“Running is real and relatively simple… but it ain’t easy.” Weekly Blog #4 - Athlete Feature

So here we are, the end of another week of training, a Green week on Training Peaks and my first ever Park Run.

Green week of Training

I have never been the biggest fan of running, my preferred parts of the Triathlon was Cycling, Swimming and Running. Every now and then, I'd start to understand running. Understand why people are so obsessed with it, and I'd get jealous as I never had that connection with my running trainers.. but, I am hoping to reach that point, and ParkRun seems to have this addictive quality to it. I'm hoping, that along with a new shift pattern that is pretty much Monday to Friday I can start to make it a regular part of my training.

ParkRun

So this week, consisted of a couple of Swift rides, another attempt at a FTP that went much better than my last attempt and ParkRun. The shoulder held up well, a little bit of pulling feeling in it, but nothing too drastic and no major chances to pre running.

And thats another week of training done, and as promised, there is Sam, the second coach at Podium Addict, who by all accounts can have a very sadistic side.....

SAM

I've been coaching people informally for a number of years. When Gemma and I got chatting it was the obvious move to make it official, we've both got buckets of experience and been on the receiving end of great, good and very bad coaching.

We share the same passion for triathlon but it goes way beyond that, its the passion to help others get better and achieve their potential. It seems daft but the hardest part for us was coming up with a name! I'm still pushing my own limits in order to find w

ays to develop our athletes, I am a firm believer of not asking someone to do a session I wouldn't or couldn't do myself!

I realise that not everyone can dedicate their life to training and my coaching philosophy reflects that, there is after all, more to life than training and triathlon.

I've ticked a lot of boxes along the way to here. I've represented GB at World and European level, raced over 10 Ironmans (including a sub 10hr and the biggest long course race on the planet), countless 70.3's, joined the Brotherhood of Ventoux, cycled non-stop from Glasgow to Land's End and raced 24hr enduro mountain bike events.

I do the odd bit of sailing where my swim training occasionally comes in useful and used to help run a charity for Injured Servicemen, some of whom have gone onto complete an Ironman.