Help & resources

Breathwork protocols to use:

Daily Breathing Tools

Running Breathing tools

Below are things that I find really helpful, inspiring, grounding, be they blog posts, habits, books, apps, or people.

Blog posts grouped here:

Habits that help keep me well

Cold water – I like to start the day with either a cold shower, or if by water a quick dip in the sea. 2 – 3 mins, eases any aches and sets me up for the day. Getting in is a challenge every time and one that gives you a feeling of success once done

Meditation – Daily for 20 minutes, usually after cold water. Cleans and clears my mind for the day. I follow a routine of 10 rounds of breathing (in for 6, hold for 6, out for 12, hold for 6), a body scan, breathing to the mantra of love, health, happiness & strength for 2 rounds, then silence to let my mind settle for the remaining time.

Hot lemon & ginger – made before I meditate and sits to brew. Settles my stomach before eating breakfast

Stretching – A variety of stretches to wake my body up for around 15 mins to get myself ready for the day

Journalling – Something I’m grateful for & something I want to achieve that day. Large or small and specific. Each month I re-read the last month and set out a list of things I am intending on achieving for the next month.

Movement – Find the time to move my body outside of what it normally would do. Running is my usual movement of choice. As Michael Joyner said. Run lost of miles, some faster than your race pace, rest once in a while. Follow me on Strava

Food – A variety of colour in every meal, cooked with love and care serves me well. Meat from a source that the shop / restaurant can tell me and sparingly (once / twice a week), showing good husbandry and quality.

Sleep – No phone / screens in the bedroom. Regular bedtimes, dark well aired room and when I need an alarm call use the gradual coming on of a light alarm clock

Gardening – Regularly, rewarding, frustrating, constantly evolving.

The outside – Something to spend as much time in as possible.

Books that I have enjoyed and learnt well from

1984 by George Orwell. Increasingly prescient overview of what some elements of society has become. Written in 1949, could have been written in 2021.

Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. The father of behavioural economics unpicks how he sees our decision making process unfold. Incredibly insightful and helpful in unpicking our thinking processes

Man’s search for Meaning by Victor Frankel. A brilliant observational study of how life in a concentration camp led to a far greater understanding of managing your state of being.

The Choice by Edith Eger. A counter point to Victor Frankel, offering another holocaust survivors take on how a horrific experience led to learning and growth. Quite an astounding story.

The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter. Using a hunting trip to Alasaka to draw attention to how discomfort can help develop us as humans.

Dr Breath by Carl Stough. From working with singers through to the US track team for the 1968 Olympics.

Breath by James Nestor. A brilliant journey into the world of breath and breathing.

The Breathing Cure by Patrick McKeown. How to use your breath to help your health and well being.

The pocket guide to the Polyvagel theory by Stephen Porges. A far more accesible look at this powerful idea behind how our vagel nerve has already placed us in a state of being before we consciously begin to react.

Everest, the first ascent by Harriet Tuckey. A fascinating story all about how Griffith Pugh (the author’s father) was integral to the first ascent of Everest and the work that this difficult, yet brilliant scientist did around physiology and specifically oxygen.

Unravelling, Letting go and getting well by Philip Greenfield. A really powerful and interesting look at the link between body, mind and soul and how to work with each.

You are the placebo – Dr Joe Dispenza. Joe Dispenza takes you on his journey to wellness. Throughout this he reinforces the power that we have through practice and mindset.

What I talk abut when I talk about running by Haruki Murakami. Wistful and deep ponderings from this thoughtful Japanese author

Out of Thin Air – Michael Crawley. An anthropologist runs with Ethiopians and shares his experience.

Running with the Kenyans – Adharanand Finn. An author moves to train and run with Kenyans in Iten.

Born to Run – Christopher McDougall. A seminal book covering the Tarahumara running community.

Footnotes by Vabarr Cregan-Reid. An academic looks at running, what it means, how we use and weaves together as a memoir journey type book

Running on the Edge – Matthew Futterman. Covering how tempo running became integral to Bob Larson’s US team

Endure by Alex Hutchinson. An excellently researched book on how we do endure, what is going on to keep us going, body, mind, both.

Science of Running – Steve Magness. Great training guide

Training for the Uphill Athlete – Killian Journet, Steve Johnstone, Steve House. Trail & ultra training guide

Magazines I enjoy and learn from

Like the Wind – Stories by runners that extend well beyond the act of running into life.

Sidetracked – Travel and adventure.

Apps

The Breathing App by Eddie Stern – wonderful timer for Coherent / resonant Breathing

Insight Timer – great library of guided meditations, including your own timer and a huge library.

Podcasts / websites

Rich Roll – Forever interesting in terms of guests and conversation.

Huberman Lab – An in-depth study into neuroscience and how we work.

The Morning Shakeout – Mario Fraioli discussing running with a weekly guest

The Real Science of Sport – Professor Russ Tucker & Mike Finch discuss science sport

Let’s Get Running – Shaun Dixon with a rounded take on running and what it means to us all

weMove – All round health and modalities to achieve this.

ShiftAdapt – Brian McKenzie and Rob Wilson’s US based movement / breathing site. Insights and good sense from them both

School Breathe – Aimee Hartley’s lovely organisation bringing breathwork into primary schools.

Buteyko for Children – Exercises for children to use

People who inspire, motivate and do good things outside of the Podcast hosts above

Jenny

My immediate family (mother, Mike, sister, brother)

Grandparents on my mother’s side

Eliud Kipchoge – humble and incredible

Monty Don – Gardener extraordinaire

Wim Hof – Utterly compelling, passionate and brilliant breathing proponent

Dom Koch – Movement specialist

Artur Paulins – Breath worker and coach

Gray Caws – Breathwork & movement coach.