PeteWilbyTriathl    n

One of the less glamorous parts of running open water swimming sessions is paperwork. Over the years, I have built up a fairly substantial document covering all of the operational procedures for PeteWilbyTriathlon. In the industry, this is known as a Normal Operating Procedure (NOP). Given the risks and responsibilities associated with coaching swimmers in the open water, I find it incredibly valuable to have an experienced external reviewer review my plans each year. I do th

As an endurance coach, I'm always looking for ways to better support the athletes I work with. Recently, I completed a course on coaching participants with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), and one of the biggest takeaways was the importance of communication. Before the course, I understood that athletes with Type 1 Diabetes could participate in sport at every level. I have worked with athletes who have T1D, identified through medical declarations, and have seen them test their glucose

Worlds away from... loan repayments, tabloid headlines, mortgage statements... Stoked up coals inside of me that I've not felt since nighty three... Luke Wright - poet (just three snippits from the brilliant Essex Lion) When AI coaching tools first appeared in mainstream endurance sport, I felt a mix of curiosity and caution. Not because they weren’t useful, but because they raised a simple question about where they sit within coaching practice and what that means for the co

Grit is perseverance and consistency towards long-term goals. To me, grit is what keeps people moving when it would be easier to stop. It is not about motivation or feeling in control. It is about turning up when the session looks unlikely to go well, when the body feels off, or when the head is not quite there. Grit is staying in it anyway. For me, Alistair Brownlee captures that mindset well. In Relentless, he wrote: “The best athletes don’t rely on feeling good; they show

To cut to the chase, a mix of walking and running has been used for years to complete long distances. It's simple logic, walking is easier, so walking bits makes the overall task easier. Early marathon winners mixed in walking. Thomas Hicks , the winner of the 1904 Olympic Marathon, famously walked to survive. The 1904 marathon in St. Louis was held in 32°C heat on dusty, unpaved roads. Hicks’ victory is notorious not only because he walked parts but because he was kep

Discover the Magic: Combe Cellars to Shaldon Beach Adventure Swim The adventure swim from Combe Cellars to Shaldon Beach offers the perfect blend of exploration, challenge, and natural beauty. This isn’t your typical swim. Covering 3km in total, with the tide, is around 1500m of open water swimming to your stroke. The swim starts at the Combe Cellers pub jetty in Combeinteignhead and along the stunning stretch of the Teign river past some secret beaches, attractive boat hous

When most athletes hear the phrase heat training , they think acclimation - surviving a hot race or preparing for a foreign climate. But what if heat wasn’t only a tool for coping? What if it were a tool for improving? Recently, after being prompted by a coached athlete earlier in 2025, I’ve been investigating bike-based heat-training protocols not just for acclimation but also as a deliberate way to elevate fitness during everyday training. And the more I see, the more convi

Cold-water triathlon training begins with understanding the cold-shock response—not just as a risk but as a physiological benefit. The initial gasp, rapid breathing, and heart-rate spike can boost alertness, circulation, and stress resilience when managed safely. Respect those first 60–90 seconds: enter gradually, keep your airway clear, and slow your breathing before you start swimming. Use a short “acclimatisation phase” at the start of every swim. Float or tread water, an

Estimating Your Sweat Rate: A Practical Guide for Endurance Athletes Understanding your sweat rate is a valuable step toward refining your hydration strategy, both in training and on race day. Knowing how much you typically lose through sweating helps you determine what—and how much—you need to drink to replace fluids and electrolytes. Sweat rate is highly individual. Some athletes naturally sweat more, while others sweat less, and it can vary significantly depending on condi