Simon Ward, The High Performance Human Triathlon Podcast

Husband and wife racing duo * Jamie and Abi Bedwell

One of the reasons that I work with certain brands is because I like the folks who run the company, I love the product, and I want to do what I can to help them grow their business. Two of the brands I work with are Precision Fuel and Hydration (guests on last weeks podcast), and custom cycle and triathlon kit manufacturers, Raceskin. The owner of Raceskin, Colin McNeill, and I are long time friends and we have similar philosophies in that we love to help folks on their triathlon journey. Colin is currently sponsoring husband and wife Abi and Jamie Bedwell who both compete as pro triathletes under the team name Fuelled by Faith. Earlier this year I had the pleasure of watching them both gain their pro licenses on the same day at the Outlaw Half in Nottingham, with Abi winning and Jamie coming second in their respective races. In this episode we chat about:

• Working with GB triathlon legends Glenn Cook and Sarah Coope (6:00)
• Jamie’s huge accident while out running and how it was the start of their relationship (16:00)
• How to overcome anxiety during the triathlon swim (37:00)
• The positive impact of faith on triathlon performance (47:00)
• Genesis 215 project (50:55)
• Differences between professional and age group training (57:22)
• The dynamics of husband and wife racing pro triathlon (1:05:00)

 

To find out more about Jamie and Abi please follow them on their social media channels:

Instagram - Fuelledbyfaithajb

Facebook - Fuelledbyfaithajb

 

If you're interested in sponsoring Abi and Jamie, and helping them on their triathlon journey, please take a few minutes to read this:

Sponsorship Portfolio 

 

Book recommendations:

1. The Shack - WM Paul Young
2. Peak - Anders Ericsson 

Click here to find out more about Raceskin, wetsuit and clothing sponsors for Abi and Jamie.

 

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 * How good sleep improves your mental health . . and so much more!

For the next few weeks, I’m experimenting with publishing one additional weekly podcast (coming out every Saturday) which will be a quick 5-10 minute dive into one very specific subject. Because sleep is the foundation for everything that is good in our lives, I thought this would be a good place to start.

 

I know there are a lot of folks for whom the wake up alarm sounds like a jarring fire alarm going off, and it’s the start of a daily struggle to think clearly, make good decisions, and even to stay awake and on top of things during the afternoon.

 

Instead, what if your day started with you waking up naturally, getting out of bed full of energy and ready to take on the world. You have a clear mind, a great mood, and feel on top of your game all day.

 

That second version is not just some fantasy pipe dream. Many people have days like this, and it's not just down to luck. Consistently getting good sleep requires a bit of effort. Fortunately, the solution for most people is a few simple tweaks and the building of some good habits.

 

In this podcast I’ll share 7 benefits that you will experience when you consistently get good quality sleep.

 

Better decision making - Improved weight control - Less mood swings -Better mental health - Stronger immune system - Better recovery from training 

 

If you’d like to join me to ReCharge your sleep please CLICK HERE.

 

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.

Race day hydration and nutrition * Key lessons from over 200 athlete case studies

Nutrition is often called the fourth discipline of triathlon, and for those who spend time working on this aspect diligently, the results might confirm this. 

Recently I shared that we had agreed a partnership to work with the folks from Precision Fuel and Hydration. As a podcast listener this means you can get 15% of your first order (please look for the link in the show notes).

 

I've known their founder, Andy Blow, for many years and I really like their products, as well as the way they go about their business. One thing that makes them different is their goal to educate athletes about fuelling and hydration. In today's podcast Andy, along with their sports scientist Emily Arrell, chat with me about the case studies they've been writing about the athletes who use their products. There are over 200 now, and there are very significant lessons which have relevance for you.

• Key lessons from over 200 athlete case studies (4:30)
• Leon Chevalier’s flexible strategy that changes with each event.  Kona & Nice IM races (10:15)
• Training your gut: How Leon Chevalier trained his gut to absorb more carbohydrates per hour (15:40)
• Fuelling & hydration principles are similar for elite and AG athletes, but the numbers are different (16:45)
• Emily and Andy share some insights into their data on caffeine use during triathlons (35:40)
• Pre-race hydration (50:00)
• Off-season nutrition for endurance athletes (52:10)

Here are a couple of nice offers for you as a valued listener:

**Free one-to-one video consultation**

Speak with a Precision Fuel and Hydration expert to create your perfect race day strategy by going here:

https://www.precisionhydration.com/book-a-video-consultation/

 

**Discount Code**

To get a 15% discount on your first Precision Fuel and Hydration order, please click HERE

 

To follow Precision Fuel & Hydration please use these social media links:

Instagram: @precisionhydration
Facebook: @precisionhydration
Twitter: @thesweatexperts
YouTube:  www.youtube.com/c/precisionhydration
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/precisionhydration

Here is some other cool stuff you might be interested in:

Free online sweat test: https://sweattest.precisionhydration.com/pages/why-personalise-your-hydration-strategy
Quick carb calculator: https://www.precisionhydration.com/products/precision-fuel-sample-pack/#thecarbcalculator

We chatted about the new Flow gel product. It delivers 300g of carbohydrate, and the gel pouch can be poured straight into a bottle to save having to open and decant 10 individual gels for the same amount of carb. Find out more HERE.

 

Case studies: 
The conversation focussed a lot on the case studies created by Emily. These are 3 that you might be interested in from the recent Ironman World Champs in Nice.

• Leon Chevalier (5th pro):
• Pierre Stiereman (1st 30-34):
• Ross Harper (top-20, 30-34):

Emily also recommends the following book:

The art of explanation: How to communicate with clarity by Ros Atkins

 

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.

How to complete an ultra-trail run like the Lakeland 50/100

In a recent podcast with ultra running coach Jason Koop he said that ultra races were much cooler than triathlons and he wasn’t surprised that triathletes were giving them a whirl. One of the coolest and most popular Ultra running events in the UK is the Lakeland 50/100, and my 3 guests in this week's podcast are all triathletes.

Back in April, I chatted with Steve Lumley, a Grumpy Old Coach and long time friend who had taken up the challenge of competing the Lakeland 50 this summer. We also spoke with fellow Grumpy Old Coach and Lakeland race organiser, Marc Laithwaite. I’m pleased to be able to report that Steve managed to complete the 50, and today I’m catching up with him, Marc and another guest, SWAT member Owen Barden, who was taking on the Lakeland 100 challenge.  If you like our Grumpy Old Coach podcasts or you have are interested in taking part in the Lakeland 50, 100, or any other ultra trail run, you’ll love this episode.

 

• The ideal training for Lakeland 50 - Step ups, running in the dark and a course recce (19:30)
• Mindset and the importance of mental preparation (29:45)
• Why marathon runners struggle with training for an ultra (30:15)
• Hydration and nutrition are critical: Make sure you have a flexible, well practiced strategy(50:00)
• Choosing the right footwear: Cushioning and foot protection trumps grip (52:00)

 

 

Listen to the original Lakeland 50 podcast with Marc and Steve from April 2023. Listen to both of the episodes with Ultra running coach Jason Koop

Part 1 & Part 2.

 

To get your FREE copy of a list with all of our guest's recommended books, please Beth@thetriathloncoach.com.

 

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

 

The Lakeland 2024 races are already full. If you think you might like to enter the Lakeland 50 in 2025 please take a look at the race website for more details. Click HERE to watch a video of the 2022 event.

 

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.

Using resistance bands for strength training * Dave Schmitz

My guest today is Dave “The Band Man” Schmitz. Dave's a strength coach who focuses entirely on using resistance training bands to build mobility, stability and strength. I have to confess that despite my years of work as a professional strength coach, and my own personal training experiences, I have used bands mainly for injury rehabilitation.

 

During this conversation Dave explains his philosophy, the light bulb moment that got him started with bands, how bands are the most versatile strength building option, why they're the best option for injury prevention and longevity, what bands you need to get started, and finally why bands allow you to have your own portable gym when you travel.

 

After this conversation with Dave I’m having a complete rethink about how I approach strength training! Some of the topics covered include:

 

• Maximising your opportunities outside of the gym (32:00)
• Movement beats muscles for longevity (39:00)
• The importance of athletic development over sports specific training (49:00)
• The benefits of multi-planar work to improve weaknesses in a joint (53:30)
• Choosing the right resistance bands (1:05:00)
• How triathletes can incorporate resistance bands into their training (1:25:00)

 

If you would like to purchase any of Dave’s digital resources, please go HERE and use the following code at checkout - ward10  

 

To find out more about Dave and some of his resistance band resources, please check out the links below.

 

Websites   

https://resistancebandtraining.com

https://members.resistancebandtraining.com

Resistance Band Training Blog

Resistance Band Training Store

 

Instagram - @thebandgym 

 

Dave answers all of his own emails If you have a question for him you can reach him at the following address:

Dave@resistancebandtraining.com

 

Youtube - Bandtrainingworkouts  (This is broken into multiple playlists)

 

Dave recommended this book which is right in line with my current agenda -  

Outlive - The Science and Arty of Longevity by Peter Attia

 

In the conversation, Dave also referenced some of the videos outlined below:

 

6-Ways to Change up Training Intensity with 1 Band

Turning 1 Band Chest Exercise into 15

4-Ways to Change Resistance in 1 Band

6 Exercise Total Body Workout Flow

10-Reasons to Strength Train on Your Feet

 

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.

Faith and a passion for the cold * How to keep racing at 67 years old with Pat Cooke-Rogers

If you have raced at the Outlaw full or any UK Ironman in recent years, you may have heard of this week's podcast guest, Pat Cooke-Rogers. I’ve known Pat for several years, primarily because she holds the Outlaw prayer on the Saturday before the Outlaw Full, as well as the IronPrayer the day before UK Ironman events. Pat always reminds me when we promote the meeting that one doesn’t have to be religious to attend. There are folks who would value some kind words and empathy when they're feeling anxious, and Pat offers this opportunity. Whilst I’m not naturally given to prayer, I have to say that during dark moments in a long distance triathlon I recall wondering if anyone out there could help me get to the finish just a little quicker.

 

As well as being a chaplain, Pat is an accomplished endurance athlete in her own right having competed in Hawaii at the IM World Championships, qualified for the Ice Mile, and taken on huge challenges such as the Yukon Arctic Ultra on a fat bike. Oh, and by the way, Pat is in her late 60’s and still signing up for these challenges which makes our conversation even more interesting!

 

You know I love to find out about what makes older athletes tick, and today's conversation covers:

 

• Opening up, embracing nature, and the power of vulnerability (15:45)
• Embrace the cold - Pat’s love affair with ice mile swimming and the Yukon Arctic Ultra (21:15)
• Why Pat has 4 coaches and how they become more important as we get older (34:20)
• Gratitude (55:10)
• Less endurance, more strength work, better nutrition - balancing the daily challenges of aging and continuing to train (58:30)

 

Pat isn’t big on social media so there are no links to follow her. Instead, she's shared the below resources.

 

Her favourite book is a mega tale of endurance!

‘8000 miles across Alaska: A Runners Journey on the Iditarod Trail’ by Jill Homer.

 

Pat talked about her passion for events in cold conditions. Please check out these videos:

The Yukon Arctic Ultra - you can get a brief insight to this event from the trailer. There are links to longer videos if you are interested.

The Lapland Arctic Ultra - Pat’s next challenge

Ice Mile swimming - Not a video about Pat but you’ll get the idea!

 

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.

From ”clueless in the pool” to European Champion in 10 years*India Lee

Back in 2012 a young lady was walking through Hyde Park with her sister. There was a triathlon taking place and she recognised the names of some of the athletes as ones she had raced against in prior running events. It was the London Olympic Triathlon and she heard Vicky Holland's name. At that time India Lee was taking a sabbatical from her running career and looking for something different. Her coach didn’t want to see her stop competing, so he suggested triathlon. Seeing the race in Hyde Park India thought, “Why not?” and so she entered her first triathlon at Blenheim. In the 10 years since, she has won an ITU World Cup event in Italy, finished first in Ironman 70.3 events, raced at The Ironman World Championships and won ‘The Championship’ event hosted by Challenge in Samorin. This is the story of how India Lee turned herself from a top class runner into a world class triathlete.

 

• The good and the bad of a US university running scholarship (10:30)
• Burn out (16:20)
• Clueless in the swimming pool (20:40)
• Taking control (30:15)
• Learning valuable lessons at the Rio test event (35:10)
• Racing 70.3 -  “It’s so nice” (51:00)
• Dealing with adversity - bike nightmares (52:30)
• No gears but still the winner of The Championship (1:08:50)

 

To find out more about India Lee and her racing experiences you can follow her on Instagram @indielee_tri

 

Her favourite book is Do hard things by Steve Magness 

 

She also likes listening to these podcasts

- Revisionists History with Malcolm Gladwell.

- No Stupid Questions - Freakonomics Radio

 

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.

Spinning plates - the amazing life of Outlaw Full Champion 2023 Natalie Lawrence

Almost 20 years ago a talented young female athlete asked me to coach her. Natalie Barnard (as she was known then) was part of the Performance Squad at Loughborough, and she wanted a different approach to the one provided the the coaches at the centre. Natalie was already struggling with some issues around eating, and the highly competitive atmosphere at Loughborough wasn’t helping. We worked together for a short time until the weight loss led to a knee injury. Not only did she need to look after her poorly knee, she needed some very specific help to overcome her eating problems. We stopped working together at that point because she wasn’t doing any training. Imagine my surprise and pleasure when years later not only did I see that Natalie was racing again, but she was happily married and the mother of 4 children. 

 

This is the story of how Natalie managed to take control of her eating, return to health and winning ways. She is very honest and open about her previous and ongoing struggles and we do touch on some very sensitive topics. If there is anything that you hear which causes you to have concerns about family members, friends, training partners or club mates please look out for the links in the show notes below which will guide you to places where you can find help for yourself or loved ones. Topics covered include:

 

• Spinning Plates (3:00)
• Competitive environments and the prevalence of eating disorders (28:00)
• The performance and health impacts of being too light (47:50)
• Winning at Long Course Weekend 2023 (1:01:30)
• The importance of having a support system (1:06:45)
• Being a competitive athlete and managing an eating disorder (1:12:45)
• How strength training can help you become a healthy human (1:18:10)

 

To find out more about Natalie please use the following channels

Website: www.nlfitness.net 

Instagram: @nattyb0  and @natlawrencecoach 

YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCvFMf3AHaEjMQZLBiye_sUw

 

Natalie is very open about her eating disorder and nutritional challenges. This is an interview on This Morning regarding the exercise anorexic culture is this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tTdZbLnQ6pI

 

To find out more about eating disorders and how to find help for anyone you are connected with who might be dealing with this please visit - The RED-S Project

 

Natalie also recommends the following books which she has enjoyed reading

Labyrinth - Kate Mosse

Breaking the Chain by Willy Voet - Festina 1988 - how drugs bought a cycling team to its knees

 

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.

From elite triathlete to CrossFit world record holder with Jess Towl

20 years ago Jack Maitland and I were asked by British Triathlon to run one of the Regional Talent ID Programmes in the North of England. The brief was to find talented young boys and girls who were good swimmers and runners and who might turn out to be exceptional triathletes. We didn’t do too badly with the two brothers (c’mon, you know who they are!!). Also in that squad was a young lady called Jess Towl. Jess was in the squad for 3-4 years and then left to train in Australia. On returning she joined the performance squad in Loughborough. Things didn’t quite work out as planned so she left to teach swimming and turned herself into a very successful CrossFit Games competitor. As a triathlete, Jess didn't have the physique or the strength for CrossFit and, as she explains, it was a long and arduous, but very rewarding, journey. She now works in Dubai as a coach to both CrossFit athletes and Triathletes. We talk about the differences in training between the two sports,  learning to perform olympic lifts, having a performance mindset, owning a CrossFit world record and how she is rebuilding herself after a catastrophic shoulder injury.

 

Enjoy the show! Who knows, you might find inspiration to change sports or just to start lifting weights for your triathlon performance. Some of the topics we cover include:

• Being part of the same triathlon talent ID programme as Jonny & Alistair Brownlee (3:00)
• Swimming or weightlifting - it starts with technique, technique, technique - (24:00)
• The benefits of a performance mindset when moving to a new sport (25:30)
• Different approaches to nutrition between triathlon & CrossFit (27:00)
• Owning a CrossFit world record (39:30)
• Double unders (41:00)
• To be good at CrossFit you need to be good at recovery (56:00)
• When weightlifting goes wrong - dealing with a bad shoulder injury (59:00)
• Skydiving and the Happy Hormone cocktail (1:03)
• Sleep trackers, gadgets and why you need to learn how to judge your own effort levels (1:21:00)

 

To find out more about Jess you can find her on Instagram at jesstowl

 

Jes coaches Triathletes and Crossfitters at InnerFight in Dubai. You can find out more about them here:

InnerFight.com

You can find her personal page HERE

 

Jess also likes to follow these Instagram channels and podcasts:

Wod_science - latest research on endurance training / weightlifting / nutrition 

drjamesdinic - General Health / Nutrition 

 

Podcasts:

InnerFight Endurance Podcast - All things Triathlon 

The Mind Muscle Project 

The Diary of a CEO 

 

Books: 

Chatter by Ethan Kross

Jess says, "Not usually the type of book I would go for but it is about how you speak to yourself in your head and how that affects your life / body. It really made me stop and think and gave me some great information on how I can make my performances in sport and my general day to day living better just by being conscious of how I am speaking to myself."

 

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.

Bike fit for older athletes: Why subtle changes might improve performance and enjoyment

Getting older is one of the certainties of life. Aging affects us all in different ways, partly due to genetics but mostly to do with lifestyle choices. In recent months I’ve been reading and writing about this a lot more, because I’m trying to find my own solutions to combat the inevitable as best I can.

 

The physios tell me that common issues they see in older athletes are reduced flexibility and range of movement which results in reduced ability to turn and look over the shoulder, a standard movement when driving or riding your bike. Increased tightness in the lower back, which means bending forward is more challenging. Tighter hips which means that squatting or lunging is more difficult.

 

Fortunately, cycling is a lot easier on the body than running and doesn’t require the same mobility as swimming. Nevertheless, reductions in mobility and flexibility can still present challenges when cycling. This is why I asked expert bike fitter Phil Burt to chat with me about adjustments that older riders could make to their bike set up to make cycling a little bit more comfortable, and therefore more enjoyable.

 

This is a great conversation with Phil, and we cover topics such as:

• being aero vs comfortable (11:00)
• shorter crank lengths (12:00)
• short nose saddles (36:30)
• pedal with more float(38:30)
• why disc brakes allow you to choose fatter tyres (46:20)

 

To find out more about Phil and the services he offers, please visit him at:

Website PhilBurtInnovation

Facebook - Philburtinnov

Twitter @PhilBurtInnov

Instagram PhilBurtInnov

YouTube Phil Burt Innovation

Linked In PhilBurtInnov

 

In this video, Phil explains his new approach to bike fit, performance, and comfort

 

Phil also recommended these books:

Start with Why by Simon Sinek 

Breath by James’s Nestor 

 

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.