Simon Ward, The High Performance Human Triathlon Podcast

Simon Ward and Sarah Coope

This week I return to the theme of Legends of British Triathlon and our first female guest, Sarah Coope.  Sarah was a 6 time European champion over all distances from Standard (1) to Ironman (2).  She was also the first GB female to make it onto the podium at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, finishing third behind Paula Newby-Fraser and Erin Baker. Since retiring from competition in the mid 90’s, Sarah has maintained a presence in triathlon as a coach with her longtime partner Glenn Cook, running Team Bodyworks Performance Triathlon in Eastbourne.

This is another great chat and as you’ll hear at the end Sarah enjoyed reminiscing some of her triathlon experiences including:

• The importance of play in the development of youth and junior athletes
• How a serious crash with a car led to her first triathlon bike and the start of a successful tri career
• Racing at the Home Nations event in N. Ireland and training with a security escort
• Sarah’s first wetsuit swim at the Nice International triathlon in France, a perfect example of why you should never try anything new on race day
• Completing her first Ironman having consumed just water
• Training in San Diego, the mecca of triathlon, in the late 80’s
• Just because you finish third in Kona doesn’t mean you have the perfect race
• The challenges of coaching junior athletes

To find out more about Sarah’s coaching work please visit the website, https://www.teambodyworks.com/ or the Facebook page Team Bodyworks XTC.

To find out more about Simon’s coaching please visit his website here.

To follow Simon on Facebook, click here.

For more information please go to www.SimonWardTriathlonCoach.com, or www.TheTriathlonCoach.com, or email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com. 

Simon Ward on how to train for an Iron distance event in less than 10 hours per week

While you will find many triathletes swapping stories on social media of their “high volume” training weeks, the truth is that the majority are training for these events on 10 hours or less each week and doing pretty well in the bargain. I have been asked this question quite a lot and so I wanted to put together a specific podcast outlining how I would prepare a programme with a 10 hour time limit.

In this workshop you will hear:

• Why meticulous time management is vital if you are to maximise your training
• How sleep and nutrition can provide a much better return on your training
• How mindfulness plays a big part in your daily routine
• Why consistency is your biggest ally
• What duration your longest sessions should be for each discipline
• When and how to include mobility and strength sessions
• How the ‘ideal week’ looks for each discipline

In the podcast I mentioned that I had put together a document with an outline structure of a 20 week plan. If you would like a copy, please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com and she’ll be happy to send it to you.  You won’t be put on a mailing list. 

If you aren’t already a member, please consider joining Simon’s Facebook group TheTriathlonCoachCafe. It’s free to join and all triathletes and coaches are welcome.

Simon also has a training group - The SWAT Inner Circle - where he provides programmes (like the one he talks about in the podcast), a lively and enthusiastic Facebook group, and regular training and lifestyle advice to members.  You can join SWAT here:  https://simonward1.lpages.co/swat-sign-up-page-2018/.

To follow Simon on Facebook, click here.

For more information please go to www.SimonWardTriathlonCoach.com, or www.TheTriathlonCoach.com, or email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com. 

Simon Ward and Alison Rose

In this week’s podcast, I’m returning to a conversation I recorded almost 2 years ago.  Alison Rose is an Olympic physio with many years of experience in working with elite runners and triathletes.  As we approach the race season, both the intensity and volume of your training are bound to go up and this will have a bearing on your risk of injury.  In this very short but highly informative chat, Alison shares some really insightful comments about why triathletes get injured and how to avoid it, including:

• Why 80% of triathlon injuries come from running
• The important contribution of cycling to your running injuries
• Why your Achilles injury might be more to do with tightness in the upper body
• Rehab and why it’s the 4th discipline
• Calf raises - the non-negotiable activity after every run
• Pre run activity - stretching the tight muscles and activating the sluggish ones
• An alternative definition of ‘smart’ training
• Good technique - why it reduces your risk of injury
• Alison’s 5 step process to staying healthy and uninjured

To find out more about Alison Rose and the service that they provide at the Coach House Sports Physiotherapy Clinic please visit http://www.cspc.co.uk/.

To find out more about Simon’s coaching please visit his website here.

To follow Simon on Facebook, click here.

For more information please go to www.SimonWardTriathlonCoach.com, or www.TheTriathlonCoach.com, or email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com. 

Simon Ward and Eric Tozer

In the triathlon space that we exist in we are surrounded by some extraordinary people doing amazing things. Today's guest is in a different stratosphere, not just because of his athletic achievements but because of the incurable disease he lives with every day.  Eric Tozer has type 1 diabetes, but he does not let that halt or slow his ambition. His resume of athletic achievements includes:

• World Marathon Challenge 2019 (7 Marathons, 7 Continents, 7 Days)
• Run Across America (3,000+ mile run across USA in 15 days with ten T1Ds)
• 140.6 mile Ironman distance triathlons
• 70.3 mile Half-Ironman distance triathlons
• Olympic and Sprint distance triathlons
• 26.2 mile Marathons
• 13.1 mile Half-Marathons

in this conversation hear:

• Eric explain the difference between Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes
• We discuss monitoring blood glucose and the gadget which replaces 288 finger pricks each day 
• How a pre race adrenaline surge can really mess up your blood sugar levels
• The challenges of training for and racing Ironman with T1 diabetes
• Running 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 different continents
• Two marathons in 2 days with a 63C temperature difference
• When mental strength replaces physical fitness

To find out more about Eric, please visit his website at erictozer.com

Here are links to some of the topics discussed today:

the World Marathon Challenge

The Dexcom constant glucose monitoring machine

Diabetes Sports Project

To find out more about Simon’s coaching please visit his website here.

To follow Simon on Facebook, click here.

For more information please go to www.SimonWardTriathlonCoach.com, or www.TheTriathlonCoach.com, or email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com. 

Simon Ward How to Train for an Iron Distance Event - Nutrition and Tapering

Today’s show finishes off the series on how to train for an Iron distance triathlon.  Previous episodes have covered the general training foundation, plus the basics of swim, bike, and run.  In the minds of many athletes, as long as you’re doing the training, this is all that matters.  But the quality of your adaptation to training can be enhanced enormously with a simple yet intelligent approach to nutrition.  Even then, you can do all of this right but sabotage your race day performance if you fail to pay attention to what happens in the final 2 weeks known as the taper period.  Therefore, today’s episode will highlight some of the other actions you might need to take to be at your best on race day, including:

 

• A simple definition of what you should seek to achieve with your daily nutrition
• Why numbers are not important, and why a simple portion size guide based on the hand is all you need
• The two simple daily habits which will help most athletes to achieve their body composition targets
• The female athlete triad, and how to avoid it
• The definition and objectives of the taper
• How long your taper should be, and why it depends on many variables
• Simple advice on how to implement a 2, 3, and 4-week taper

Click here for a portion size infographic:  https://www.precisionnutrition.com/calorie-control-guide-infographic

To listen to the prior episodes on training for an Iron distance event: 

https://simonward.podbean.com/e/simon-ward-on-how-to-train-for-an-ironman/

https://simonward.podbean.com/e/simon-ward-on-how-to-train-for-an-iron-distance-swim/

https://simonward.podbean.com/e/simon-ward-on-how-to-train-for-an-iron-distance-swim/

https://simonward.podbean.com/e/simon-ward-on-how-to-train-for-an-iron-bike-and-run/

To find out more about Simon’s coaching please visit his website here.

To follow Simon on Facebook, click here.

For more information please go to www.SimonWardTriathlonCoach.com, or www.TheTriathlonCoach.com, or email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com. 

 

Simon Ward and Radka Kahlefeldt

Pregnancy, childbirth, children and family welfare are a big concern to many triathletes and fitting training in around these “speed bumps’ is a daily predicament.  Today I chat with a professional triathlete who has been dealing with these challenges for the last 2 years. Radka Vodickova represented the Czech Republic as a triathlete at the London 2012 games. After that she switched her attention to 70.3 events and met her eventual husband Brad Kahlefeldt. In 2017 she became pregnant with their first child, just as she was about to start her season of racing. And that is where our story begins as I chat with Radka about everything around the subject of pregnancy, childbirth and the challenges of training and racing as a professional triathlete while raising a young daughter. Topics covered include:

• Racing at Challenge Samorin while 10 weeks pregnant…and then racing another 70.3 seven days later
• Some considerations for training while pregnant
• Why a lean, highly conditioned athlete ends up with a 48 hour labour period
• Resuming activity after childbirth, and what happens when you’ve already started and the doctor says, “You can start walking now”
• Racing, foreign travel and childcare
• Having your best season ever:  Is it down to having a child, creating balance in your life and being happy?
• Radka’s top advice for training before, during and after child birth (TIP- These are good tips for a healthy triathlon lifestyle for both men and women

To find out more about Radka and her coaching programme, or to contact her, please visit this website http://bkrcoaching.com/

Follow Radka Kahlefeldt on Instagram HERE —>>> RadkaKahlefeldt1

Radka mentioned the running belt she used while pregnant. You can find details about that HERE —>>>https://www.recorefitness.com/store/p3/Maternity_FITsplint%E2%84%A2.html

To find out more about Simon’s coaching please visit his website here.

To follow Simon on Facebook, click here.

For more information please go to www.SimonWardTriathlonCoach.com, or www.TheTriathlonCoach.com, or email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com. 

Simon Ward on How to Train for an Iron Bike and Run

This is the third podcast in the series “How to train for an Iron distance event”.  In previous episodes we discussed the general principles, followed by building a foundation and the swim.  In today’s episode we discuss the final two disciplines, the bike and the run, and in particular topics such as:

• Why the bike has the biggest influence on your entire race
• Why you must have a bike fit ASAP and train in your aero position
• Understanding your race effort
• BIG rides and why you should do them solo or with no more than 2 others 
• Choosing training routes that have a similar profile to your event
• Why the marathon is not about running fast, but about minimising the slow down
• Avoiding injury, compromise and consistency 
• Do you really need intervals to run well on race day?
• The journey and how it’s as important as race day

Jeff Galloway and the run/walk approach to run training

http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/run-walk/

Intensity Factor versus Time approach to Ironman Bike pacing

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/how-to-cheat-by-using-a-power-meter-in-an-ironman/

To find out more about Simon’s coaching please visit his website here.

To follow Simon on Facebook, click here.

For more information please go to www.SimonWardTriathlonCoach.com, or www.TheTriathlonCoach.com, or email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com. 

 

 

Simon Ward and John Thompson

At the elite level of sports, many of the top coaches now believe that the significant gains in performance will be as a result of mental skills and tapping into the part of the mind that limits our physical performance.  In today’s podcast I speak with John Thompson, a psychologist (and a Yorkshireman).  John spends much of his time working with high performing humans to help them achieve more in their work life.  The principles are the same for athletes.  In fact, at the recreational or age group level, one could argue that it’s your day to day mindset that is more important than your race day mindset.  Why?  Because for every race day there are hundreds of training days.

John and I have known each other for a while and done some good work together, so today's conversation includes some light hearted banter and more than a few laughs as we discuss:

• How understanding your “why” is the key to achieving your goals
• 4 tips to use every day to get more from your training and life
• 3 race day/race week tips to ensure you hit your goals when it matters
• When you are having trouble with decision making, how to “be more Yorkshire”
• Dealing with post-race blues, the “goodwill loan” and why everyone has to repay it at some time

To find out more about John Thompson and the work he does please visit his website at Peoplaeandcultures.com.

Facebook - John Thompson

Twitter - metropolisJT

Instagram - MetropolisImages

To find out more about Simon’s coaching please visit his website here.

To follow Simon on Facebook, click here.

For more information please go to www.SimonWardTriathlonCoach.com, or www.TheTriathlonCoach.com, or email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com. 

Simon Ward and Franko Vatterott

You might think that it’s only the super stars of world sports who have agents and managers, but you would be wrong.  Today, my guest is the founder of Human Interest Group, a sports marketing and business development company.  Franko Vatterott looks after the business interests of many of the world’s top long distance triathletes including Tim Don, Rachel Joyce, Craig Alexander, Sam Appleton, and Lesley Patterson, to name jus a few.

Franko has been involved in sports marketing for many years and for the last 15 specifically in triathlon and latterly cycling.  This is a super conversation with a really engaging guest who explains how the industry works from a perspective rarely seen by the triathlon public, including:

• Forming the original TriDubai team in 2005 and what happened next
• How a chance meeting with Craig Alexander got him started as a triathlon manager
• The importance of building relationships in a small community like triathlon
• Tim Don, that accident, and "The Man with the Halo” documentary
• Triathletes and social media: How does that work?
• How the changing face of sports retail has affected triathlon sponsorship
• Franko also shares his top tips for age groupers seeking their own sponsorship

To find out more about Human Interest Group click HERE …www.humaninterestgroup.org

Watch “The Man in the Halo” documentary HERE….. https://www.humaninterestgroup.org/blog/the-man-with-the-halo-documentary

To find out more about Simon’s coaching please visit his website here.

To follow Simon on Facebook, click here.

For more information please go to www.SimonWardTriathlonCoach.com, or www.TheTriathlonCoach.com, or email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com. 

Simon Ward on How to Train for an Iron Distance Swim

After the popularity of the recent podcast, “How to train for an Iron distance triathlon”, I had several requests to record a follow up, providing more detail on how to train for the various components - swim, bike, run.  There is always lots of debate about what are the right and wrong ways to do this.  To be quite frank, I’m not sure if there is truly a right way for any of it.  Take a random poll of 140.6 finishers and you’ll find an equivalent number of approaches shaped by a whole host of circumstances.  The one true answer is:  Find what works for you.  That said, there are a number of abiding principles for each discipline and over the course of 25 years it’s become apparent that there are some approaches which work best for the majority of athletes, and that’s what I hope to be able to describe today including:

• the importance of a good ‘foundation’ and what it includes
• understanding the requirements of a 3.8k swim in your race and what that means for your training
• training paces, how they relate to your 400m TT swim and your race pace
• why training to swim more efficiently might be a better goal than faster
• how to get the most from your open water swim sessions
• specific guidance on high intensity sessions
• why you must prepare for a non-wetsuit swim at certain events
• the importance of a good warm up on race day
• how to make sure the swim sets you up for a good day

In the podcast I referred to the earlier show 'How to train for an Iron-distance race’ . You can listen to that here.

To find out more about Simon’s coaching please visit his website here.

To follow Simon on Facebook, click here.

For more information please go to www.SimonWardTriathlonCoach.com, or www.TheTriathlonCoach.com, or email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.