The Triathlon Brick Session

This week on The Brick Session, Caroline and I sit down with Dr Sarah Ruggins, the ultra-endurance cyclist behind the extraordinary One Way North world record.

In June 2026, Sarah rode from Tarifa at the southern tip of Spain to Nordkapp inside the Arctic Circle, covering 6,050 km in just 13 days and beating the previous record by more than three days.

But the numbers only tell part of the story.

Sarah talks us through what it actually takes to ride across an entire continent while surviving on as little as 90 minutes of sleep a night. We get into the changing sleep strategy, the effect just three hours of sleep had on her power, riding four-hour blocks with only ten-minute stops, and the brutal three days through Finland in freezing rain and headwinds.
We also explore the team behind the record and why Sarah deliberately hands major decisions over to them once sleep deprivation starts affecting her judgement.

As she puts it, in events like this, “you don't rise to your ambitions, you fall to your processes.”
There’s also a much deeper story behind Sarah's ability to suffer. A former Olympic-pipeline runner, serious illness and chronic pain eventually ended her running career. Cycling became part of rebuilding her life, despite ongoing issues with balance, feeling in her hands and feet, and her nervous system.

Perhaps most interestingly, Sarah doesn't define success by the world record. During One Way North she deliberately didn't know whether she was ahead of or behind record pace. The objective was to discover the limits of her own capabilities. The record was simply the consequence.

We talk about discipline versus motivation, compartmentalising enormous distances, the psychology of suffering, why the right support crew matters, the role of her partner Ryan, her previous LEJOG/JOGLE experience and some useful insight for Caroline's planned LEJOG record attempt.

Sarah also explains why she considers perseverance rather than cycling ability her real talent, the unusual role tattooing played in rebuilding her relationship with her body after illness, and why achievement should never become your identity.

Did she think about quitting?
Not once.
As Sarah says:
“My job is to finish it.”
A fascinating conversation with an athlete whose greatest strength might not be how fast she can ride a bike, but how comfortable she has become with being profoundly uncomfortable.

Enjoy 

This week on The Brick Session, Caroline and Mark get stuck into a lot.

They start with the British Gravel Championships, looking at the event, the racing and, perhaps more importantly, the direction gravel racing in Britain is heading. With participation having grown to more than 1,000 riders in the 2025 edition, the move into the British Cycling structure raises plenty of questions about the future of the Championships. (britishgravelchampionships.com)

Mark quickly chats about his latest mini adveture which was bike packing across Iceland.  If you're thinking about bike packing the Iceland Divide, this is a must listen

Then they head across the Channel to the European Gravel Championships, where the women's elite race became a complete shit show. The elite women were sent out just five minutes behind the male age-group fields, meaning they quickly caught riders from the 65–74 category and other men's groups. What followed was traffic, overtaking, interference and, according to riders, an unacceptable racing environment. (Cyclingnews). A proper shit show. 

They also get into the two very different anti-doping cases involving Joe Skipper and Tomás Rodríguez Hernández.   Joe has received an 18-month ban following three whereabouts failures within 12 months, while Rodríguez's second case involves alleged tampering and participation while ineligible, completely different circumstances, but both raising questions about responsibility, professionalism and the anti-doping system. (International Testing Agency). Mark doesn't hold back on either athlete.

Finally, we look at UTMB from the other side of the tape — what it's actually like to be part of the support crew, the logistics, the pressure, the waiting and the reality behind getting an athlete through one of the world's biggest ultra-running events.Gravel. Racing. Doping. Support crews. And a fair bit of opinion.🎧 Listen now — The Brick Session Podcast.

In this episode, Caroline and I kick things off by looking back at Challenge Roth, discussing the standout performances, the biggest talking points, and the incredible racing on one of triathlon's biggest stages.

We then sit down with Matt to take a deep dive into what it really takes to set a world record, using our recent North Coast 500 record attempts as the backdrop. It's a conversation that goes far beyond fitness. We explore the planning, pacing, mental resilience and teamwork required to perform at the highest level.Matt shares how he approached his fastest-known-time ride through careful pacing, trusting his instincts, and eliminating unnecessary distractions. Caroline reflects on the mental battle of constantly processing information, making decisions under pressure, and learning how crucial clear communication with a support crew can be.

Together, we discuss the importance of preparation, staying adaptable when things don't go to plan, managing support teams effectively, and the lessons that every endurance athlete can take into their own racing. Whether you're chasing a personal best or simply looking to become a smarter endurance athlete, this episode is packed with practical insights from two successful record attempts.

The North Coast 500 is one of the most iconic cycling routes in the world. A challenging 500-mile loop around the rugged Scottish Highlands, it demands resilience, planning, determination, and an ability to keep moving when everything in your body is telling you to stop.In this episode, we sit down with newly ratified North Coast 500 Women's World Record holder, Caroline Livesey, to hear the story behind her remarkable ride.

From the early planning stages and months of preparation through to the highs, lows and defining moments out on the road, Caroline shares what it really takes to ride the NC500 at world-record pace.Joining the conversation is Mark Livesey, who was part of the support crew throughout the attempt. 

Mark offers a unique perspective from behind the scenes, discussing the realities of managing a moving operation around the clock, making critical decisions under pressure, and helping keep the rider focused on the task at hand.Together, they explore the importance of teamwork in ultra-endurance cycling. World records are rarely individual achievements, and Caroline's ride was no exception.

The episode highlights the contribution of a dedicated support team whose collective efforts helped turn an ambitious goal into a historic achievement.We also discuss the key partnerships that played a crucial role in the success of the record attempt. Precision Fuel & Hydration were instrumental in developing and refining Caroline's nutrition and hydration strategy, ensuring that energy intake matched the demands of riding at record pace for over 32 hours. Meanwhile, EZ Gains worked extensively to optimise Caroline's aerodynamic position and equipment setup, helping extract every possible advantage over such a long and demanding route.

The conversation covers strengths and weaknesses, lessons learned, moments that went exactly to plan, and those that required adaptation on the fly. It's an honest look at what happens when meticulous preparation meets the unpredictable reality of ultra-endurance cycling.Whether you're an endurance athlete, a cyclist dreaming of tackling the NC500, or simply fascinated by what people are capable of achieving when they commit fully to a goal, this episode provides a fascinating insight into the pursuit of a world record on one of Britain's most spectacular roads.

Dontate to charity - https://peakeducationnepal.com/

In this episode, I chat with Caroline about the importance of carrying spares in triathlon,  especially in long-course racing, and why knowing how to actually use them is just as important as having them.

We also discuss Rachel Entrekin’s incredible Cocodona 250 performance, and explore why women often seem able to compete with, and even outperform, men in ultra-endurance events of this distance.

The conversation then moves onto “hero weeks” and the growing trend of athletes trying to replicate the 35–40 hour training weeks shared by elite professionals. We discuss why this can send the wrong message, and why it’s important to understand that elite athletes have spent years gradually building the ability to absorb that kind of workload.

Finally, Caroline gives a quick update on her North Coast 500 attempt and the training leading into it.


Just Giving donation page: 

North Coast 500 World Record Attempt - Changing Lives Through Education in Nepal - JustGiving 

Live Track: 

LIVE: North Coast 500 World Record Attempt 2026 | GPS Tracking powered by Follow My Challenge

Website and video: 

North Coast 500 Record Attempt - Peak Education Nepal 

What really happens when the pressure hits, and you’ve got nowhere to hide? In this episode, I sit down with former Special Forces operator Simon Jeffries for a raw, unfiltered conversation on mindset, resilience, and what it actually takes to perform when it matters most.

From the realities of selection to the unseen struggles that follow high performance, this isn’t theory, it’s lived experience. We break down why the physical side is only half the battle, and how your mindset, habits, and self-talk will either carry you through, or quietly unravel you. We get into the uncomfortable truths, why people choke under pressure, why success doesn’t guarantee fulfilment, and why so many driven individuals end up stuck in cycles of stress, distraction, and burnout.

Simon shares the frameworks he now uses to rebuild performance from the ground up, not just for elite operators, but for anyone who wants to take control of how they show up in life. No fluff, no shortcuts, just what actually works.


In this episode, we cover:

Why most people fail under pressure, and how to fix it

What Special Forces selection really exposes about you

The hidden cost of high performance, stress, identity, and burnout

How your daily habits are quietly sabotaging your focus and resilience

The truth about mental toughness, it’s trained, not inherited

Simple, practical tools to take back control of your mindset

Why discipline beats motivation, every time

You don’t rise when it matters, you fall back to how you’ve trained.

The latest episode of The Brick Session Podcast is now live. In today’s show, Mark sits down with former professional triathlete Collin Chartier for a conversation that doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable. 

After receiving a three-year ban for a doping violation, Collin opens up—honestly and without deflection- about the decision that changed everything. Why did he do it? What pressures led him there? And what does it actually feel like when the world turns on you?

This isn’t a story of excuses. It’s a story of accountability. Collin speaks candidly about the backlash, the public shaming, and the personal reckoning that followed.
He reflects on the lessons learned the hard way, and how the experience ultimately reshaped him—for the better.

More importantly, he offers a clear warning to others coming up in the sport, alongside a message that cuts through the noise of performance and results. It’s raw. It’s honest. And it’s a conversation that needed to happen.

Enjoy

In this episode of The Brick Session, Mark is joined by co-host Caroline Livesey for a no-nonsense chat about where triathlon is heading, and who’s quietly buying the keys to the building. 

We start with the PTO, who currently appear to be purchasing everything in triathlon that isn’t physically bolted to the floor. Is it smart consolidation, necessary progress, or just the sporting equivalent of Monopoly played with very deep pockets? We break down what it means for athletes, fans, and the long-term shape of the sport, without the press-release horse shit.

Next up: Ironman banning all competitor filming during races. Cue outrage, think-pieces, and shaky GoPro footage mourned across social media.  Except, we actually think it’s a good decision. We talk fairness, safety, and why racing might be better when athletes are focused on racing, not content creation.
 
Finally, we tackle the elephant in every Instagram feed: why athletes and coaches feel the need to post everything. Training volume. Power files. Easy runs. Hard runs. The run before the run. The “accidentally hard” run. We ask what it’s really for, who it’s helping, and whether a bit of mystery, and restraint might actually be a good thing.  Because sometimes less is more. Less noise. Less validation chasing. And, ironically, often better performance.
 
Blunt opinions, dry humour, and a reality check for modern triathlon culture, exactly as you’d expect from Mark.  Caroline is the sensible one...   Enjoy

I recently spoke with Clint Butcher, the founder of EZ Gains, a company that has quickly grown into one of the most respected names in triathlon aerodynamics components in just a few short years.
 
What makes Clint’s story compelling isn’t just the products,  it’s how the business began.
EZ Gains started in the front room of Clint’s home. No factory. No investors. Just an idea, a willingness to experiment, and long evenings spent hand-making rear wheel disc covers alongside his daughter.

What began as a simple, practical solution for athletes chasing marginal gains gradually evolved into something far more significant.
 
Through persistence, curiosity, and a refusal to follow the easy or conventional path, EZ Gains grew into a company now supplying aerodynamic components and bottle carriers to some of the best triathletes in the world. That growth didn’t come without risk. Like most genuine entrepreneurial journeys, it involved uncertainty, setbacks, and moments where walking away would have been the safer option.
 
Instead, Clint chose to commit. He backed his belief in the product, trusted the process, and kept building, even when conditions were far from ideal. That willingness to act under uncertainty, to continue despite adversity, is the hallmark of true entrepreneurship. 
EZ Gains is a reminder that innovation in sport doesn’t always come from big budgets or established brands. Sometimes it comes from a living room, a shared belief, and the courage to take a gamble on an idea worth pursuing.
 
This is what building something meaningful looks like, not overnight success, but earned progress shaped by conviction, resilience, and a relentless commitment to doing things properly.

In today’s episode, Mark is joined by an incredible guest, Gary Howells, fresh off the back of completing the Oman 165, a brutal multi-day ultramarathon set deep in the stunning but unforgiving Wahiba Sands desert of Oman. Covering roughly 165 miles over six days, the event takes runners across rolling dunes, rocky plains, and remote desert landscapes, with long, hot stages by day and basic camp life by night in a fully supported race environment.

Gary, a former soldier and qualified physiotherapist who now works as a full-time running coach, thrives on pushing his limits in extreme events across the globe, and he explains why this challenge stands out as his most enjoyable adventure to date. Together, Mark and Gary dive into what it’s really like to run through the Wahiba desert, the mental and physical demands of staged ultras, and key considerations if you’re tempted by something similar, including smart foot administration, blister prevention, and crucially, what not to carry when the race support allows you to travel lighter. 

Along the way, Mark announces the lucky winner of £200 worth of Precision Fuel & Hydration, shares why having a good coach or personal trainer to teach you how to lift correctly can be a game-changer for performance, and highlights the importance of supporting your local events to keep the endurance community thriving. Enjoy.

https://www.peakperformancewales.com/

https://www.justgiving.com/page/gary-howells-10in10?newPage=true