Episodes

  • Tackling the TransContinentalRace - Cycling 4200km through Europe with Matt Spooner

    Tackling the TransContinentalRace - Cycling 4200km through Europe with Matt Spooner
    Sep 25 2024
    My guest today is Matt Spooner, who recently completed the Trans Continental Race - a 4200km non-stop bike ride from Roubaix in France, down to Istanbul in Turkey. Apart from the start & finish, there are 5 checkpoints and several compulsory sections known as parcours. There are also some roads which are banned, generally because they are unsafe for the riders. After that the route is completely open to the choices made by the riders. This event isn’t just about cycling for many days. It’s also a logistical challenge and a heaven for any one who likes planning. This is a podcast that was recorded in 2 parts. In the first half you’ll hear me having a short (30-minute) conversation with Matt while he is actually riding his bike through Greece, about 3/4 of the way to his destination. We chat about:
    • Route selection and how that's working out
    • Some of the problems he has encountered along the way
    • Equipment choices
    • Daily nutrition on the road.
    In the second half, Matt and I are speaking a few days after he has finished the event. We then reflect on his overall performance and also:
    • Whether executing the plan is more satisfying than the time and position
    • His decisions to stop and sleep in a hotel each night versus camping by the side of the road
    • Why finishing an event like this is more about being able to eat as much as you can than having a high FTP
    • More about equipment choices
    • Mindset for tackling TCR
    To find out more about Matt, please visit the following social media channels Instagram - matt_still_tri_ing Facebook - matthew.spooner.927 LinkedIn - Matthew Spooner If you haven’t yet seen the documentary about the Transcontinental Race, I can highly recommend it: Onboard the Transcontinental Race Some links to topics covered in the podcast Diet Efficacy of Popular Diets Applied by Endurance Athletes on Sports Performance: Beneficial or Detrimental? A Narrative Review "I recently read this paper, it's a nicely balanced review of multiple different research papers into different diets. It's a good resource for people who are interested in the best diet.” Books The Endurance Diet: Discover the 5 Core Habits of the World's Greatest Athletes to Look, Feel, and Perform Better - Matt Fitzgerald I also really enjoyed The Rise of the Ultra Runners by Adharanand Finn - I identify myself very strongly in this book."

    **To get a free copy of my personal daily mobility routine, please click HERE**

    To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

    Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

    Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

    Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

    If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

    Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here. For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.
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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • Sleep smart - maximising health and performance * Dr. Luke Gupta

    Sleep smart - maximising health and performance * Dr. Luke Gupta
    Sep 18 2024
    As we all start to consider the ways in which we can improve our performances after 2024, I think it is really useful to consider the role that sleep plays. More and harder training is often the first resort for many athletes seeking improvements in fitness. What if you were to do similar training to the previous season, but explored ways in which you could make that training more productive? Like a rising tide that lifts all boats, more or better quality sleep improves everything. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that I don't believe there is any circumstance where more sleep has a negative impact. In today’s show I’m joined by Sport Sleep Specialist Dr. Luke Gupta who practices with the Better Sleep Clinic. He has over a decade of experience working within high performance sport, including premier league football teams, England rugby, The Lionesses, and Formula 1, to name a few. In this conversation Luke and I chat about:
    • The 2 way relationship between sleep and performance
    • Individual sleep needs are unique and should be determined through trial and error
    • How to get better sleep when travelling
    • Limitations of sleep tracking devices
    • The 3 top fundamentals of good sleep
    To find out more about Luke and to dive deeper into sleep health with his book and research recommendations, please check out the links below:
    • Website - The Better Sleep Clinic
    • Instragram - The Better Sleep Clinic
    • LinkedIn - The Better Sleep Clinic
    Luke recommends the following books: The Reality Bubble: How Science Reveals the Hidden Truths That Shape Our World by Ziya Tong Insomniac by Gayle Green Luke recommends the following books: The Reality Bubble: How Science Reveals the Hidden Truths That Shape Our World by Ziya Tong Insomniac by Gayle Green Research Papers Does Elite Sport degrade sleep quality? A systematic review Sleep and the athlete. A narrative review and expert consensus recommendations The 5 principles of good sleep health

    To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

    Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

    Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

    Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

    If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

    Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here. For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Is this the world's hardest triathlon? Paul Robinson is about to find out.

    Is this the world's hardest triathlon? Paul Robinson is about to find out.
    Sep 11 2024
    What do you think is the toughest triathlon in the world? Ironman Lanzarote, Norseman, ICON Livigno? They are all tough and have a legitimate claim, but what about this one? Enduroman, also known as Arch to Arc. The athletes attempting this will run 87 miles from London to Dover, then swim at least 21 miles from Dover to France (distance could be more depending on currents/tides), and finally bike 181 miles from Calais to Paris. There have only ever been 59 finishers! The latest to attempt this is Yorkshireman Paul Robinson. Paul is a seasoned triathlete and has been involved in the sport for over 30 years. He has completed several ultra distance events, as well as 3 Channel swims, so he has no illusions about what he is attempting. He is taking on Enduroman to raise money for charity, after being inspired by Nottingham triathlete Sam Perkins who now suffers from MND. Sam has set up his own charity Stand Against MND. This is Part 1 of a 2 part episode, and in this conversation we’ll talk about:
    • Specific logistical challenges for Enduroman
    • How do you train for an event like this?
    • Body fat for warmth vs weight loss for running
    • How and what Paul eats/drinks while running, swimming and riding
    • Mental strategies for staying focussed
    • The impact of the great British weather
    To find out more about Paul please visit the following sites: Just Giving charity link - Stand Against MND This is Paul’s interview with BBC Derby when he talks about the challenge BBC website article on Paul's Challenge - Derbyshire man prepares to take on the worlds hardest triathlon Paul's inspirational book - Becoming Brutal by Claire Smith - first British athlete ever to complete a continuous Double Deca Iron Distance triathlon. 48 miles of swimming, 2,240 miles of cycling and 524 miles of running in 28 days.

    **To get a free copy of my personal daily mobility routine, please click HERE**

    To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

    Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

    Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

    Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

    If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

    Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here. For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • How to age well and be a better athlete with 5 simple moves * Tim Anderson

    How to age well and be a better athlete with 5 simple moves * Tim Anderson
    Sep 4 2024

    "If you want to run faster, move better." That's the advice of several top running coaches I have spoken with. It’s particularly important for us older athletes, because as you might already know (and be experiencing) lack of mobility is part of the aging process.

    Fortunately, today's guest Tim Anderson from Original Strength has a solution to the mobility loss, he calls it 'Pressing Reset’. As humans we are designed and born to be strong and healthy throughout our entire lives, and in our conversation Tim will explain how 5 simple movements that we all learn as babies literally builds our brain and ties our nervous system together. The cool thing about those movements that we're born with is that we keep them forever. We don't lose them! In the conversation Tim explains how, with just 10 minutes of easy movement every day, you can tap back into those original movements, no matter what age you are, and rediscover your original strength. We talk about a lot of concepts that we have discussed in previous podcasts, such as:
    • Nose breathing at rest and during exercise
    • Head and eye control and how it impacts posture
    • Rocking, rolling and crawling - The basis of simple movement
    • The secret to aging well
    • Born to Run, going barefoot and how to walk well
    • How to Press Reset as part of your daily routine
    To find out more about Tim Anderson you can go to: Website OriginalStrength.net YouTube Original Strength Facebook Original Strength Instagram Original Strength Get a Copy of Tim’s book Pressing Reset: Original Strength Reloaded How to discover your own Original Strength

    **To get a free copy of my personal daily mobility routine, please click HERE**

    To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

    Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

    Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

    Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

    If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

    Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here. For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Professional Gravel Bike Racer Danni Shrosbree

    Professional Gravel Bike Racer Danni Shrosbree
    Aug 28 2024
    Gravel biking is growing really fast, and as much as I like being on my road bike, I find gravel riding much more fun. I discovered gravel riding during the pandemic, which is also what happened to this week's podcast guest. She is professional gravel racer Danni Shrosbree, and she races globally for the Felt UN1TD racing team. She was UK National Gravel Champion in 2022, runner-up in 2023, and has finished 4th in the world famous Unbound Gravel race in Kansas. What makes this conversation even more enjoyable is that Danni is the first child of a previous guest, Bernie Shrosbree, who was on the show in 2019. Danni and I chat about:

    • Athletic influences from Mum and Dad
    • How a diverse athletic childhood helped shape her current career
    • Doing the OtillO swim/run event with Bernie
    • Gravel racing and how to prepare for it
    • Focussing on sleep and nutrition for the best recovery
    To find out more about Danni Shrosbree please check out the following channels: Website Instagram - @dannishrosbree YouTube - @dannishrosbree - Danni has some cool videos on her channel.

    **To get a free copy of my personal daily mobility routine, please click HERE**

    To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

    Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

    Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

    Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

    If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

    Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here. For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.
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    50 mins
  • How ultra-runner Kay Bretz improved his PB by 22% in 18 months

    How ultra-runner Kay Bretz improved his PB by 22% in 18 months
    Aug 21 2024
    Kay Bretz is an ultra-runner and corporate leader from Australia. Kay has a passion for inspiring the magic, and shares his life lessons in his book Turning Right. Kay thrives on embarking on quests which appear impossible. He was already accomplished in the corporate world, before going on to seek personal growth by entering the world of ultra-running where he learned to master the inner game. He began a challenging journey of emotional development where he learned to let go of his limiting beliefs. This resulted in him lifting his performance by 22% in 18 months, and in the process becoming the fastest-ever Australian at the 24-hour world championships in 2019. His insights go beyond what it takes to achieve world-class results, and have helped him since to be a more effective corporate leader. He believes that anyone can step into their greatness – all we need is the courage to walk new paths in the midst of chaos, and making the choice to "turn right". Some of the topics we cover in the conversation are:
    • Talent vs hard work
    • Having a growth mindset and being agile
    • The ‘mystery run’ and getting out of your comfort zone
    • Daily meditation
    • Being the happiest person on the start line
    To find out more about Kay please visit the following channels: Website: https://turningright.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kay-bretz/ To find out more about: a) Kay’s ultra running exploits check out this reflection on his most recent 135-mile race b) Kay’s thought leadership practice, check out this introduction video, Turning Right. To purchase a copy of Kay’s award winning book,Turning Right, click here (available as audio, book and e-book). Kay also recommends the following book: "The High-performance Mind. Mastering brainwaves for insight, healing, and creativity" by Anna Wise. Here's a quote from the book: “A high-performance mind is one that can enter at will the state of consciousness that is most beneficial and most desirable for any given circumstance.”

    **To get a free copy of my personal daily mobility routine, please click HERE**

    To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

    Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

    Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

    Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

    If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

    Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here. For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.
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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • How to successfully combine plant based nutrition and running with Coach Claire Bartholic

    How to successfully combine plant based nutrition and running with Coach Claire Bartholic
    Aug 14 2024

    In last week’s podcast about recovery, our guest Natalie Brown told us that there were 3 key elements to good recovery - sleep, nutrition and stress management.

    One area which many athletes (and non-athletes) are keen to explore is a plant based diet. There is certainly plenty of anecdotal evidence about how it can improve health and performance. In his book, Eat and Run, Scott Jurek attributes a change to plant based eating as being instrumental to his success in the ultra running world.

    What better way to find out about how to combine running with a plant based diet than talk to someone who advocates just that?

    Coach Claire Bartholic has helped hundreds of runners chase their dreams and conquer what they never thought possible. Her coaching philosophy combines science-based training, plant-based running nutrition, and proven mindset techniques to unlock every runner's true potential.

    She's a certified running coach, sports nutrition specialist, mom, and borderline obsessive plant lover.

    As an athlete herself, she went from a 4:02 first marathon all the way to a 2:58 finishing time at the age of 42, entirely plant-based.

    She coaches vegan, plant-based, and plant-curious runners to achieve the same dramatic success, from those on a walk-run program, general fitness, up to high-level athletes.

    Conversation topics include:

    • Plant based vs vegan vs vegetarian diets
    • How to successfully switch to a plant based diet
    • Plant based eating and weight loss for runners
    • Strength training for runners and why it’s almost impossible to gain weight
    • Plyometrics, HIT and Z2 training

    To find out more about Coach Claire please visit the following channels:

    Website:The Planted Runner

    Author of The Planted Runner: Running Your Best with Plant-Based Nutrition

    Host of the top-rated Planted Runner Podcast

    Instagram: @theplantedrunner

    Email: claire@theplantedrunner.com

    Some other resources you might like to check out:

    'Forks over knives’ documentary which inspired Claire to try a plant based diet

    Claire talked about a plyometrics video on her YouTube channel

    The Planted Runner Podcast: 5 ways strides can transform your running

    **To get a free copy of my personal daily mobility routine, please click HERE**

    To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

    Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

    Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

    Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

    If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

    Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here. For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • The best ways to recover from training and racing * Dr Natalie Brown

    The best ways to recover from training and racing * Dr Natalie Brown
    Aug 7 2024
    Building fitness in the long term is quite a simple equation. You workout, and then you recover. If you get the balance of these two right, you should see a steady upward progress over time. Most folks I know and work with are pretty good at the training part, but maybe they could do better on the recovery side. I don’t know about you, but over the years I’ve come to appreciate the recovery part a lot more! Fortunately, my guest today is an expert in recovery. Dr Natalie Brown (who you may remember from her podcast with me on menopause a few months ago) has done an awful lot of research on this topic. Throughout Natalie’s career working in elite sport, recovery has been a primary focus to optimise performance. Since completing her PhD, Natalie has continued to implement recovery strategies in practice, alongside lecturing at Swansea University on this topic. Natalie’s approach to recovery is underpinned by understanding what you are recovering from and ensuring fundamentals of sleep, nutrition and stress reduction are in place when approaching recovery in sport.
    • How long does it take to recover from an Ironman? It depends! (1:55)
    • If you truly believe a recovery process works then it probably does for you (27.35)
    • You don't need wearables to monitor your recovery (35:14)
    • Why you might feel like you are getting a cold when tapering for an event (39:32)
    • How to make sure you don't get ill after a big event (46:39)
    • There's no evidence that recovery is slower in older athletes (58:00)
    • Menopause DOES impact the ability to recover (1:01:50)
    • The 3 TOP ways to recover, and they are all FREE (1:05:58)
    To find out more about Natalie Brown and her work please visit these channels: Instagram Optimal.Period Website www.optimalperiod.com, You can find some other great resources using the following links: Podcasts The Female Athlete, For continued education please check out Menstrual cycle online coaching modules: UK Coaching resources I also asked Natalie to recommend a book. This is her choice: Good for a Girl Lauren Fleshman

    **To get a free copy of my personal daily mobility routine, please click HERE**

    To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

    Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

    Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

    Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

    If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

    Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here. For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.
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    1 hr and 10 mins