In this article, Coach Philip looks at the classic first-time IRONMAN athlete dilemma: To do a marathon in the Spring before a Summer IRONMAN, or not? Have a read on to find out more.
Read MoreOften triathletes reach for the open water early season to get ready for their first race. Initially, this dive in may be more about braving the cold than anything that can resemble a decent training session. For time-starved athletes, there may be a questionable benefit of a short swim with travel and preparation/changing time) included. Read on to find out how to make the most of the open water swim sessions.
Read MoreIn this article, we look at Energy Availability and get under the hood of what makes us healthy and what makes us strong. Performance correlates with consistency in training, so avoiding skipped training sessions through illness or injury is critical to success. How can we use Energy Availability and an understanding of our body’s needs to enable better performances and body compositions?
Read MoreHere Coach Philip looks at the psychological makeup of endurance athletes and goes under the hood to find out what makes higher performers successful. Often athletes talk about mental toughness and the ability to “griz” it out. Though these are both admirable qualities, are they actually the main focus, or is there more to it than a tolerance or enjoyment of self-inflicted endurance?
Read MoreThere is a lot of advice and guidance given to female athletes on what they should and shouldn’t do throughout pregnancy but where there is a less clear approach is post-natally, the road to recovery and a gradual return to training. The general rule of anything to do with pregnancy and postpartum training must be in line with what your medical practitioner says is safe for mother and child. However, the advice is not catered to the athlete and more the generic, everyday woman. In this article, we want to explore in more detail some considerations in getting back to your sport after pregnancy and returning, dare I say it, fitter, stronger and more determined. As you will learn, it is so much more than just the six-week check-up and then “back to sport as normal” approach.
Read MoreAs athletes get older, their bodies change internally and externally. Female athletes have more obvious internal changes than men, but even today, there is limited scientific knowledge in this area, and more research must be done. However, for now, what do we know happens to female athletes as they get older, and what does that mean for endurance sports?
Read MoreWith so many options out there and the seemingly endless supply of expert triathlon coaches and influencers, it is easy to get confused about finding the right triathlon coach for you. Below, we discuss some key points on what to look for when seeking that match.
Read MoreFinding a coach: a triathlon coach, an endurance coach, an ultra marathon coach – whatever kind of coach can be quite stressful. It can be hard to know where to look and what is important and what isn’t. Especially in the early part of the new year, coaches are everywhere and social media becomes a shouting match as people compete to shout the loudest. Read on to help cut through the noise and find yourself a coach.
Read MoreHere coach Philip discusses why he wants to see a relaxation in his athletes before they restart the next season. Training continually is stressful; if you don't recover adequately from it, how will you be ready for the next season?
Read MoreOften athletes want to know how the professionals train and they gain access to “behind the scenes” footage of the pro’s big training days. However, we rarely gain insight into what separates us from the people most like us: the top Age Groupers.
In reality, these are some of the real superstars of the sport. They are competing, sometimes on the fringes of the professional ranks in IRONMAN or any other distance, but without the perks of a professional lifestyle. Read on to find out how you can learn from these athletes.
Read MoreOn 12th September 2020, Founder and head coach Philip Hatzis was invited to Blenheim Palace Triathlon. Usually, one of the largest events in the country and one famous for its levels of participation. Here are his insights on the day and hopefully will help you settle any questions you may have on how triathlons can be COVID-Safe.
Read MoreThroughout the lockdown, British Triathlon has been working very closely with event organisers to return to play as quickly and as safely as they can. Founder Philip Hatzis was part of that working group, and he outlines the principles below in an easy to understand concise manner.
Read MoreHere coach Philip discusses how to make a comeback. After several years of racing as one of the top age groupers, his personal circumstances changed, he picked up an injury and chose to do more coaching than training. Though he is hardly moving back up the rankings, he is enjoying training more again. Read about his advice and experiences.
Read MoreFor Long course athletes, nutrition is the 4th discipline, but as you race shorter, the focus is more towards transitions. Nevertheless, as always, nutrition can make or break your event plans. What are the common mistakes that can be easily fixed by short course athletes?
Read MoreRacing, training and that fancy new bike all cost money. Furthermore, we are instructed to ensure we practice our nutrition strategy to ensure we don’t miss out on an ability to utilise more energy and improve our gut tolerance. How can we do that without spending a fortune on expensive products?
Read MoreThe year 2020 will go down in many athletes logs as the year that never was, but why should it? We can all think about being able to pull a positive from a negative, and as we slowly get closer to a “normal” training regime again, how should we be planning for the future? What do we do with our previous goals, aspirations and hopes for what could have been in 2020?
Read More10 years ago the idea of Tri Training Harder was officially realised and now, founder Philip Hatzis looks back on what he has learned and what he wants to continue working on going forwards.
Read MoreHere, Coach Philip reflects on the current industry situation and how coaches are doing their part as always, for the athletes. The industry is currently confused and in some instances desperate, but we need to rise above this to ensure the athlete’s health always comes first.
Read MoreHere Coach Philip discusses how viewing lockdowns, limits on training stresses and intensities as control sense is only going to lead to pushing back against the rules and trying to do what you have always done. Instead, view these new boundaries as a challenge and an opportunity, and suddenly, you can see that you are learning and developing far quicker as an athlete than ever before. Yes, there is a change in the landscape; yes, there is a change in the rules; yes, there is a change in the attitude we need to adopt. However, there is no reason to change the approach of deliberate and diligent practice seeking better versions of ourselves.
Read MoreAs we can see from the news (and our inbox), Coronavirus is having a lot of impact on training sessions and races around the world. Pools are closed, races postponed or cancelled and group workouts at gyms shut too. This is an inconvenience for all of us triathletes. However, we should be quite stoic about all this.
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