (it was Monday so Row, Bike, Ski, obvs!) and then skip a round and use the time to hold various stretches and poses. Toby, our head coach, used this during The Open, and I have adopted it as a good recovery session after a hard effort like, say, a marathon.

        Tue: Unplanned Rest Day

        On the way home from coaching Insanity in the morning I blew a tyre so by the time I had got that sorted out (huge thanks to the Boy for coming to my rescue and helping me put the spare on… I did learn how to do it but not having had to do it ever I had no idea what to do).

        Wed: 6.45am Indoor Cycle Class

        First early morning class of the New Year so that meant treating my class members to Week 1 of my new 2020 programme. To keep myself honest I use the Coach by Colour system even though this isn’t officially a Power Training class. It’s useful as then I can compare my performance on the same equipment and same programme at different times of the day as my Thur 6:30pm class is in the same studio.

        Wed: 7.40am 2 mile Zone 2 run

        This was meant to be a 5k but I went out straight after coaching my indoor cycle class and the car park started charging at 8am so I had to get out and back in 20 minutes. The point of the run was a Zone 2 and it went surprisingly well. I held a 10 min pace and honestly, I was pleased as I thought I would struggle to hold any kind of run pace given that I’d just done the cycle class. Legs felt fine, lungs felt fine. All good 🙂

        Wed: 1pm PT with Kerry (my Coach)

        Today was all about the Paused Front Squat. Lots of glute firing work first. This means putting a band around first my quads and then my ankles and walking/waddling up and down the gym. Bless Kerry for walking with me so we could continue our conversation. I say walking, at one point we were more dancing than walking as the music seemed to demand it. Cue finger snapping and everything!
        The Paused Front Squat is exactly what it sounds like, do a front squat and pause in the bottom position for 2-3 seconds before standing up. Things went well, I got to ring the PB bell. I don’t like ringing the PB bell but Kerry was pretty insistent and the gym was practically empty. I also got to practise bailing out of front and back squats which isn’t something I’ve ever had practice with. I think this likely helped with the PB!

        Thu: 9.30am Indoor Cycle Class

        This is the class that uses MyZone but since acquiring a Garmin chest strap to pair to my watch, I’m no longer using MyZone as I want all of my data and stats to be in the same place. Regardless having MyZone definitely increases the motivation and effort from the class members and it showed today for sure.

        Thu: 12.30pm Pool Swim

        Yay me! I finally, finally, actually got in the pool and do a swimming thing. I haven’t really swum since 2014 and for some reason I thought I would just jump back in and it would be as easy as it was then. Now, really, I know that isn’t how it works but hey. My training plan said 2 x 400m with a 3 minute rest. It was originally 1 x 400m but when doing the double check before finalising it, I decided that would likely be too easy so I doubled it! More fool me, I did the first 250m and then decided that I would be better doing it in 100m intervals and using each block to focus on a different aspect; breathing, stroke pull, kick etc) I got very out of breath and my heart rate was quite high but it still felt like a victory as I had done my first swim session.

        Thu: 6.30pm Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle Class

        Week 2 of my 2020 programme and I unleashed ‘The Threshold’. Naming my sessions is one of my things. I don’t really know why, I’ve done it ever since becoming a power trainer and writing periodised programmes. I think it helps give the sessions meaning and fit the programme together. Plus, people remember it and it sets me apart from other trainers. The Threshold is, obviously, a threshold session, working in the saddle at 100% FTP for varying lengths of time and cadences. The slower the RPM the longer the interval and rest breaks between intervals got shorter and shorter. It was unilaterally described as tough… job done!

        Thu: 7.30pm RPM Indoor Cycle Class

        This one was as a participant, not a Coach. To help build my overall stamina and endurance I will be staying after my class to take part in the next one on any week that isn’t a recovery week. It just happens to be an RPM class. I am not particularly a fan of Les Mills RPM as I find doing the same programme week after week a little dull but at the end of the day it is another 45 minutes in the saddle and I stick the Coach By Colour on to help keep my efforts honest and consistent.

        Fri: 12.15pm Total Body Conditioning

        3 ten minute workouts as is becoming the norm for the Friday Class, separated by 2 minutes rest.
        1; 10 min amrap of 200m Run, 10 Walking Lunges, 10 24″ Box Step Ups.
        2; 10 min EMOM. Odd = 50 sec Assault Bike. Even = recovery paced Down Ups (chest to floor burpees without a jump)
        3; 1 min on, 1 min off Max Effort Ski Erg

        Fri: 1pm CrossFit Class

        It’s been Back to Basics week at our CrossFit box which means stripping back the fundamental and basic movements and just having a week to refocus, relearn and tidy up technique. Today was the turn of the Overhead Squat, Pull Up and Push Up. All the work I have been putting in on my mobility showed during the Overhead Squat portion of the class so that was nice.

        Sat: Rest Day

        Sun: 10am 20 mile Bike Ride

        Yay me.. again. I actually got on my actual bike and cycled outside. I think the last time I used my beautiful Bianchi bike was probably 2017. I aways enjoy being on my bike but I lack confidence. The boy came and kept me company and some might say we have issues as we decided to test ways to cycle to CrossFit, and yes, it is closed on Sundays! This is because I want to cycle to CF occasionally but the roads are quite busy and in some places not where I would feel safe on a bike so we tested different routes. I have lost some basic skills, like being able to look over my shoulder without pulling the bike to the centre of the road but all that will come back with practise. Two big wins this week… I got in the pool and I got on my bike. Whoop Whoop.

      2264. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2265. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2266. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2267. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2268. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2269. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2270. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2271. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2272. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2273. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2274. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2275. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2276. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2277. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2278. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2279. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2280. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2281. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2282. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2283. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2284. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2285. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2286. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2287. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2288. All About Stress
      2289. Train your breathing for better race results
      2290. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2291. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2292. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2293. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2294. IM Training Log w/c 30.12.19

        Body Comp Stats
        Yes, Christmas did have a negative effect on the fat and muscle. Weight didn’t change though, once again proving you shouldn’t pay too much attention to the scales.
        Weight: 77.3kg
        Fat%: 30.5%
        Muscle: 30.6%

        This week brings the start of my fully planned training plan. I have mapped out every single day from now until the IronMan. Plus, I have started a new fully coached programme with We Dominate Nutrition so it really is a case of ‘bring it on!’

        Mon: 12.15pm Total Body Conditioning

        The usual Monday routine of Row, Bike, Ski as a 36 minute EMOM. Simples. Well, simples apart from the fact that rowing started to really pull on my back. Since that first back spasm a few weeks ago things haven’t been quite right so I’m having to adapt certain movements and it now seems rowing might also be on that list

        Mon: 1pm CrossFit Class

        5 Rounds of 1 min Max Effort (ME) Assault Bike for calories, 1 min ME Pull Ups (Jumping), 1 min Single Under Skips, 1 min Box Step Overs, 1 min Rest.

        This workout was meant to include Rowing but I swapped to the bike to avoid any further back pain. It was also meant to be double unders and box jump overs but I’m being super careful and sensible. Yay me!

        Tue: Rest Day

        Today wasn’t originally planned as a rest day, even being New Years Eve. The gym’s tradition is to do the hero workout Bert, which I quite like in a weird way. Unfortunately the Boy and I found ourselves in Trowbridge attending the funeral of my uncle. Despite the sad occasion it did bring my family together and I got to spend the end of the year with some lovely people I haven’t seen in far too long.

        Wed: Rest Day

        Planned rest day. I had spoken to Kerry (my coach for those that are new to my blog) about doing Bert today at home but to be honest, after yesterday I just wanted a quiet day with the boy and Cracker Dog so thats what I did.

        Thu: 9:30am Indoor Cycle Class

        Man, it was so good to be back in front of a class, coaching a class. I launched my 2020 programme and week 1 is simply called ‘The Beginning’. Nothing complicated, just a tough non stop rotation of 1 climbing track and 1 speed track.

        Thu: 1pm CrossFit Class

        One of the Girls today;
        Helen.
        3 Rounds for time of 400m Run, 21 American Kettlebell Swing (kept it lighter than usual at 12kg to protect my back), 12 Jumping Pull Ups.
        Workout went well but the pull ups were definitely the worst bit.
        Ended the session with a 10 min EMOM of 30 sec Hollow Hold and 30 sec Arch Hold.

        Thu: 6.30pm Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle Class

        Another go at the week 1 programme, this time with the Coach By Colour technology. Using power and proper metrics makes such a difference. The calorie burn between this and the morning class was similar but the training effect using Power was soooo much better. Power training really works people, use it!

        Fri: 12.15pm Total Body Conditioning

        A 3 parter today, with 2 minutes rest between each workout:
        1) 10 min AMRAP of 200m run, 5 DB Box Step Up, 5 Single Arm Devil Press… well it was meant to be 5 but I told Toby I was going to do 6 as my brain can’t deal with odd numbers and uneven work so he made it 10… Sorry to the rest of the class!
        2) 10 min EMOM 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off; Row and Slamball
        3) 10 min EMOM 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off; Ski Erg and Squat
        Hard work but enjoyable 🙂

        Sat: Rest Day

        This was one planned, ready for the run tomorrow.

        Sun: 9.30am Resolution Run, by On The Whistle.

        First race of the year and I made a promise to myself not to come home with anything less than a marathon. This was a 6 hour event comprising of 4.4 mile laps, well I say laps but it was actually dull as dishwater out and back along the same piece of coastal path. You needed 6 laps to hit marathon distant and this one was a true test of my mental grit. Plus, I should probably stop rocking up to events trying to run a marathon without doing any type of training run. I was seriously contemplating stopping after lap 3 but, being a follower of David Goggins, I sorted myself out and pushed on for the last 3. It was possible one of the least enjoyable runs I have ever done. Not that that is a reflection on the organisers, it was another well organised and well supported event. Total distance 26.4 miles..Done.

      2295. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2296. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2297. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2298. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2299. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2300. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2301. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2302. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2303. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2304. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2305. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2306. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2307. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2308. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2309. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2310. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2311. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2312. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2313. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2314. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2315. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2316. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2317. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2318. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2319. All About Stress
      2320. Train your breathing for better race results
      2321. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2322. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2323. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2324. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2325. IM Training Log w/c 02/12/19

        * I am not including the classes I coach in this training log (apart from my indoor cycle classes) but for reference I also coach 2 Insanity, 2 Boxercise, 1 LBT, 1 Core Strength and 1 Tabata class a week between Tuesday and Friday.

        This week saw the return of the 6 hour Hell Session. I knew that doing this only 8 days after my marathon plus meant that the rest of the week might be a little bit light, and probably wasn’t the best planning but as my favourite, David Goggins, says you have to get after it, don’t procrastinate. Do the hard stuff and learn shit along the way. So, no excuses made.. let’s do this!

        Mon: 12:30pm 6 Hour Hell Session

        I have written about this in detail so if you want to know about it, check it out here: https://forzafitness.online/fitness-blog/return-of-the-6-hour-hell-session-chose-your-own-adventure/

        Tue: Rest Day

        I had actually planned to train today but the admin was stacking up so I decided to put that first and give my body a rest at the same time.

        Wed: 6:45am Indoor Cycle

        Week 8 this week and that brings us Jacob’s Ladder. A mirror pyramid session that includes speed endurance, intervals, sprints, climbing and a mountain in the middle. A beautifully crafted beast of a session if I say so myself 🙂

        Thu: 9:30am Indoor Cycle (with MyZone)

        Another crack at Jacob’s Ladder, using the MyZone heart rate monitoring to ensure my output is where it should be. I prefer to use power but HR is a good replacment when it’s not available.

        Thu: 6:30pm Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle

        Being a week behind my other classes, due to the FTP test week, this was Speed Week. Managed a better overall output than last week, although last week Speed Week was done in the two morning classes. One of the things I really want to track next year is the difference in my performance at the different times of day and thanks to Coach by Colour and MyZone I will be able to do this quite accurately.

        Fri: 12:30pm Week 3 Row Prep

        As you probably know by now, on 18th January 2020 CrossFit Iron Duke are hosting their second charity row event. This time it’s The 2 Million Meter Row… teams of 4 people per rower, each team has to row 100,000 split into 25k per person. This weeks prep was 5 x 1000m, still with 3 minutes rest. I’d arranged to meet India so that we weren’t alone. There wasn’t a huge amount of chat happening during the intervals, even though the effort level was at a level where you can hold a conversation, but it did help having someone next to me, keeping me honest.

        Sat: Rest Day

        Sun: Rest Day

      2326. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2327. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2328. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2329. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2330. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2331. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2332. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2333. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2334. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2335. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2336. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2337. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2338. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2339. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2340. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2341. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2342. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2343. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2344. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2345. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2346. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2347. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2348. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2349. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2350. All About Stress
      2351. Train your breathing for better race results
      2352. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2353. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2354. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2355. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2356. IM Training Log w/c 25/11/19

        * I am not including the classes I coach in this training log (apart from my indoor cycle classes) but for reference I also coach 2 Insanity, 2 Boxercise, 1 LBT, 1 Core Strength and 1 Tabata class a week between Tuesday and Friday.

        This week was a planned light week post marathon on Sunday and pre 6 Hour Hell Session next Monday. After the big run I was pleased to find I felt pretty ok. My glutes felt tight, my calves felt tight but nothing terrible and nothing that would stop me training this week. I have booked a physio appt for Monday 9th Dec so that anything still lingering from the two big days can be sorted before becoming an issue.

        Mon: 12:15 Total Body Conditioning

        You know the drill as well as I do by now. Monday = Row, Bike, Ski and today is was just that 30 sec on, 30 sec off for 36 minutes. Nothing fast, nothing frantic. A classic “just moving” day to flush the legs after the 28.2 miles yesterday. I spent about 30 minutes after the session stretching, rolling and running a few mobility drills and walked away feeling great.

        Tue: Rest Day

        I would never normally rest on a Tuesday but I coached Insanity and decided that that was enough for today. Its called a light week for a reason after all 🙂

        Wed: 6:45am Indoor Cycle Class

        Week 7 in my programme brings my least favourite week… Speed Week. Give me hill climbs any day. But, I know that a lot (read most) of my participants feel this way too which is why I designed a specialist week devoted to improving our speed work.

        Wed: 1pm PT with my Coach

        After missing two weeks due to the back spasm it was good to get back to some one on one time with Kerry. We started with Deadlifts and there were nerly tears and tantrums, until Kerry reminded me we were using the Hex Bar, which weighs 30kg on it’s own so I was lifting more than I thought! After deadlifts I got to play with some sled drags and the GHD Sit Up machine. My fear of falling still kicks in on the GHD but hopefully with more practice and regular use this will disappear. It makes no sense to me that I can drop backwards out of an elevated tunnel at Tough Mudder and this is one of my favourite obstacles and yet I cannot let myself drop backwards of the GHD, when I know I can’t fall off. This fear of falling is ridiculous and if I could have one superpower I would just wish to rid of it as it holds me back in so many ways!

        Thu: 9:30am Indoor Cycle Class (with MyZone)

        Another crack at speed week but it’s much harder to gauge in this class as the bikes don’t have RPM meters or levels, just the turning dial. Luckily the MyZone shows your HR and effort on the big screen so there is some accountability but it’s not the same as being able to see your pace etc.

        Thu: 6:30pm Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle Class

        From my least favourite week to my most as, being a week behind my other 2 classes, it’s climbing week. There’s nowhere to hide when the colour is on and I love how committed and motivated the guys in this class are.

        Thu: 7:30pm RPM Cycle Class (as a participant, not a coach)

        I’d made a deal with my friend, PT Client and fellow IronMan hopeful Rich to do the double tonight so as soon as I was done with coaching my class as I was off the instructor bike and set myself up on the floor next to Rich. It was good fun being back on the floor and in a class, especially being next to someone hat constantly pushes me that little bit more. 3 cycle classes in one day.. done 🙂

        Fri: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        Three 10 minute workouts, separated by 2 minutes of rest.
        1: 10 min Assault Bike; every 2 minutes complete 20 Jump Lunges…. hello quads!
        2: 10 min EMOM 40 secs on, 20 secs off; Med Ball Box Step Up and Down Ups (chest to floor burpees without a jump!)
        3: 10 min EOMOM; Max Effort Ski Erg for Calories.

        Fri: 1pm Week 2 Row Programme

        As mentioned last week on 18th January 2020 CrossFit Iron Duke are hosting their second charity row event. This time it’s The 2 Million Meter Row… teams of 4 people per rower, each team has to row 100,000 split into 25k per person. This weeks prep programming was 4 x 1000m, with 3 minutes rest. Luckily I wasn’t on my own this week as India and Raquel who were with me in the Conditioning class also needed to do it so we set up together for a bit of camaraderie. I was a bit faster than last week (although I couldn’t have been much slower to be fair) and still very consistent. Good times!

        Sat and Sun: Rest Day

        Yes, it’s a lot of rest this week but again, a light week is meant to be light. I was going to train with the girls on Sunday but decided to be smart and give myself a little more of a break before the return of the 6 hour Hell Session tomorrow!

      2357. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2358. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2359. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2360. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2361. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2362. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2363. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2364. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2365. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2366. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2367. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2368. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2369. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2370. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2371. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2372. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2373. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2374. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2375. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2376. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2377. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2378. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2379. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2380. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2381. All About Stress
      2382. Train your breathing for better race results
      2383. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2384. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2385. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2386. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2387. IM Training Log w/c 11/11/19

        * I am not including the classes I coach in this training log (apart from my indoor cycle classes) but for reference I also coach 2 Insanity, 2 Boxercise, 1 LBT and 1 Tabata class a week between Tuesday and Friday.

        Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I had to do two things in 2019 since signing up for this bloody IronMan. 1; Shift the body fat…on track and going well. 2; do not get injured… Fuck! My lower back has felt tight and ‘niggly’ for a few weeks now but as soon as I start moving it feels fine, at least it did, up until Wednesday when I had a massive back spasm during a Total Body Conditioning Class. It was all a bit emotional… trying to stretch my hip flexors and glutes with tears in my eyes trying not to cry while Kerry, my coach for those new to my blog, tries to keep everything sane and talk me down from an inner monologue of crisis. She did a very good job btw! The good news is it is not serious, as Kerry said would likely be the case, but it has had a minor effect on my training.

        Mon: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        As today was Remembrance Day all classes today were themed. Monday, as usual, was Row, Bike, Ski and the programme was simply 11 minutes on each, with 1 minute rest/transition.

        Mon: 1pm CrossFit Class

        Remembrance Day = Remembrance Day WOD. An 18 minute AMRAP of 11 Hang Power Snatch, 11 Burpee, 11 Thruster and 11 Pull Up. At minute 11 everything stops for a 2 minute silence. It was hard, it sucked and it was a good way to remember. Respects paid, the CrossFit way.

        Tue: 12.15pm Blind 5k Run

        No Zone 2 training today. I decided to just start the watch, cover it up, run my usual route and see what happens. My aim was to try and maintain an easy pace and keep my Heart Rate low. It took just under 30 minutes and I spent 19 minutes in zone 2 without trying so I claimed it a success.

        Tue: 1pm CrossFit Class

        Class started with some Back Squat work. I didn’t go stupidly heavy, spent a lot of time discussing form with Coach Harry and we ended up agreeing I am just not made for Squatting. I’m 5ft 11, with long legs so no… not really! The main workout with a 12 min dumbbell AMRAP consisting of Goblet Squats, Hang Clean and Jerk and Hang Squat Clean. Very Sweaty Work!

        Tue: 2:15pm 10 Min Pull Up / Push Up EMOM

        This week I was joined by two of my favourite training partners, Claire and Amy. Same as usual. One 10 minute Push Up EMOM and one 10 minute Pull Up EMOM.

        Wed: 6:45am Indoor Cycle Class

        Week 5 in the 10 week periodised programme = Power Pyramid. 3 intervals comprising an increasingly heavy climb, seated tabata sprint and recovery. This is the first session I ever designed and am still using it as it is brutal and effective with many benefits.

        Wed: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        My PT was scheduled for 2pm so I figured I would get an extra conditioning session in. It started off so well. 10 min AMRAP of 200m Row and 10 Over Row Burpee followed by another 10 min AMRAP of 10 calorie Assault Bike and 10 Burpee Box Jumps. Next up was a 10 min EMOM of Ski Erg and Burpee to a Plate. My first Burpee was the movement that did my back. I put my hands to the floor, screamed, jumped back up and it was game over. Back Spasm 1, Liza 0. The small victory in all this is that this is the first time I have hurt my back doing something actually sporty. Last two times have been sneezing and putting on my run trainers! It wasn’t completely awful, I could still move but it felt very weak. PT session cancelled and an afternoon/evening of nothing more than lying on a hot water bottle and hourly stretching.

        Thu: 9:30am Indoor Cycle Class (with MyZone)

        Managed to sleep ok and woke up with ok mobility, although it took a while to force myself into an upright position and I could still feel a real weakness in my lower back. I figured that sitting on a bike would be ok and I usually find cycling eases back pain. So, second go this week at The Power Pyramid. A brilliant VO2 max improver, it also builds power, strength and speed and improves both fast and slow twitch muscle fibre recruitment. Boom!

        Thu: 6:30pm Coach By Colour Indoor Cycle Class

        As my Coach by Colour schedule also involves an FTP test, adding an extra week to the programme, it falls out of line with my other classes. Phew! That means I don’t have to take on the Power Pyramid for a third time… but instead it’s The Scorpion; a pure threshold interval session that also aims to improve recovery and, obviously, has a nasty sting in it’s tail.

        Fri: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        As I was still moving ok I decided to return to the scene of the crime and attempt another class. The coaches at CFID are brilliant and will always adapt a workout to work around injuries etc. I knew I’d be in safe hands and if it was too much, I could just stop. The good news is I lasted the whole class :0) It was a combination of Rowing, Ski Erg, Squats and Assault Bike efforts.

        Fri: 7pm Solo Conditioning Session

        The hubby, Carl, wanted to do the CrossFit class as well as the conditioning class so it was back to the box for a second visit. The class however was heavily focussed on Toes to Bar and that just didn’t seem like a good idea with my back. I knew I was bound for more cardio but wasn’t sure what to do. I voiced this to Carl at which point Head Coach Toby piped up “I have a workout for you”. He set the class on their warm up and then gave me my orders; a 45 minute Row, Bike, Ski with no rest. 5 minutes on each, then 4, then 3 etc etc all the way down to one. Perfect. Cheers Toby.

        Sat: Rest Day

        Sun: 5pm Partner Session with Lucy

        No Sunday Funday with the squad today as I had work but Lucy was still up for doing something so we did an hour in the evening instead. This worked well as I’d had to cancel her PT session on Weds due to my back so it helped make up for that a little. We worked through a Pull Up EMOM, 5 x 5 Bench Press and lots of Boxing. Carl delivered a cup of tea half way through which was a nice, yet weird change. I have never done a Boxing session while drinking tea before!

        Next week is a Deload week as I have a long run on Sunday. Its a 6 hour lapped event and the goal was to run a marathon, maybe an ultra but we will see how the back is. The goal may have to be adjusted. I have a physio appointment Monday night so fingers crossed that helps.

      2388. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2389. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2390. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2391. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2392. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2393. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2394. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2395. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2396. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2397. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2398. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2399. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2400. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2401. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2402. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2403. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2404. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2405. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2406. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2407. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2408. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2409. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2410. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2411. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2412. All About Stress
      2413. Train your breathing for better race results
      2414. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2415. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2416. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2417. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2418. IM Training Log w/c 04/11/19

        * I am not including the classes I coach in this training log (apart from my indoor cycle classes) but for reference I also coach2 Insanity, 2 Boxercise, 1 LBT and 1 Tabata class a week between Tuesday and Friday.

        This week things got back on track. The smallest hints of my cold were still lingering but overall I was feeling pretty damn good. I didn’t have any specific goals for this week, apart from 6 days on, one day off and that wasn’t ever really in doubt.

        Mon: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        Usual Monday of Row, Bike, Ski. This week, for 39 minutes. 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off. Actually not as bad as it first sounded.

        Mon: 1pm Brick Session

        I sacked off the CrossFit class today as I really felt I ought to do some running. I decided to haul an Assault Bike to the entrance of the gym for a brick session and set the clock for 30 minutes. Another simple workout; 20 cals on the bike, 100m run, 20 cals, 200m run, 20 cals, 400m run and repeat. I got 2 rounds plus a bit extra in my self inflicted time cap.

        Tue: 1pm CrossFit Class

        November is the month of remembrance and at CrossFit Iron Duke we pay our respects by completing one Hero WoD a week, every week. We started this week with ‘The Chief’; 5 x 3 min AMRAPS, with one min rest in between, of 3 Power Clean, 6 Push Up, 9 Air Squat. I’m pretty good at pacing the longer workouts but I was definitely grateful for the push from Coach Harry before the start of the last round to get the extra reps and not just coast home. I’m leaving the coasting to my Coach, who does it so well, right Kerry? ;0)

        Wed: 6:45am Indoor Cycle Class

        Quite a few people have asked why I don’t include the classes I coach in my Training Log as surely they are adding to my training. As a Class Instructor I am a Coach and not ‘Paid to Train’ which is how some instructors view it. If I am training I am not coaching. I can’t be. There is no way I could do a class such as Insanity as well as watch everyone else, consistently check form, cue movement patterns, correct common errors, motivate effectively etc and if I’m not doing all of that then I am not there for the full benefit of my participants. The only class where I am actually capable of being an effective coach while still engaging 100% with the content is in the cycle studio. I will occasionally get of my bike if I feel it is needed but overall most members want to see you up there, sweating, struggling and suffering with them. I know this because I get told this a lot! So I am now including the Cycle classes as I do on the training log.

        Wed: 1pm PT Session with my Coach

        Today was about overcoming a bit of a fear, although I didn’t know this was the plan. I’m not too bad at box jumps and can jump on to a 30 inch soft box. However, turn a wooden box from 20″ to 24″ and I just can’t do it… or rather I couldn’t do it. Kerry had me move from wooden to soft box at increasing heights and lo and behold I can now add 24 inch box jumps to the ‘can do” list 🙂 Kicking up into a handstand though remained firmly on the ‘nope’ list with no real improvement made. Oh well, luckily I don’t need the skill of kicking up into a handstand to complete my Iron Man whereas explosive box jumps have some actual carry over.

        Thu: 9:30am Indoor Cycle (with Myzone HR Training)

        As I coach Indoor Cycle more as a Power Trainer, and put my Thursday pm lot through regular FTP testing, I run my Cycle classes on a 12 week periodised training plan. All of my classes follow the same programme whether we are using HR monitoring, Coach by Colour Power Training or just a regular indoor bike. The idea is that after every 12 week cycle your levels or FTP should go up so that every time you restart the programme the easier beginning weeks should still feel challenging and we can still push for the desired adaptations.

        Thu: 1pm CrossFit Class

        Partner Workout with the Hubby today. We don’t actually train together often at all so this was quite fun. If we are in the box together during a busy class we try and work with other people. Head Coach Toby used to split us up when we first joined to ensure we got to know other people and the habit has stuck. The workout was a 40 min AMRAP where one person rests while the other works. The work consisted of 100 single under skips, a 200m run and a 300m row and as Carl is faster than me (on the running and the rowing… not the skipping, I kick his ass at skipping!) I got a little less rest than him but we both gave everything we had and did a pretty good job.

        Thu: 2:15pm 10 Min Pull Up / Push Up EMOM

        My weekly upper body strength piece to get back the lost strength thanks to “the rib” and to hopefully surpass my previous best. 10 minutes of Pull Ups, followed by 10 minutes of Push Ups, done as a 3 rep EMOM (every minute on the minute).

        Thu: 6:30pm Coach by Colour Indoor Cycle

        Coach By Colour is specific Power Training technology, created and run on ICG bikes and by far my favourite way to run a cycle class. It is robust, there is no time lag like there is with Heart rate Training and you cannot hide, either from yourself or me as your power zone is literally beaming out of the front of your bike. If you are serious about improving your bike, or overall, fitness then Power Training is definitely the way to go.

        Fri: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        Three 10 minute workouts; Firstly 10 mins (1 on, 1 off) on the Assault Bike. Second, a 10 min EMOM (40 secs on, 20 off) of Dumbbell Thrusters and Dumbbell Swings and finally a 10 min AMRAP of 10 Calories on the Ski Erg, 8 Burpees to a Plate and 6 Plate Ground to Overhead. Nothing complicated and I actually felt better after the workout than before.

        Fri: 2:30pm Zone 2 10k Run

        I pushed the distance on my Zone 2 Training from 5k to 10k and it was nearly doubly frustrating. As usual, the first couple of miles were straightforward. Running at a comfortable and easy pace, HR where I want it to be and everything going all good. The next 4 miles though…same old song and dance. Try and hold a decent ( and by that I do not mean fast, just decent) run pace and the HR shoots into Zone 3, and then sometimes Zone 4. Walk to bring it down, push into a run and it shoots straight back up. I perservered though. I did the whole long (!) thing in Zone 2 as much as possible without intentionally pushing up. A couple of the guys in my Accountability group are joining me on the Zone 2 training thing and I think we are all finding the same thing, which is that it is a slow but worthwhile process.

        Sat: Rest Day

        Sun: 9:30am, Sunday Funday with the Forza Fitness Squad

        6 of us turned up to play and so we all contributed to the plan. I chose to revisit the 5 min bike test, Suzanne wanted more Core work (she always wants more Core work!), Angela wanted to incorporate the Kettlebell and then we put some boxing around all of that and away we went. One hour later we are all very happy, sweaty and ready for cups of tea!

        Another week done 🙂

      2419. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2420. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2421. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2422. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2423. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2424. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2425. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2426. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2427. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2428. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2429. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2430. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2431. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2432. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2433. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2434. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2435. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2436. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2437. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2438. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2439. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2440. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2441. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2442. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2443. All About Stress
      2444. Train your breathing for better race results
      2445. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2446. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2447. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2448. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2449. IM Training Log w/c 28/10/19

        * I am not including the classes I coach in this training log but for reference I coach 3 indoor cycle, 2 Insanity, 2 Boxercise, 1 LBT and 1 Tabata class a week between Tuesday and Friday.

        This week has not been a great week. I woke up with a cold on Thursday and this negatively affected the second half of my week. My diary was a bit all over the place anyway due to it being half term and I’d planned to do all my running from Thursday onwards when time would allow. This means that no running took place but I decided it was better to submit to the cold rather than push through and possibly make thing worse. I will admit I am probably a little more worried about illness since becoming so ill with a cross contamination of viruses in January that I was put on bed rest, suffered post viral fatigue and warned about Chronic Fatigue. That shit knocked me out for weeks and I do not want that to happen again. So, anyway not a massively effective week but some stuff got done.

        Mon: 4pm Total Body Conditioning

        Due to my weird timetable this week I couldn’t hit my usual lunchtime training so I met my husband at the box during Open Gym and we worked our way through the TBC class programme. As usual it was Row, Bike, Ski and this time in increasing intervals of 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, all with 1 min rest in between.

        I followed this with a 10 minute Push Up EMOM.

        Tue: 1pm Crossfit Class

        We were encouraged to go heavier with our kettlebell today which created a long internal (and external, with one of my favourite training partners, Claire) debate, as we were also told that ideally we should be doing the sets unbroken. The workout was a 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 of Russian Kettlebell Swings, Double Unders, Sit Ups with each round being followed by a 200m run. Thats a lot of swings, and a big set to do unbroken as the start. Claire decided to go for it with the weight so I followed suit. I did not manage to go unbroken on the first 2 sets! Maybe it wasn’t the most sensible choice as I haven’t done KBS since “the rib incident” but I had a “fuck it” moment and decided that if I didn’t try, I wouldn’t know so lets see what happens. Overall, the workout went well but then double unders and sit ups are two of the things I can do well. There are not many other things on this list!

        Tue: 2:15pm Another Harry Reynold’s Workout

        It got the end of the class and someone asked me if I was running. I said no, but felt like I wanted to do something else. I just didn’t know what. Coach Harry piped up that there was something ready on the board if I wanted to join in. I really enjoyed the last time I trained with him, it’s kinda fun trying to keep up him, not that I stand a chance in hell really as he’s mid twenties and one of the best CrossFitters at our gym but it’s good motivation. For anyone wondering I am a less than average crossfitter. I looked at what was on the board and headed back to my bag to get my skipping rope back out as it was rowing, skipping and wall balls. Three movements I love so, good times ahead.

        The workout was 5 rounds, each round was 6 minutes and in that 6 minutes we had to complete 50 double unders, 30 calories on the row (40 for Harry) and 30 Wall Balls. The first round went pretty smoothly. The skipping was fast and unbroken, the row was smooth and the wall balls felt ok. That was where the good times ended. On the next round I lost my ability to skip. I whipped myself so badly it bought tears to my eyes and every time I tried to double under I tripped on the rope. This had never happened to me before. My leg was stinging and nothing was working. I could have launched my rope across the gym and given up but I tried some single unders and they went ok so I had a word with myself, doubled up the amount to make it fair and got on with it. I finished this round considerably behind Harry and told him he was to blame for my shit skipping. Not because he tripped me (which he has had a habit of doing in the past because he thinks it’s funny, the little Goblin!) but because his workout stole my skipping magic. Once I accepted my fate of single unders, after trying double unders and failing, things got back on track. Each round hurt a little more than the last but eventually it was done and it felt good.

        Wed: 1pm PT with my Coach

        Oh boy, did Kerry have something in store for me today. The session started with some fairly normal Overhead Walking Lunges. This was done with a barbell and increasing weights. So far so good. Then she introduced her next idea… she explained that she’d been thinking about how to improve core stabilisation for the swim and the bike, how we’d been talking about yoke carries a little while back and then started threading kettlebells on to the ends of the barbell using resistance bands. Hey presto, an improvised yoke!

        It was really weird and not as easy at it looked. I have never walked so weirdly in all my life (I hope). My feet turned in, I had a very defined heel strike and nothing was normal. I walked that barbell across the gym on my back and in the front rack position, we added heavier kettlebells and then a weight plate each end. My walk got less weird but I didn’t get it a point where I could just walk. Neither of us listened to Head Coach Toby’s suggestion of trying it overhead (thank goodness) although maybe in time this will be achievable.

        The session ended with a quick beasting sponsored by the number 5 involving the Assualt Bike and the 30kg D Ball.

        Thu: The start of the cold

        As I coach two indoor cycle classes, one at either end of the day I decided to stay away from the gym and rest up in between. I was also very aware that we are in Open season at the box and I didn’t want to be responsible for passing anything on to anyone, least of all one of the guys aiming for the Online Qualifiers or a Sanctional.

        Fri: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        As I was less achey, less snotty and void of a cough I decided to try TBC to see how it goes. You don’t work massively close to anyone during TBC so I figured I could stay in my bubble and just do my thing. It was a really good class consisting of a 35 min EMOM of Assault Bike, Burpee, Devil Press, Plate Cluster and Ski Erg. Toby varied the intervals each round which I found made it more fun than usual.

        After class however, the Cocodomol which I had taken to get me through my 3 morning classes wore off and I found the aches and sinus pain come back with a vengeance. Luckily Saturday is always my rest day and I decided to just see how things go and not put pressure on myself on Sunday. Sunday came and in the morning I thought I might do a run in the evening but the evening came and instead of a run there was a Papa Johns Pizza. Oh well! Tomorrow is a new week and hopefully by giving myself this time I was be fighting fit and ready to go.

      2450. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2451. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2452. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2453. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2454. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2455. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2456. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2457. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2458. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2459. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2460. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2461. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2462. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2463. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2464. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2465. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2466. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2467. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2468. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2469. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2470. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2471. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2472. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2473. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2474. All About Stress
      2475. Train your breathing for better race results
      2476. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2477. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2478. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2479. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2480. IM Training Log w/c 21/10/19

        * I am not including the classes I coach in this training log but for reference I coach 3 indoor cycle, 2 Insanity, 2 Boxercise, 1 LBT and 1 Tabata class a week between Tuesday and Friday.

        A pretty smooth week this week. I achieved my goal of 6 days on, 1 day off so that worked! The thing that I have let slide already is the mobility work. I nailed that for the total of 1 week, oops!

        Mon: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        Usual Monday programming of Row, Bike, Ski. 3 minutes on 1 minute off for 3 rounds. Given my extra rest day at the weekend I was determined to put the effort in today, whilst being mindful of the fact that I was staying for the CrossFit class. It’s a fine balance and not one I always get right.

        Mon: 1pm CrossFit Class

        5 Minute rounds of DB Snatch, Squats and 200m Run Sprints. The quicker you got the work done, the more rest you got and I as aiming for consistency but started to slow in the final 2 rounds. It was a workout that I really liked the look of, was really looking forward to doing but man, did it hurt. It hurt way more than I thought it would but I did love it.

        Tue: 12:15pm Zone 2 5k Run

        Once again the first 2 miles went according to plan but mile 3 was hard work, trying to keep the heart rate where I want it. It was marginally quicker than last weeks efforts so something must be working.

        Tue: 1pm CrossFit Class

        I was not looking forward to this workout and it wasn’t much fun. It was simple; 10 – 20 – 30 – 40 Box Jumps, Push Ups, Jumping Pull Ups. Anytime the rep scheme increases I mentally find it a little tougher. I don’t think I am alone in that. There was an 18 minute time cap and I didn’t finish the final set of 40 Pull Ups. It was close but I was literally working in single reps as my upper body had nothing left.

        Wed: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        3 10 minute workouts separated by 2 minutes rest. 1 AMRAP of Over Row Buprees, Squats and 200m Row Sprints. Another of 2x8kg DB DT (12 Deadlift, 9 Hang Power Clean, 6 Shoulder to Overhead) + 20 Mountain Climbers and finally a 1 min on, 1 min off Max Effort Ski. I’ve loved DT whenever I’ve done it with a barbell but the dumbbell version was not so great. I think my shoulders, arms and lats were still feeling the effects of yesterday but you know, no excuses. I think we all agreed though that this was one of the toughest TBC classes we had done in a while, possibly ever!

        Wed: 1pm CrossFit Class

        I really didn’t want to stay for class but that attitude does not an IronMan make so I ordered myself to just refill the water bottle and get my ass to the board for the class briefing. One more AMRAP for the day; 3 Snatch, 6 Clean and Jerk, 400m Run. Ouch! During the skill work practising the lifts even just the barbell felt heavy and I wanted to ensure my technique was as good as possible so I didn’t add anymore weight and stuck at 15kg. I took my time on the lifts, focussing on form and tried to push hard on the runs. I’m not sure I was particularly quick on the run but I do know I couldn’t have done anymore.

        Thu: 1pm CrossFit Class

        Consistency was the name of the game today. 5 Rounds comprising of 3 minutes work, 1 minute rest and the goal was to hit the same number of reps every round. The rounds were made up of 1 min Max Effort Wall Balls, Hang Power Snatch (yep, more Snatch work!) and Calories on the Rower. Despite being in a world of pain I actually really enjoyed this one and managed to score pretty evenly.

        Fri: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        Again, 3 10 minute workouts separated by 2 minutes rest. 1 AMRAP of 200m Run Sprints, 10 Single Arm 10kg Devil Press. 1 EMOM of 40/20 2x10kgDB Box Step Overs and Ski and 1 min on, 1 min off Max Effort on the Assault Bike. Despite teaching 3 classes prior to arriving at the gym, and knowing that I feel wiped out, I always have the intention of doing the double of TBC and CrossFit Class but as per the last two weeks, I finished TBC and quit. I think I’m using the fact that it’s ‘The Open’ as a bit of an excuse as I’m not doing The Open this time round. Maybe in 3 weeks time, when it’s all over, I will be more inclined, or have less excuse, to suck it up and stay for class.

        Sat: Rest Day

        More alcohol today. I have drunk more in the last 6 weeks than I think I have all year. It’s not that big a deal. It wasn’t a vast amount of alcohol but I already know that in 2020, until we arrive at the CrossFit Games, post IronMan, I will not be drinking, at all.

        Sun: 9:30am Sunday Boxing Squad

        3 of my girls came over today to workout with me. Along with working some combinations we included a 5 min Assault Bike Test, 100m Row Sprints, Box Step Ups, Squats and Sit Ups. 1 hour of fun, team work and sweat.

        Sun: 5:30pm 5k Run

        I was planning to do a zone 2 run but as soon as I got outside I thought sod it, I’m just going to run. I pulled my sleeve down over my watch and did just that. As most runners do, I accurately know 1 mile, 3 mile and 6 mile routes in all directions from my house so I choose a 3 mile route and set off. It was comfortable and I was having a long conversation with David Goggins in my head (I don’t like to run with music). When I got back I was pleasantly surprised to find I’d run a 26:57 while keeping my heart rate in zone 2 for 20 minutes. This whole Zone 2 training stuff does actually work it seems.

        *A few of you have asked what my full week actually looks like so here it is!

      2481. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2482. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2483. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2484. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2485. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2486. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2487. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2488. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2489. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2490. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2491. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2492. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2493. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2494. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2495. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2496. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2497. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2498. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2499. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2500. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2501. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2502. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2503. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2504. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2505. All About Stress
      2506. Train your breathing for better race results
      2507. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2508. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2509. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2510. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2511. IM Training Log w/c 14/10/19

        * I am not including the classes I coach in this training log but for reference I coach 3 indoor cycle, 2 Insanity, 2 Boxercise, 1 LBT and 1 Tabata class a week between Tuesday and Friday.

        Once again plans went awry but at this stage in the game I am not worried about it. I’m lucky enough to be a part of an Accountability Group with 5 awesome guys I met doing Tough Mudder. We check in with each other, discuss workouts, training plans, share anything we think will be useful, and talk about David Goggins… a lot! One of the things we’ve started doing recently is setting a personal weekly goal and due to how things have been going I have made mine for next week really simple; Train 6 days out of 7 as last week I only hit 5. My training plan is always 6 days on, 1 day off with Saturday as my rest day so to make sure the fundamentals are right this week that is my main focus, rebuild my routine. Yes it has only been a week but stuff can start to slide really easily if you let it and I am just making sure that doesn’t happen.

        Mon: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        Mon is always a pure Row, Bike, Ski day and todays formula involved 3 rounds of Tabata on each piece of equipment. Simple and highly effective.

        Mon: 1pm CrossFit Class

        I was on my own for class today which was tough as for a workout like this one it is good to have someone to go against. I really love rowing next to someone really strong as it pushes me to go that little bit more. Class format was straight forward; 10 x 250m sprints, rest 1:1 (meaning rest as long as each sprint takes). Fastest sprint 51.9, Slowest 54.9. It was a true slog and suckfest but Coach Toby turned ‘The Prodigy’ up loud (one benefit of being in class by yourself – you can own the playlist if you ask nicely, although I didn’t need to ask, Toby knows me that well!) and I was away 🙂

        Tue: 12pm Zone 2 5k run

        My zone 2 (low aerobic) heart rate ranges from 140 to 156 and for the first two miles I could hold a steady run and stay in this zone. The last mile went completely to hell and I seemed to be walking every minute as the moment I started running I was pushing into the high aerobic zone. Very frustrating but I am trusting the process and just going with it.

        Tue: 1pm CrossFit Class

        Today was a repeat of an Open workout, 14.5 and 16.5. A grim couplet of Thursters and Bar Facing Burpees. It was sweaty, it hurt but my goal was just to keep moving and get the thing done and I made the time cap. Job done.

        Tue: 2:15pm A Harry Workout

        I was rehydrating in the social area at the gym post class, everyone else had left and I was about to get my stuff together and leave when Coach Harry looked at me and said just two words “Bike Sprints?” Me being me, my only response was “how many?’ and that was that. 6 rounds of 90 sec work/ 90 sec rest, completing 15 cals on the Assault Bike and as many 10kg DB Power Cleans as possible in the remaining time. It was my first time working out with Harry and I was determined to put up a fight on the bike so as not to get left behind. It was tough but fun. For some reason Assault Bike and Dumbbells are a favoured combination of mine.

        Wed: 1pm PT Session

        Dogshit Deadlifts today! Yes I know I am getting over a cracked or broken rib or whatever but we did deadlifts not even a month a go and I did better than I did today. The plan was 5 x 5 but I didn’t get that far. 65kg went up fine, 5 times, no issues. Add 5kg and for whatever reason I could not pick 70kg up off the floor. Last time, I was picking up 80 for 5 and my rib is better now that it was then so no idea what was going on.The only thing I know for sure is, it was a weak day! Second part of my session went much better; 45kg Deadlifts and Prowler Pushes. Talk about a lactic acid quad burn.

        Thu: 12pm Zone 2 5k run

        Another run where the first 2 miles were great but the third mile was spiking heart rates and lots of walking. This has to get better though right?!

        Thu: 1pm CrossFit Class

        All about the Back Squat today and after my shit day with the barbell yesterday lets just say I was feeling a little nervous about how this was going to go. 5 sets of 3, building to a heavy 3 for the day. Since ‘rib gate’ I haven’t tested my back squat, or any squat that much, but in July I hit 65kg which is a good average for me. I am pleased to say that I hit 65kg today, although I took my time getting there. I hit 60kg ok, put 65 on the bar, did one rep, decided I didn’t like it so took it off again. Hit 60kg again, had a word with myself, loaded up 65 and hit my 3 reps. What was all the fuss about? It’s a barbell, I love it but I am not confident with it so yes, sometimes I make a fuss! Finished the session with some accessory work in the shape of 3 x 20 15kg DB 24″ Step Ups.

        Thu: 2pm Playtime with Jade

        I was trying to decide what else to do when I noticed Jade at the back of the box with a barbell out. We’d already done 30 burpees as it’s her 30th birthday today and the tradition in our gym is that you do birthday burpees. I managed to coerce all of the 1 o clock class in to doing them with her as who wants to do 30 burpees alone on their birthday. I ended up joining her and her barbell and we worked our way through sets of power cleans and power snatch. Next up was 30 Pull Ups, then 30 Push Ups and finally some skipping. Happy Birthday Jade 🙂

        Fri: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning

        Another ‘made up on the spot and ingenious session’ by head Coach Toby involving a 10 min Assault Bike Test, Goblet Squats, Max Effort Rows and a Team Challenge of Ski Erg Cals and Burpees. Just like last week, I had planned to jump in the 1pm class but was completely done in so skipped it and just helped judge the guys doing The Open.

        Sat: Rest Day

        I had planned to do something today as the Forza Fitness squad were going out in the evening and I knew that Sunday would most likely be a write off. But, the day was busy, no workout was done so, rest day. There were a couple of burpees on the dance floor that night though!

        Sun: Rest Day

        And here is where it all fell apart. Sat night some of us made plans to train together today. The night wore on, more cocktails were drunk but we were still talking, and fist bumping, about training. Roll on Sunday and everything is quiet… no messages are being exchanged, everyone is busy, my dog went back to school (advanced classes as well 🙂 ), the boy and I had an afternoon nap, dinner time rolls around and it is clear that nothing resembling a workout is going to happen. No biggie though, last night was worth it and come 2020 the alcohol will be cut completely. I barely drink as it is and these nights happen less than once every 2 months so I’m not beating myself up about it. Whats the point. It’s done, it’s happened. Tomorrow is a new day, a new week and I have my goal. Train 6 days out of 7, no excuses. So I will do just that and have no remorse about 1 missed workout!

      2512. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2513. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2514. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2515. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2516. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2517. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2518. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2519. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2520. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2521. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2522. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2523. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2524. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2525. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2526. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2527. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2528. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2529. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2530. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2531. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2532. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2533. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2534. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2535. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2536. All About Stress
      2537. Train your breathing for better race results
      2538. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2539. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2540. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2541. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2542. IM Training Log w/c 07/10/19

        * I am not including the classes I coach in this training log but for reference I coach 3 indoor cycle, 2 Insanity, 2 Boxercise, 1 LBT and 1 Tabata class a week between Tuesday and Friday.

        The plans I had this week didn’t quite work out. I didn’t get in the three runs I’d wanted but I still trained 6 days out of 7 so I’m not going to stress about it. Running was programmed in a couple of the workouts so it’s not like I didn’t do any.

        Life will sometimes get in the way and thats ok, it has to be otherwise I’d be a gibbering wreck rocking back and forth in a corner thanks to the amount of set backs I’ve had over the last two years! Things are what they are, you control the controllable (thanks Toby for drilling this in to me) and do what you can with what you have.

        Mon: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning Class

        More simple but effective cardio conditioning. 3 minutes on, 1 minute off rotating between the Assault Bike, Rower and Ski Erg for about 35 minutes.

        Mon: 1pm Crossfit Class

        4 Rounds for time; 800 meter run (so theres 2 miles straight off the bat), 20 Push Ups and 20 Box Jumps. Trying to run efficiently straight after quite a high volume of box jumps was not easy and this is something I’m definitely going to incorporate more into my training.

        Tue: 1pm CrossFit Class

        Two 6 minute AMRAP’s with a 3 minute rest in between. First one involved a 750m row and then 50 15kg Thrusters. If you finished within the 6 minute time cap you got a longer rest. I got an extra 12 seconds 🙂 Second AMRAP was 200 Double Unders, 20 15kg Thrusters and then as many Over Bar Burpees as you could do. Safe to say this whole thing was a sucky sweat fest but the major positive for me was that I was able to do Thrusters without pain for the first time since cracking the rib. I left the gym on a real high as I finally felt like maybe, just maybe, it was healed and I could put the injury behind me.

        Tue: 2:15pm Zone 2 5km Run

        I’d finally managed to adjust my heart rate zones on my Garmin to work off the % of my Lactate Threshold Heart Rate, rather than Max HR and this run felt more effective than those of last week. It also means that my 30 minute Max Effort Assault Bike workout was not for nothing so you know, winning.

        Wed: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning Class

        Three 10 minute workouts with 2 mins rest in between. More running in the first one, this time 200m sprints teamed with 10kg DB Deadlifts. Second one was Ski Erg Max Effort intervals and finally an EMOM alternating between the Assault Bike and a 12kg Slamball.

        Wed: 1pm CrossFit Class

        This class was all about being calm and controlled and working though the technique of a Ring Muscle Up (RMU). It involved breaking the movement down, practising the different components and adding some accessory work in the form of DB Strict Press and Hollow Holds. Although I am miles away from being able to do a RMU I was again able to do things without feeling pain and discomfort that even a couple of weeks ago were causing me issues so more elation ensued.

        Wed: 2pm Meeting with my Coach

        No PT session today as we had a planning session. The upshot of this was that for the rest of 2019 (all 12/13 weeks of it!) I am going to focus on the fundamentals… staying injury and illness free, getting my weight down, making sure my rib is 100% healed, building my upper body and core strength and increasing my base fitness in relation to endurance and power.

        Thu: 1pm CrossFit Class

        Snatch tekkers and then more running today. I have lost a lot of the confidence I had built when it comes to throwing a barbell above my head. Hopefully, with the rib issue becoming a thing of the past, I can get over this pretty quickly. For the second week in a row I put 25kg on the bar and then failed to get it off the ground. My snatch 1RM is only 35kg anyway as it’s a complex lift and not one that I have spent a huge amount of time on. As the workout was a 15 min AMRAP of a 200m run and 3 Snatch I decided to keep it light and focus on drilling my technique every lift. With only a 15kg bar, Coach Harry made it very clear I was not to miss one lift. Roger that!

        Fri: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning Class

        Another three 10 minute workouts separated by first 2 and then 1 minute rest. First up, one of my favourite combinations; Assault Bike sprints and DB Snatch. Second; max effort Row intervals and lastly Wall Balls and Burpees. I gave this everything I had, to the extent that I had nothing left in the tank so signed myself out of the 1pm class. The biggest takeaway today was that I felt stronger on the rower than I have done in months so once again, proof that my injuries were fading fast.

        Sat: Rest Day

        Sun: 9am Gym Session

        Brunch plans were the most important thing today (priorities and balance right) so after coaching a Bootcamp Class at Nuffield Chichester I made use of their facilities and the half hour I had available and decided to just do all the things I enjoy. I repeated the Assault Bike and DB Snatch workout from Friday. I did Annie, my favourite CrossFit Girl workout (50,40,30,20,10 Double Unders and Sit Ups) and some Ski Erg Intervals. I did look at the treadmill but I have no interest in running inside. There was a guy in the gym, who I know is an IronMan and in training for another one next year. He did a serious amount of time of the Watt Bike (I know this because he was on it when my class started at 8:15 and still on it while I was skipping) and then hit the treadmill. I guess that’s the traditional, and in most peoples eyes, more sensible use of time (especially in the winter) when training for an IM but no thanks. It just isn’t me!

        **The other thing I’ve added in to my routine this week is more mobility and stretching work. I am finally making use of my ROMWOD account ( I should after it auto-renewed and over £100 left my bank account!) Hopefully this will help with the ‘staying injury free’ goal 🙂

      2543. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2544. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2545. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2546. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2547. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2548. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2549. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2550. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2551. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2552. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2553. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2554. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2555. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2556. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2557. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2558. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2559. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2560. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2561. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2562. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2563. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2564. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2565. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2566. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2567. All About Stress
      2568. Train your breathing for better race results
      2569. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2570. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2571. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2572. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2573. IM Training Log w/c 30/09/19

        * I am not including the classes I coach in this training log but for reference I coach 3 indoor cycle, 2 Insanity, 2 Boxercise, 1 LBT and 1 Tabata class a week between Tuesday and Friday.

        This week the focus on low heart rate training, in relation to running and cycling and also back to back sessions to improve endurance.

        Mon: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning Class

        Very simple but effective cardio conditioning circuit cycling through 2 mins on, 1 min off between the assault bike, rower and ski erg for just over 35 minutes.

        Mon: 1pm 5k Run

        First attempt at zone training. 5k run working to keep my heart rate in the aerobic zone and below 142. It was a very slow 5k!

        Tue: 1pm CrossFit Class

        A lot of time spent working on pull ups during the skill/strength portion of the class. I am definitely seeing some progress with regards to my broken/cracked rib and things involving me hanging off a bar are getting easier again 🙂 The WOD was a grim 15 min AMRAP of 5 x Jumping Chest to Bar Pull up, 10 x 45kg Deadlift, 16 12.5kg Alt DB Snatch and a 200m row. Usually I love DB Snatch but today it just sucked a little less than everything else sucked!

        Tue: 2:15pm 5k run

        Second attempt at zone training. Again working to keep my heart rate in the aerobic zone and below 142. Went slightly better than yesterday 🙂

        Wed: 12:15 Total Body Conditioning Class

        First order of the day, a 10 minute assault bike effort. This started to remind me of the horrors of last weeks 30 min max effort threshold heart rate test but luckily I had my girl Claire on the bike next to me and she, without saying a word, pushed me to get it done and get it done well. 1 minutes rest and then it was on to 2 10 min EMOM’s involving Rowing & 10kg Plate Cleans and Ski Erg & DB Down Ups.

        Wed: 1pm Crossfit Class

        No run today as I really wanted to do this class. A 10k partner row. The rules being you can split the meters however you want but both partners must row 5k each and the time cap is 40 minutes. I bagged the awesome Olly as my partner at the beginning of the TBC class… and then started to question my sanity as that boy is seriously fast and I realised I would be getting very little rest! We always make a good team though and despite it being a workout that really, really hurt, we managed to have a lot of fun and smash the time cap!

        Thu: 12:00pm 5k Run

        Third run of the week and the first mile was great, I didn’t need to walk to keep my heart rate were I wanted it and I thought I was starting to get the hang of it. Then the second mile was, shall we say, a little less smooth and the third mile was complete crap. Every time I pushed into a run my heart rate instantly pinged into the threshold zone and it was possibly the slowest mile I’ve run for the longest time. Still, I preserved and got it done.

        Thu: 1pm CrossFit Class

        Skill/ Strength focus was on Toes To Bar and Handstand Push Ups. Two movements I suck at and two movements severely hampered by, yes, you guessed it, my bloody cracked/broken rib! However, more proof that it is definitely healing.. I landed my first toes to bar 🙂 No, I couldn’t get another one but small victories right. I now know that I can do it! The WOD was two 6 minute AMRAP’s, separated by 2 minutes rest, of 1; Toes to Bar (so in my case knees to chest!) & Burpee Box Jump Overs and 2; DB Push Press and Double Unders. I do love a bit of skipping but I’m now using my super heavy RX Gear Zeus rope and man does it burn.

        Fri: 12:15pm Total Body Conditioning Class

        I had planned for today to be a rest day but originally my lovely friend Amy was signed in on her own and she is not one for doing solo classes so I thought I’d do the decent thing and come keep her company. What a mistake! Welcome to Burpee Frikkin Friday! Yep, you can tell The Open is coming up… shame I’n not entering this year though. We 30 minutes of rowing, over row burpees, DB Row Clusters (Head Coach Toby’s latest tortute creation!) Over DB Burpees, Ski Erg and Plate Jumps. It was gross but awesome and more than enough for what should be a rest day.

        Sat: Tough Mudder 5k Urban

        Saturday is usually my rest day but we (being my husband and I) were off to play on Clapham Common at at Tough Mudder event with no mud and no water. Different and a brilliant little event and the last UK event of 2019. Totally different to anything else Tough Mudder offer and it showed as pretty much everyone on course was new to Tough Mudder and obstacle racing in general. This meant we were able to hang out at obstacles and help a huge amount of people. It was all over by 4pm and that was it, TM done for another year. Now, it’s a waiting game to see if we are chosen as ambassadors for a 4th year in 2020.

        Sun: 9:30am Forza Fitness Squad Strong Girl Sunday Funday

        5 of us this week playing around in my studio this week and it was all about boxing and core work. Lots of combination work and laughs, just as a Sunday Funday should be… especially when one of the squad creates a very confusing combination that foxes everyone!

      2574. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2575. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2576. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2577. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2578. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2579. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2580. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2581. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2582. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2583. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2584. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2585. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2586. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2587. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2588. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2589. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2590. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2591. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2592. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2593. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2594. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2595. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2596. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2597. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2598. All About Stress
      2599. Train your breathing for better race results
      2600. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2601. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2602. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2603. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly
      2604. The Fat Loss Journey

        One of the first things I knew I had to do as part of my IM journey is lose a bit of fat and get as lean as possible.

        I am by no means big but by making myself as lean as possible I give myself another key for success, alongside my training.

        This was one of the things I discussed with my coach, Kerry, in that initial meeting. Literally the week before I had signed up for the IM I had set new goals for all of my lifts and was going to focus on improving all things barbell related. Funny how things can change so quickly! All that had to go out the window and the focus now has to be using lighter weights and moving faster.

        Anyway, back to the fat loss bit. I had my daily macro targets, I had the different targets for different days depending on how active I was on each day so now it was time to invest in the paid version of MyFitnessPal and get to work.

        In my first 6 weeks this is the change in my body composition:

        • Weight: -1.5kg
        • Fat %: – 2.8%
        • Muscle %: – +1.8%

        And, this is the change in my measurements:

        • Bust: -1 inch
        • Back: -+/- 0
        • Waist: – 1.5 inch
        • Stomach: – 1 inch
        • Hips: – 1.5 inch

        Not a bad start, I still need to lose about another 4kg in total but it’s careful and slow process as quick weight loss usually means muscle loss and my goal is fat loss and becoming lean. It isn’t just about the number on the scale, nor should it ever be.

        Although it’s careful and slow, it isn’t complicated. Companies like Slimming World and Weight Watchers make it complicated but they are businesses and their main aim is to make money. They thrive on repeat business and sadly, their businesses are booming. We all know roughly what we should and shouldn’t eat. We are generally all aware of foods that are nutritionally good and those that bring us little or no benefit.

        If you want to lose some fat and change your body composition for the better you just need to do the following… and it’s all free! It’s simple, you can have the things you want, nothing is off limits, you just can’t have everything you want. Then you can take that money you give to these crappy “weight loss” companies and use it for something good.

        1. Figure out your calorie deficit (read my previous blog post for more info)
        2. Download the MyFitnessPal app and set up a free account
        3. Track your daily consumption and be honest about it
        4. Keep your daily macros at roughly 50% carbs, 30% fat and 20% protein
        5. Make sure that less than 10% of your daily calories come from junk food and things that have little or no nutritional benefit.
        6. Give yourself a break if you have a day where it all goes wrong. Forget about it and make sure the next meal you have puts you back on track!

        It really is that simple. No, it isn’t always easy but for the general population, it isn’t anymore complicated than this.

        I’ll check back in in a month and update you with my progress 🙂

      2605. The Identity Shift: Becoming vs. Mimicking an Endurance Athlete
      2606. Nutrition Month: Real Results Through Balanced Choices
      2607. The Power of Positive Self-Talk: Rewiring Your Mental Game for Endurance Success
      2608. Resilience: The Unsung Hero of Endurance Training
      2609. The Difference Between Good and Great: One Critical Choice
      2610. “The Overlooked Challenge of Endurance Sports: Handling the Post-Race Blues”
      2611. The Power of ‘Pause’: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance.
      2612. Beyond “Toughing It Out”: Intelligent Training Through Illness
      2613. Debunking Running Terminology: What You Really Need to Know
      2614. Be Impressed by intensity, not volume.
      2615. Mental Muscles: Visualise Your Way to Endurance Supremacy
      2616. S&C – What does the C actually mean?
      2617. Rethinking Injury Management:
      2618. Walk Your Way to Faster Running
      2619. RED-S; Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
      2620. Periodisation Deep Dive
      2621. Low Energy Availability (LEA):
      2622. How do we burn calories? Let me count the ways…
      2623. Fuel Up to Smash Your Endurance Goals:
      2624. Supercompensation – the effective but counterintuitive training methodology.
      2625. Practical Mental Coping Strategies for Endurance Lows
      2626. Avoiding the Euphoria-Despair Roller Coaster in Endurance Racing
      2627. The Importance of Periodisation in Endurance Training
      2628. Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Endurance Training
      2629. All About Stress
      2630. Train your breathing for better race results
      2631. Does how you breathe really matter?
      2632. Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: Nature vs. Nurture
      2633. Recovery: The Unsung Hero of Triumphs
      2634. Build Consistently, Adapt Relentlessly