What happens when everything in your life starts to fall apart but you still have a date circled in the calendar?

The latest episode of The Amateur Athlete Diaries is from my conversation with Keaton Loader back in November. We discuss how discipline is forged in difficult moments, the power of having a goal, and why boxing goes beyond sport to influence other areas of life.

We talk about:

• Training through sadness, depression, and uncertainty

• Why discipline only reveals itself when life gets hard

• The balance between pushing yourself and listening to your body

• Boxing as both a lonely & deeply communal sport

• Learning to celebrate wins and not just chase the next goal

• How purpose, routine, and environment can pull you forward

This is a conversation about sport, yes but an underlying message throughout centres on identity, resilience, and finding structure when things life gets out of control.

Boxer or not, Keaton's story has elements many of us will be able to relate to. Listen in now and let us know your thoughts!

MyFitPod supported this episode.MyFitPod is your own private gym. No waiting. No crowds. No gym-timidation. Just you — training on your terms.Check it out here: https://myfitpod.co.uk

What happens when the thing you love most is taken away from you?

In this episode, I sit down with Scottish decathlete, Tom Chandler, who is fresh off winning the South of England Combined Events. We talk about injuries, identity, pressure, and what it means to persist when sport stops becomes less one dimensional.

After three knee operations, Tom opens up about how injury forced him to confront who he was beyond being an athlete; and why that process ultimately made him stronger, more grounded, and more patient in chasing big goals.

We talk about:

- Losing your identity when sport is taken away

- Why injuries can be the most powerful (and brutal) teachers of lessons

- Competing across two days in the decathlon and managing emotions under pressure

- Being process-driven as an amateur athlete with real-world responsibilities

- Why “you are not your sport” doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter

This is conversation dives into perspectives, resilience, and what it takes to stay in the game, even when that path isn’t linear.

Something a little different here...

We quizzed Kyle on some questions you may be wondering after hearing about his 3,000+ mile run around the perimeter of Britain.

Question 1: How Much Did You Spend?

Question 2: How Much Did A Search For Meaning & Purpose Influence Your Decision To Take On This Challenge?

Question 3: What Has Your Recovery Been Like Since Finishing?

Question 4: What Was The Reaction From Friends & Family To Doing This Challenge?

Let us know what you think and if you'd like to see more of this sort of content!

Running 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours sounds simple on paper but sleep deprivation, fueling mistakes, and mental fatigue make it considerably harder in practise.

In this episode of The Amateur Athlete Diaries, I’m joined by Katie Williams to unpack her experience taking on the 4x4x48 challenge, a brutal endurance test that became less about running fitness and more about mindset, recovery, and self-belief.

Katie shares:

- Why she decided to take on the 4x4x48 just weeks after a 50km ultra

- What the challenge felt like between midnight treadmill runs and minimal sleep

- The mistakes she made with fueling and recovery, and what she’d do differently

- How sleep deprivation affected her body and nervous system- Why endurance challenges are as much about identity as they are performance

We also zoom out to explore how the challenge fits into her wider training life; balancing ultrarunning with powerlifting, learning when to pull back, and discovering how far you can go when the goal becomes simply showing up again.

This episode is a unfiltered look at endurance culture, pushing limits, and what Amateur Athletes can learn from doing something deliberately uncomfortable, without necessarily chasing perfection.

MyFitPod supported this episode.

MyFitPod is your own private gym. No waiting. No crowds. No gym-timidation. Just you — training on your terms.

Check it out here: https://myfitpod.co.uk/pages/my-fit-pod-basingstoke

Running thousands of miles sounds extreme, and it is, but for Kyle it was necessary and fuelled by nothing other than a delusional level of self belief.In this conversation, I speak with why The Milky Runner, just a normal guy working as a chef came to take on, and complete, such an impressive feat. Kyle talks honestly about what it took to keep going when the novelty wears off, injuries hit and motivation was low. Being homeless for a period of time, Kyle has faced his fair share of battles in life and took on this challenge on a personal mission but also in support of Family Action who help parents, children and families of all types. Mr Matthews speaks with great humility and assurance of what he has achieved, but also with confidence and optimism of what is now to come.Something tells me this is just the begining for him. So whilst this may sound like a 'nutty' challenge, I assure you there is plenty to Kyle's story that many of us can relate; specifically the times he has dedicated to meal deal choices.Enjoy my conversation with The Milky Runner, The Unofficial Youngest Person To Solo Run The Perimeter of Britain.This episode was very kindly support by Fit Box in Brighton. Fit Box is a functional training platform that consists of outstanding classes run by there master trainers.They bring a unique fitness environment to the local community, combining state-of-the-art connected gym equipment with an unrivalled class offering, and a team of motivating personal trainers. They even an official Hyrox gym!Check them out here: https://thefitboxgroup.co.uk/

Running thousands of miles sounds extreme, and it is, but for Kyle it was necessary and fuelled by nothing other than a delusional level of self belief.

In this conversation, I speak with why The Milky Runner, just a normal guy working as a chef came to take on, and complete, such an impressive feat.

Kyle talks honestly about what it took to keep going when the novelty wears off, injuries hit and motivation was low. Being homeless for a period of time, Kyle has faced his fair share of battles in life and took on this challenge on a personal mission but also in support of Family Action who help parents, children and families of all types.

Mr Matthews speaks with great humility and assurance of what he has achieved, but also with confidence and optimism of what is now to come.

Something tells me this is just the begining for him. So whilst this may sound like a 'nutty' challenge, I assure you there is plenty to Kyle's story that many of us can relate; specifically the times he has dedicated to meal deal choices.

Enjoy my conversation with The Milky Runner, The Unofficial Youngest Person To Solo Run The Perimeter of Britain.

This episode was very kindly support by Fit Box in Brighton. Fit Box is a functional training platform that consists of outstanding classes run by there master trainers.

They bring a unique fitness environment to the local community, combining state-of-the-art connected gym equipment with an unrivalled class offering, and a team of motivating personal trainers. They even an official Hyrox gym!

What happens when you achieve something huge…and it doesn’t feel how you expected?In this episode, Rose Landreth reflects on completing her first Ironman and why crossing the finish line didn’t bring the emotional high so many athletes talk about.Beyond this we discuss the reality of endurance sport, diving into the the mental discipline required, the sacrifice to work and relationships, the cost of commitment, and how identity can become so closely tied to training.If you're thinking about taking on a big goal, navigating your relationship with training and racing or even just interested in what triathlon really entails, this is for you!MyFitPod supported this episode. MyFitPod is your own private gym. No waiting. No crowds. No gym-timidation. Just you — training on your terms. Check it out here: https://myfitpod.co.uk/pages/my-fit-pod-basingstoke

In this episode of The Amateur Athlete Diaries, I sit down with my friend Jack Rampton, who opens up about what it really takes to bridge the gap between living as an Amateur Athlete and now, turning professional.

From painting-and-decorating shifts at 6AM to international Sevens tournaments across the world, Jack shares the sacrifices, doubts and breakthroughs that shaped his journey into professional rugby.

We cover everything; recovery, staying ready, the politics of sport, mental resilience, and the mindset needed to level up when nobody is watching. A must-listen for any athlete chasing their next step.

MyFitPod supported this episode. MyFitPod is your own private gym. No waiting. No crowds. No gym-timidation. Just you — training on your terms. Check it out here: https://myfitpod.co.uk/pages/my-fit-pod-basingstoke

Episode three of this series brings a powerful, honest episode, where I get to sit down with triathlete, runner, coach and family man Jayson, whose journey through Ironman racing has not only reshaped his life, but quite literally saved it.

Our conversation dives into:

- How triathlon transformed from a bucket-list goal into a lifeline

- The pressure, joy, addiction and emotional rollercoaster of endurance sport

- Training like a pro while balancing work, family and life

- Using running, strength work and structure to stay mentally resilient

- A raw, brave conversation about depression, hitting rock bottom and finding a way out

- How sport became a family affair, and why his kids motivate him more than anything

- Qualifying for IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships & chasing that sub-3 marathon

This was a deeper conversation than others but one that offered raw insight into the powerful impact sport can have on an individual.

I'd like to thank Jasyon again for his openness, his story is a reminder that behind every Amateur Athlete is a human being juggling life, responsibilities and their own battles. If you’ve ever struggled with motivation, mental health, or balancing training with life…this one is for you.

If you are struggling please talk to someone. If you feel you cannot do this with a friend or family, there are charities like the Samaritans who will support. Their phone number is: 116 123.

In this episode of The Amateur Athlete Diaries, I sit down with Alex, a father of three, full-time professional, and ultramarathon runner who took running from a “lamp post to lamp post” jog into a 100-mile endurance feats.

Alex shares how running became his coping mechanism for life’s hardest moments, from grieving his father’s passing to balancing the pressures of work, family, and self-discipline. We dive into the mental battles of ultrarunning, how to train around the responsibilities of life, and why doing hard things can teach you more than crossing any finish line.

Whether you’re a weekend runner, a busy parent, or someone looking to get into running, Alex’s story may just remind you that progress doesn’t start with speed, it simply starts with showing up.

Enjoy :)