Simon Ward, Be Battle Ready triathlon podcast - The podcast for strength, resilience, and longevity

In this week's podcast, I get to speak with one of my best friends, Colin McNeill. Colin is the owner and founder of Raceskin, a small company based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They make custom cycling and triathlon kit and it is very damn good! I say that not because Colin is my mate, but because I have been using Colin’s company to produce our custom SWAT kit for about 10 years now and some of the originals are still in good condition.

If you race regularly at triathlon events you will have seen, probably without realising, many examples of Raceskin custom kit. You can see some of their customers on this page, HERE.

My friendship with Colin goes back 20 years (when he asked me to be his coach), which is why his success with Raceskin is such a pleasure: Because I have seen it evolve from a conversation into a thriving business.

We had a lot of fun in this chat, remembering some funny moments and some more poignant ones including:

• Gadgets can fail when you least expect it, so ALWAYS have a plan B
• An Ironman race is a metaphor for life: It’s long and anything can happen
• No matter how focussed you are, life events can change your priorities
• The importance of having a supportive partner
• Building high performance habits as you get older

To find out more about Raceskin, please use the following social media channels:

Social links

Facebook - RaceskinSportswear

Instagram - Raceskin

Twitter: @_raceskin

Website www.raceskin.co.uk

We ask all of our guests to recommend cool books they have enjoyed, and these are Colin’s:

Never Finished by David Goggins - Unshackle your mind and win the war within

 

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.

 

This is part 2 of the conversation with Phil Maffetone from last week, and after we resume our discussion around Covid related papers he co-authored, we now start talking about nature and music. (If you haven't listened to part 1 yet, you can find it HERE).

 

Dr. Maffetone has a new book coming out soon which explores the relationship between music, brain health, fitness and longevity. I like listening to music, and I like working out. Occasionally I have music playing when I’m training - piano jazz in the background when I’m doing some mobility work or something fast and up-tempo when I’m doing hard intervals on the bike. And, while Phil loves music, he argues that if you listen to the wrong type when working out you’ll end up working too hard and definitely not be in your MAF zone.

 

In general, I like to workout while listening to my body and to nature. There's really nothing like running (or cycling) in the woods and listening to the birds or the sounds of the forest. In fact, if you take a slow walk through the woods (and I mean very slow), you can get into a process the Japanese refer to as 'shinrin yoku', or forest bathing.

 

In part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Phil Maffetone we talk about this, as well as finishing off some of last week's topics around Covid. We also discuss:

• Sudden death in athletes following Covid vaccines 
• Is ‘long covid’ a new phenomenon?
• Strategies for healthy ageing
• Forest bathing (shinrin yoku) and its impact on mental and physical health
• How we can thwart future pandemics with our own healthy living
• How music can expand the mind, enhance the brain and help you age well

If you’d like to find out more about Phil’s new book, B Sharp! please CLICK HERE.

 

If you’d like to keep up with Dr. Phil Maffetone, you can find him here:

MaffetoneMusic.com

philmaffetone.com

 

Below are some articles which we touch on in the call and which might help you dive deeper into the whole topic of health and longevity:

 

Beyond healthy Ageing

The green, green grass of our minds

Post Stress syndrome: Beyond Covid

Thwarting pandemics with healthy living

 

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.

 

Training for endurance events requires an individual to tick a lot of boxes in order to access the best performances.

When I was a younger triathlete I used to place way too much emphasis on my training, and I overlooked the benefits to be had from factors that are reasonably obvious such as sleep, nutrition and mobility. I don't think I ever considered that mental health, harmonious and balanced relationships with family and friends, or happiness in my work would have an impact. And if you had suggested that music or walking in nature were beneficial, I would have thought you were some sort of new age hippie.

 

With age, an open mind, and conversations with podcast guests like Dr Phil Maffetone, I now understand that all of the above have a huge influence on my health which in turn can affect performance. Nowadays, while I’m far more concerned with my longevity, I still want to get the best return from my training efforts. This is why sometimes you might find me meditating instead of cycling, or walking in the woods instead of running.

 

This conversation with Phil Maffetone is the first of a 2-part podcast.

Today we do a recap on MAF training methods, and then get into a lot of topics around obesity, food and healthcare:

• The enduring value of MAF training
• The over-fat pandemic
• Triathletes and carbohydrate consumption
• The simple way to measure your body fat
• Proactive versus reactive responses to health care
• Just because it’s vegan food doesn't mean it's healthy food

If you’d like to keep up with Dr. Phil Maffetone, you can find him here:

MaffetoneMusic.com

philmaffetone.com

 

In the podcast we chatted about some of these topics:

Can you be fit and unhealthy

Carbohydrate Intolerance and the Two-Week Test

The Overfat Pandemic

MAF training for better ageing

How training at MAF heart rate can improve health and performance

 

 

In part 2 Phil also chats about his new book, B Sharp, out in July.

CLICK HERE to read the introduction.

 

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.

One of my stated aims with the podcast is to interview folks who are experts in their field and try to tease out what’s relevant for the listener without it sounding too scientific and overwhelming.

There is so much research out there regarding every aspect of training, recovery, nutrition and more. While much of it is relevant to you the listeners, much of it isn’t.

 

Fortunately today's guest, Dr Kerry McGawley, not only does a lot of research, she also distills it into easy to understand snippets, much of which she incorporates into her own training. Kerry was recently crowned ITU world long distance champion in her age group so she really does practice what she preaches.

 

Her work, mostly done at the mid Sweden University,  has covered training at altitude, pacing strategies, block periodisation and some female specific interventions around the monthly cycle.

 

We talk about a lot of this so I’m sure you will find something that interests you:

 

• When looking at research, is there evidence that one approach is clearly better than another?
• The absurdity of age group athletes attempting to follow pro athlete training routines
• Staying away from extreme approaches
• The dangers of group training for females athletes
• Kerry shares her DIY nutrition product
• Heat and altitude as training tools

 

To find out more about, or to connect with, Dr Kerry McGawley, please look for her on the following social media channels:

Twitter @kerrymcgawley

Instagram @kerrymcgawley

 

In line with many of our other guests, Kerry also recommended some of these books  as useful and interesting reads:

 

Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez

The Range by David Epstein

The Sports Gene by David Epstein

Faster by Michael Hutchinson

Endurance Training: Science and Practice, edited by Iñigo Mujika (although best to wait for the 2nd edition, coming soon, with a new chapter written by Kerry!)

 

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.

Have you ever wondered how some folks manage to achieve so much?

 

You may wonder that about todays’s guest who is Outlaw ambassador, Donald Brooks. Donald is a 45-year old husband, and father of two growing boys. By day he's an electrical engineer and at the weekends he turns himself into a superhuman triathlete. In 2022 he became the first GB age grouper to win all 5 age group titles across 5 different events. 

 

He routinely manages to complete 16-18 hours, and in today's show we will explore exactly how he has become such a dominant force in GB age group triathlon. We talk about:

• WTF is Octopush?
• Becoming the first triathlete to win all 5 BTF age group titles in one season
• The secrets to training 17-hours/week with 2 children and a full time job
• Maintaining consistency by avoiding high intensity running
• Planning ahead with meals to stay on top of nutrition

To find out more about the amazing Donald Brooks please visit these social media channels:

Instagram Donald_Brooks_Tri

Facebook Donald Brooks Triathlete

Strava Donald Brooks

All other special media links

 

Donald's favourite book is by The Brownlee Brothers - Swim, Bike, Run: Our Triathlon Story

 

Underwater Hockey video

 

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.

Every now and again we come across someone whose thoughts or writings completely align with our own. If this has happened to you, you’ll probably recall nodding in agreement as you listen to them speak or read their article. One such individual is Gordo Byrn, a chap whose musings and blog posts I have been reading since the late 90’s. He went from average age grouper in 1999 (11-hr Ironman finish) to a top long distance pro triathlete, finishing 2nd at both Ironman Canada and Ironman New Zealand. He also won the legendary Ultraman event in Hawaii and the OtillO swim/run event in Sweden. Gordo then took 10 years out of the sport to raise his children, but now he's back and aiming to find out what he can achieve as a 54-year old athlete. His project is called 1000 day pacing where he promotes the benefits of long term planning (something I've spoken about frequently in the past) rather than the current trend of trying to achieve huge goals in a few short months and dealing with the pressure this brings.

 

We cover a whole range of topics, and Gordo shares the adjustments he's made as an older athlete, along with his wisdom on how age group athletes can best prepare for long distance events. We also discuss:

 

• Working with many coaches and learning that there are no secrets
• For Ironman athletes - why you have to learn to swim and bike slower to deliver your best run
• Building a foundation, and the benefits of the 'Basic Week' approach to training
• Training camps - Why the week after tells you how beneficial it really was
• All triathletes - It's the day to day work that counts, not the hero sessions

If you'd like to find out more about Gordo, he recommends these channels:

 

Landing Page: https://1000daypacing.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/feelthebyrn1

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@feelthebyrn

 

There are some fantastic Gordo insights at this page. Gordo's articles are concise with great content and cover a wide range of topics - triathlon, health, wealth, parenting and more.

 

If you’d like to subscribe and get more in-depth content go to:

Endurance Essentials: https://feelthebyrn.substack.com

True Wealth: https://truewealth.substack.com

 

Gordo mentioned this free eBook in the conversation. It's by 10k speed skating world record holder Nils van der Poel and it's excellent! How To Skate A 10K

 

In line with many previous guests, Gordo also nominated his favourite book:

Jason Koop's Training Essentials for Ultrarunning - the lessons apply much more broadly than running long.

 

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.

This week Simon gets interviewed by an old friend, Dave Algeo, as they chat about lifestyle choices and getting older.

This is a joint podcast. Dave asked Simon to be a guest on his show and as it was such an interesting conversation they agreed to share the chat on Simon's podcast too. David Algeo is a Restless Midlifer, searching for answers and adventure. His mission, should you choose to join him, is to seek out ways to get life back on his terms, heading in a more fulfilling direction and enhancing his health in the process. Simon and Dave talk about:

 

• how to maximise midlife and beyond
• what is deep recovery?
• Dave's practice of mental filing
• building up your physical pension, and paying off your loans
• how to reframe the “diet” word in order to enjoy your food
• why having a good meal doesn’t have to be time-consuming
• the pros and cons of wearing a sleep tracker
• how morning daylight helps with your sleep

 

To find out more about Dave visit these channels:

Email - dave@restlessmidlifer.com

Web - https://www.midlifereshape.com/

Podcast - https://www.midlifereshape.com/podcast

Linked in - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/davidalgeo

 

Dave's approach to making changes in life, health and direction are rooted in his sprout sweater philosophy. Check out his Crackerjack video HERE to learn more about the basic metaphor. Check out episodes 30 and 31 to learn more about Dave's approach.

 

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.

This week marks the 300th episode of the podcast! The very first episode was a 17 minute call with physiotherapist Alison Rose. Since that time we have published an episode every Wednesday for 5 years and 7 months without missing a single episode.

 

There have been over 655,000 downloads which means that the average for each podcast is 2,200. I’d like to say thank you to every single person who has listened, whether it's been one episode or all of them.

 

My goal now is the same as it was for the first episode: To share real world advice that will help you improve your human and athletic performance. For that reason I’m also extremely grateful to each of our guests. I have spoken with World and Olympic champions, scientists, authors, business leaders, entrepreneurs and more, and they have all been so generous in sharing their knowledge and wisdom.

 

There are always some guests or episodes that are more popular, and today's episode is our most popular ever: A rerun of the conversation I had in 2019 with Dr. Phil Maffetone. 

 

In this conversation we chat about everything around the MAF training method, including:

• A recap on how to determine your true MAF heart rate
• The relationship between MAF HR, aerobic threshold, maximal fat oxidation and why MAF is actually better and more reliable than expensive and time consuming lab tests
• How heat can affect performance, and how to adjust accordingly
• Why it’s ok to consume sugars from natural sources like honey and berries, and how the body treats them differently to refined sugars
• Dr Maffetone's simple prescription for a disease free life of optimal performance
• Why Phil loves fartlek training for intensity
• What you must do if MAF isn’t working for you

To find out more about Dr Maffetone please visit him on Twitter @DrPhilMaffetone or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philip.maffetone

 

In this episode we also discussed the following items/links:

2 week test to determine carbohydrate intolerance

The Overfat Pandemic why athletes who do lots of training may still look fat

Covid related athletic deaths:another perfect storm

Athletes: Fit but unhealthy

Fartlek training

The MAF test

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.

In the lead up to Outlaw triathlon events, this is probably the most asked question. We get plenty of others and so this week it’s time for something a little different.

 

In the run up to the Outlaw events I normally present webinars to outline the best training approach and answer common questions. This time we are doing this as podcast and I'm joined by Outlaw ambassador Dan Ward. 

Dan will be asking me the questions, some based on his curiosity around his own training and others on behalf of other potential Outlaws who have submitted their questions via social media. (TIP! This advice is still relevant, even if you are doing a non-Outlaw long distance triathlon.)

 

Some of the questions include:

• How much training should I be doing each week for the Full? 
• Do I need a coach?
• Does Z2 training really work?
• How do I know I’ll make the swim cut off?
• Road bike or TT?
• Will wearing Nike VaporFly help me get a faster run time?
• I need to lose 10kg before race day. What’s the best diet to help me do this?
• Will the results go onto Strava? I don't like wearing a watch on race day.

 

To find out more about Dan Ward please visit these social media channels.

YouTube - Triathlondan

Instagram - heyyydw

You can also find out how much training he is really doing on Strava

 

We still have places for some Outlaw events. Outlaw Half Holkham (9 July) is the British Middle Distance Championships and is likely to be very popular. Enter soon HERE.

 

It’s still possible to enter Outlaw Nottingham (30 July), Outlaw X (3 Sept), or if you fancy something faster, try the new Outlaw Sprint on 2 Sept.

 

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.

You might hope that with over 60 years of coaching experience between us we'd have learned a few things by now. Like not to be too ambitious, to remember all important pieces of kit before leaving for the race, or remembering that we are all getting on a bit rather than pretending that we are still 25.

Fortunately Marc, Steve and myself still think we are young at heart (and with the fitness to match) and that we can take on ambitious events like the Lakeland 50. When it comes to remembering stuff, we follow the old coaches rule, "Do as I say, not as I do!" So, we don't write checklists, and we do leave packing to the last minute. Forgetting the odd bit of kit adds to the experience!

 

Anyway, back to that Lakeland 50. After a self confessed "few years of detraining”, Steve rose to the challenge thrown down by Marc and has entered the longest run he has ever attempted. A 50-mile ultra marathon in the Lake District. 

 

In this episode Marc (as race director) outlines what Steve is letting himself in for, and Steve shares his very rudimentary training plan. We also chat about:

• A strange story about deceased Cambodian dictator, Pol Pot, opera song Nessandorma, and a hallucinating ultra runner
• The sad origins of the climb called Jacob's Ladder.
• Why you need a cowboy hat to take part in this year's event
• Downhill running and brisk walking must be part of the training plan
• Walking poles and why Steve needs to practice with them

You can find more information about Steve Lumley HERE. Marc Laithwaite runs The Endurance Store, an independent running and triathlon store in West Lancashire, and B-spoke cycles in Croston, Lancashire. Epic Events organise the Lakeland 50 and 100 as well as swim, bike, run, and triathlon events throughout the North West. 

Www.theendurancestore.com 

Www.b-spokecycles.com

Www.epicevents.co.uk

 

If you think you might like to enter the Lakeland 50 in 2024 please take a look at the race website for more details. Click HERE to watch a video of the 2022 event.

 

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.