As we wrap up another year of training, racing, and learning, I want you to pause for a second. 2025 has been a big year for a lot of you. Physically, mentally, emotionally. And the fact you’re here still training with intention matters. As we are into this Christmas period, I want you to keep three things in mind: 1) Be kind to yourself with food: Christmas is not a “write-off”. But it’s also not the time to micromanage every bite. Food over the next few days is: • Fuel • Culture • Connection One meal does not define your body. One week does not undo a year of consistency. Enjoy the meals, eat slowly, prioritise protein when you can, stay hydrated. 2) Appreciate the people around you: Training matters. Goals matter. But so do the conversations at the table, the laughs, the quiet moments, and the support systems that allow you to chase big things in the first place. 3) Start thinking about 2026 (without pressure). You don’t need a full plan right now, but ask yourself: • Who do I want to be as an athlete next year? • What habits actually moved me towards my goals and growth this year? • Where do I need more patience, not more intensity? Big goals are built from small, repeatable actions. Rest, eat, move gently, reflect, but enjoy this Christmas period. 🎅

This guy! Before vs after. London Hyrox - 9 minutes faster! Paolo has big goals! And he came into this race with the mindset of ‘be better than the last version of himself’. Following along on his splits I was super excited for him. Run faster, burpees smoother, lunges stronger. He finished this doubles race absolutely buzzing! This is what consistency looks like. This is what happens when you commit to the work, even on the weeks that don’t go perfectly. Proud coach moment and we’re just getting started. Great result Paolo 👏🏽

The next video testimonial is from Tonia, and I’m so excited for you to hear her story. She came to me with a solid CrossFit engine! That means grit for days, plenty of strength, and all the burpee exposure you could ever need. But what she didn’t love? Running. What she wanted? A sub 1:25 on her first Hyrox. So I built her running from the ground up. Mechanics, pacing, and consistency; nothing fancy here, just purposeful work that turned something she hated into something she could actually lean into. She still won’t call herself a “runner” but she appreciates it now, understands it, and knows the role it plays in Hyrox performance. Her results from Taipei to Bangkok Hyrox; She shaved 4 minutes off her time. That’s effort, and that’s her sticking to programming that has paid off. Tonia now has the Hyrox bug!

Here’s the thing about racing… it doesn’t have to be just about the medals, the PBs or the podium. It’s one of the most powerful tools you have for growth, mentally, physically, and emotionally. When you step onto that start line, you expose yourself to pressure, uncertainty, pace changes, adrenaline, and all the things training can’t fully replicate. And that exposure is what builds confidence. You prove to yourself that you can perform when it matters, not just on your best training days. Racing also gives you real data! Not just numbers, but feedback on your movement, your pacing, your decision making, your mental game. Even if you don’t PB, you walk away knowing exactly where you’ve improved and what needs tightening. Perfect example: Today in Singapore, our running pace was over a minute faster than our last race. We didn’t magically become fitter overnight but the mechanics, the drills we do before all of our running sessions, the efficiency work (and SO many lunges), the intentional pacing… the programming you’re following right now is doing exactly what it’s meant to do. That’s why racing matters. It validates the work. It builds belief. It puts you under the lights and shows you that you’re capable of more than you thought. So if you’re sitting on the fence about signing up for a race.. do it! Use it as a confidence builder, a pressure test, and a progress check. Every race teaches you something. Every race sharpens you. Every race prepares you for the next and when you walk away realising, “Wow this is actually working”… that’s the real win 🥇

This one’s all about the bits in between the races . You know, the real life moments that remind us we’re human and not machines. Training hard is amazing, chasing PBs is exciting, but the everyday stuff matters just as much. Finding balance isn’t about doing less, but about building habits that support you through the highs and the lows. Here’s the link to watch👇🏽