My LENS Philosophy

This blog aims to offer a fresh perspective on triathlon, open-water swimming and endurance training in general. For peak performance, you need focus. However, in an endurance quest, it isn't uncommon for that viewpoint on training to become tunnel-visioned, focusing solely on training, or worse, leading to an injury, illness, or detachment from the essential things in life. The purpose of the PeteWilbyTriathlOn LENS is to adjust your focus on the necessary endurance training by setting out a holistic approach. The mission is to employ a holistic approach to coaching, enabling individuals to excel. The four key basics that will allow you to excel are what the LENS is comprised of.

• Life

• Endurance training

• Nutrition

• Strength

The LENS Philosophy

Imagine that each part of the LENS is a part of a house, with endurance training at the centre as the front door. The roof of the house is life. By Life, we mean the management of physical and mental health and well-being. At any level of endurance training, life comes first. If something isn't right in life, it takes priority. With this approach, at least the basics are kept in line. Keep a lid on your endurance training habits by treating life like the roof of your house. The left-hand wall supporting the LENS is strength. Strength significantly supports life. By strength, we mean mental strength and physical strength. To embark on any endurance training goal, it is your strength of mind that commits you. It is your cardiac and skeletal muscle strength that will support and power you as you train and compete. With smart goal setting and strategic planning, coupled with a training session focused on mobility, skeletal muscle strength, and physical condition, you will improve your life as well as your triathlon and open-water swimming. The right-hand wall supporting the LENS is nutrition. Healthy food and drink underpin life. It is fuel for people. Athletes are people, not machines. You cannot hack nutrition, but it is a minefield of information that you could and should keep realistic and straightforward. People do try to hack nutrition, but that's not the idea. We all have to eat. I value informing rather than prescribing. Keep it healthy with these two rules: 1) Eat real, unprocessed foods as much as you can. 2) Allow everything in moderation, even excess. The centre of the LENS house - which you could view as the doorway to success - is endurance training. Perceive your endurance through the LENS, remember that life is supported by nutrition and strength. With this in mind, when you embark on your endurance challenge, keep things in perspective. If a bespoke training plan or coaching with us could be beneficial, you know where to find us.

To dial in to success and excel in your sport, you must first maintain a healthy diet, set clear and achievable goals to track your progress, and dedicate time to working on your movement, strength, and endurance training. Keep life in check so nothing rains on your training plans.