When an Ironman met Coronavirus…

While my recent (presumed) encounter with COVID19 may not be particularly unusual or dramatic (thankfully), I thought my experiences and thoughts may be of some use to fellow athletes. I would also say it fully reinforces what most coaches have been advising through this crisis. I fully understand the endurance community being so concerned with training restrictions, when we’ll be …

Just Get Me to the Start Line – Lakeland 50 2017

I can’t describe the excitement when the email alert popped up on my phone from the legendary Marc Laithwaite, offering me an elite entry to the Lakeland 50 2017. The race is in its 10th year, and the number of entries were higher for this year than previous years, with 800 runners in the 50 mile event. The race build …

Significant Gains – Part 2 – Fitness Testing & Training Smart

This is the second part of my “significant gains” blog. Building on the bike set-up aspects discussed in part one, we now focus on training at the right intensity. While the first part was focussed on the bike, this topic is equally applicable to running, and indeed swimming. As amateur triathletes we all want to maximise the training benefits from …

I’m marathon training! Why do I need to do speed-work?

So the question I’m asked so often, especially this time of the year. Do I need to do speedwork, I’m training for a marathon? The simple answer is, no, of course you don’t need to, if you’ve run some 20 milers, you will get round. However, if you want to hit that start line in top form, most importantly knowing …

When should I begin training again post marathon? My legs feel fine…

So we’ve all been there…just run a marathon, sore for a couple of days but then the nagging in the back of our head, ‘You will lose fitness’, ‘You will put on weight’, so you put on your trainers after just a few days rest, and it feels OK… but then. Two weeks later you feel awful, you get ill …