Last week we had 2 combatants at the european duathlon champs Powerman Alsdorf. John managed a 15 min course and distance PB and Nathalie ( yes her again) took Gold in her age cat. This week Andrew heads to Challenge Gran Canaria and the yoofs are heading to the first round of the British Super series. That has us looking at the lead in to the races and every athlete asks what is the best taper? As with all good coaching questions the answer is 'it depends'. There are multiple factors to consider ( and the science is not definitive) so we have to look at: 1. The demands of the race 2. The importance of the race - A, B, C 3. Where it sits in the overall season plan 4. How the individual reacts physically and mentally to a taper ( this will be influenced by age, conditon, recovery needs, nerves..etc) Very much not a simple thing like reduce volume and maintain intensity. What works for one person may not fit another and what is good for say a 5k run race like Fast ad Flat vs IM Lanzarote are completely different things. The single stand out tip for heading into a race is make sure your nutrition and hydration ar topped up - regardless of the severity or length of the race. A nice little 'cheat' on hydration we use medical goods. If you hit the medical tent post race in a state of depletion they generally hook you up on a drip with a nice saline based hydration fluid. Essentially it is the same as the rehydration sachets you can buy in the pharmacy so prevention is better than cure so a sachet a day 2-3 days out and the muscles at a cellular level willbe fully hydrated on the start line. In the UK it is called diorylyte!

The Hardy boys 500m at Forestburn this morning. Next one 15th March

Last week we had the chance to use 2 sets of these on camp. Several videos exist..this one for educational and comedy purposes. I think we are giving these the seal of approval

Not an exhaustive one a quick Friday night brain dump.

Our athletes Jack and Caitlin have been participating in Hyrox for a few years now. Both have background in strength training. Jack took to triathlon like a duck to water getting himself on podiums in short order. Caitlin debuts at the NYD triathlon 2026 and already has a strong run pedigree. They have competed in Hyrox mixed doubles and finished P2 at the Paris event, taking them to the world champs this summer. The following weekend Jack made his IM debut clocking up a 9:30! This time last year, I had to understand not only what it was but how it was possible to combine Hyrox with Triathlon. Caitlin set up a 3 way session for us and off we went for me to take a close up look. 20 mins later and I was literally on my knees. Hamstrings just shortened and there was nowhere to go. What fresh form of hell is this? Many triathletes, cyclists and runners do either zero strength, mobility or conditioning work or rely on in sport strength work. It's too hard to fit it in, it's boring or even..its not effective. There are even coaches who think that strength training is not beneficial for sport specific movements. Being strong and mobile isn't just about sport. If we look around there are people struggling to do simple things like lifting shopping bags or being unable to stand on one leg without holding onto something. So the curiosity then leads to participation and of course a well put together training plan from Caitlin was followed and in March mixed doubles with Maeve followed. As an event it was designed to allow participation at any level and as such in 2025 there have been over half a million participants with a 98% finish rate as there are no time cut offs. The Glasgow event was an experience with its own unique crazy vibe. Booming tunes, hype, razzmatazz, merch central and possible the epicentre of taps aff, fake tan and false eyelashes in the world. The event itself is hard, no question and it is clearly highly addictive so it has appeal for endorphin junkies for sure. It is a positive thing for sure ( ok as with everything some daft stuff). It is a runners race with some strength obstacles to negotiate so it looks like a good fit for endurance athletes. A great way to fall in love with being strong..and fast.