Simon Ward, The High Performance Human Triathlon Podcast

Finding your physical and mental limits: Is it nature or nurture? Emily Cowper-Coles

When I first started working in elite sport I believed that not only did the best athletes have natural talent and a good work ethic, but that they also had a life which was completely under control. From the outside looking in, many armchair fans think that elite athletes, in any sport, have it all.

Nothing could be further from the truth, as you'll hear in this week's podcast. It's a very open and honest conversation with elite female fell runner, Emily Cowper-Coles. During the chat we explore:

• Whether a person's ability to push themselves to their physical and mental limit is nature or nurture
• The domino effects of a sudden traumatic family death when she was 13
• Dealing with chronic stress fatigue, and why it's a mental and physical illness
• How and why to seek help early, and be kind to yourself
• Learning through mistakes and experience
• The benefits of yoga for relaxation
• Competing at a national level as a fell runner, and setting records
• Why the athletes who can perform to their potential are the ones balancing everything sustainably

I hope that you find this conversation as inspiring as I did. If you or anyone you know is affected by any of the issues we discuss, please check out the links below to seek help or guidance.

Red Cross - If you are lonely or want to be kind to yourself

Young Minds - Fighting for young peoples mental health

Assist Trauma Care - If you are the victim of a traumatic bereavement

 

If you want to find out more about Emily and her adventures, please check out these links:

Facebook - 3 wheeling cycle

3 women, 3 peaks, 1 world record

Emily’s 3 peaks solo record attempt

If you’d like to help with Emily’s fundraising this is her JustGiving page.

 

Favourite Motivational Songs

Coldplay - Sky full of stars

Self esteem boost: 

The Greatest Showman - This is Me! 

 

Favourite Book - Make Your Bed - Admiral William McRaven

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please email her at Info@BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

To leave a review of the podcast on Apple podcasts CLICK HERE.

 

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.

Bite Sized Edition - 7 steps to being a better swimmer this winter (+1 bonus tip!)

Swimming is the most skill-dependent of the 3 triathlon disciplines, and the one which brings the least gain in terms of minutes saved on race day. And yet it's also the one where most triathletes are frustrated by their apparent lack of progress despite regular visits to the pool.

In this bite sized podcast I’m going to lay out my 7 step process for becoming a better swimmer this winter. I've also thrown in a bonus step for you at the end, including:

 

• Why you need to see a swim coach regularly
• Identifying your key technique limiters and specific drills to fix them
• Key benefits of swimming frequently rather than long
• The real reason why you should focus on technique first
• Patience, and why you can afford to improve slowly
• The link between a physio assessment, mobility, and swimming better

 

Podcasts mentioned in this episode:

Ray Gibbs - Learn to swim easy before swimming fast

Josh Spencer - The ONLY two ways you can become a faster swimmer

 

If you have any questions for me about how YOU can become a faster or more efficient swimmer, please feel free to send me an email.

 

If you're a new listener, you can subscribe to the podcast HERE so that you never miss an episode!

 

I would love for you to share the episode with one person you think could benefit!

 

To leave a review of the podcast on Apple podcasts CLICK HERE.

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.

Going from Couch to 5k up to Ironman * Bianca Fernandez

Most triathletes are good at spinning plates. They're high achievers and it's normal practice for them to have a lot going on. Today's guest is no exception. When Bianca Fernandez was growing up, she excelled at her school work but had no interest in PE or sporting activities. At the age of 29 she decided to follow the Couch to 5k programme. She wasn’t fast but she finished and was so proud of her achievement that it motivated her on to greater challenges - marathon, 70.3 distance triathlon, and eventually Ironman. By a stroke of luck, she won a Kona spot through their Golden Ticket competition celebrating IM Kona's 40th anniversary. She became the first ever athlete from the Dominican Republic to compete in IM Kona. Along the way she's encountered challenges in her life such as working as a female in a male dominated industry, and living in a country where access to sports activities was limited. These experiences have driven not just her participation in triathlon, but the desire to encourage more females into the sport through her charity FundHerTri UK, and at work were she volunteers as part of a group to improve diversity in the workplace.

 

To find out more about Bianca you can find her on IG at Biancatriathlon.

 

You can find her charity, FundHerTriUK, on their Website, and on IG at 

fundhertriUK.

 

These two links also have excellent resources around getting more women to start lines: She.races and Bethan Taylor Swaine, founder of WellBeing.

 

Bianca was inspired by the book Becoming by Michelle Obama.

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please email her at Info@BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

To leave a review of the podcast on Apple podcasts CLICK HERE.

 

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.

Bite sized edition - Understanding zone 2 training: Why it’s important for your longterm health AND your fitness

Zone 2 training is a hot topic now, and rightly so. You might be surprised to learn more about the full range of benefits that training in this zone can have. If you're able to engage in the process of zone 2 training, and have patience, a few months of working in this zone will result in amazing fitness gains for the next season. Some of them are:

• Improved fat oxidisation at sub-maximal efforts
• Better lactate clearance capacity
• Faster recovery from training sessions, leading to improved consistency

However, the benefits that a lot of people may not think about are the ones that improve your overall health as a human being, and your longevity. Please remember that you're a human first, before you're an athlete, so these benefits would ideally have a much higher priority in your mind. They are:

• Improved longterm mitochondrial function (which naturally declines with ageing)
• Better resistance to metabolic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes and obesity

The bottom line is that if you fully embrace zone 2 training, your longterm health prospects will improve, along with your athletic performance. 

In today's podcast I've outlined the above in more details, and provide suggestions on how to incorporate this training into your own programme.

In the podcast I referred to a podcast conversation between Dr Peter Attia and Inigo San Milan (coach to Tadej Pogacar) about this specific subject.

They go a lot deeper than I can in 10 minutes. It’s well worth a listen.

Deep dive back into Zone 2

 

If you're a new listener, you can subscribe to the podcast HERE so that you never miss an episode!

 

I would love for you to share the episode with one person you think could benefit!

 

To leave a review of the podcast on Apple podcasts CLICK HERE.

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.

Nice and Kona Ironman World Championship Reviews with Tim Heming

Since 2002 I haven’t missed many Ironman World Championship events. Being on the Big Island during race week is a magical time Having missed a couple since Covid I realise how lucky I've been to be able to travel each October. I also met my wife Beth on the finish line while volunteering so now it has a special place in our hearts.

2023 is one of those years I missed and I’m especially sad about that because the racing was exceptional at both Nice and Kona.

 

The IRONMAN World Championships have been held in Kona, Hawaii since 1978. Covid forced a change of location to St George for the 2021 race (which had to be held in May 2022), and then in 2022 World Triathlon Corporation experimented with two races on different days. For whatever reason, more changes happened in 2023 so this year we had the mens-only race in Nice in September and then on the usual second Saturday in October we had the female-only race in Kona. Our favourite triathlon journalist Tim Heming was lucky enough  to go to both events and he joins me today to discuss his thoughts on: 

 

• Tim’s top 10 predictions versus the final results
• the concept of splitting not just race days but also venues
• atmosphere in both locations leading up to, and on, race day
• overall quality of racing not just for the pro athletes but age groupers as well (this is especially poignant given the negative publicity that WTC were receiving before the Kona event)
• does the split venue format have enough support and momentum to continue after 2025?

 

If you want to follow Tim for his insights on the world of triathlon you can find him on Twitter (X): @TimHeming

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please email her at Info@BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

To leave a review of the podcast on Apple podcasts CLICK HERE.

 

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.

Setting SMART goals for triathletes: The road to success

In this episode of the High Performance Human triathlon podcast we delve into the importance of goal setting for triathletes.

 

I’ll introduce the SMART goal framework, emphasising the need for goals to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. I’ll talk about the significance of each component and offer practical tips, such as breaking down long-term goals into smaller milestones, writing goals down, and celebrating successes. Finally, I touch on the psychological aspect of goal setting.

 

Having clear objectives for next season is a crucial part of a triathlete's journey, providing purpose, motivation, and a clear path to success.

This broadcast follows on from last week's bite sized episode where I spoke about your end of season review. If you haven’t listened already, please check it out HERE.

 

If you're a new listener, you can subscribe to the podcast HERE so that you never miss an episode!

 

I would love for you to share the episode with one person you think could benefit!

 

To leave a review of the podcast on Apple podcasts CLICK HERE.

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.

The Simplistic Mobility Method with Tom Morrison

If you want to be better at any physical activity, it's really important that you move well. And if you want to keep doing what you love into your 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, mobility is a critical piece in that puzzle. It’s fair to say that I haven’t always been the best advert for mobility but that all changed when I had a bicycle crash a few years ago. Today's guest, Tom Morrison, had a similar experience. A debilitating back injury at the age of 25 stopped him in his tracks and he spent 12 months fixing the problem. Now his passionate and enthusiastic approach is attracting a lot of fans and he's building a huge following with his Simplistic Mobility Method.

 

If you haven’t yet experienced the benefits of daily movement practice I hope this conversation kick starts that. If you're already an advocate, you'll no doubt get some new ideas.

 

In this conversation we chat about:

 

• If your knee starts hurting it's usually because of something else (3:45)
• Why you should start doing the 90/90 position right away (15:54)
• Having wiggle room to have a bit of a whoopsie
• Your feet are your foundation, and barefoot training (33:13)
• The most valuable skill you'll ever develop with yourself is to watch yourself move (40:00)
• 5 minutes per day is all you need (46:05)
• The best injury you get is the one that never happens (52:44)

 

Tom has a FREE email series you might be interested in, The Seven Days Of Awesome.

 

There's also a Black Friday offer coming up which you’ll be able to find HERE.

 

To find out more about Tom please visit these channels:

 

Website: https://tommorrison.uk

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TomMorrison

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

Instagram: https://instagram.com/tom.morrison.training?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tom.morrison.training

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tom_morrison?_t=8eMnk3YfqBf&_r=1

 

These are some of Tom’s most popular blog posts:

The Simplistic Mobility Method

The best advice for chronic back pain

The Non-Negotiables for better movement

How to fix chronically tight hamstrings

How to exercise with hypermobility

 

Tom has a really fun YouTube page and these are some of his most popular videos:

Piriformis Pain

Struggle to sit crossed legged

 10 Minute Follow Along

How to fix and Anterior Pelvic Tilt

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please email her at Info@BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

To leave a review of the podcast on Apple podcasts CLICK HERE.

 

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.

Bite sized edition - End of season review

Before you get into your winter training, it’s always a really good idea to review the season you have just completed. There’s no set way of doing this so you need to find something that you are comfortable with and that will provide you with some guidance for your upcoming training plan.

 

In this episode I’ll explain why a season review is a good idea, and some of the aspects that you might want to consider. I’ll outline how you can pull this all together to help you get a feel for what needs to be done to hit your goals in 2024 . . which will be the topic of the 4th bite sized episode next weekend.

 

If you are a new listener you can subscribe to the podcast HERE so that you never miss another episode.

 

I would love for you to share the episode with one person you think could benefit!

 

To leave a review of the podcast on Apple podcasts CLICK HERE.

  

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.

The athlete inside - From 150kg to world class athlete * Sue Reynolds

This podcast is over 6 years old now and during that time, we've had many inspirational guests. Our guest this week absolutely falls into that category!

 

In 2012, Sue Reynolds weighed 335lbs (that’s 150kg) and couldn’t even tie her own shoelaces. She was about as far away from being a triathlete as one can be. Her first exercise session amounted to a 100yd walk to her neighbour's driveway and back, and it left her exhausted.

 

One year later she'd lost over 100lbs and entered her first triathlon still weighing 226lbs. Imagine the courage that took!

 

She continued on her journey, exercising regularly and eating real food. Today she weighs in at 135lbs and has two triathlon world titles to her name (Aquabike and Mixed Team Relay).

This is a story of courage, inspiration and hope to discover the athlete inside. Our discussion covers many subjects, including:

 

• There are no quick fixes (15:10)
• Sweat is a trophy (22:45)
• Everyone is an athlete (30:00)
• The start line is the victory (35:40)
• Success mantras and the first triathlon at 285lbs (36:30) 
• Kind words and how one man at the finish line changed my life (52:00)
• The process is the fun part (1:11:00)

 

To find out more about Sue Reynolds please visit these channels:

Website - suereynolds.net

Facebook - Sue Reynolds Triathlon

X (Twitter) - @SueReynoldsTri

Instagram - sue.reynolds

 

Go here to get your copy of Sue’s book The Athlete Inside: The Transforming Power of Hope, Tenacity, and Faith 

 

Links to my referenced podcasts:

Matt Pendola - How to unlock FREE running speed in 12 weeks

Bobby McGee - How to be a more efficient runner

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please email her at Info@BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

To leave a review of the podcast on Apple podcasts CLICK HERE.

 

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.

Bite sized edition * Simple principles for your day-to-day eating

This episode is about nutrition, and today I’d like to outline what I see as the basic principles of good nutrition. There’s a lot of noise out there about following this or that specific diet. The truth is that none of them are really any better than the other, and ultimately YOU have to find out what works for YOU. For example, I still don’t believe that keto is a good nutritional approach for endurance athletes (unless you’re doing keto for medical reasons). That said, if you have been strictly sticking to keto for several years with no issues then who can argue with that?

 

My biggest concern is that athletes are trying to find the magic bullet while ignoring the basics. A bit like mowing the lawn while the house is on fire.

 

Here are my top 3 basic principles. Listen in to hear the other 7 along with brief explanations for each:

• Eat real food
• Make time to plan and prepare meals
• Carbs are essential for endurance athletes

 

If you'd like some help with your nutrition please send me a brief email outlining your main obstacles.

 

To leave a review of the podcast on Apple podcasts CLICK HERE.

  

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.