Hi guys,
Hope you’ve all had a fantastic March!
I’ve just returned from two glorious weeks at Club La Santa in Lanzarote and I loved every single minute of it. There is something about warm weather and fresh sea air that genuinely lifts the soul — and after the winter we’ve had it was more than welcome.
What made it even better was the incredible group of athletes I had the privilege of working with out there. They excelled across the board and it never gets old watching how much athletes improve as the week progresses — especially when Lanzarote throws everything it has at them, which it absolutely did.
And that’s what makes Lanzarote so unique, and why I will always run camps there. It toughens and hardens athletes in a way that very few places can. The terrain is relentless, the wind is unpredictable, and the open water can turn choppy without much warning. But that’s exactly the point — if you can learn to handle those conditions on camp, very little will faze you come race day.
What was particularly brilliant to see was how confidence grew from one session to the next with each athlete. Consistent daily exposure to challenging conditions does something powerful to the mind. Having my eyes on everyone throughout the week also meant we could quickly identify weaknesses and start turning them into strengths — whether that was descending hills more safely and efficiently, cleaning up run technique, or learning to stay composed in choppy moving water. Club La Santa really is the perfect testing ground for all of it.
It’s also remarkable how much training the body can absorb when you remove what is often an athlete’s biggest stressor — work. Without the demands of a full working week many athletes were able to nearly double their training volume, and they could do that because outside of sessions they were genuinely recovering — physically and mentally — at a much higher level than they ever can at home. There’s a lesson in that for all of us.
What was equally rewarding was seeing how the returning camp athletes managed their pacing across the week compared to previous years. It’s incredibly easy to go too hard too soon in Lanzarote — the excitement of being there, the good weather, the good company — it all conspires to make you feel invincible on day one. The smarter athlete understands that holding back early pays enormous dividends as the week unfolds. A successful camp is about the whole, not just individual sessions. Intensity has its place — but it needs to be applied at the right time and in the right doses. Push too far beyond what you’ve been doing in training, especially alongside increased volume, and that’s where things start to unravel — often showing up as injury once athletes get home.
There is no doubt that every single one of them left fitter, stronger, and technically sharper than when they arrived. More importantly they left with a confidence that no amount of solo training at home can replicate. So whether you can get yourself on a training camp or find a way to create your own version of one — it really is one of the most effective investments you can make in your season.
And they worked incredibly hard. But most importantly they had an absolute blast. I don’t think I’ve laughed that much on a camp before — ever. So a huge thank you to the class of 2026. You were one hell of a group.
Already counting down the days to the next one.
Coach Julian
Training focus for the month ahead
🎯 Focus for April
As we move into April, training becomes progressively more race-focused—particularly if you have early season races approaching. The goal now is to start connecting your fitness to how you want to perform on race day.
Race-Specific Sessions – Introduce sessions at race pace across swim, bike, and run. Focus on how it feels, not just the numbers—controlled and sustainable is the goal. Be prepared to make mistakes and learn from them until it’s dialled in.
Dial in Your Nutrition – Start practising your race fuelling during key sessions. What you take, when you take it, and how your body responds all matter.
Experiment & Train the Gut – Test different bars, gels, carb drinks, and electrolytes. The more you practise, the better your body will absorb fuel under load.
Pacing Discipline – Don’t get carried away. Race pace should feel controlled. Every session is a chance to practise execution.
Stay consistent with the all important basics – As intensity increases, prioritise recovery, sleep, and staying consistent week to week.
April is about building confidence, refining the details, and starting to feel race-ready.
Race Day Highlights
Only a couple of brave souls managed to race this month—and they just so happen to be a couple in every sense of the word!
A huge congratulations to Nick & Bex Betteridge, who—on short notice from Coach—were told that a half marathon would be a great way to see where their run fitness currently stood.
I’m very pleased to say they both overdelivered. Bex smashed a new PB of 1:52:48, finishing 3rd in her age group, while Nick equalled his PB with a superb 1:34:51 (+ a pee stop!)—all off the back of very little focused run training.
A brilliant result from both at the Victoria Half Marathon. Great work, guys 👏
Questions from the squad
Athlete asks: “On the hill I use for hill repeats, I always used to keep it on the big front ring but I noticed my cadence was dropping to below 50 at that. Is it better to drop to the smaller ring and keep a higher cadence? It felt much easier as I’m staying in the saddle for these?”
Coach Julian says: For a Z4 hill session where the goal is strength and power, you do want some resistance in the gear. But dropping below ~50 rpm is still a bit too far into “grinding,” which can compromise the quality of the effort across all 8 reps.
A better balance would be:
- Stay in a gear that gives you resistance (so yes, some work in the big ring is fine)
- But aim to keep cadence roughly in the ~60–75 rpm range
That way you’re still building strength and force on the pedals, without overloading the muscles too early or losing control of the effort.
If going to the small ring pushed cadence very high and made it feel too easy, that’s probably too far the other way for this session. But if it helped you stay seated, controlled, and repeatable — you can always shift up a gear within the small ring to bring the resistance back.
The goal isn’t “big ring vs small ring” — it’s: Can you apply strong, controlled force to the pedals for all 8 reps without fading?
If cadence is dropping under 50 and form is deteriorating, that’s usually a sign the gear is too heavy for the intent of the session.
Athlete asks: “Any suggestions for speed ? (or lack of it!). Appreciate this will improve with fitness but even when I am doing short bursts (50m), still seem to be the slowest object in the pool (apart from the lane ropes). The game for me is to see how often I get lapped by others, which can become a bit demotivating after a while. Any top tips on technique to improve speed (beyond cutting my legs off) and any suggestions for toys also appreciated also appreciated. “
Coach Julian says: What’s important here is perspective. You’re three weeks into a twelve-week foundation phase training plan on your return to swimming after a very long time out. This block isn’t about speed yet — it’s about laying the groundwork. Aerobic fitness, feel for the water, repeatability. Think of it as building the base of the house. If we rush that, the rest never sits properly.
Fitness gains don’t show up dramatically at week three. They compound quietly. Right now, you’re just making deposits. The interest comes later.
On variety and “toys” — I’d hold off. Equipment doesn’t make you a better swimmer at this stage. In fact, the wrong piece of kit (especially paddles) can create niggles if your strength and mechanics aren’t ready. We’ll explore tools later in the programme when they can genuinely add value — and when I can test what actually suits you. I never prescribe kit remotely for that reason.
On speed and being overtaken — this is completely normal based on your current 400m time (11:43). You’re going to get passed. A lot. That’s not a reflection of doing anything wrong. It’s just exposure to a fitter swim population. The only thing that matters right now is: are you holding your pace under control? Are you finishing sessions feeling like you worked, but not emptied? That’s progress.
One mindset shift that might help: instead of counting how often you’re lapped, notice whether your effort feels more controlled than it did three weeks ago. Speed comes from efficiency plus fitness. Fitness comes from consistent, patient work.
My advice hasn’t changed from when I saw you: Follow the plan. Get the sessions done. Keep the pacing controlled. Let it build.
There’s no shortcut here — but there also doesn’t need to be. If you stay consistent and patient, the speed will come. It always does.
Athlete asks: “Do you know of any good suncream for swimming that doesn’t rub off easily? Thinking of the longer open water swims. ”
Coach Julian says: With a near 40km swim week coming up on my camp in the Lanzarote sun as you prepare for the English Channel swim in September this year, it’s smart to be proactive about protection — especially with your longest open water swim at 9-10km (likely 2.5-3+ hours in the water).
For longer open water sessions, I’d recommend going slightly conservative:
Base layer (face, neck, exposed shoulders):
- SolRX SPF 50+ Zinc Creamor
- P20 Original SPF 50+ (only if tested and doesn’t sting your eyes)
Apply 20–30 minutes before swimming and let it fully absorb.
High-risk areas (nose, cheekbones, lips, back of neck):
- Sun Zapper Zinc Stick SPF 50+This acts as your “insurance layer” and holds up very well over time.
If you’re greasing for longer swims:
- Sunscreen first
- Let it absorb properly
- Then apply grease over chafe areas
- Don’t mix the two
For pool sessions or shorter open water swims, you can go lighter with something like:
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF 50+
- Heliocare 360 Sport SPF 50
- Neutrogena Sport Face SPF 50+
Just remember chlorine and towel drying reduce effectiveness, so reapply if you’re outside afterwards.
Most important: test everything before relying on it for a key swim. Think of sun protection like pacing — steady, consistent, and slightly cautious beats chasing the “perfect” product on the day.
Athlete asks: “It is literally impossible to run anywhere in Cornwall and avoid hills – I slightly shortened the session to compensate but what’s the best way to deal with this when you can’t avoid hilly run routes while away ?”
Coach Julian says: You handled that exactly right — shorten it a touch and stay in your zones. That’s good decision-making.
For hilly running like Cornwall, the goal isn’t to avoid the hills (you can’t), it’s to reduce the load they place on your legs, especially on the downhills where shins and knees take the hit.
A few simple adjustments go a long way:
1. Shorten your stride on both ups and downs
Think quick, light steps rather than pushing off hard or bounding. This reduces impact and braking forces.
2. Let effort guide you more than pace
On climbs, slow right down to stay in zone. If that means almost shuffling or even walking steeper ones, that’s fine. Forcing pace uphill is what overloads calves and shins if they are sensitive.
3. Be extra controlled on descents
This is the big one for knee/shin stress.
Avoid “falling” downhill. Keep your cadence up, land softly, and don’t overstride. If needed, ease off more than you think.
4. Use terrain strategically
If a hill is long or steep, it’s completely fine to:
ease right off
or even briefly walk the steepest section
That’s not losing fitness — it’s protecting consistency.
5. Keep sessions feel-based, not perfect
On hills, zones will drift slightly. That’s normal. What matters is the overall feel of the session, not hitting exact numbers every second.
And when in doubt… walk.
I’ve seen plenty of athletes pick up injuries by suddenly throwing in a very hilly run when their body simply isn’t used to it—especially if they’re normally training on flat terrain.
Never underestimate the impact of hills. If your body isn’t prepared for them, they can catch you out very quickly.
Fuel for the mind
Sometimes the best training happens away from the bike, the run, or the pool — in the stories that stretch what we think is possible and remind us why we do this in the first place.
Here are two things that really struck a chord with me this month:
📖 Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard
I’ve just finished reading Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard by Ken Rideout and really enjoyed it.
It’s a raw and powerful story of his journey—from a tough upbringing surrounded by drugs and crime, to working as a prison officer, building a career on Wall Street, and then battling a long period of addiction before turning his life around.
Running ultimately became his way out, and within just a few years he went from complete beginner to the fastest marathon runner in the world over 50, running an incredible 2:28.
What I liked most is there’s no fluff—just honesty, discipline, and a mindset that will resonate with anyone in endurance sport.
A great read if you’re looking for perspective and motivation heading into the season.
📝 The Days Are Long, But the Years Are Short – by Jan Frodeno
I came across a great piece recently called The Days Are Long, But the Years Are Short, and it really struck a chord.
It’s a simple but powerful reminder of how time actually feels—day to day can feel long, tough, and repetitive, but when you zoom out, the years fly by quicker than you think.
What I liked about it is how relevant that is to training (and life). It’s easy to get caught up in a tough session, a bad week, or feeling like progress is slow—but over time, all those consistent days add up to something much bigger.
This is especially true when building towards a 70.3 or Ironman. The weeks can feel long, the sessions can feel relentless, but if you stay consistent and keep showing up, the progress quietly builds in the background.
A really good reminder to stay patient, stay consistent, and not lose sight of the bigger picture.