Silver - Echo and the Bunnymen

First Day Cover of the Rest of your Life...

Phew, I’ve finally made my ‘Silver Jubilee’ - the anniversary of my last alcoholic drink on the 4^thJanuary 1994. It’s so long ago, I can’t even tell you what the drink was - all I know is that the 5^thJanuary became the start of my alcohol abstinence.

‘Swung from a chandelier, my planet sweet on a silver salver’…

Thinking back, I swung from many a chandelier in my twenties and I must have thought I was living life at full throttle (what a twit). If you’ve been there yourself or are currently behaving in that manner right now, you’ll know the feeling only too well. The feeling of being ‘Out of control’ and that you are simply ‘Wasting your life’.

‘Bailed out my worst fears, ‘cos man has to be his own saviour’…

Those feelings became my biggest fears. Finding myself at the very edge of personal disaster and at a point of no return back then, shocked me into action. Now I find I’m just shocked at the ridiculous way I treated myself and those around me.

‘The sky is blue, my hands untied. A world that's true, through our clean eyes’…

That January day, my Sky did in fact turn Blue - a wonderfully deep Azure. The clearest Blue you could ever imagine and as if by magic my whole body felt untied and released from the self-imposed bindings of my alcohol addiction.

Seeing myself through ‘Clean Eyes’ really helped my recovery and gave me the direction and therapy I needed to enable me to live by a fresh set of positive ideals.

‘Just look at you with burning lips, you're living proof at my fingertips’…

Here I am, twenty-five years on and 9,130 days dry. Totally dry - not a single drop has passed my lips and since then all manner of life-celebrations and crises have been celebrated and negotiated without needing to ‘Have-a-drink’.

‘All the way, well-behaved. Just in case it slips away’…

Of course, it’s not my only accomplishment this past quarter-century. It is however, the one I most proud of and it will continue on its unbroken run for as long as I do. 

You never know I might even make a ‘Golden Jubilee’ - I know it will happen if I’m still around.

‘The sky is blue, my hands untied. A world that's true, through our clean eyes’…

Amen.

1,029 Lifetime Marathons, 250 ULTRA-marathons, 9 Guinness World Records, 

15 Marathon des Sables & 25 Years' Dry

Shine - Years and Years

Don't you feel that hunger, I've got so many secrets to show

Don't you hear that rhythm, can you show me how we can escape…

I find the Christmas period provides a great ‘Time-Out’ for thought and reflection, not only of the year that’s nearly all but passed by, but of the one that lies ahead. Being ‘Parked-Up’ from our busy everyday existences gives us that time and space to consider our very existence, especially spending so much time over the festive period with the people that are the closest to us – our families. I personally find that my greatest and most successful plans and decisions have been made around ‘Christmas-Time’ and the ‘New Year’ as that's where and when my values have been affected most.

I was biting my tongue, I was trying to hide

I'll forget what I've done, I'll be redefined…

I love the freshness that a ‘New Year’ can offer - I mean I’m the original ‘New Year’s Resolution Man’. It’s a clean slate with 365 opportunities to ‘Shine’ and ‘Redefine’ – there’s nothing more appealing IMO. In just a few short weeks most dreams, ambitions and goals can be achieved. By the time the clocks go forward in March most obsessions, addictions and poor behavioural traits could be dots in your rear-view mirror. By the Summer, it’s possible to have a body that you are happy to show off on holiday rather than hide – it’s all about redefining your future and the values to which you are going to live by in the future.

It's shaking the sky, and I'm following lightning
I'll recover if you keep me alive, don't leave me behind…

As for Feeling ‘Left Behind’, it’s all too common I’m afraid and far too easy to feel – hence becoming a ‘Victim’ is an easy trap to fall into. Reaching out – well that’s a lot harder and not everyone wants the ‘Sky to Shake’ or ‘Follow Lightning’ – they just want to feel more positive about themselves and live a longer and happier existence, they just don’t know or don’t have the energy to go about making it happen.

You know that you make it shine, it's you that I've been waiting to find

Now that we can hear that sound, now that you can hold me down…

I’d love to take the credit for the amazing ‘Changes’ I witness in the folk that I coach, but I believe ‘Change’ only comes from within. Even I can’t project ‘Desire’ – My main message to anyone is ‘Opportunity’. How folk can redirect their energy, be honest to themselves and match their desire to their ability – and simply go out and ‘Enjoy’ life a whole lot more without camouflaging their inner worlds with a heap of non-important life-bullshit. Getting lost in that lot can be very messy indeed and a guiding hand out of the heap works wonders in my experience. Having been there myself, I know how much it stinks.

You can raise everything to the ground, everything I can arrange,
Every part of me you change, just hold me together, tell me…

It’s all about being ‘STRONG’ you see. Feeling ‘STRONG’, staying ‘STRONG’ and remaining ‘STRONG’ and true to yourself. Living life to a set of values you know are true and that will deliver the happiness you are searching for, that feels so far out of reach right now. For some that happiness will come from finally being free from Alcohol – or like me accomplishing yet another year of Alcohol Freedom. For others it could be realising a life-long ambition or feat. The common thread I find, is that the folk I work with find themselves. 

The real person that’s been staring them in the face, the one they’ve hated, the one they’ve been ignoring – the one that they get to love again.

The one that ‘Shines’ and can light up a room.

Can you see me I'm shining
And it's you that I've been waiting to find…

Have a listen to ‘Shine’ from Years and Years. Listen to the lyrics and see if they speak to you as they speak to me as we head into 2019 – there’s 365 opportunities to ‘Shine’ and make things happen – don’t waste another minute not doing anything about it.

1,029 Lifetime Marathons, 250 ULTRA-marathons, 9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables

Breathe - The Prodigy

MdS 2018 - Photo Ian Corless

Breathe with me, breathe the pressure…

As Christmas fast approaches, I feel this year has simply flashed by - has it for you too? In a blink it was already April and I was running in the Sahara Desert, then the UK followed suit and we had a desert of a long hot summer (remember that?) and now it’s nearly 2019 and all wet, dark and dreary. They say ‘Time Flies’ and it sure does – maybe it’s an older person kinda thing and post ‘Brexit’ it will slow down again, like the nation’s economy and mood – somehow it feels like we’re all doomed.

Luckily, it’s been far brighter in my world in 2018 and looking back over the year in more detail, it’s amazing just how many people’s lives I’ve been privileged to be part of (you know who you are). The people I’ve worked with have been truly AWESOME and I believe it doesn’t matter where I’ve been or what I’ve done myself, it’s been the people I’ve met along the way that’s made it special – thank you.

If I was trying to distil the magical ingredient that’s made it happen, well maybe simply taking time out to ‘Breathe’ is all that folk needed to point their world in a fresh and more positive direction – they just needed was to ‘Breathe’ with someone else.

Come play my game, I'll test ya, psychosomatic, addict, insane…

I started ‘Playing my Game’ with a fresh set of rules back in 1994 and they’ve served me well over the years to various levels of success. Okay, it hasn’t been all rosy but ask me if I’d do it all again or if I’m unhappy with any aspect of it and I can confidently say that I’m cool with whom I am, where I am and what I do. Getting older ain’t great but I’m enjoying the ride. I believe it’s something I feel the folk I meet and work with are all searching for.

Inhale, inhale, you're the victim…

No-one should be a victim. Everyone has ‘Value’. Everyone is ‘Elite’ and Everyone can ‘Succeed’ in 2019 – you just have to take in a ‘Deep Breath’ and make it happen. ‘Breathe’ with ME.

Come play my game, exhale, exhale, exhale… I’m here to help.

Nadolig Llawen

1,029 Lifetime Marathons, 250 ULTRA-marathons, 9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables

Design for Life - Manic Street Preachers

I have at three clients at the moment that I believe can represent their country at marathon and ultra-marathon distances, and together we are working hard on their levels of fitness and endurance to make 2019, their year. We are using technology to measure heart-rate, training efficiency and VO2 Max. We are also looking at marginal gains in making seconds saved into minutes off PBs primarily looking at their Power-to-Weight Ratio.

Part of that process is to look at how much they weigh and try and reduce the loading by using the right nutrition to strip excess body fat whilst maintaining muscle strength as every kilo of body-weight lost represents two minutes saved over 42.2km - totally FREE. As a marginal gain, it’s the most very effective way of cutting race times and a concept that any athlete can easily engage with, especially when they start to see their results improving.

I’ve been using this technique to get the most out of my athlete’s performances with great success for over 10 years’ now. Any shift towards a lower but healthy BMI above 18 is a good goal to have in place.

Over the past couple of years’, I’ve used the same weightloss technique (ULTRAdiet) to work with people that aren’t necessarily athletes but are wanting to improve their health and well-being - both physically and mentally. Stripping excess body weight, changing lifestyle habits and in some cases potentially extending lifespans and saving major heart and health related complications has been the aim. In an ever-expanding population, the upper limit is an initial client meeting has a whopping BMI of 65 but with weight losses of up to 47kgs (7.4 stones - 103.8lbs) the results speak for themselves. The average weightloss of any of my clients’, athlete or not is 10.6kgs - (1.6St - 23.5lbs). A significant amount that has a plainly visible effect.

In fact, the seven stone loss took just over 200 days - less than seven months to undergo the ultimate life-laundry, eradicate unwanted behavioural traits, set new targets and life-goals with a fresh self-image and confidence. Things that were previously thought impossible.

But then, the impossible is always possible. Well, that’s what I believe and it’s only the limit we impose on ourselves that confines and defines us.

I see potential in everyone - I see potential in people that can’t recognize their own potential. A gift of speed, endurance or strength of mind that’s been previously untapped. Having coached my wife Jenny to represent Team GB at 24hrs & 100km, to the Length of Ireland Guinness World Record and a sub three-hour marathon PB, I know what it will take for my international hopefuls to achieve greatness - and when they do, it will be super-rewarding.

The results that my dietary changes and thought processes make that drive people on to lose weight is super-rewarding for me too and being let into folks rivate worlds is a privilege and only drives me on personally develop my own ability to help more people become ‘Awesome’ rather than ‘Average’.

Our ULTRAdiet plays a major part in making those future plans happen. Developing strategies to avoid poor food choices, encourages folk on a daily, in some cases hourly basis to maintain a clear focus towards their goal - providing that support is my specialty.

So, ask yourself…

Looking ahead - How do you see yourself at the end of 2019? Exactly where are you in your life-plan? Do you even have a life-plan? - In December 2019, do you see a new, improved you? Happier, healthier and having matched up to your own inner abilities?

If you don’t know and you want to find thatperson, well you know where I am - And I’m here to help, just give me a call - it could be the most important call you’ll ever make.

It’s time to change the Inner You.

1,029 Lifetime Marathons, 250 ULTRA-marathons, 9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables

Pink Floyd - Time

'And then one day you'll find, ten years' have got behind you'...

On these dark November days it’s far too easy to think of the impending Christmas Break and not to the end of 2018, that's just 36 days away. If you live life at a similar pace to me, the year has simply flashed by and it feels more like the 89th of August rather than the start of Advent - A 15th Marathon des Sables, a House-move and a mere Twenty-Two Marathons are now just dots in my rear view mirror. Whatever happened to the Long Hot Summer?

Anyway, apart from the obvious Christmas Day and Boxing Day Celebrations, the Winter Break provides an excellent time to build endurance with a series of Long Slow Distance runs - especially if you are running next year’s Marathon des Sables or have you eye on a Spring Marathon PB.

Yes, 2018 is nearly over folks - It’s time to start PLANNING 2019!

Really? Oh yes. You see, without a plan, there’s no hope. And there’s only 365 days until the next 25th of November, when I’ll be asking you just what you did in 2019 that made it a stand-out year - an ‘Annus Mirabilis’ rather than an ‘Annus Horribilis'.

Trouble is that it's dead easy to SAY you are going to turn over a 'New Leaf' in the 'New Year' but folk seldom do. Having the strength to keep 'On Point' with a 'New Direction' is super-tough. Doing it for 25 years' as I have livng 'Alcohol-Free', takes strength - takes concentration - takes balls. Doing it alone is even harder. But when you have a Coach to mentor your journey, interact with on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, it can make all the difference. It has for many people this year alone.

Whether you are trying out for Team GB, trying to lose weight or simply trying to be the person you've always wanted to be then I'm your man. Plucking up courage to make the call or drop the email is always tough. Doing it in January makes sense - doing it today is even better as you'll get an 36 days under your belt BEFORE 2019 even starts. What's there to lose - apart from 'Running Times', 'Excess Weight' or 'Addiction'.

Contact me now, I'm waiting to hear from you...

1,029 Lifetime Marathons, 250 ULTRA-marathons
9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables

Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Part One

Emma Bird - AKA 'Birdie' in Full Flight...

'Cause I'm as free as a bird now'...

'Project Birdie' has been my pet project for the past 12 weeks or so to see if I can transform Marathon and Ultra-Marathon Runner, Emma Bird ('Birdie') from being an 'Average' Runner into an 'Awesome' Race-Winning Athlete. Emma contacted me following a recommendation from a previous client, saying that although she'd completed the Autumn 100 in 22hrs 25mins, her marathon PB was only 4hrs 4mins and had hit a bit of a wall concerning speed.

She immediately grabbed my attention because having completed a hundred well under 24 hours - her marathon PB simply didn't match. On speaking to Birdie, I immediately liked her no nonsense, open speaking approach and after breaking down some of her initial barriers to training faster and harder, we quickly found a happy balance to an agreeable training schedule, designed specifically around her busy schedule and highlighted some races to work towards.

Luckily for me, she's already built a huge base of 'Long-Slow-Distance' running, so a lot of the foundation and hard work was already in place and any opposition to spending hours out putting in the miles didn't exist. My task I felt was to shorten the runs, speed her up and add in some weekly 'Coleman-Power-Hours' to test her commitment and build the speed endurance that she'd need in the last 10km's of any race to succeed.

ParkRun became the speedwork part of the programme, with her 5km times quickly tumbling, much to the amazement of her Running Clubmates that didn’t know she was being coached.

Our first hurdle? Improving her 4hrs 4mins Marathon PB set in March '18 in Cyprus with only five weeks of working together. I was confident she'd smash the 3hs 56mins I'd set as a goal. And although the 4hr mark is always seen as a bit of a barrier, all I needed to do I felt was to add a huge dose of confidence to her tapering and rely on the training upgrade we'd put in place. I needn't have worried as I received a very excited Birdie phone-call post Richmond Marathon, announcing a new 3hrs 48mins PB saying she could have gone even faster. And she will, as sub 3hrs 30mins is now more than achievable.

Forward a month and a hard day out at the Beachy Head Marathon was excellent preparation for her biggest challenge to date - The Druid Challenge, a three-stage, three-day 84-mile Ultra-Marathon where I knew she'd shine not only in her age category (FV40) but could also podium. With a good hundred mile and marathon PB in the bag a sub-15hr Druid was certainly there for the taking. To soften the nerves, I recommended a steady run on day one, with a 5hrs 11mins (comfortable) time achieved. Her amazement of being second overall female and first age category only fuelled her determination and maintaining those positions, she ran the last day in a time of 4hrs 38mins for the 28 miles – simply amazing.

Our post-race analysis concluded that she would have won overall female with a quicker day one but contented with her overall result of FV40 winner and 14th position in the field of over 100 runners, it provides a firm foundation as we head into 2019 for faster times and even better results ahead. I asked Birdie what difference my coaching has made to her running and she said, ‘You've given me structure, belief in my ability and made me step out of my comfort zone!' - and how right she is.

Make sure you are 'Birdie-Watching' in 2019 as there's a lot more to come - I'll keep you posted on her progress and if you are stuck with 'Average' PB's you might find that my coaching can help you achieve the times you are more than capable of, just like 'Birdie'. All you need to is contact me here.

1,028 Lifetime Marathons, 250 ULTRA-marathons
9 Guinness World Records & 15 MdS

Hard Times - Human League

I must say I enjoyed The Druid Challenge at the weekend especially as it was my 250^thULTRA-marathon. It gave me the opportunity of meeting up with a lot of clients both new and old as well as some very special friends that I’ve met and ran with over the years.

The event celebrated its 10^th Anniversary in style and it’s amazing just how fast those 10 years have flashed by. I remember one lady runner from the first year that impressed me so much that I ended up marrying her but that’s another story. The chance to talk to the runners on the Saturday Evening, got me thinking about how much has changed not only over the past decade but also the twenty-five years I’ve been running off-road marathons and ultras.

As I put on my trail shoes, calf-guards, speedos, compression shorts, short-sleeved shirt, long-sleeved shirt, running-jacket, rucksack (packed with mobile, battery-pack, headphones, gels, energy-bars and a hat – I smiled thinking about the short-shorts and vest I wore in my first Ultra along the Grantham Canal back in 1995. 

I ran that race marathon-hard on a very warm August Bank-Holiday without any of the above kit or supplies as I remember. There might have been some Soreen at some checkpoints and some Jelly Babies but it was a lifetime ago and the race has blurred now in my rear view mirrors. The feeling of accomplishment remains though – Races like Rowbotham’s Round Rotherham 50, The South Downs 80 & The Grand Union 145 are all deeply etched into my DNA having raced and given them my all.

In my opinion there’s nothing better than to have given your all. For instance, hitting the finish line after running the 55 miles from London to Brighton, (on the road) having run all the way is something I’ll never forget. Rocking backwards and forwards with my adrenaline still pumping and heart-beat throbbing was a wonderful feeling – those London to Brighton Medals (I did it three times) ers hard fought especially as you had to RUN the whole way and have a sub 3.30 marathon time even to qualify. Walk – and you were picked up by a minibus. I wonder how many modern-day ‘ULTRA-runners’ could manage that?

Did I run hard at Druid? I sure did, and I gave it everything I’d got which isn’t much post GBS I can tell you.

I believe if you are going to do something, be something or achieve greatness within – you have to live ‘The Dream’. I’ll be living ‘The Dream’ again tomorrow and will add more then.

Nos Da…

1027 Marathons, 250 ULTRAS, 9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables