Simon Ward, The High Performance Human Triathlon Podcast Simon Ward

"There are no solutions, only compromises"
In last week’s podcast Lexi Kelson and her colleague Emily Arrell from Precision Fuel and Hydration spoke with 3 SWAT athletes to help them create a viable race day hydration and nutrition strategy. 
This is all very well, but race days don’t come around that often and in between there are many days of normal living and eating. But even then not everyone has things so straight-forward.
What if you are one of the folks who have stomach or digestive issues which make even everyday eating a real challenge?
Lexi is a Clinical Dietician, and we thought it would be helpful to talk about challenging dietary concerns such as gluten free, IBS, and celiac. We also discuss those who choose a vegan/vegetarian approach, as this requires not only a change of mindset but also some re-education of basic foodstuffs to make sure they are fully covered nutrient wise.
Other topics covered in our conversation include:
How athletes can successfully balance energy demands with nutrient dense meals
More on RED-S
How to use nutrition to prevent injury, and how to aid recovery if you do get injured
To find out more about Lexi please check out these links:
Blogs: 
How much carb do you need to optimise recovery after exercise?
9 Lessons when battling Red-S
Videos: The Prehab Guys
Podcasts: Barbell Medicine
Book: Fuel Your Body
If you would like to take up the invitation of a NO OBLIGATION video call with Emily, Lexi or one of their colleagues please CLICK HERE.
You can also create your own race day plan by clicking HERE.
As a podcast listener, you can get a 15% discount on your first order with Precision Fuel & Hydration. CLICK HERE to grab that.
If you want to upgrade your education about day to day or race day nutrition, please check out the P F & H Knowledge Hub. They have a lot of really cool articles written by their experts and partner athletes. If you type your topic into the search engine you will find the information you need. 
To follow Precision Fuel & Hydration please use these social media links:
Instagram: @precisionhydrationFacebook: @precisionhydrationTwitter: @thesweatexpertsYouTube:  www.youtube.com/c/precisionhydrationLinkedIn: 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-strategyQuick carb calculator: https://www.precisionhydration.com/products/precision-fuel-sample-pack/#thecarbcalculatorAthlete Case Studies: https://www.precisionhydration.com/athletes/case-studies/triathlon/
To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

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.

As the race season gets into full swing, I know that many of you are thinking not only of your performance goals but also how you can support these with a good race day hydration and nutrition strategy. Some of the key lessons I have learned over the years are:
 
1) without a good fuelling/hydration strategy you are unlikely to hit your goals, especially on the longer events.
2) there are 3 pillars to focus on - fuelling, hydration and electrolytes.
3) your strategy must change with every key event to cover differences in duration, intensity, course profile and weather conditions.
4) You need to practice your chosen strategy for a few weeks ahead of your A race.
 
I have an ongoing partnership with Precision Fuel and Hydration (P F & H) and one of the offers they have available to all athletes is a video call with one of their experts to discuss hydration and fuelling strategy. This is a no obligation call, so even if you use another product you can still have a chat and come away armed with some very valuable information.
 
In today's podcast three of my SWAT athletes have conversations with P F & H experts Emily Arrell and Lexi Kelson. The purpose of the podcast is to highlight exactly what format the call takes, and more importantly how they can help you to create a working strategy for your key events.
 
You will hear the following:
Matt Cooper and Emily Arrell discuss Matt’s upcoming 50m TT

Matthew Graham and Lexi Kelson preparing for IM Bolton 70.3

Rachel Pearsons and Emily Arrell chat about Rachel’s strategy for IM Hamburg
Key points to listen out for:

3 individuals with 3 different races means 3 different strategies
What you do in the 48 hours before your race can make a real difference
Testing the plan and the product in the weeks before race day is crucial
 
If you would like to take up the invitation of a NO OBLIGATION video call with Emily, Lexi or one of their colleagues please CLICK HERE.
 
You can also create your own race day plan by clicking HERE.
 
As a podcast guest you can get a 15% discount on your first order with Precision Fuel & Hydration. CLICK HERE to grab that.
 
If you want to upgrade your education about day to day or race day nutrition please check out the P F & H Knowledge Hub. They have a lot of really cool articles written by their experts and also partner athletes. If you type your topic into the search engine you will find the information you need. 
 

To follow Precision Fuel & Hydration please use these social media links:
Instagram: @precisionhydrationFacebook: @precisionhydrationTwitter: @thesweatexpertsYouTube:  www.youtube.com/c/precisionhydrationLinkedIn: 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-strategyQuick carb calculator: https://www.precisionhydration.com/products/precision-fuel-sample-pack/#thecarbcalculatorAthlete Case Studies: https://www.precisionhydration.com/athletes/case-studies/triathlon/
To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 


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 an

Someone once told me that good coaches never stop learning. This is a philosophy that I have carried with me ever since I started coaching, and one which I share with other coaches whenever we are delivering workshops. 
Reading books and speaking with podcast guests probably forms the majority of my learning these days, although not all. I still go to conferences and in person workshops. Today’s guest ticks two of the key learning boxes for me and I hope it does for you as well.
 
My guest today is strength coach Dan John, who is also an accomplished author. Dan is a big fan of kettlebells, although he is proficient in all forms of lifting. In the podcast you’ll hear him say that he’s often the strongest person in the gym even though he is now 67 and the owner of 2 titanium hips. What I enjoy about Dan from both his books and his videos is his simple, down to earth approach. He could almost be from Yorkshire!
 

Regular listeners will know that I’m really interested in strength training, and the benefits for humans not just on their athletic performance but also their health and longevity. Dan quotes some Eastern European strength writers who I will reference in the show notes. I read a lot of strength books, including some of the early Russian texts from which many strength training principles have been adapted.  If you are into your strength training you might want to check these out. 
 
In this call we only covered a fraction of what was on my list, so expect to hear Dan again in the very near future. Below are some of the topics we chat about:


 
(5:09) Building consistency is better than the perfect workout - “In my gym, we call it 5 x 52. You know, it's 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. I mean, that's the secret sauce!"
(6:14) The perfect workout
(34:38) Can you develop mobility & strength at the same time? "We loosen what is tightening and we strengthen what is weakening.”
(35:59) Athletes over 55 - "Focus on the 3 pillars - mobility, hypertrophy, fast twitch muscle fibres."
(41:01) What you do between 35-55 sets the template for how you are post 55 years old. “The future you will be happy that you lifted weights at 35."
(49:38) What is the minimum equipment you need for a home gym? "Even if you have no equipment, it doesn't matter."
(51:27) Differences in strength training workouts for males versus females - "So the only difference is probably more volume (higher reps/lower weights) on the push and pull movements”
 

To find out more about Dan John, please visit these channels:
Website - Dan John University
Sign up for Dan’s weekly newsletter “Wandering Weights” 
Check out Dan John’s books HERE
Dan is a prolific writer. Check out his articles and blogs 
If you have a question for Dan, most have already been answered HERE at my Q and A Forum.
 
Also in the show we talked about:
Robb Wolf
Vladimir Janda
 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 


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.

Have you watched the Paralympics? What about when you are taking part in or volunteering/spectating at  a running event or a triathlon? Have you ever observed the wheelchair triathletes? For them, it’s swim, to hand cycle, to racing chair. Everything is about the upper body, and I’ve always been curious about how they take care of their shoulders, and what constitutes a rest day.
 
Today I’m chatting with Bret Crossley, a paratriathlete who lives in the Leeds area. Bret has been involved in triathlon since a motor bike racing accident in 2006 damaged his spine. He has been part of the British Triathlon talent programme, raced triathlons up to half Ironman distance, and competed in the London Marathon many times.  This is an inspirational conversation, and I hope you enjoy it. We chat about:
 
Motor bike racing days and competing in the Isle of Man 
The accident, and how he coped in the immediate months after knowing he would never walk again.
Finding wheelchair sport 
Gaining inspiration from those worse off than yourself
Bret's training and racing schedule
Some challenges you might not have considered for chair racers and hand cyclists
 
To find out more about Bret and follow his progress, follow him on
Twitter (X) - @BretC22
 
In the conversation Bret mentioned how he had raced at the Isle of Man. If you want to get a sense of the absolute concentration needed to race on the island, take a look at this video of Peter Hickman setting a fastest ever lap with an average speed of almost 137mph.
Peter Hickman - Fastest ever lap of the Isle of Man TT
 
Bret also mentioned the Yorkshire Ability Triathlon that he is involved with.
Watch a truly inspirational video HERE.
 
Challenged Athlete Foundation who have provided Bret with funding for some of his equipment.
 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 


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.

The female monthly cycle and how it impacts training and competition is a conversation that athletes and coaches should have. The reality is that it can be awkward for both parties, so to avoid awkwardness it usually gets pushed aside. Which means that female athletes can feel isolated in navigating this part of their life. We should also include perimenopause and menopause in that conversation as it will affect most females at some point.
 
As a coach I do believe that we need to have these conversations, and that they should not be awkward.
 
Education is a big part, so to help us better understand the ways in which training and competition can be managed, I have invited Dr Natalie Brown onto the show as a guest. Natalie is a research assistant for the Welsh Institute of Performance Science. She works predominately with Sport Wales, leading on research with female athletes and the impact of the menstrual cycle on sport participation and performance. In this conversation with Natalie we talk about:


 

To truly understand the patterns of your monthly cycle, track it for at least 3 cycles
Lifestyle factors have a huge influence on the severity of your monthly cycle
Carbohydrate supplementation prior to HIT sessions might mitigate some symptoms
Menstrual cycle apps are good, but listening to your body is better
Perimenopause is ‘chaos’ but healthy lifestyle factors can help
How to arrange your training during the menopause
HRT for females? It depends!
Some guidance for coaches on how to open a menstrual cycle/menopause conversation with their athlete
 
To find out more about Natalie Brown and her work please visit these channels:
Instagram Optimal.Period 
Website www.optimalperiod.com, 
 
You can find some other really good resources at the following links:
Podcasts The Female Athlete, 
For continued education please check out Menstrual cycle online coaching modules:
UK Coaching resources
 
I also asked Natalie to recommend a book. This is her choice:
Good for a Girl Lauren Fleshman
 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 


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.

My guest today is Jim Vance  There are few individuals in the world with the teaching background, elite athlete experience, and coaching experience with elites, amateurs and juniors, as well as knowledge of training and a passion and understanding of tech. Jim has been the coach to US pro triathlete Ben Kanute for 8 years. He has also written 2 triathlon books (details of which you can find in the show notes) and is a consultant to several tech companies in the Multisport space including 80/20 Endurance and Velocity, a software programme for cycle coaching.
 
Jim and I have a great chat about the rapid advancements in technology and their impact on triathlon coaching. We get into the weeds on the physical toll of triathlon racing for pro athletes, given the ever increasing intensity of the races especially when racing in extreme heat.  Finally, and I think most importantly for you, the listener, we discussed the significance of personal harmony and relationships in achieving optimal athletic performance, and the crucial role of mental and physical preparation in triathlon. 
 
Topics include:
18:14 Athletes need to learn to trust themselves - "I care more about athlete mindset on the start line than I do about training."
28:25 On harmony in your relationships - "We've got to really enhance our world. That brings more stability to it, that reduces stress."


56:41 On how to get the best recovery and stress levels - "So what affects that recovery cycle? Home life, stress outside of it, nutrition, sleep, all those things probably come back again to relationships in your daily life."
1:17:35 On the power of showing vulnerability - "David Warden kept getting all these questions. And he kept saying, 'Well, I don't know the answer', and  afterwards it became this crazy thing, where all these coaches just came up to him."
 
 
To find out more about Jim please check out his Instagram page @coachjimvance

The most popular blog post he ever wrote: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/10-things-endurance-athletes-need-to-stop-doing/
Other cool stuff:
80/20 Endurance Coach Certification and community, with Matt Fitzgerald
Book recommendation for coaches, is a book called, "Motivational Interviewing in Sports", it's a game changer! 
 
Some of the coaches Jim mentioned have been podcast guests. You can find links to their work in the show notes for their respective episode:
Bobby McGee
Matt Pendola
 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 


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.