Simon Ward: Battle Ready After 50

Most triathletes I know who've made the move to gravel will tell you the same thing.

They thought their fitness would carry them. It didn't — at least not in the way they expected.

This week on the Be Battle Ready Podcast I'm joined by Dave Schell, founder of Kaizen Endurance in Boulder, Colorado.
Dave coaches athletes through some of the most demanding events on the calendar — Unbound 200, Leadville, ultra-distance gravel and mountain bike — and he knows exactly where endurance athletes go wrong when they make this transition.

We talk about why FTP is overrated for long-distance racing, the skill gap most triathletes don't know they have, the mental game of ultra-distance events, and why consistency remains the most powerful tool any of us has.

🎧 Link in the comments

What do you think matters more after mile 100 — fitness or mindset?

Have you tried HYROX yet — or been thinking about making the jump?

It's one of the fastest growing events in endurance sport right now, and a lot of triathletes and Ironman athletes are starting to ask whether it fits into their training.

Dr Kelsie Johnson joins me on the Be Battle Ready Podcast this week to cut through the noise on nutrition for hybrid athletes. We talk about carb periodisation, the interference effect when you're combining strength and endurance, how to actually fuel a HYROX race depending on your start time, and why doing HYROX and triathlon in the same block is a recipe for burnout.

Kelsie brings both the science and the real-world application, and there's a lot in here that will make you rethink how you're approaching your fuelling.

🎧 Link in the comments

You can train 15 hours a week…

be lean, fit, disciplined…

and still be unhealthy.

That’s exactly what happened to Justin Robbins

On the surface, everything looked right.

Consistent training. Good fitness. Healthy lifestyle.

But a routine blood test told a very different story.

In this week’s podcast we talk about:

why fitness and health are not the same thing
the hidden stress many endurance athletes carry
identity beyond performance
and why “more training” isn’t always the answer

This wasn’t a conversation about quitting sport.

It was a conversation about finding a healthier, more sustainable way to do it.

A really honest and thought-provoking episode.

I’ve dropped the full episode link in the comments.

👉Have you ever stopped to ask whether your training is improving your health… or quietly compromising it?

Do you harbour an ambition to race at the Ironman World Championships in Kona?

You should listen to Jane Hansom’s story.

Most people spend years searching for the perfect plan.

Jane did something simpler.

She showed up.

Day after day.

No shortcuts. No hacks.

👉 Just consistency.

After nearly 20 years away from sport, Jane returned in her mid-30s…

qualified for Kona…

and eventually became an age-group World Champion.

A brilliant conversation about performance, consistency, business, and what’s possible when you commit fully.

Full episode in comments

BIG shoutout to our friends at Precision Fuel & Hydration 🙌

We’ve just stocked up on a stash of goodies to support our big adventures ahead. Beth ran a 50k trail run last Saturday, and I’m gearing up for a 40k SUP event tomorrow 🏃‍♀️🏄‍♂️

One thing we both love is how simple they make event-day fuelling. There’s no guesswork.

If you’ve ever felt unsure about what to eat or drink before or during an event, you’re definitely not alone. It can make such a difference when you get it right!

The team at Precision Fuel & Hydration are brilliant at helping you figure out exactly what you need. And they offer a no-obligation call to talk it through.

If you’ve got an event coming up (or even just training), we’d really recommend checking them out and having a chat with their experts.

Here’s to feeling fuelled, confident, and ready to tackle your event!

Most athletes think they’re on track.

They’re not.

If you’ve got an Ironman this year, this is a simple sanity check to see where you actually stand.

I’ve also put together a one-page checklist you can use this week.

Link below. https://simon-ward.kit.com/ironmansanitycheck

I didn’t want to take statins.

For years, I said no.

I train consistently.
I eat well.
I stay in shape.

In my head, that meant I was in control of my health.

But over the last few months, something started to shift.

I’ve seen several men around my age. Fit, active, experienced athletes.
All have serious heart events. Heart attacks. A stroke. No warning.

That made me stop and think.

Am I actually as “healthy” as I think I am…
or just good at training?

At the same time, Beth and I had just completed the Nevis to St Kitts swim.

A brilliant experience. One of those moments where you realise you’re still capable of doing big things.

And that’s when it really hit me.

👉 I don’t just want to be fit enough for today
👉 I want to keep doing this in my 70s and 80s

So after five years of resisting it… I changed my mind.

I’ve decided to take statins.

Not because I’m broken.
Not because I’m scared.
But because I’m playing the long game.

This week’s podcast and article go into the full story.

If you’re over 50 and still training hard, I think this will resonate.

Links in comments 👇

My next newsletter "Be Battle Ready - Where this all comes together" is coming Saturday. Subscribe to get it and stay in the loop on everything I'm creating.

The High Performance Human I'm Simon Ward, Health, Wellness and Performance Coach. This newsletter is for athletes in their late 50s and beyond — the ones who aren't slowing down, but training smarter. Whether you're chasing finish lines or just want to keep doing the sports you love for years to come, we'll explore the bes...

of the most nervous moments in triathlon is the first open water swim of the season.

You’re standing on the start line.
The water looks cold.
Everyone around you suddenly looks like a strong swimmer.

And you realise you haven’t actually swum in open water since last summer.

The problem for most UK triathletes is simple. In March and early April we’re still stuck in the pool.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare properly.

There are several open water skills you can practise in every pool session that will make a huge difference when race day arrives. Sighting, breathing options, swimming close to others and staying calm when things get a bit chaotic.

I’ve written a short article explaining how to build these into your training.

Have a read here 👇
https://simon-ward.kit.com/posts/be-battle-ready-how-to-prepare-for-open-water-swimming-when-you-only-have-a-pool

And if you have a training partner who always dreads the swim, send it to them.

Be Battle Ready - How to Prepare for Open Water Swimming When You Only Have a Pool Learn simple pool drills that help triathletes prepare for open water swimming and feel calmer at the first race of the season.