Training, Performance & Human Factors - Articles for Endurance Athletes

February is always a nice month. January feels like a year in its own right, then we’re graced with a 28 day month to skip us straight into Spring. The weather also turns, generally, as we move away from the consistent rainy days and find some breaks with some sun. But February hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows in my world. My almost one year old has been having an amazing time at nursery, so much so that he’s decided to collect every illness possible and share with us at

In every high-performance environment - whether it’s the cockpit, the boardroom, or the running track - feedback is the currency of improvement. Yet too often, feedback is misunderstood. It’s treated as criticism, or worse, ignored completely. The truth is that feedback isn’t about judgement; it’s about adaptation . It’s the mechanism that allows humans to refine skill, improve focus, and make better decisions under pressure. That’s why I developed the Focus Feedback Cycle -

This month I’ve had quite a focus on adapting to change. I’ve introduced my ADAPT model , looked into why we as humans are resistant to change and how change helps athletes to improve their performance . Now I’m taking my own advice and pausing to see how I’m making changes to continue growing as a coach and athlete. In the past, I’ve worked with a triathlon coach who got me over that initial hurdle of juggling three sports in one event, and we worked well together over this

We, as humans, are creatures of habit. It’s a mindset embedded within us from our days as hunter gatherers (and probably well before that). Habits and routines are good for us, as we operate more efficiently on ‘autopilot’, with our prefrontal cortex not having to work overtime making every single decision we make on a daily basis. It also keeps us safe. Being predictable, always collecting the same tried and tested wild fungi that didn’t kill us, taking the same hunting rout

As humans, we know a remarkably large amount of what’s going on around us. We see everything, hear everything, taste everything, smell everything and feel everything. So why don’t we observe everything? Think back to the last time you went to a supermarket. If you went in for some apples, you’re probably fully aware of how much the apples were, how many they had, and which type had any special offers on them. But what about the peaches? Did they have any? Or oranges? It is l

In high-stakes environments - like aviation, emergency response, sport, and leadership - we talk a lot about situational awareness. But too often, we only talk about it after it disappears. One moment you're tuned in. The next? You miss a cue, overlook a signal, or lose track of what matters most. So why does situational awareness fade? And more importantly, how can we rebuild it when the pressure’s on? 1. Situational Awareness Isn’t a Switch - It’s a System Situational awar

Aviation is one of the safest industries in the world - not by accident, but by design. Through decades of hard-earned lessons, aviation has created systems and cultures that prioritise safety, performance, and trust. These same principles, especially around communication, non-punitive reporting, and learning from error, hold powerful lessons for sport and business. In this post, we explore what coaches, managers, and leaders can borrow from the cockpit to build stronger, saf

The crossover between sport and professional performance is one that I hold at the core of my coaching philosophy. It’s why I train athletes and professionals with a similar approach. Lessons identified in one area can be related across and applied to enhance performance. Let me prove it to you... In mid-May, I packed my bike onto the back of my car, loaded up my wetsuit and running shoes and made my way to Burghley House in Stamford. The whole way my stomach was churning wit

In today’s fast-paced world, we send more messages - but understand less. Whether it’s a WhatsApp from a coach, a safety note in aviation, or an email to your boss, written communication is efficient… until it isn’t. Without tone, context, or instant feedback, even well-intentioned messages can cause confusion, mistrust, or worse - critical mistakes. In high-stakes environments, relying solely on written communication isn’t just risky - it’s reckless . The Illusion of Clarity

In aviation, sport, and leadership, few things erode trust faster than blame. In high-performance environments, where human error is inevitable, the way we respond matters more than the error itself. This article explores how blame destroys psychological safety, how Just Culture offers a better path, and why distinguishing between honest mistakes, risk-taking, and negligence is crucial for any high-performing team. This was the Mansfield 10k back in September 2024. I was in d

Technology is used in today’s society as both a help and a hinderance. We utilise it in all aspects of our lives, and sleep is no different! A 2021 study into the use of electronic devices before bedtime highlighted the impact this has upon sleep quality. So, we should be avoiding screens before bed, but how can we use other forms of technology to monitor and potentially improve our sleep?   Wearable sleep trackers have gained a lot of traction in recent years. Most devices