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The Elite Endurance of Corporate Athletes
Celebrating Human Potential
The world of endurance never ceases to amaze me in so many ways. Endurance is not just "athletes" running marathons and the likes. Endurance spans far wider than that. The "corporate athlete" has always been one I have kept a close eye on. The outright "endurance" of the two may be far closer than we think.
The Endurance of Traditional Athletes
An athlete spends months preparing to summit Everest and on the final push can spend up to or over 12 hours just reaching the peak. They then have to do the route in reverse taking the "awake and under strain" time easily over 24 hours. Their result is celebrated as an incredible feat of human endurance. Along the way they have made huge sacrifices on many levels, two key ones, relationships and their health.
Other athletes complete ultra marathons or Ironman distance triathlons, ranging from 8 to 114 hours of physical labour solely on the event day. Before reaching the start line, they have made a number of choices which again may have some negative effects in other areas of their lives and on their health.
In 2022 I had the opportunity to coach an athlete to run 6.7km every hour for 89 consecutive hours. Forget about the training, the sleep deprivation and nutrition alone during those 89 hours took over 8 weeks to recover from.
Before reaching the start line the athlete made a number of choices, which again may have some negative effects in other areas of his life and on his health. We celebrated his feat of human endurance.
The Unsung Endurance of Corporate Athletes
When the world of athletic endurance meets that of social media, we see these achievements celebrated with only the cynical questioning the fall out. I do not recall such posts or celebrations for the corporate athlete that has worked a 90-hour week or pulled an "all-nighter" to get a business deal across the line or a court case prepared for a hearing. The athlete normally has recovery time away from their sport after big events. The corporate athlete normally is expected to be at the office at 9am on Monday morning ready to go again.
The Shared Challenges
The fall out is the same. For each athlete when it comes to sacrifices and negative impacts on their health. Some manage it others do not. In sport "longevity" is being spoken about more and more which is a huge positive. My primary goal for my athletes is that they are able to do these things that make them happy for a number of years. My primary goal for my corporate athletes is the same.
The considerations have to be the same. Perhaps heavier when it comes to the corporate athlete. It is very clear that they possess and continue to train and test a phenomenal level of endurance. Those who do not get help along the way, that do not periodize their work load and address their intensity, just like athlete who ignore the basics "burn out" early. They never really "make it". It does not need to be that way, with the right approach both athletes can continue to achieve great things in their chosen endeavours be it sport or business.
Every Human is an Athlete
I have long believed every human is an athlete, we just perform in different arenas. I feel that the sooner we are ready to accept this then the sooner we can deploy a high-performance mindset to the arena that we are performing in.
The Path Forward
With the right approach, both traditional and corporate athletes can continue to achieve great things in their chosen endeavours. This involves:
- Seeking help and guidance
- Periodizing workload
- Addressing intensity
- Focusing on the basics of health and recovery
By treating corporate performance with the same respect and strategic approach as athletic performance, we can celebrate and support the incredible endurance of all types of athletes.
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - MENTAL TOUGHNESS - Hard Work
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ENGINE
No, running this week as we focus on some longer erg pieces; this can be done with a partner or solo. It’s your choice!
GYMNASTICS
This week, we’ll go upside down with handstand hold progressions before having some fun with handstand push-ups. We’ll then finish with overhead strength work.
HYROX
NO CLASS THIS WEEK DUE TO THE ENDURANCE TRAINING CAMP!
MOBILITY
Hip rotation & strengthening activating the stabilisers will be the primary focus of this session. We will also be looking at how to create postural changes to help those rounded upper thoracic.
PURE STRENGTH
Monday, in pure strength, we are progressing the loading on the paused bench press, building on last week, followed by some upper body pulling strength work. Wednesday, we are back on the low box squat, along with some hamstring accessory work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week, we focus on squat clean in weightlifting, with a fun complex followed by some pulls!
Monday Ride
A skills and fitness based ride at the BikeDXB track in Dubai. Some simply structured intervals to enhance cycling ability.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Training Weekend!
We're at Jebel Jais this weekend for our annual Jais Training weekend. If you're interested to know more please email us here.
Location: Jebel Jais
Sunday - Training Weekend!
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Tempo
PM Session only: This evening we will be holding tempo pace for 5mins. Tempo should feel liks a 7/10 effort. After each 5 mins you will have 2 mins easy, which can be a gentle jog or walk. Repeat 5x rounds.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Today we will be running 800m repeats, and fluctuating between 3km and 5km pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. Today there is 1km and 400m efforts. We will have cones set out for you, so you do not need to worry about tracking the distance on your watch.
Friday
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will have bridge repeats for those who want elevation, and tempo for those who want to push the pace on the flat surface. The choice is yours. (If you are running Two Oceans, we recommend the hills option).
Saturday
Time: 08:29am
Location: Check WhatsApp and TrainingPeaks
Session: RAK Training Camp
This weekend we will be in RAK for the IFE Training Camp. There will be a long run this morning on Jebel Jais, and an evening Shake-Out run. All details will be shared in the WA group.
Sunday
Time: 08:44am
Location: Check WhatsApp and TrainingPeaks
Session: RAK Training Camp
Today in RAK we will be doing hill repeats on Jebel Jais. All details will be shared in the WA group.
Monday:
We kick off the new week with some upper body pressing as we build over 6 rounds in the Push Jerk. Ski, DB Thrusters and Burpees in a workout where you earn your rest by how hard work. We are looking for you to get around 1 minute of rest each round. Will you be able to keep it consistent over the 10 rounds?
Strength:
Every 2mins x 6 - 5 Touch and Go Push Jerk
Conditioning:
Every 3:00 x 10 Rounds
250/200m Ski
8 Double DB Thrusters
6 Burpees
Tuesday:
Focusing on Barbell Cycling in the strength with Hang Power Cleans before we fire up the posterior chain with some Tempo Romanian Deadlifts. The conditioning for today is a 5-min effort with 3-min rest. The first AMRAP will bring some fire to your legs and lungs before we hit two high-skill movements in the second AMRAP, which will test your grip and shoulders!
Strength:
A) Every 90secs x 5 - 6 TnG Hang Power Cleans
B) Every 90secs x 3 - 6 RBLs with a Tempo of 30X1
Conditioning:
2 Rounds
5 min AMRAP
10 Box Jump Step Down
15 Russian KB Swings
Rest 3 mins
5 min AMRAP
12 Toes To Bar
30 Double Unders
Rest 3 mins
Wednesday:
Executing the Gymnastic Skill of Pull-Ups under fatigue from sprints on the rower! In Part B, we get some volume in wall balls, simple work but effective gains! We then carry over the learnings from the strength into an equal work rest conditioning piece. Will you hit the same wall balls each round?
Strength:
Every 90secs x 10 Rounds
A) 9/6 Cal Row + 15secs of Pull Ups
B) 45secs Wall Balls
Conditioning:
2:30min of Work and 2:30min of Rest x 4
15/12/9 Pull-ups
300/250m row
AMRAPS wall balls
Thursday:
Leg Day!!! Front Squats building up to heavy singles! Then we hit an Open Repeat of 11.4 and put all that OHS work to the test in a workout!
Strength:
Every 2mins x 6 - 2:2:2:1:1:1 Fron Squat
Conditioning:
Open Workout 11.4
60-bar facing burpee
30 OHS 55/45kg
10 Muscle-ups
Friday:
What better for a Friday than upper bodybuilding strength, Incline Bench, Rows and some Dumbell Raises before we get stuck into some Therapy with a Chipper style workout, which will leave you sweaty and tired!
The world of endurance never ceases to amaze me in so many ways. Endurance is not just "athletes" running marathons and the likes. Endurance spans far wider than that. The "corporate athlete" has always been one I have kept a close eye on. The outright "endurance" of the two may be far closer than we think.
The Endurance of Traditional Athletes
An athlete spends months preparing to summit Everest and on the final push can spend up to or over 12 hours just reaching the peak. They then have to do the route in reverse taking the "awake and under strain" time easily over 24 hours. Their result is celebrated as an incredible feat of human endurance. Along the way they have made huge sacrifices on many levels, two key ones, relationships and their health.
Other athletes complete ultra marathons or Ironman distance triathlons, ranging from 8 to 114 hours of physical labour solely on the event day. Before reaching the start line, they have made a number of choices which again may have some negative effects in other areas of their lives and on their health.
In 2022 I had the opportunity to coach an athlete to run 6.7km every hour for 89 consecutive hours. Forget about the training, the sleep deprivation and nutrition alone during those 89 hours took over 8 weeks to recover from.
Before reaching the start line the athlete made a number of choices, which again may have some negative effects in other areas of his life and on his health. We celebrated his feat of human endurance.
The Unsung Endurance of Corporate Athletes
When the world of athletic endurance meets that of social media, we see these achievements celebrated with only the cynical questioning the fall out. I do not recall such posts or celebrations for the corporate athlete that has worked a 90-hour week or pulled an "all-nighter" to get a business deal across the line or a court case prepared for a hearing. The athlete normally has recovery time away from their sport after big events. The corporate athlete normally is expected to be at the office at 9am on Monday morning ready to go again.
The Shared Challenges
The fall out is the same. For each athlete when it comes to sacrifices and negative impacts on their health. Some manage it others do not. In sport "longevity" is being spoken about more and more which is a huge positive. My primary goal for my athletes is that they are able to do these things that make them happy for a number of years. My primary goal for my corporate athletes is the same.
The considerations have to be the same. Perhaps heavier when it comes to the corporate athlete. It is very clear that they possess and continue to train and test a phenomenal level of endurance. Those who do not get help along the way, that do not periodize their work load and address their intensity, just like athlete who ignore the basics "burn out" early. They never really "make it". It does not need to be that way, with the right approach both athletes can continue to achieve great things in their chosen endeavours be it sport or business.
Every Human is an Athlete
I have long believed every human is an athlete, we just perform in different arenas. I feel that the sooner we are ready to accept this then the sooner we can deploy a high-performance mindset to the arena that we are performing in.
The Path Forward
With the right approach, both traditional and corporate athletes can continue to achieve great things in their chosen endeavours. This involves:
- Seeking help and guidance
- Periodizing workload
- Addressing intensity
- Focusing on the basics of health and recovery
By treating corporate performance with the same respect and strategic approach as athletic performance, we can celebrate and support the incredible endurance of all types of athletes.
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - MENTAL TOUGHNESS - Hard Work
Monday Ride
A skills and fitness based ride at the BikeDXB track in Dubai. Some simply structured intervals to enhance cycling ability.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Training Weekend!
We're at Jebel Jais this weekend for our annual Jais Training weekend. If you're interested to know more please email us here.
Location: Jebel Jais
Sunday - Training Weekend!
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Tempo
PM Session only: This evening we will be holding tempo pace for 5mins. Tempo should feel liks a 7/10 effort. After each 5 mins you will have 2 mins easy, which can be a gentle jog or walk. Repeat 5x rounds.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Today we will be running 800m repeats, and fluctuating between 3km and 5km pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. Today there is 1km and 400m efforts. We will have cones set out for you, so you do not need to worry about tracking the distance on your watch.
Friday
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will have bridge repeats for those who want elevation, and tempo for those who want to push the pace on the flat surface. The choice is yours. (If you are running Two Oceans, we recommend the hills option).
Saturday
Time: 08:29am
Location: Check WhatsApp and TrainingPeaks
Session: RAK Training Camp
This weekend we will be in RAK for the IFE Training Camp. There will be a long run this morning on Jebel Jais, and an evening Shake-Out run. All details will be shared in the WA group.
Sunday
Time: 08:44am
Location: Check WhatsApp and TrainingPeaks
Session: RAK Training Camp
Today in RAK we will be doing hill repeats on Jebel Jais. All details will be shared in the WA group.
Monday:
We kick off the new week with some upper body pressing as we build over 6 rounds in the Push Jerk. Ski, DB Thrusters and Burpees in a workout where you earn your rest by how hard work. We are looking for you to get around 1 minute of rest each round. Will you be able to keep it consistent over the 10 rounds?
Strength:
Every 2mins x 6 - 5 Touch and Go Push Jerk
Conditioning:
Every 3:00 x 10 Rounds
250/200m Ski
8 Double DB Thrusters
6 Burpees
Tuesday:
Focusing on Barbell Cycling in the strength with Hang Power Cleans before we fire up the posterior chain with some Tempo Romanian Deadlifts. The conditioning for today is a 5-min effort with 3-min rest. The first AMRAP will bring some fire to your legs and lungs before we hit two high-skill movements in the second AMRAP, which will test your grip and shoulders!
Strength:
A) Every 90secs x 5 - 6 TnG Hang Power Cleans
B) Every 90secs x 3 - 6 RBLs with a Tempo of 30X1
Conditioning:
2 Rounds
5 min AMRAP
10 Box Jump Step Down
15 Russian KB Swings
Rest 3 mins
5 min AMRAP
12 Toes To Bar
30 Double Unders
Rest 3 mins
Wednesday:
Executing the Gymnastic Skill of Pull-Ups under fatigue from sprints on the rower! In Part B, we get some volume in wall balls, simple work but effective gains! We then carry over the learnings from the strength into an equal work rest conditioning piece. Will you hit the same wall balls each round?
Strength:
Every 90secs x 10 Rounds
A) 9/6 Cal Row + 15secs of Pull Ups
B) 45secs Wall Balls
Conditioning:
2:30min of Work and 2:30min of Rest x 4
15/12/9 Pull-ups
300/250m row
AMRAPS wall balls
Thursday:
Leg Day!!! Front Squats building up to heavy singles! Then we hit an Open Repeat of 11.4 and put all that OHS work to the test in a workout!
Strength:
Every 2mins x 6 - 2:2:2:1:1:1 Fron Squat
Conditioning:
Open Workout 11.4
60-bar facing burpee
30 OHS 55/45kg
10 Muscle-ups
Friday:
What better for a Friday than upper bodybuilding strength, Incline Bench, Rows and some Dumbell Raises before we get stuck into some Therapy with a Chipper style workout, which will leave you sweaty and tired!
ENGINE
No, running this week as we focus on some longer erg pieces; this can be done with a partner or solo. It’s your choice!
GYMNASTICS
This week, we’ll go upside down with handstand hold progressions before having some fun with handstand push-ups. We’ll then finish with overhead strength work.
HYROX
NO CLASS THIS WEEK DUE TO THE ENDURANCE TRAINING CAMP!
MOBILITY
Hip rotation & strengthening activating the stabilisers will be the primary focus of this session. We will also be looking at how to create postural changes to help those rounded upper thoracic.
PURE STRENGTH
Monday, in pure strength, we are progressing the loading on the paused bench press, building on last week, followed by some upper body pulling strength work. Wednesday, we are back on the low box squat, along with some hamstring accessory work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week, we focus on squat clean in weightlifting, with a fun complex followed by some pulls!
The world of endurance never ceases to amaze me in so many ways. Endurance is not just "athletes" running marathons and the likes. Endurance spans far wider than that. The "corporate athlete" has always been one I have kept a close eye on. The outright "endurance" of the two may be far closer than we think.
The Endurance of Traditional Athletes
An athlete spends months preparing to summit Everest and on the final push can spend up to or over 12 hours just reaching the peak. They then have to do the route in reverse taking the "awake and under strain" time easily over 24 hours. Their result is celebrated as an incredible feat of human endurance. Along the way they have made huge sacrifices on many levels, two key ones, relationships and their health.
Other athletes complete ultra marathons or Ironman distance triathlons, ranging from 8 to 114 hours of physical labour solely on the event day. Before reaching the start line, they have made a number of choices which again may have some negative effects in other areas of their lives and on their health.
In 2022 I had the opportunity to coach an athlete to run 6.7km every hour for 89 consecutive hours. Forget about the training, the sleep deprivation and nutrition alone during those 89 hours took over 8 weeks to recover from.
Before reaching the start line the athlete made a number of choices, which again may have some negative effects in other areas of his life and on his health. We celebrated his feat of human endurance.
The Unsung Endurance of Corporate Athletes
When the world of athletic endurance meets that of social media, we see these achievements celebrated with only the cynical questioning the fall out. I do not recall such posts or celebrations for the corporate athlete that has worked a 90-hour week or pulled an "all-nighter" to get a business deal across the line or a court case prepared for a hearing. The athlete normally has recovery time away from their sport after big events. The corporate athlete normally is expected to be at the office at 9am on Monday morning ready to go again.
The Shared Challenges
The fall out is the same. For each athlete when it comes to sacrifices and negative impacts on their health. Some manage it others do not. In sport "longevity" is being spoken about more and more which is a huge positive. My primary goal for my athletes is that they are able to do these things that make them happy for a number of years. My primary goal for my corporate athletes is the same.
The considerations have to be the same. Perhaps heavier when it comes to the corporate athlete. It is very clear that they possess and continue to train and test a phenomenal level of endurance. Those who do not get help along the way, that do not periodize their work load and address their intensity, just like athlete who ignore the basics "burn out" early. They never really "make it". It does not need to be that way, with the right approach both athletes can continue to achieve great things in their chosen endeavours be it sport or business.
Every Human is an Athlete
I have long believed every human is an athlete, we just perform in different arenas. I feel that the sooner we are ready to accept this then the sooner we can deploy a high-performance mindset to the arena that we are performing in.
The Path Forward
With the right approach, both traditional and corporate athletes can continue to achieve great things in their chosen endeavours. This involves:
- Seeking help and guidance
- Periodizing workload
- Addressing intensity
- Focusing on the basics of health and recovery
By treating corporate performance with the same respect and strategic approach as athletic performance, we can celebrate and support the incredible endurance of all types of athletes.
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - MENTAL TOUGHNESS - Hard Work
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Tempo
PM Session only: This evening we will be holding tempo pace for 5mins. Tempo should feel liks a 7/10 effort. After each 5 mins you will have 2 mins easy, which can be a gentle jog or walk. Repeat 5x rounds.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Today we will be running 800m repeats, and fluctuating between 3km and 5km pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. Today there is 1km and 400m efforts. We will have cones set out for you, so you do not need to worry about tracking the distance on your watch.
Friday
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will have bridge repeats for those who want elevation, and tempo for those who want to push the pace on the flat surface. The choice is yours. (If you are running Two Oceans, we recommend the hills option).
Saturday
Time: 08:29am
Location: Check WhatsApp and TrainingPeaks
Session: RAK Training Camp
This weekend we will be in RAK for the IFE Training Camp. There will be a long run this morning on Jebel Jais, and an evening Shake-Out run. All details will be shared in the WA group.
Sunday
Time: 08:44am
Location: Check WhatsApp and TrainingPeaks
Session: RAK Training Camp
Today in RAK we will be doing hill repeats on Jebel Jais. All details will be shared in the WA group.
Monday:
We kick off the new week with some upper body pressing as we build over 6 rounds in the Push Jerk. Ski, DB Thrusters and Burpees in a workout where you earn your rest by how hard work. We are looking for you to get around 1 minute of rest each round. Will you be able to keep it consistent over the 10 rounds?
Strength:
Every 2mins x 6 - 5 Touch and Go Push Jerk
Conditioning:
Every 3:00 x 10 Rounds
250/200m Ski
8 Double DB Thrusters
6 Burpees
Tuesday:
Focusing on Barbell Cycling in the strength with Hang Power Cleans before we fire up the posterior chain with some Tempo Romanian Deadlifts. The conditioning for today is a 5-min effort with 3-min rest. The first AMRAP will bring some fire to your legs and lungs before we hit two high-skill movements in the second AMRAP, which will test your grip and shoulders!
Strength:
A) Every 90secs x 5 - 6 TnG Hang Power Cleans
B) Every 90secs x 3 - 6 RBLs with a Tempo of 30X1
Conditioning:
2 Rounds
5 min AMRAP
10 Box Jump Step Down
15 Russian KB Swings
Rest 3 mins
5 min AMRAP
12 Toes To Bar
30 Double Unders
Rest 3 mins
Wednesday:
Executing the Gymnastic Skill of Pull-Ups under fatigue from sprints on the rower! In Part B, we get some volume in wall balls, simple work but effective gains! We then carry over the learnings from the strength into an equal work rest conditioning piece. Will you hit the same wall balls each round?
Strength:
Every 90secs x 10 Rounds
A) 9/6 Cal Row + 15secs of Pull Ups
B) 45secs Wall Balls
Conditioning:
2:30min of Work and 2:30min of Rest x 4
15/12/9 Pull-ups
300/250m row
AMRAPS wall balls
Thursday:
Leg Day!!! Front Squats building up to heavy singles! Then we hit an Open Repeat of 11.4 and put all that OHS work to the test in a workout!
Strength:
Every 2mins x 6 - 2:2:2:1:1:1 Fron Squat
Conditioning:
Open Workout 11.4
60-bar facing burpee
30 OHS 55/45kg
10 Muscle-ups
Friday:
What better for a Friday than upper bodybuilding strength, Incline Bench, Rows and some Dumbell Raises before we get stuck into some Therapy with a Chipper style workout, which will leave you sweaty and tired!
ENGINE
No, running this week as we focus on some longer erg pieces; this can be done with a partner or solo. It’s your choice!
GYMNASTICS
This week, we’ll go upside down with handstand hold progressions before having some fun with handstand push-ups. We’ll then finish with overhead strength work.
HYROX
NO CLASS THIS WEEK DUE TO THE ENDURANCE TRAINING CAMP!
MOBILITY
Hip rotation & strengthening activating the stabilisers will be the primary focus of this session. We will also be looking at how to create postural changes to help those rounded upper thoracic.
PURE STRENGTH
Monday, in pure strength, we are progressing the loading on the paused bench press, building on last week, followed by some upper body pulling strength work. Wednesday, we are back on the low box squat, along with some hamstring accessory work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week, we focus on squat clean in weightlifting, with a fun complex followed by some pulls!
Monday Ride
A skills and fitness based ride at the BikeDXB track in Dubai. Some simply structured intervals to enhance cycling ability.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Training Weekend!
We're at Jebel Jais this weekend for our annual Jais Training weekend. If you're interested to know more please email us here.
Location: Jebel Jais
Sunday - Training Weekend!
The world of endurance never ceases to amaze me in so many ways. Endurance is not just "athletes" running marathons and the likes. Endurance spans far wider than that. The "corporate athlete" has always been one I have kept a close eye on. The outright "endurance" of the two may be far closer than we think.
The Endurance of Traditional Athletes
An athlete spends months preparing to summit Everest and on the final push can spend up to or over 12 hours just reaching the peak. They then have to do the route in reverse taking the "awake and under strain" time easily over 24 hours. Their result is celebrated as an incredible feat of human endurance. Along the way they have made huge sacrifices on many levels, two key ones, relationships and their health.
Other athletes complete ultra marathons or Ironman distance triathlons, ranging from 8 to 114 hours of physical labour solely on the event day. Before reaching the start line, they have made a number of choices which again may have some negative effects in other areas of their lives and on their health.
In 2022 I had the opportunity to coach an athlete to run 6.7km every hour for 89 consecutive hours. Forget about the training, the sleep deprivation and nutrition alone during those 89 hours took over 8 weeks to recover from.
Before reaching the start line the athlete made a number of choices, which again may have some negative effects in other areas of his life and on his health. We celebrated his feat of human endurance.
The Unsung Endurance of Corporate Athletes
When the world of athletic endurance meets that of social media, we see these achievements celebrated with only the cynical questioning the fall out. I do not recall such posts or celebrations for the corporate athlete that has worked a 90-hour week or pulled an "all-nighter" to get a business deal across the line or a court case prepared for a hearing. The athlete normally has recovery time away from their sport after big events. The corporate athlete normally is expected to be at the office at 9am on Monday morning ready to go again.
The Shared Challenges
The fall out is the same. For each athlete when it comes to sacrifices and negative impacts on their health. Some manage it others do not. In sport "longevity" is being spoken about more and more which is a huge positive. My primary goal for my athletes is that they are able to do these things that make them happy for a number of years. My primary goal for my corporate athletes is the same.
The considerations have to be the same. Perhaps heavier when it comes to the corporate athlete. It is very clear that they possess and continue to train and test a phenomenal level of endurance. Those who do not get help along the way, that do not periodize their work load and address their intensity, just like athlete who ignore the basics "burn out" early. They never really "make it". It does not need to be that way, with the right approach both athletes can continue to achieve great things in their chosen endeavours be it sport or business.
Every Human is an Athlete
I have long believed every human is an athlete, we just perform in different arenas. I feel that the sooner we are ready to accept this then the sooner we can deploy a high-performance mindset to the arena that we are performing in.
The Path Forward
With the right approach, both traditional and corporate athletes can continue to achieve great things in their chosen endeavours. This involves:
- Seeking help and guidance
- Periodizing workload
- Addressing intensity
- Focusing on the basics of health and recovery
By treating corporate performance with the same respect and strategic approach as athletic performance, we can celebrate and support the incredible endurance of all types of athletes.
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - MENTAL TOUGHNESS - Hard Work
The world of endurance never ceases to amaze me in so many ways. Endurance is not just "athletes" running marathons and the likes. Endurance spans far wider than that. The "corporate athlete" has always been one I have kept a close eye on. The outright "endurance" of the two may be far closer than we think.
The Endurance of Traditional Athletes
An athlete spends months preparing to summit Everest and on the final push can spend up to or over 12 hours just reaching the peak. They then have to do the route in reverse taking the "awake and under strain" time easily over 24 hours. Their result is celebrated as an incredible feat of human endurance. Along the way they have made huge sacrifices on many levels, two key ones, relationships and their health.
Other athletes complete ultra marathons or Ironman distance triathlons, ranging from 8 to 114 hours of physical labour solely on the event day. Before reaching the start line, they have made a number of choices which again may have some negative effects in other areas of their lives and on their health.
In 2022 I had the opportunity to coach an athlete to run 6.7km every hour for 89 consecutive hours. Forget about the training, the sleep deprivation and nutrition alone during those 89 hours took over 8 weeks to recover from.
Before reaching the start line the athlete made a number of choices, which again may have some negative effects in other areas of his life and on his health. We celebrated his feat of human endurance.
The Unsung Endurance of Corporate Athletes
When the world of athletic endurance meets that of social media, we see these achievements celebrated with only the cynical questioning the fall out. I do not recall such posts or celebrations for the corporate athlete that has worked a 90-hour week or pulled an "all-nighter" to get a business deal across the line or a court case prepared for a hearing. The athlete normally has recovery time away from their sport after big events. The corporate athlete normally is expected to be at the office at 9am on Monday morning ready to go again.
The Shared Challenges
The fall out is the same. For each athlete when it comes to sacrifices and negative impacts on their health. Some manage it others do not. In sport "longevity" is being spoken about more and more which is a huge positive. My primary goal for my athletes is that they are able to do these things that make them happy for a number of years. My primary goal for my corporate athletes is the same.
The considerations have to be the same. Perhaps heavier when it comes to the corporate athlete. It is very clear that they possess and continue to train and test a phenomenal level of endurance. Those who do not get help along the way, that do not periodize their work load and address their intensity, just like athlete who ignore the basics "burn out" early. They never really "make it". It does not need to be that way, with the right approach both athletes can continue to achieve great things in their chosen endeavours be it sport or business.
Every Human is an Athlete
I have long believed every human is an athlete, we just perform in different arenas. I feel that the sooner we are ready to accept this then the sooner we can deploy a high-performance mindset to the arena that we are performing in.
The Path Forward
With the right approach, both traditional and corporate athletes can continue to achieve great things in their chosen endeavours. This involves:
- Seeking help and guidance
- Periodizing workload
- Addressing intensity
- Focusing on the basics of health and recovery
By treating corporate performance with the same respect and strategic approach as athletic performance, we can celebrate and support the incredible endurance of all types of athletes.
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - MENTAL TOUGHNESS - Hard Work
One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
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