My coworkers think I’m a pro * Brock Gibbs

They say we all have a book in us. The trouble is that most of us never take the time to commit our thoughts or life experiences to paper. If you did it might turn out to be witty, insightful, life-changing. Today's guest Brock Gibbs did just that as he recounts his triathlon experiences in the book “My Co-workers Think I’m a Pro”. If you've been on your own triathlon journey then I’m sure you’ll find a lot of similarities with Brock’s story as we chat about:

• The frustration of injury
• Triathlon terminology, training kit, racing - from feeling like an outsider to becoming part of the in-crowd
• Why you hate the volunteers & spectators when you are having a bad day
• Training - why just doing more and harder probably isn’t the right way
• A pre-race nutrition like you’ve never heard before and why you shouldn’t drink in the bath
• Is it really necessary to deflate and then inflate tyres in T1?
• The pre-race port-a-loo lineup
• Mentoring newbies in T1?
• Brock's advice to other newbies doing their first triathlon?

If you would like to purchase a copy of Brock’s book, go to "My Co-workers think I’m a pro"

You can also purchase at Waterstones

Brock has a blog that he tries to add to every two weeks and this will be the basis for his next book www.thehacktriathlonblog.ca

You can also find Brock on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gibbs.brock/

Facebook 

Brock also recommended a couple of his favourite books:

Draft Animals: Living The Pro Cycling Dream by Phil Gaimon and 

Shadows On The Road: Life At The Heart Of The Peloton by Michael Barry.

We also chatted about...

The Julie Moss and the famous crawl at Ironman Hawaii - if you’ve never watched this it's inspiring and traumatic

Take a 30 day trial in my SWAT Inner Circle for just £1. Watch this video for more information.

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.

Will running damage my knees? Dr. Juliet McGrattan

Running is good for you, right? Well is it? A few years ago, Jim Fixx, who was credited with helping start America's fitness revolution by popularizing the sport of running, died while out for a run. Now that doesn’t sound good.

So if you really wanted to know the answer why not ask someone who really knows? Like a doctor who runs.

That’s where today's guest comes in. Dr. Juliet McGrattan worked as a General Practitioner for 16 years and now uses her medical knowledge and love of running to help and inspire others to lead active lives. In her latest book, Run Well: Essential Health Questions and Answers for Runners, she does just that. She gets all sorts of questions from the simple to the serious and occasionally the humorous ones. If you’ve ever had a question about running Juliet probably answers it in the book. In today's show, we pick through some of these, including:

• Will running damage my knees?
• What's the best time of day to run?
• If I have sex the night before the race will it have a negative impact on my performance?
• Can I still run if I have had a knee replacement?
• How soon can I run again after an operation?
• Will running make me smarter?
• Is there ever a time when running would be bad for my long-term health?

To purchase Juliet’s latest book, Run Well: Essential Health Questions and Answers for Runners 

And her first book, Sorted: The active women’s guide to health

To find out more about Dr. Juliet McGrattan use these links:

Website https://drjulietmcgrattan.com/

Twitter @DrJulietMcG https://twitter.com/DrJulietMcG

Insta: @drjulietmcgrattan@hotmail.com https://www.instagram.com/drjulietmcgrattan/

FB: @DrJulietMcGrattan https://www.facebook.com/DrJulietMcGrattan/

261 Fearless https://www.261fearless.org

Blog: https://drjulietmcgrattan.com

We also chatted about the following resources that you might be interested in:

Juliet's recommended book is When Running made history by Roger Robinson

Katherine Switzer talks about being the first woman to enter the Boston Marathon

Studies of the effect of running on the Hippocampus and Neurogenesis:

‘Training your brain: Do mental and physical (MAP) training enhance cognition through the process of neurogenesis in the hippocampus

‘Physical exercise increases adult hippocampal neurogenesis in male rats provided it is aerobic and sustained’

Take a 30 day trial in my SWAT Inner Circle for just £1. Watch this video for more information.

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.

The simple truth about optimal health and how to achieve it

The papers, internet, and magazines are all full of the latest guidance on how to lose weight, stay fit, live longer, etc.

Unfortunately, a lot of the headlines are just clickbait, and rather than clarifying the situation to make it easier for the person in the street to understand. Even I feel confused sometimes, and I’m supposed to know what I’m doing.

I can't think of a better way to get to the real truth than to talk to a man who has spent his life researching these topics.

Today’s guest is Michael Gleeson, Emeritus Professor of Exercise Biochemistry at Loughborough University. He retired in 2016 after 40 years of research and teaching mostly related to the diet, metabolism, health, and performance of athletes. He had a particular interest in the effects of diet and exercise on the function of the immune system and is a Past-President of the International Society of Exercise and Immunology (ISEI). He has provided advice on minimising risks of infection and nutritional strategies to maintain immune function to numerous sports clubs and organisations.

He has co-authored several books on exercise biochemistry, sports nutrition, and exercise immunology, and he's published over 200 research papers in scientific and medical journals. He is still an active science writer and in 2020 he released a series of healthy lifestyle guidebooks: Eat, Move, Sleep, Repeat; Beating Type 2 Diabetes, and The Pick’n Mix Diet written for the benefit of public health.

When you speak with someone like Mike you start to realise that there are a small number of simple life guidelines that are pretty easy for us all to follow and we talk about these and more, as we discuss:

• The concept of optimal health – it’s more than just the absence of illness
• Lifestyle behaviours you can change to achieve optimal health (basically amending your habits in relation to exercise, nutrition, sleep quality, and sleep hygiene)
• How to eat a healthy diet
• How regular exercise can combat chronic disease (CHD, T2D, etc) 
• How much and what sort of exercise is best to get the health benefits. 
• What is the best type of exercise for fat burning?
• The best way to lose excess weight (fat) without sticking to one boring diet for weeks on end 
• Why sleep is important for health and how to improve your sleep quality
• How to avoid common illnesses including COVID19
• The advantages of a multi-diet plan for effective, healthy, weight loss

To follow Mike you can find him on:

His personal website: The Prof4Health:

Facebook: Professor Michael Gleeson

Twitter: @profmikegleeson

Prof Gleeson’s published books include:

Sport Nutrition co-authored with Professor Asker Jeukendrup.

Eat, Move, Sleep, Repeat

Beating Type 2 Diabetes

The Pick’n Mix Diet written for the benefit of public health. 

Some interesting podcasts with Mike:

Podcast with Mark Foster of Loughborough University about "Can supplements boost your immune system?" recorded May2020. 

Podcast about Beating Type 2 Diabetes with nutritionist Matt Gardner recorded April 2021. 

Podcast about immuno-nutrition with the Marathon Medic, Amy Boalch released 10th May 2021. 

If you're interested in some of the research around the topics we discussed today, Mike suggested the following papers:

COVID-19

Nutrition, immunity and COVID-19. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 

The COVID-19 pandemic and physical activity. 

EXERCISE, NUTRITION AND IMMUNITY

Consensus statement: Immunonutrition and exercise. 

The anti-inflammatory effects of exercise: Mechanisms and implications for the prevention and treatment of disease. 

How much is too much? (Part 2) International Olympic Committee consensus statement on load in sport and risk of illness. 

Recommendations to maintain immune health in athletes.

HEALTHY EATING

Fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and all-cause mortality: A systematic review and dose-response metaanalysis of prospective studies. 

Growing older with health and vitality: a nexus of physical activity, exercise and nutrition. 

EXERCISE AND DIETS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Determination of the exercise intensity that elicits maximal fat oxidation. 

Effects of popular diets without specific calorie targets on weight loss outcomes: Systematic review of findings from clinical trials. 

“Calories in, calories out” and macronutrient intake: The hope, hype and science of calories. 

Calorie for calorie, dietary fat restriction results in more body fat loss than carbohydrate restriction in people with obesity.

SUPPLEMENTS

A toast to health and performance! Beetroot juice lowers blood pressure and the O2 cost of exercise. 

Is there an optimal vitamin D status for immunity in athletes and military personnel? 

Vitamin D and the athlete: Current perspectives and new challenges. 

Probiotics supplementation for athletes - clinical and physiological effects. 

SLEEP AND HEALTH

Evidence of disturbed sleep and increased illness in overreached endurance athletes. 

Sleep duration and risk of type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of prospective studies.

Take a 30 day trial in my SWAT Inner Circle for just £1. Watch this video for more information.

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.

Is it OK to eat a cheese and pickle sandwich to fuel my Ironman? * Race day nutrition with Dina Griffin

One of the questions that I get asked most by triathletes is, “What do I eat on race day?” However, if you only start to think about your nutrition on race day then you may be missing a trick. It might be a better option to think about race week nutrition.

In this week's podcast, sports dietitian Dina Griffin takes us through the 7 days leading up to a long-distance triathlon (140.6 miles). If you race shorter events we haven’t forgotten about you. We cover everything from sprint to Ironman and we also touch on long-distance events from swimming to ultra-marathon and cycle sportive. Whatever your A race is, you'll find the information contained in this podcast unmissable as we discuss:

• What changes to make in race week, and when?
• Is carbo-loading relevant or necessary?
• What to eat the day before your race
• Race week hydration strategies
• Does cutting out caffeine really give you a bigger boost on race day?
• How to reduce the potential for GI issues on race day 
• Should you choose solids, gels, or drinks to fuel your race?
• Do drinks containing protein really help?
• Can you eat real food during your Ironman?
• Nutrition strategies if you're travelling to an event
• Post-race nutrition and how to speed up your recovery

To find out more about Dina Griffin, please visit her website https://nutritionmechanic.com/

You can also find Dina on:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nutritionmechanic/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dina.howtongriffin

To receive a monthly newsletter from Dina own the specific topic of nutrition for peri-menopausal nutrition please CLICK HERE

Dina also has a new programme - The Nourish Circle - starting in the Autumn. This is for Women 35+ to connect, redefine, and unleash their vitality by modifying nutrition and recovery.

You can get on the list for the next course and find more details HERE 

Book recommendation

Dina is currently reading this book

Burn: New Research Blows the Lid Off How We Really Burn Calories, Lose Weight, and Stay Healthy - by Hermann Pontzer

She also recommended:

Tiny Habits - BJ Fogg - The small changes that change everything

Here's a link to listen to the previous podcast with Simon and Dina on Female specific nutrition

Take a 30 day trial in my SWAT Inner Circle for just £1. Watch this video for more information.

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.

Once a champion, always a champion * Michelle Dillon, Legend of British Triathlon

British Triathlon is one of the dominant nations in global triathlon and we have some fantastic talent at both ITU and Ironman distances. The growth of the sport in the last 15 years has been phenomenal. You may be one of those who entered the sport in the 21st century but what do you know of the previous generation? The super athletes who helped build the foundations for the Brownlee’s, Taylor Brown’s, and Yee's of today? Sadly performances and exploits of these athletes are often overlooked and so I’m on a mission to highlight the legends of British triathlon who I admired when I was starting out in the sport. Today my guest is one such legend, Michelle Dillon.

Michelle, founder of Team Dillon, is a former World and European champion and two-time Olympian. After her successful career was cut short by a back injury in 2008, Michelle turned her attention to helping others achieve their goals.

Michelle is now an Olympic Coach who works with all levels of athletes from beginners to high profile Elite athletes. 

She has helped numerous triathletes realise their potential through her unique combination of energy, passion, and enthusiasm, coupled with the knowledge and experience of someone who has been coaching for as long as 20+ years and competed at the highest level.

After being away from competing in the sport for 10 years, Michelle made a comeback to racing at the World 45-49-year-old Age Group sprint championships in 2018 on the Gold Coast. Michelle not only became AG World Champion but also clocked the fastest time across all age groups for the sprint distance! She also became World Age Group champion in 2019 in Lausanne, and is looking forward to competing in the 2021 season and for many years to come, as long as the body will allow!

As usual, this is a comprehensive chat covering a range of topics including:

*Starting out as a runner

*I’m a triathlete …but I can't even swim 50m

*Even pro athletes have injury problems - The long term hip injury 

*When an operation forces retirement, and it's a relief

*The transition to coaching

*Racing as an age grouper

If you'd like to follow Michelle please visit the Team Dillon website:

www.teamdilloncoaching.com

You can also find her at the following social media hangouts:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teamdilloncoaching/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Teamdillon

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teamdilloncoaching/

Other links from our chat

Behind the scenes with Michelle & Stuart - Sigma sports ambassadors

Athens 2004 - Women’s Olympic triathlon - Michelle finished 6th

Sydney 2000 - Women's Olympic Triathlon

1994 Commonwealth Games - Women’s 10000m

Michelle talked enthusiastically about her Pilates Reformer machine

Book recommendation

Fast after 50:How to race strong for the rest of your life by Joe Friel

Take a 30 day trial in my SWAT Inner Circle for just £1. Watch this video for more information.

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.

The best way to build endurance, and much more with Dr. Jamie Pringle

Some of my work in the last 15 years has involved coach education for British Triathlon, generally at Loughborough University. Often we invite guest presenters to deliver on specialist subjects and that is how I met today’s guest, Dr. Jamie Pringle when he came to speak on physiology for triathlon.

Jamie is an applied sport scientist who has held various leadership roles within the British world-class sports sector, including Head of Science for British Athletics and Lead Physiologist for the English Institute of Sport, along with research, innovation, and education responsibilities. He worked across three Olympic cycles providing physiological support to a number of medal-winning national governing body programs. Most recently, Jamie was involved in the creation of the Boardman Performance Centre - a science, engineering, and medicine facility working with all levels of cycling performance - and now leading a similar venture with Vorteq Sports. He received his Ph.D. from Manchester Metropolitan University in Exercise Physiology, examining cardiorespiratory and muscle metabolism aspects of high-intensity exercise.  He maintains an active research and reviewing profile in collaboration with various universities and higher education funding councils. Jamie has 20 years of experience in advising cyclists and other endurance athletes and has coached riders to over 80 national titles and multiple British records.

It’s been a while since Jamie and I have chatted, so in addition to asking him about his work experiences, I also wanted to ask him some basic physiology questions to help you get a better understanding of how best to prepare for your triathlon races.

Buckle up for a physiology 101 with Dr. Jamie Pringle as we discuss:

• Is coaching a science or a black art?
• The crucial role of self-awareness in achieving performance goals
• What Jamie learned from the wind tunnel to help you go faster on the bike
• What you should focus on to be a better endurance athlete
• If you want to build endurance capability, do more volume
• Can we get along with just 3 training zones?
• Polarised training - does it work if you only have 8-10 hours/wk to train?
• Some training tips for older athletes (>50y.o.)

To follow Jamie and find out more about the work he does please visit his website, https://www.psdistillery.co.uk/

And also Vorteq Sports, developing the world's fastest performance products

You might also like https://silverstonesportshub.co.uk/

To follow Jamie and Vorteq on social media please use Twitter 

@jamiepringle  @vorteqsports

Books

Jamie recommended several books during our chat

For the best physiology book available McCardle Catch & Catch

And the book he has read most recently which had a significant impact

Better by Atul Gawande - a surgeon's notes on performance

And if you just want a good read 

Bill Bryson “A Short History of Nearly Everything”

Jamie also thought that Bill Bryson did a pretty good layman’s job at explaining the body in this book “The Body: A guide for Occupants"

Research

Some general links:

https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/research/centre-for-human-performance/optimising-endurance-performance/

https://www.outsideonline.com/1745511/alex-hutchinson 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephen-Seiler 

Take a 30 day trial in my SWAT Inner Circle for just £1. Watch this video for more information.

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.

200 Podcasts: 5 Key Lessons * Simon Ward

Two weeks ago we published episode 200 of the High Performance Human podcast. I thought it would be fun to look back at those conversations and see if I could pick out some key lessons. As you would imagine when you speak with smart people, each of them at the top of the tree in their chosen field, there were a lot of lessons but some kept appearing in my list.

In today's solo podcast, I’ll outline the 5 lessons and dive a bit deeper, highlighting some of the guests who talk about their importance.

The 5 lessons are

• Keep it simple
• Find what works for you
• Focus on the process, not the outcome
• Pull the big levers
• We are all on a continuum

One more thing that I have come to realise is this. The 200+ podcasts have been a tremendous source of knowledge and learning from a wide variety of people. In time I’ll try to disseminate more of these lessons, but for now, please enjoy this podcast and possibly reflect upon how you can or already do apply each of these 5 to everything that you do.

You’ll be amazed how the approach to a complex life or sport like triathlon can be made remarkably simple.

During this episode I reference a large number of previous podcasts. Each of them is listed below under the key lesson. However, if you do take time to listen again you may find that the podcast in question has lessons that fall into each of the other categories.

Keep it simple

Bernie Shrosbree on why tech does his head in

Stephen Seiler - Hierarchy of Training Needs - Just train

Shane Benzie (The Lost Art of Running) - to run better, just move better

Marc Bubbs (peak & peak40) - getting the basics right

Adam Feit (Precision Nutrition) - Simple truths about nutrition

Mike James (The Endurance Physio) - sexy sells but boring is best

Steve Cotter on Kettlebell training and basic lifts 

Dan Plews - top 3 tips for AG athletes keeping training simple

Find what works for you

Tommy Wood - if it's working, why change?

Mark Allen - meditation, spiritual side of training/racing, not following the high carb diet fashionable in ’80’s endurance sports

Toby Baxendale - making a success of life when you are labelled educationally sub normal

Sanjay Rawal (Run & Become) - running as a conversation. Between mind, body spirit

Christie Aschwanden (Good to go. How to eat sleep & test like a champ) - recovery

Brad Kearns (Primal Endurance, Primal Blueprint) on ignoring trad periodisation models and working into your own lifestyle - Part 1 & Part 2

Focus on the process, not the outcome

Malcolm Brown - enjoy the process of running. No distractions

Being the best that you can be - Mandy Hickson (Officer not a Gentleman)

Kelly Starrett (Becoming a Supple Leopard) - daily movement practice. Don't worry about what type of movement (pilates, yoga etc.), just do something. Get up, don't sit down for too long.

Cath Bishop (The Long Win) - Mastering the process. Being the best that you can be

Pull the big levers

Louisa Holmes Part 1 & Part 2 - staying uninjured

Ali Rose  - staying uninjured

Nick Littlehales - sleep  

Mike Lombardi (Whoop) - sleep & behaviour change

Gut Function -  Bella Lindemann

Dave Scott  - Strength training for athletes

Jess Elliott - Move better to build resilience

Karlyn Pipes - mobility for swimming 

We are all on a continuum

Mimi Anderson - ultra running. Just keep moving forward.

Laz Lake - Barkley Marathons, Big Dog’s backyard Ultra

BBC article on Big Dogs Backyard Ultra

Take a 30 day trial in my SWAT Inner Circle for just £1. Watch this video for more information.

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.

How to build a leaner, stronger body and a sharper mind for mid-life health * Dr. Marc Bubbs

One thing I have learned with age is that what I took for granted in my 20's and 30’s no longer applies. I used to be able to eat and drink what I liked and it didn't seem to have any impact on my health or my weight. On the flip side, I also used to think that health and fitness inevitably declined once one entered their 40’s. That's not true either.

In recent years we have learned that with a mindful approach and purposeful planning it is more than possible to continue improving health and fitness well into your 60’s.

Today's guest is Dr. Marc Bubbs, author of Peak: The New Science of Athletic Performance that is Revolutionising Sports.  Today he's returning to the show to chat about his new book, Peak 40:  The New Science of Mid-Life Health for a Leaner, Stronger Body and a Sharper Mind.

This latest offering outlines some of the slightly different approaches to nutrition, exercise, recovery, and mindset that we should all be considering to enjoy the best mid-life health possible. As in his previous book, Marc has sought out the latest science to support his advice.

Topics discussed include:

• Why you are a product of your environment and how you can shape the path for the future
• Mid-life weight gain - Carbs are not the problem, it’s refined sugars and processed food you should be focusing on
• Protein, and why you should up your intake as you get older
• Why movement practice matters more as you hit your 40’s
• Chronic cardio vs lifting weights
• Understanding yourself and your core values
• Getting older isn’t all downhill, BUT mindset and mindfulness play a huge role in maintaining an optimistic outlook
• Marc’s simple steps to awesome mid-life health

To find out more about Dr. Marc Bubbs please visit his two websites:

DrBubbs.com and AthleteEvolution.org

You can follow Dr. Bubbs on these social media channels

Twitter 

Facebook

Instagram

Visit this page peak40 to order your copy of Marc’s new book

And of course, there is his original book Peak - The New Science of Athletic Performance. 

The book is also a #1 Best Seller on Audible in the USA!

Check out the Dr. Bubbs Performance Nutrition Podcast on YouTube,iTunes, etc. SUBSCRIBE and you won't miss any of the world-leading experts!

DrBubbs Performance Podcast

Links to other items discussed include:

Listen to the previous podcast with Marc Bubbs “How to reach your peak by getting the basics right"

Kelly Starrett book Becoming a Supple Leopard - The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance

Brad Schoenfeld research on “Minimum Effective Dose for Strength Training”

1). Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2). Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Jose Antonio research on protein intake 

A High Protein Diet Has No Harmful Effects: A One-Year Crossover Study in Resistance-Trained Males

Take a 30 day trial in my SWAT Inner Circle for just £1. Watch this video for more information.

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.

Chelsea Sodaro on motherhood, anxiety, regaining fitness, and the Collins Cup

This week I’m back to talking triathlon as we're joined by one of the top ranked long distance female athletes in the US, Chelsea Sodaro.

The endurance athletes’ heart with expert Cardiologist Prof. Graham Stuart

If you want to fulfil your life ambitions as a human, never mind an athlete, you need to have a strong heart and cardiovascular system. As endurance athletes, we spend a lot of time improving the oxygen transport system (heart, lungs, blood, and blood vessels) to supply more O2 to the muscles so that we can go faster and longer. Sadly the heart is like any other machine and it occasionally ceases to function exactly as it should. Endurance athletes are not immune from heart problems (although perhaps we like to think we are).

In today's call, I’m delighted to be chatting with Prof. Graham Stuart, a cardiologist who has a research interest in exercise and heart disease and has worked in Sports Cardiology for over 10 years. Prof. Stuart has an MSc in Sports and Exercise Medicine from the University of Exeter and is currently a Consultant Cardiologist in Bristol and has specialised in congenital heart disease and cardiac arrhythmias for close to 25 years. He is also Medical Director of Sports Cardiology UK and is a keen long-distance triathlete.

In this episode, the professor shares his wisdom on this subject and outlines how we can all make sure that we can take care of this most precious organ.

Topics covered include:

• How the heart works 101 - Prof Stuart explains what really happens during acute and chronic exercise
• Why regular exercise is a good thing but doesn’t guarantee immunity from heart problems
• Ageing, exercise, and the heart - when and why you should get a check-up
• Atrial flutters, atrial fibrillation, palpitations - what’s the difference, what causes them, should you be concerned?
• The real reason why some athletes die during endurance events and why you shouldn’t be worried
• Why females are less likely to have heart issues than males
• Why you should aim for an average of 8-10 hours of training each week and why full-time athletes can get away with more
• Stress, its impact on the heart, and why it's important to find time in your day to de-stress
• Everyday actions individuals can take to improve/maintain heart health

To follow Prof Stuart or find out more about his services:

Website. Http://sportscardiology.co.uk

Twitter: SportHeartDoc

E mail: info@sportscardiology.co.uk

Prof Stuart’s ResearchGate page with links to heart research papers

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alan-Stuart-4

If you want to find out more about heart checkups:

Cardiac Risk in the Young, London based,   https://www.c-r-y.org.uk/screening/.      ISEH, London based, https://www.iseh.co.uk/patients/consultants-and-clinicians/private       

Bristol/Bath-based https://www.screenmyheart.co.uk/about. 

Book Recommendations

If I went to a desert island I would take the Bible for spiritual sustenance.    

If I wanted:

• confusion I would read, It's not about the bike by Lance Armstrong,  
• encouragement I would take Fat Man to Green man: from Unfit to Ultramarathon by Ira Rainey
• cardiac advice I would take: 

2020 ESC Guidelines on Sports Cardiology and Exercise in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease can be downloaded free HERE.

Some videos you might like to watch:

Global Cycling network: How safe is your heart? Https://youtu.be/L-ODB9zlywM      

Talk on heart transplants: Https://transplantchats.com/podcast/therighttimefortransplant 

Running and heart health with Amy Boalch @marathonmedic: Https://open.spotify.com/episode/4TPmsL4XjPMt970vObSSn8

Link to the Miles Frost foundation: https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/our-research/miles-frost-fund

Take a 30 day trial in my SWAT Inner Circle for just £1. Watch this video for more information.

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.