Townshend Performance Insights

Real performance isn’t built in weeks. It’s built through patience, consistency, and playing the long game.

Preparing for hilly races while living in a flat region might feel impossible, but with the right strategy it’s entirely achievable. After a decade of coaching runners from low-elevation areas around the world, we’ve developed proven methods to build the strength, confidence and efficiency needed to excel on demanding courses in the UK and abroad — all without daily access to hills.

Off-road running reshapes every part of how you move, think and train. Hills demand strength, technique and judgement—yet give back confidence, resilience and long-term enjoyment. When you understand why the mountains change everything, you can train for decades of rewarding, sustainable running.

A Brief History of the Race: The Three Peaks Race The Three Peaks Race - often called “the marathon with mountains” - has been a cornerstone of British fell running since 1954. Starting and finishing in the beautiful village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, the race takes in the Yorkshire Dales’ three highest peaks: Pen-y-Ghent (694 m) Whernside (736 m) Ingleborough (723 m) Over the years, the course has evolved in length and terrain but remains roughly 24 miles with around 1,600

Returning to running after having a baby? Learn why rushing back can be risky, and discover a safe 6-18 month postpartum running plan to rebuild strength, protect your pelvic floor, and return to training safely.

1. Race Overview & Context What is the OCC? OCC is one of the Finals races in the UTMB World Series. It is essentially the “shorter ultra” (mid-distance ultra) final, sitting between the lottery-accessible 20 km and the longer CCC / UTMB races. montblanc.utmb.world +1 For 2026, OCC is listed as ~57 km with ~3,500 m of positive elevation gain. The maximal allowed race time is long (~ 14h 30m as of the 2026 edition) to account for technical terrain, weather, and altitude effect

Returning to running after a long hiatus can feel daunting. Whether your break was due to injury, life changes, burnout, or simply losing motivation, the good news is: you can come back-and maybe even stronger than before. But doing it smartly matters. Below is a guide to help you do that safely, sustainably, and with joy. Understanding What Happens During a Break Before diving into tips, it helps to know what your body may have lost (and retained) during time off: VO₂max (a

Some incredible achievements continue to come from endurance athletes across the UK (and globally) - people like Philip Sesemann , Tom Evans , Sarah Perry , Alex Yee (and many others) are pushing boundaries. But behind every breakthrough performance lies years of disciplined training, intelligent planning, and gradual progression. Here’s a more modern, detailed take on foundational training principles - plus practical examples and tips you can apply to your own running journe

Introduction Brennan Townshend, a former professional road cyclist who raced for teams such as Raleigh  and Madison Genesis , is now one of the UK’s leading mountain, fell, and trail runners. Drawing on his unique background in both sports, Brennan explains how adding cycling to a running training plan can help runners improve performance, recover faster, and stay injury-free. Why Runners Should Consider Cycling Runners are always looking for ways to boost speed, strength, an