The Performance Physique Podcast

Back on BBC Radio London for the lifestyle show on Thursday 3rd September 2026, joined by Shay Kaur-Grewal, Rach Creeger and Pavan Ahluwalia-Dhanjal for a brilliant mix of conversation covering some of the biggest talking points of the moment.

In this episode we got into the tradition of first day of school photos and why they mean so much, the exciting Dollyfest announcement and what it means for Dolly Parton fans across the UK, the colour, community and culture of Notting Hill Carnival, the growing conversation around loneliness and the chatty tables initiative bringing people together, and all the action from the US Open.

A wide-ranging, warm and entertaining show with a great panel. Well worth a listen.

🎙️ BBC Radio London | Lifestyle Show
📅 Thursday 3rd September 2026
🎧 Available on BBC Sounds

Arj Thiruchelvam joins Shay Kaur-Grewal on BBC London to discuss the Commonwealth Games, AI for good and AI calorie calculators, dyslexia awareness, inspiring teenagers, Somali entrepreneurs and a City of London milkman, hosted by Shay Kaur-Grewal alongside Safia Hassan, with a live samosa taste test to finish.#BBCLondon, #ArjThiruchelvam, #CommonwealthGames, #AIForGood

Sawe Marathon World Record | I Was at the Finish Line When History Was MadeOn 26 April 2026, I stood at the London Marathon finish line on The Mall as Sabastian Sawe became the first human being in history to run a legal sub-2-hour marathon. 1:59:30. Live on BBC.This is the full show.I co-presented the finish line broadcast with Shay Kaur Grewal from 1–3pm — and in this 9-minute edit, we break down everything happening in real time: what the runners' bodies are going through at mile 26, how temperatures changed the race, what crossing that line means to the families watching, and the one thing you should do if you're still out on course.Three men went under 2:00:35 on the same day. That had never happened before. Not even close.If you've ever run a marathon — or wanted to — this is the footage you need to see.Chapters00:00 - Welcome to the finish line: historic London Marathon 202600:47 - Third consecutive year on BBC Radio London at the marathon01:06 - The atmosphere and what runners are experiencing01:18 - The heat — how rising temperatures changed the race01:51 - Three world records broken: Sawe, the men's field, and the women's record02:20 - What to do in the four hours after finishing: carbs, hydration, salts03:17 - 59,000 runners — the scale of the event03:28 - What it takes mentally and physically for runners still on course04:12 - Why London is the greatest marathon in the world04:41 - How the crowd fuels complete strangers on the course05:23 - The heat battle in the second half: fuelling and hydration05:58 - What spectators don't realise — the power of the crowd07:04 - Supporting friends and family after they cross the line07:31 - Crossing the finish line puts you in the top 1%08:21 - Final advice for every runner: don't let the achievement drop away🎙️ Arj Thiruchelvam is a Performance Coach, BBC contributor and founder of Performance Physique. He has been featured in The Guardian, The Times, and The Independent, and hosts the annual BBC Radio London Marathon Training Series.📩 Want to train properly? Join 2,500+ runners at the link below.🔗 www.performancephysique.co.uk/running-coac#LondonMarathon #LondonMarathon2026 #SabastianSawe #MarathonWorldRecord #BBC #RunningMotivation #Sub2Marathon

BBC News' Helena Humphrey interviewed me to break down what Sebastian Sawe actually did to run a World Record 1:59:30 becoming the first person to run under 2 hours for the marathon at London Marathon. We speak a little on what it tells us about how elite marathon training works. I also explain what separates a world record performance from what most runners experience on the same course.

Just 2 days before 59,000 runners took on London, Nicky Campbell asked me live on BBC Radio 5 Live for a few last minute tips for the London Marathon. Here's exactly what I said.

London Marathon Final Week: Mindset, Fuelling & Race Day Strategy (BBC Radio London)

he London Marathon is days away. This is the episode that matters most.

In the final instalment of the BBC Radio London London Marathon Series, Running Specialist and Performance Coach Arj Thiruchelvam joins presenter Shay Kaur-Grewal to cover everything you need to nail your final week — from race morning nerves to pacing strategy on the day.

Whether you're chasing a PB or just want to get round in one piece, this is 20 minutes that could make the difference.

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

02:00 Final week taper — what to do and what to stop

03:00 Mindset — control the controllables

06:00 Visualising negative scenarios (and why it works)

07:00 Fuelling tips — carb loading Friday and Saturday08:00 Misleading advice about fuelling on social media

09:30 Top race day tips — pacing, water stations, negative splits11:00 Remember to enjoy it!

🎧 LISTEN ON SPOTIFYhttps://open.spotify.com/show/36YqLTalRZ5qumCdm27uQP?si=2216c219b4b243c7

📻 Full BBC Radio London London Marathon Series playlist:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK8DyJL7Q1E1ZH5OEZxmKuosRbtT6xAnZ&si=X4Qu4mP2cXGmytQ0

WHAT WE COVERED OVER THE WEEKS

Mindset: controlling what you can control and letting go of what you can't. Negative visualisation: rehearsing the worst-case scenario so nothing surprises you on race day. Race morning: your rehearsed breakfast, Taper week: stay mobile, stay active, stop the strength work now. Fuelling: why your carb intake on Friday and Saturday is the most important nutrition decision of your week, and why eating carbs in the evening supports sleep. Pacing strategy: why you must start slower than you feel, how to plan for an even split if you're newer to the distance, and why experienced runners should target a negative split. Water stations: treat every one as part of your race plan, not an afterthought.

ABOUT ARJ THIRUCHELVAMArj is a BBC regular, performance coach, and nutritionist with over 20 years of experience. BSc Sports Science (Loughborough), UKA Level 2 Performance Coach and much more. He has coached athletes from complete beginners to GB level and appears regularly across the media.

🔔 Subscribe for race week content, running science, and performance coaching

https://www.instagram.com/performance_physique

🌐 www.performancephysique.co.uk

👟 VDOT running coaching: coaches.vdoto2.com/performancephysique

BBC Radio London | London Marathon, Youth Club, Sustainability, Artemis 2 & The Pitt | April 2026

BBC Radio London Lifestyle Show | London Marathon, Youth Club, Sustainability, Artemis 2 & The Pitt | April 2026Joining Shay Kaur Grewal on BBC Radio London, Arj Thiruchelvam appears on the London's Eye Show on Thursday 9th April 2026, we covered a wide range of topics from sport and science to culture and sustainability.In this episode we discussed the upcoming London Marathon and what runners can expect on race day, the return of Youth Club to London and what it means for the city's culture scene, sustainability and the growing conversation around conscious living, NASA's Artemis 2 mission and what it means for the future of human space exploration, and HBO Max's The Pitt — the medical drama that's got everyone talking.Whether you're a runner, a culture lover, a science enthusiast, or just enjoy a broad conversation about what's happening in the world right now, there's something in this one for you.🎙️ BBC Radio London | London Eye Show📅 Thursday 9th April 2026🎧 Available on BBC Sounds

London Marathon Prep: Tapering, Carb Loading & Maranoia (BBC Radio London)

London Marathon is less than two weeks away — and this is the week most runners get it completely wrong.

In this episode, recorded live on BBC Radio London with presenter Nikki Bedi, Performance Coach Arj Thiruchelvam breaks down exactly what you should be doing right now: how to taper without losing fitness, why carbohydrate loading matters and what to do when the pre-race paranoia (maranoia) starts to creep in.

Whether you're running London for the first time or chasing a PB, this is the episode you need to hear before race day.

Covered in this episode:

Tapering — why running less actually makes you faster. Carbohydrate loading — the science behind fuelling your final days.

Maranoia — how to manage the pre-race anxiety spiral.

Race week mindset — what to do and what to ignore.

About Arj Thiruchelvam

Arj is a BBC Radio regular, author, and performance coach based in Solihull with over 20 years of experience in sports science and nutrition.

📻 Catch the full BBC Radio London London Marathon Series every Monday at 2:10pm on BBC Sounds.

🔔 Subscribe for race week content, running science, and performance coaching.

📲 Work with Arj: www.performancephysique.co.uk

📲 VDOT running coaching: coaches.vdoto2.com/performancephysique

3 weeks. 19 days. This is where runners either set themselves up for a brilliant London Marathon… or make costly mistakes.In Part 2 of our BBC London marathon build-up series, broadcaster Nikki Bedi is joined by Arj Thiruchelvam, Head Coach of Performance Physique, to cover the questions every runner is asking right now:Can I do the marathon on just water?Do I need carb gels?What’s the difference between high-carb vs lower-carb gels?What if I had to stop my final long run because of knee pain?How do I train my gut without nausea or cramps?How should I manage hydration on the London Marathon course?What should I do about injuries in the final 2–3 weeks?Arj breaks down:✅ Gut training✅ Fuelling every ~35 minutes✅ Water stations & energy stops✅ Electrolytes in the final week✅ Race morning nutrition✅ Injury managementIf you’re running London Marathon 2026, this is the stage where smart decisions matter most.Comment below with your biggest race day concern — fuelling, pacing, hydration or injury — and we’ll cover more in the next episode.

Follow on Instagram for more top tips: @performance_physique

London Marathon 2026 Training | Long Run Distance Explained (BBC)How far should your longest training run actually be in the build-up to the London Marathon? Most runners get this wrong — and it costs them in the final 6 miles.Performance Physique Head Coach Arj Thiruchelvam joined BBC London's Shay Kaur-Grewal to kick off the 2026 London Marathon Training Series on every week, giving evidence-based answers to the questions every marathon runner is asking right now.In this episode:→ The maximum long run distance for most marathon runners→ What to eat for breakfast on race day→ Important gear checks before the big day→ What's coming up over the next monthThis is Part 1 of a weekly BBC London series running up to race day on 26 April 2026.---WORK WITH USGet a personalised London Marathon training plan: https://performancephysique.co.uk/running-coach/Enquire about coaching: www.performancephysique.co.ukFOLLOW PERFORMANCE PHYSIQUEInstagram: instagram.com/performance_physique---#LondonMarathon #LondonMarathon2026 #MarathonTraining #RunningCoach #LongRun #MarathonTips #BBCLondon #RunningAdvice #MarathonPrep #26point2