Massive shoutout to @Michael Gallagher 52 years old, dropped 38lbs, and ran a half-marathon in under a year, the man is an absolute inspiration. But what makes Michael's story so special isn't just the numbers. It's the honesty. He came in knowing exactly what to do and still had the humility to ask for help. That takes guts. Incredibly proud of everything you've achieved, mate, and we're just getting started. Marathon next 👀 Mission beat @James Pace is on! Want to hear the full story? 👇

Easter week has caused me to change my routine around. Last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I did my gym sessions and was going to do my 3 running sessions down where we were away. The running sessions have been going so well over the last few weeks, then on Thursday, 3km in, felt my calf - gutted. Stopped and that was followed by sickness and diarrhea - I've done absolutely nothing since. Crappy 5 hour journey back yesterday, had my first eff it moment since working with James. The Domino's Pizza last night tasted good. Going to refer back to James's stronger mind post of last week, because that is what I need now. Feeling a bit down after the last few days and I think it's put paid to what we were working towards next month. Had a good night's sleep, physio session later. Reset and go again.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how performance isn’t just physical. I love working on strength, fitness and pushing limits in the gym, but mindset is just as important. I used to be someone who was shy and lacked confidence when I was younger. So over the years, I’ve done a lot of work on that side of myself. And after a breakup last year, it pushed me even deeper into that journey. One thing I’ve realised The work never stops. Just like training… you don’t “finish” building strength. You don’t “complete” your fitness. Mindset is the same. There’s always another level. Always more to learn about yourself. To grow. To improve. To get closer to the person you want to become. One thing that’s helped me massively with this is reading. A book I always recommend is Atomic Habits by James Clear, if you haven’t read it yet, it’s a must. But if you have read it, I’ve just started another one: Shut Up and Move On by Paul McGee I’m only halfway through, but honestly… I’m loving it. It ties in perfectly with fitness, performance and lifestyle goals, especially if you’re working on discipline, resilience, and moving forward instead of overthinking. If you’re serious about improving yourself (not just physically, but mentally too), I’d highly recommend adding it to your list. Remember…..growth isn’t a phase. It’s a lifestyle.

Happy Friday Team! 🎉 Last weekend of November… which means DECEMBER 1st is on Monday!! 🎄 To kick off the Christmas period, we’re launching a December Step Challenge for the whole month with two flexible challenges to choose from: Option 1 - Merry Movers > goal of 350,000 steps throughout the month Option 2 - Holiday Hustlers (Runners only!) For those wanting an extra push… goal is still 350,000 but running steps DO NOT count. All steps must be from walking only to burn those extra cals🚶‍♂️⚡ Who’s joining us to stay active, burn calories and head into Christmas feeling amazing?! Comment below whether you are a MERRY MOVER or a HOLIDAY HUSTLER to lock in your challenge🎅💪👟 Bonus: If you’re taking part, please tag us in your Instagram stories using the image below! 📸 @eljohnsonfitness @simonjohnsonfitness @jjsthecoach @james.pace.coaching

Months of hard work have gone into this one… I was never a “runner.” After finishing rugby, I used to swear you’d never catch me doing more than a 5km. I’d say things like: “Running is boring.” “Who would want to do that?” “What’s the point in just running?” Well… things have changed a little. Over the last 12 months especially, I’ve genuinely fallen in love with it. Not the running itself, but the challenge it gives you. 👉 The ability to commit to a goal 👉 Do the work 👉 See real, tangible progress 👉 And meet some incredible people along the way Back in March, I ran a 1:28:55 half marathon and was absolutely buzzing. In September I attempted to break 1:25, and when things didn’t go to plan, I walked away with unfinished business. Today, I hit a 4 minute 21 second PB coming in 1:24:21 and 13th overall out of over 1,000 people It might not sound huge on paper, but that’s beating my previous self by over 1km about a 5% improvement and I’m incredibly proud of that. And here’s the part that really hit me… Just over 12 months ago, the pace I held today (3:59/km) was my absolute max for a 5km. Today I held it for an entire half marathon. That’s what consistent work does. And to add some spice… It’s still pretty warm here in Dubai, the course had a LOT of hairpin turns, and there was a 5km and 10km race happening at the same time. So I was weaving like crazy the entire way… trying not to run over people 😂 Moral of the story: Set a goal. Do something you wouldn’t normally do. Back yourself. You never know how far it’ll take you or how much it’ll surprise you. If you want to make yourself proud that WILL NOT happen in your comfort zone… Now it’s 4 weeks until the Abu Dhabi Marathon where the target is around 3:05… Before the main event in Barcelona in March, where the goal is to break the magical sub-3 hour marathon 🙌 Big love team… hope you’re all having an awesome Sunday ❤️💪 P.s for the rest of the day you will find me laying on the floor with a pizza in hand 😂🍕