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Physical Challenge

A key attribute of being ‘TrueSapien’ is the desire to ‘Challenge Life’.Here you’ll find event reviews and previews, helpful information on various types of challenging activities like running, OCR, Triathlon, cycling, swimming and calisthenics.Benefit from experiences shared by other TrueSapiens. Be inspired to try new things, step outside your comfort zone and push yourself further than you thought possible!

Be TrueSapien. Challenge Life.

Advice

Should You Use a Running Training Plan?

Are you a runner searching for clarity amidst the seemingly infinite, and often conflicting sources of running advice? Whether you’re a beginner runner looking to build your endurance or a seasoned runner aiming for a personal best or an extreme challenge, a running training plan can help you unleash your potential. The world of running can be daunting and overwhelming, with an abundance of resources, programs, and philosophies promising to revolutionize your performance. Amidst this chaos, one question arises: Do you really need a running training plan? In this article we’ll answer the question ‘what is a running plan’, the

Equipment

Trail Running Kit Essentials

You run, but do you need specific Trail Running kit if you’re heading out on the trails? Find out what we consider Trail Running Essentials, and how these can improve your experience and keep you safe! Running has always been known as a cheap sport; in fact, there’s an old adage that goes, “All you need to do is put on a pair of trainers and head out”. This is certainly mostly true for road running, especially for the beginner. When it comes to trail running, and definitely mountain running, you need to put a lot more thought into your kit.

Events

My 100KM Ultra race. The Ultra-Trail Snowdonia – Ben Comery

Over 100km of technical trails through the mountainous areas of Northern Eyri & Snowdonia. Beautiful beyond belief, savage beyond reason. This was by far the hardest event I’ve ever done and I haven’t exactly been a stranger to tough events. It’s also the longest thing I’ve ever written, so sit down and get ready to read my adventure. The Plan My plan going in was to take it easier in the first 50k and then allow myself to race after that. The mountains don’t care about your plans. Adam and I set of from the slate museum in Llanberis at

Camaraderie

What is Hill Climbing? – ‘Rapid’ Rich Stoodley

There are many cyclists who would rather the world was totally flat. It would certainly make the sport a whole lot easier. Masochists There are a few of us however, who actually embrace them. We purposely punish ourselves by planning rides with as much climbing as possible. In doing so, we are rewarded with many advantages, such as stunning views, picturesque countryside, often in areas of outstanding natural beauty. But then there are others. Even more extreme. A strange breed, almost a cult who go that one step further. These weekend warriors don’t just enjoy Hills, but they seek out other

Advice

Should You Schedule In Pre-Race Worry Time?

Should you schedule in “worry time” in race week? The nerves start to jangle. You’re approaching the big race. The one you’ve invested lots of time training for. You might be starting to boarder on some form of “maranoia” ~ the intense psychological state of being hyper aware of every element of your body. Did you just feel a twinge? Is your calf ok? Eeee, how about your knee? You take all the time in the world to avoid every single human that might remotely have some form of virus, cough or cold. Your psychological state is heightened

cycling

The Winter Training Ride That Didn’t Go To Plan – Dan Farrand

My front wheel turned to the left and before I knew it, I was no longer in control of the bike. The rest of the machine slid to the right and went from under me. Landing heavily on my left side, the momentum propelled me across the road. I knew something was very wrong as the pain in my leg was excruciating. I was unable to stand, so had to drag myself across the road to the grass verge and out the way of any passing vehicles. A socially distanced ride in the morning sun It was Christmas Eve, cold

challenge

C19 Challenge For Royal British Legion Part 3

Welcome to the third and final part of the account of my participation in the C19 Challenge. A way I thought I could put my personal challenges to some good use and help raise funds for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. The idea of these short, bite sized workouts, is to put everything into each and every one. They are as demanding as the effort you put into them, proving home workouts can be simple, short but still effective. Let’s see how the final 3 workouts went. Workout 5 (09/11) 20 minutes, as many rounds as possible 10 Leg

challenge

C19 Challenge For Royal British Legion Part 2

Part 2 of my participation in the C19 Challenge, having decided to put my personal challenges to good use by raising some money for Royal British Legion. Remember, the idea is to put everything into these simplified, mini workouts. They may be short but if you put it all in then they certainly are demanding! Let’s see how the next 2 days went… Workout 3 (07/11) ‘Chipper For Time’ 100 jumping lunges (each side), 80 butterfly sit ups, 60 burpees, 40 jack knives, 20 side to side press ups (each side). If I’d been fresh this workout would have been

challenge

The C19 Challenge for Royal British Legion

I decided to support the C19 Challenge and put my personal challenges to good use by raising some money for Royal British Legion. These workouts are designed with simplicity in mind so they can be done at home. But don’t be fooled…..they are tough! The idea is to put everything into each one and leave nothing out there! So let’s see how it went. Workout 1 (05/11) 22 minutes, as many rounds as possible 20 Hollow Rocks, 5 Chest to floor, 20 Unweighted Thrusters, 5 Chest to floor. Overall this went well. Nice mixture of movements and the Hollow Rocks

challenge

The 48 Hour Fast Challenge

The challenge was simple. To not eat or drink, other than coffee and water, for a 48 hour period. The thought behind it My 48 hour fast challenge isn’t about following any sort of trendy fad. It was nothing to do with ‘detox’ or anything to do with intermittent fasting. So why did I fast for 48 hours? Simply to see if I could do it. How it would make me feel, physically and psychologically and to test myself. The planning (or absence of it) 5pm on a Thursday evening. Finish my meal and decide to start the 48 hour

Advice

How To Defy The Fitness Age Barrier

Does reaching certain age milestones significantly and disproportionately limit your physical capabilities? Is it possible to defy ageing and stay fit as you get older? Or are we just more likely to allow doubt and a ‘glass ceiling’ limit our ability the older we get? ‘Don’t let those who haven’t tell you that you can’t.’ Must Athleticism Decrease With Age? Everywhere we look, we see literature that tells us our athletic ability diminishes with age (after a peak between 20-35ish) depending on the sport or discipline. The media seems to keen to brainwash us that staying fit is considerably more difficult.

10k-training-plan-to-improve-your-10k-run

10k

The 10k Training Plan That Will Improve Your 10k Run

Why a 10k training plan? 10k is a popular distance in the running community. From beginner runners, intermediate runners through to experienced runners. Because of this, we are often asked “How can I improve my 10k run? Why 10K? The standard progression from a 5k run is a 10k run. Many runners will then generally look at improving their times in 10k races or use it as a steppingstone distance to Half Marathons and beyond. Due to its popularity there are a plethora of 10k race events out there to choose from. Online running coaches AW Running Fitness have devised

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