Simon Ward: Battle Ready After 50

06/05/2026

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

24/04/2026

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!

16/04/2026

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

09/04/2026

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 👇

21/03/2026

"The best endurance athletes aren't who you think they are..."

Most athletes assume the answer is simple — train more, get more miles, put in more hours.
But after 30 years of coaching, Simon has learned that the athletes who improve the most are rarely the ones who train the most.
They're the ones who stay healthy and consistent for the longest time.

Listen to the full episode of the Be Battle Ready Podcast — link in comments!

12/03/2026

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.

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...

11/03/2026

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.

Learn simple pool drills that help triathletes prepare for open water swimming and feel calmer at the first race of the season.

02/03/2026

Most athletes think heat training is something you do two weeks before flying to Kona or Lanzarote.

It’s not.

Used properly, it’s one of the smartest early-season performance tools available.

You don’t need a heat chamber.

You can:

• Train indoors
• Wear extra layers
• Work at high Zone 2
• Keep sessions around 50–60 minutes

The goal is simple: get hot and sweaty, without turning it into a smash fest.

days, plasma volume increases.
Heart rate response improves.
Tolerance to heat builds.

That means less drift. Less fatigue. Better pacing.

And here’s something most people get wrong…

Turn a fan on.

You want to be hot. You don’t want to cook yourself and ruin the session.

If you’re targeting a warm race this year, this is worth experimenting with now — not in the final fortnight.

If you found this useful, share it with someone who always complains about racing in the heat.

Comment 'heat' below if you'd like a copy of the 2 page heat training document.

Train smart. Start early. Get ahead of the season.

17/02/2026

I wrote these training and racing principles 15 years ago, and this one has stood the test of time.

Consistency is the key to success. Make the priority to stay healthy and uninjured.

The biggest gains come from stacking boring, repeatable weeks. Not from smashing yourself once and then spending two weeks injured, ill, or knackered.
I’ve put all 31 principles into a free checklist you can download from the blog.

Comment CHECKLIST and I’ll drop the link in the replies.

10/02/2026

FOR 20 MINUTES - AND SURVIVED
Elite master swimmer Nick Parkes was 3km into a championship race when his heart suddenly stopped. Cardiac arrest. Drowning. Clinically dead for 20 minutes.

"I dived in, got to about three kilometers, and bang, heart stopped. I'd had a heart attack, went into cardiac arrest, and I was drowning... I think I'd been dead for 20 minutes."
But this isn't a story about dying - it's about the incredible will to live and the heroes who refused to give up.

Listen to Nick's full survival story and what he learned about heart health that could save YOUR life.
Link in comments 👇

29/01/2026

"QUICK TEST: Stand on one leg and close your eyes. Can you hold it for 10 seconds?

If not, you're not alone. But this simple test predicts how independently you'll live in your 70s and 80s.

It's one of 10 actions I use to stay capable after 50 - and most of them go against conventional wisdom.

Full article here: https://simon-ward.kit.com/posts/be-battle-ready-top-10-actions-over-50-to-stay-battle-ready

Try the test and let me know how you did! 👇"