New Mizuno wheels for my trotters thanks to Pace Athletic. So far, they're like running on pillows ... any recommendations for something similar I can get to compare?  

This Thursday at 12.30pm UK time we are going LIVE on Instagram with James from @thealtitudecentre to chat about how altitude training can make a serious difference to your goals!

This is my first post on this new forum. So just thought I would share a little bit about me with you all. 

Although I’ve been an active person most of my life, less than two years ago I took a liking to cycling. My husband has been a cyclist all his life. I had never showed an interest in riding until he bought me a bike.  Now I have 4 bikes and absolutely loving getting up at 4am to ride. It’s the only sport/exercise that I can say I enjoy 100%. Even on the tough rides 🙌🏼

In just two weeks, registrations for Ultra X Scotland will be increasing to the final tier!

Make sure to secure your place at Early bird pricing before then.

Remember, you can take part in either the full 125km, 2 day weekend or Sunday’s 50km only option.

We cannot wait! 🏃‍♀️

WARNING - NIPPLE SATURDAY HAS ARRIVED!

All runners know the day.....when you think the weather has warmed up enough to loose the heavy base layers.......but your a week early

@dan bullock @Kelly McLay @Clare Ratnavira @Damien Dau 

This week we are going to be telling you a little bit about Ultra X Jordan, situated in the south of the country in the Wadi Rum desert.

Jordan was our first Ultra X race location and for that reason it holds a very special place in our hearts.

Leaving aside the true beauty of the place, the desert is steeped in history. Wadi Rum may be best known for its connection with British officer T. E. Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia, who passed through several times during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18.

Our race course, which changes slightly every year will take participants on a grand tour of Wadi Rum’s protected region. You’ll pass through canyons, dried up riverbeds and occasionally over big dunes (including, on Stage 4, a stretch through the very canyon Lawrence was said to have hidden out in!).

Remember, thanks to our payment plan system you can register for Jordan and pay your registration fee monthly over the course of 5 months. This goes some way in making the best value multi-stage ultramarathon on the planet, even more affordable.

Guess what dropped over the weekend?

Eat like Ryan Miller and Ash Thomo meal plans are now live on the website.

Link here--> www.ashthomo-nutrition.com/store/

💥 MY WEEKLY ROUND UP 💥

Motivation. This is something I have been putting a lot of thought into. I have been reading a book about the topic too - Drive by Daniel Pink. What it doesn’t really make reference too is a global pandemic. At the end of the day…..It doesn’t matter how much passion you have for what you do - the current climate can just take your motivation away. 

If you have ever met me you will know how much I live and breathe what I do. However sometimes I lose that zip, it just happens. I’ve worked out the solution to getting back on track though. I need to remove myself from my environment - new experience, new surroundings etc. At the moment we are a bit limited in what we can do but it is still important move the dial where we can. Take a different route home, cook something brand new, call a friend you haven’t spoken to in ages. You get my drift... if you are feeling similar look to see what you can change up. Get creative.

Workout of the Week

Man I did some CLASS workouts this week!!! This was my fav 🔥

Dumbbell Mayhem

21-15-9-21-15-9

Pair of @17.5kgs Dumbbells

➡️ Thrusters

➡️ Deadlifts

➡️ Power Cleans

Quote of the Week (Book, Person or Podcast)

I have TWO. I just couldn’t pick!

“It's only when the tide goes out that you discover who’s been swimming naked.” Warren Buffet

I love this quote so much. It’s so easy to say how good you are when the economy is thriving. However in times like this it really shows a person’s true resilience. 

“There is only one way to avoid criticism... Do nothing, say nothing and to be nothing” Aristotle

How true is that? Wow. I heard this on the High Performance Podcast episode with Eddie Hearn. Very very good!

Thought of the Week (Statement or Question)

Who are the people who bring you down?

Who are the people that build you up?

Who are the people that keep you grounded - they don’t let you believe your own hype?

What behaviours bring you down?

What behaviours build you up?

What behaviours keep you grounded - they stop you believing your own hype?

What is my main focus next week?

Honestly? I need a 3 hour walk in Richmond Park by myself to get clarity on that. Despite being quite an extrovert I love alone time and thrive when I get a concentrated period of it.

What was this weeks BIGGEST failure?

To be honest nothing. Not that I’ve been perfect. Of course not. I feel that for me failure is when I push the boat out and fall flat on my face at some point. My biggest failure has been NOT pushing the boat out. I haven’t been inspired to do so. 

What was this weeks BIGGEST success?

Making some big decisions on my new flat. Pushing the limits of what I can do that will increase the value in the long run! I have never done anything like this (doing up a house) and I have learnt a lot so far. 

Main lesson learned this week?

You can't conquer the world every week. Every now and then the stimulus DOES need to come from elsewhere. 

Ladies and gents keep your eyes peeled for my recent podcast with @Kelly McLay which will be out on SUNDAY!! It's been a long time coming but it's a beauty!

Have you registered your teams for our spiciest virtual challenge ever yet #Dawn2Dusk?

If you have not already done so, please do so via our website!

Remember, your team can cycle OR run/walk.

The concept is simple. How far can your team cover in 12hrs?

There will be all sorts of prizes and trophies up for grabs and everyone that takes part will be getting the limited edition medal 🥇

@OBZ Lifestyle Athlete @fitmejones Pushup variations 😄

@OBZ Lifestyle Athlete @emmarynne Work hard, work smart, push yourself, stay consistent, be patient and never give up! It takes time to build a better version of yourself. 💪😃

@OBZ Lifestyle Athlete @Dingomorrison Learn from the best while being Educated, Inspired and sharing in the stoke @thewaveofalifetime 😃

💥 MY WEEKLY ROUND UP 💥

I was right! The lack of sleep took it’s toll. I haven’t even been close to my A game this week. Ah well. I have still managed to move things forward and get through it okay. Sometime these weeks happen. Take them for what they are and crack on.

Workout of the Week

This was a naughty little hybrid (resistance and cardio) EMOM that I enjoyed. I have had some serious issues with my achilles this week which has encouraged me to focus on more static resistance workouts. All rep ranges were between 8 and 12. The tempo was slow and controlled (3-1-1-0) and weight was set at 65-70% of my 1RM (one rep max)

A

Minute 1: Barbell Back Squat

Minute 2: Dumbbell Chest Press

Minute 3: Lateral Raise

Minute 4: Rest 

B

Minute 1: 15 Cals on Rower

Minute 2: 15 Down Ups

Minute 3: 20 Wall Balls

Minute 4: Rest 

C 

Minute 1: Incline Dumbbell Row

Minute 2: Dumbbell RDL

Minute 3: Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Minute 4: Rest 

D 

Minute 1: Max Heavy Ball to Shoulder

Minute 2: Max Walking Dumbbell Lunges

Minute 3: Max American Kettlebell Swings

Minute 4: Rest

Quote of the Week (Book, Person or Podcast)

“An object in motion will stay in motion, and an object at rest will stay at rest, unless acted on by an outside force”

Isaac Newton’s first law of motion - isn’t that such an incredible sentence that is so relevant and transferable to so many areas of life? 

Thought of the Week (Statement or Question)

My approach to people has always been the same. Treat people how I wanted to be treated - with love, openness and humility. Sometimes I have questioned my approach as a leader / manager in regard to this. However the more I read, listen and explore this field, I understand how important those qualities are. People identify with that in the long term and are more likely to come along for the journey. The carrot and stick method of motivation is too narrow minded for me. Understanding on a deeper level what motivates and excites each and every individual is the fun side of management and in turn is what unlocks people’s true potential.

What is my main focus next week?

Get through - take it day by day. Identify the most important tasks and focus purely on those. 

What was this weeks BIGGEST failure?

I have tweaked my achilles through neglecting rest and recovery. Therefore I have not managed to master the double under. I was doing really well and starting to really make movements here but this has stopped me in my tracks. Annoying.

What was this weeks BIGGEST success?

Releasing a podcast! I have managed to talk myself out of doing the podcast for a while now but then I remembered the real purpose behind it. I want to look back one day at the podcast and be able to recap on my journey, lessons I’ve learned, incredible people I’ve met and how I evolved. That was one of the main reasons of why I started it, by doing that hopefully people will listen, enjoy and learn along the way with me.  

Main lesson learned this week?

A long walk with a mentor has the ability to give you incredible clarity. It can make clear what you don’t need to be concerned about and align you with what is actually important.  

Have a LOVELY weekend!! Catch up next week muchachos!

A huge congratulations to all of you who took on and smashed our World Championships Virtual Qualifier. We have been blown away by your efforts. Thank you!

So...... wanna see who's qualified for Slovenia? Hit this link 🤝 ultra-x.co/.../02/Results-Provisional-01022021.pdf

📸 @benedict_tufnell

A balmy 2 degrees for morning run along the Thames....now off for some turbo with Kelly @Kelly McLay 

Don’t tell her but giving a new definition to “pain cave” for her today....sweaty photos to follow

Rain, hail or shine! Checking out the new @GC50 Run Festival, GC 30 course in preparation for the new May event.

We were a tad excited about this new event on the Gold Coast.  It's the ideal stepping stone distance between half-marathon and marathon distances. #thelastlongrun 

Have a great rest of your weekend. 

💥 MY WEEKLY ROUND UP 💥

This has been a character building week. It was one of those weeks that I had to step up and face a few fears. I got it done and now it is behind me and I’m stronger for it. I think to be honest I needed it. I felt a terrible monotony over the weekend. The lockdown life really got to me. Not being able to do the little things and have any spontaneity started to take it’s toll.  

Workout of the Week

Monday’s workout was an absolute beauty. 6 x 6 minute workouts. 2 minutes in between each. 46 minutes in total. I am extremely fortunate to have access to a lot of gym equipment so any questions on how to adapt any of these please just reach out!

Workout 1 

EMOM - 6 x Pull ups + 6 x Burpee to bar

Workout 2

AMRAP - 10 x Box jumps + 20 x Butterfly SU’s 

Workout 3

EMOM - 6 x Deadlifts @75% 1RM + 6 Heavy ball to shoulder 

Workout 4 

60 Cals on the rower

Remaining time : Max Press ups (every 5 press ups do 1 x Burpee over rower)

Workout 5

This was one of the hardest workouts I’ve done in a while - TOUGH.

E2MOM - 250m Row metres + 8 x Devil Press (22.5Kg x 2)

Workout 6

AMRAP - 4 x DB Hang Clean 4 x DB Front Squat 4 x DB Thruster

Quote of the Week (Book, Person or Podcast)

Not very inspirational but something that really hit home to me….😂😂

“You know they might be the one for you when you are content with the amount “bad stuff” you have done up to this point.” - A close friend and advisor.

Thought of the Week (Statement or Question)

It is important to have an element of stress in your life. Being uncomfortable forces you to react and grow as an individual. There is a difference though between a relentless overwhelming stress and ‘Eustress’, the type of stress that can motivate and boost creativity.

What is my main focus next week?

To take a step back focus on nutrition, sleep and learning. I want to work on some long term big picture projects for the business. I’ve had a four week period of getting stuck into the day to day, which I love but need to remain focused on the long term vision.

What was this weeks BIGGEST failure?

Sleep. I just can’t get my sleep pattern right. 

What was this weeks BIGGEST success?

Staying composed, preparing well and executing to the top of my ability when it mattered most. 

One more week done. Every week is one step closer to life returning to some form of normality.

Huge love,

Haydn

Over the next 3 days we are going to be telling you why you should join us (if you're not already) for Ultra X Scotland this May 8-9!

Post 1/3 is titled "have you experienced Scotland in the late spring?"

Well, if you have you'll know that it is absolutely beautiful. Ultra X Scotland starts in Inverness and heads out along the Scottish highlands and circumnavigates the most famous Loch in the world - Loch Ness.

Come May, after a long and dark winter of lockdown here in the UK, we are going to be raring to get out there onto the trails and we sincerely hope you'll be there to join us.

And remember, should the race have to be postponed due to COVID, you will get 100% of your money back, no questions asked.

Visit our website to join us for either the 125km 2 day adventure or Sunday's 50km event.

Who wants to do a podcast with me this weekend? Got a story to tell!?!? I'm all ears!

It's time to pick up the mic again after a few months out!

Listen out for my last episode with the epic @Kelly McLay , it is an ABSOLUTE beauty! To be released soon!!

I found 134 steps hiding in the trees, and my legs hate me for it!

I got my wife @Joan Perez into kettlebells! 💪⛳️😘

#homeworkout #strongwoman

💥 MY WEEKLY ROUND UP 💥

Another really powerful week. At the moment I am feeling extremely fulfilled. Our community at the gym has been the focus of my attention and that reminded me of something. When you are being driven by something bigger that yourself your internal battles don't seem as monumental.

Workout of the Week

In all honesty when I go back to think about this workout I actually hated every second. It was painful and exhausting. However I got through it and to be honest that was a big moment in my week. It made everything else seem easier. 

20 reps down 1 rep of both exercises:

- Barbell Forward Lunge @42.5kg

- DB Snatch @25

E5MOM - 12 Burpees

I was honestly delighted to see the back of this one. Did I fly through it? No. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely not. Am I tougher for the experience. Yes.

Quote of the Week (Book or Podcast)

“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”

Book - Atomic Habits written by James Clear

Thought of the Week (Statement or Question)

In order to manage people effectively you absolutely need to be in a sound head space yourself. If you do not have clarity in your own life how do you expect to clearly lead other people?

What is my main focus next week?

A few life changing meetings. Being prepared and bringing my best energy to them.

What was this week's BIGGEST failure?

Not having the honest desire to learn how to double under (this has been a huge hit to my athletic ego for a while now).

What was this week's BIGGEST success?

Communicating effectively in several difficult situations/conversations. Previously these situations would have consumed my mental focus but the more difficult conversations you have the easier they seem to come. Sounds a bit like training? Get the reps in!

Have a wonderful weekend everybody!

Don’t need much for a good session! 👌 #HIIT #homeworkout

In the year 2025 I will cycle from Victoria Falls to Cape Point. Who else is keen? 

This is something I have wanted to do since finishing my ONLY ultra marathon with @Ultra X in 2017.

Work is priority right now. I have 5 years to grind and then THIS will happen! This will be an epic adventure and we will raise A LOT of money for charity!

Putting this here for accountability. Share your goals with others. It helps make them real!

Our Sunday long run has turned into a jumping contest.

You have to have fun when you’re running 20kms.

Longest run post bubs 😊

#ironmantraining

Know what makes a long indoor session fly by? Friends. Thanks @Scott Coey for keeping me honest. 

Across time zones, across continents, four laps up Box Hill...

#zwifttraining #zwift 

As I made breakfast in prep for an early morning workout, I was surprised (and had a chuckle) at my daughters design upgrades to our butter dish; the whole family is training. Guess she was telling me to get after it. 

It’s the weekend; make it epic! 

#badassbutter #tritraining #motivationalmessage 

Do they make this hat in kids size? 😝#bettydesigns 

Love having parkrun back in our local community, even better to enjoy it with the family. This is my Dad ☺️, I ran back to support him after I finished (and yes, I’m running with a zooper dooper in hand 🙈).

What’s your favourite parkrun? I’m hoping to experience a few more this year.

Breaking up the gym routine with some home workouts. Might need to incorporate the TRX which has been on my wish list for a while now.

#HIIT 

This mornings running backdrop, brought to by Mother Nature Pty Ltd. 

Checkout some of our favourite shots from Ultra X 125 England last summer.

Are you joining us for the next edition taking place this September? Remember, there is the 125km, 2 day event and the Sunday only 50km option. Oh, and if you can't wait until September, join us for Ultra X Scotland this May! It's going to be an awesome weekend.

Hit the link at the bottom to read the Scotland race information pack. ultra-x.co/scotland-125/ 

Trying to switch it up a bit. Getting bored of my gym routine so adding in more outdoor workouts while the weather is 👌☀️🔥 

That one good thing brought about by the pandemic-- Zoom workouts! 

Because of it, chatting and working out with my best buds have been a regular morning routine. And by having training partners with a similar mindset and goals, every workout session is fun and I last longer. I also learned new things about how to keep fit and healthy from my workout buddies. 

Despite some of us going back to our normal work schedule thus having less time, and despite living on different sides of the world, we're now 10 months in and going strong. 💪💪💪