A Beginner’s Guide to Running Terms (What They ACTUALLY Mean) - ADIDAS

So you’ve decided to become a runner. Congratulations! You are now part of a noble, unhinged community who willingly spend hundreds of pounds on shoes that promise to make us slightly quicker at parkrun and who think “relaxing” means voluntarily running up a hill. Hills. Plural.

This post is fuelled by crème eggs, sarcasm, and the fact I’m currently wearing head-to-toe Adidas kit. (If I can’t run fast, at least I can look like I know what I’m doing.)

But before you lace up and trot off, you need to know the language. Running has its own dictionary, and like all good dictionaries, it’s mainly full of words that sound either ridiculous, misleading or like medical conditions you’d rather not discuss with your GP.

Don’t worry though … I’ve put together a handy guide to running terms, complete with their REAL meanings.

Oh Yes. Having a grand old time trying to run up hills ... *CRIES*

PB (Personal Best)

Official definition: Your fastest ever time over a certain distance.

Actual meaning: The time you’ll spend the rest of your life trying (and failing) to beat. Despite new (and ever more expensive) shoes, new (and more complicated) training plans and trying new (and ever weirder) fuels & recipes … it'll remain elusive. However, a PB is definitely more achievable if you’re wearing shiny new kit. (Cough Adidas shoes cough). It's not worked yet. But I'm no quitter … goes off to buy 67^th pair of trainers.


Fartlek

Official definition: A Swedish training method meaning “speed play.”

Actual meaning: A word that makes non-runners think you’ve joined a Dad Joke comedy club. Also, running fast until you regret it, then jogging slowly until guilt forces you to speed up again. Repeat until death. Or vomit. Or brown shorts.


Negative Split

Official definition: Running the second half of a race faster than the first.

Actual meaning: Something your coach suggests with a straight face, as if you’re not already sweating like you've eaten your child's easter eggs and they've asked for help looking for them, by halfway through the race. Go faster? Now? HOW?

Yes. That's me at London Marathon this year getting beaten by a penguin,

Carb-Loading

Official definition: Eating extra carbohydrates before a big race to fuel your body.

Actual meaning: Pasta. So much pasta. Pasta for breakfast, pasta for lunch, pasta until your family stage an intervention and beg you to eat a vegetable. Luckily, Adidas leggings stretch far enough to accommodate your new spaghetti baby belly.


Bonk / Hitting the Wall

Official definition: When your glycogen stores run out mid-race, leaving you exhausted.

Actual meaning: The precise moment you discover your legs are ornamental and your brain is made of soup. Minestrone soup to be precise.


Tempo Run

Official definition: A comfortably hard effort.

Actual meaning: An oxymoron. Like describing my race photos as “pretty ugly”.

It's perfectly NORMAL to run up mountains on holiday. *cough*

Taper

Official definition: The period of reduced training before a race.

Actual meaning: A time when you run less, eat more, and panic constantly that you’ve forgotten how to run. Symptoms include Googling “Can I lose fitness in 72 hours?” at 2am. And when fuelling sensibly involves me wondering how many crème eggs I can justify as “sensible”.


Shakeout Run

Official definition: A short jog to loosen your legs before a race.

Actual meaning: A public catwalk where you parade your carefully chosen race kit while pretending not to be terrified. (Top tip: new Adidas running tops look even faster than they feel.)


Ultra

Official definition: Any race longer than a marathon.

Actual meaning: A marathon, but with more snacks. Usually entered after two glasses of wine and the phrase, “How hard can it be?” And encouragement from online friends who will join you in thinking “What the hell have I just done?” the next morning.



Garmin (or any GPS watch)

Official definition: A device that tracks pace, distance and time.

Actual meaning: A small wrist tyrant that decides your self-worth. Finishing a run feeling amazing? Wrong. Garmin says your “training status” is “detraining.” Now cry. At least my Adidas kit never judges me. It just quietly soaks up the sweat and pretends everything’s fine.

And there you have it: the secret codebook of running. You’re welcome. Next time someone brags about their negative splits or invites you to a fartlek session, you’ll know exactly what they mean (or at least how much to laugh in their face).

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go “carb-load.” Which is a fancy way of saying I’ve just cooked an entire family-sized lasagne… for me. And yes, I’ll be eating it while wearing my Adidas running kit, because fuelling is serious business.

NOTE: I'm lucky enough to have been approached by ADIDAS who have invited me to be a part of their Blogger Community. This means I get to link up with other like-minded bloggers (which I take to mean other snack-obsessed runners) and they give me some ADIDAS vouchers to write my blogs … which I do anyway! Sounds like an absolute win to me!

I'm doing nothing different except adding some links to ADIDAS kit that I'm looking at getting with my vouchers and which I think you might also like!

Seola Sweatproof Necklace Review: The Necklace That Survived a Bee Incident, 150 Miles of Sweat & Waterslides!

*I was offered a Seola necklace to review. It was sent to me for free and I don’t get paid for reviewing it but I was asked to pop a review on for the item. It’s an unbiased review – I’m saying exactly what I think as usual …!*

I don’t wear much jewellery. Mostly because I forget, and also because I tend to destroy anything delicate by forgetting I'm wearing it and losing it in a river or running a half marathon in it or catching it on a hydration vest while mid-panic due to wildlife down my top (more on that in a moment).

So when I was contacted by Seola to review an item my automatic reaction was to politely decline. But then I hesitated … they stated that their jewellery was not only waterproof and for every day use but also had a no tarnish guarantee.So I can sweat all over it, right? Does that mean it's Sarah-proof?

I had a quick look at the items … maybe I wouldn't like their collection anyway – I'm notoriously fussy. But choosing from the range took me an embarrassingly long time - because shock horror, I liked loads of them. And I'm notoriously fussy, The designs are simple but distinctive, like that one effortlessly stylish friend who turns up to brunch in jeans and still looks like she’s stepped off a runway. I finally picked the Open Clover necklace .

One downside was that the, chain arrived a little knotted (although we’ve all been there after a long journey), but once untangled, it sat perfectly and looked lovely. Flattering length, too. Classic, minimal, goes with everything - even sweat. I really liked it. 

And let me tell you, this necklace has been through it.

I’ve worn it pretty much every day since it arrived. That includes running mountains, sea swimming, cycling, and even flailing about in yoga pretending my hamstrings aren’t crying. We’re talking over 150 miles of activity. And it still looks brand new—no tarnishing, no weird marks, no green neck (I've been THERE before!). I’ve caught it on things a few times, and it’s held strong. The only time it came off was on the Tube, and that was entirely user error—I hadn’t clipped it in properly because I was probably distracted by snacks.

Now, about that bee. Mid-long run, a bee flew down my top (standard Sunday morning chaos), and in the flurry of trying to get it out without flashing the entire trail, I yanked off my hydration vest… which caught the necklace. But the necklace held. Didn’t snap, didn’t unclasp. Just calmly stayed put while I wrestled with a rogue insect. I consider that a win.

What would I change?

The knot in the chain was annoying when it arrived. I'd liked to have been able to clip and go!

I'd have a larger end on the chain so if I didn't clip it properly as I sometimes slip the clip over the whole chain in error and then it slips off the end of the chain and the necklace falls off. I actually like the necklace so much I'm considering getting this changed at a jewellers. 

I genuinely love it. It’s become one of those rare items that I forget I’m even wearing—until someone compliments it. And then I get to proudly say, “Thanks! It’s waterproof and sweatproof AND it survived a bee incident.”

Next on the list? I’m buying myself the matching bracelet.

Take a peek at Seola Jewellery here

Things the necklace has survived (so far!):

• Stand Up Paddle boarding
• Sea swimming
• Pool swimming
• Sauna 
• Climbing mountains
• Hiking 
• Cycling
• Running 
• Hill & trail running
• Going down massive slides
• Gym classes
• Yoga
• Geocaching 
• Bee attacks!
• Formal dinners
• Hugs from small children 
• Waterslides
• Jumping off boats ...

Bonus finger in the photo from my daughter taking the photo!! :) 

She Chose It - ADIDAS

I didn’t want to be THAT mum. You know the one. Hovering on the sidelines with a clipboard and a whistle, shouting at their kid to go quicker, logging splits on a spreadsheet like a wannabe PE teacher. But with more embarrassment for the kid.

I wanted her to choose it. Not because I love it — although I do — but because I know what running gives you. What it’s given me.

Running has given me more than fitness. It’s brought me the kind of friendships that can only be forged at 7am on a frosty start line when someone shares their jelly babies and a slightly-too-intimate story about chafing. It’s given me community. Support. The kind of unspoken solidarity where someone on the internet I've never met will send me a ‘'C'mon Booker,,, you got this!’ message just because I’ve posted a photo of myself wearing a race bib.

It’s given me the kind of moments that stay stitched into memory: running through dusk with owls overhead and deer slipping through the grass like secrets. It’s given me triumphs and disasters — and the wisdom to laugh about both. (Eventually. Usually after snacks.)

And I wanted that for her. I wanted her to have that. Not the medals or the PBs or the Strava uploads — but the magic.

But here’s the thing about the magic of running: you can’t gift it. You can’t hand it over wrapped in tissue paper with a motivational quote and a pair of ADIDAS trainers. You have to find it. Trip over it. Breathe it in when you least expect it — somewhere between “this was a terrible idea” and “did I just fly a little bit?”

And she’s found it.

She’s running now. Really running. Not just jogging next to me asking how much longer, or walking the track at tri club with her mates because the session is technically optional if you talk fast enough. She’s running intervals. She’s flying round parkrun. She’s also twigged that if she does parkrun there's usually a cafe stop afterwards. With cake.

I think she’s felt it — that flicker of something wonderful. The sense that her legs can take her somewhere she didn’t think she could go. That she’s strong. That she’s capable. That running is hers.

And if she stops again? That’s fine. If life gets busy or chaotic or her interests take her somewhere else — that’s fine too. Because the magic doesn’t go. It just waits. Running waits. Through exams and heartbreak and stressy jobs and maybe, years from now, a little girl of her own who refuses to nap and thinks trainers are chew toys.

One day, she might lace up again and run out into the quiet and feel it: the roads and trails still hers. Her head clears. Her breath steadies. The magic is there.

She chose it. And I’m so, so glad.

NOTE: I'm lucky enough to have been approached by ADIDAS who have invited me to be a part of their Blogger Community. This means I get to link up with other like-minded bloggers (which I take to mean other snack-obsessed runners) and they give me some ADIDAS vouchers to write my blogs … which I do anyway! Sounds like an absolute win to me!

I'm doing nothing different except adding some links to ADIDAS kit that I'm looking at getting with my vouchers and which I think you might also like!

Weymouth Middle Distance Triathlon & Not Being a Pillock - ADIDAS sponsored

Weymouth Middle Distance Triathlon is one of my faves. It’s always a toughie as the sea - which  looks like glass from the shore is unpredictable and the bike is hilly and the unshaded run is almost always hot. But I love it. It’s a good test of training and mental resilience. And of my ability to eat 4 gels without crying. Note: last year I failed at the not crying. But I DID eat the gels. 

This year, though? My swim and bike fitness have taken a slight knock. And by knock, I mean they’ve packed their bags, left a note, and haven’t been seen since last August. I’ve been running instead. It’s simple and it doesn’t require lugging half a garage of gear every time I travel for work. Trainers and go. Perfect.

As a result, Weymouth triathlon despite looming ever closer, was never really on my planning radar except all of a sudden it was here. And so was I. With my bike which had been sat on soft tyres and my wetsuit still hung up from the last open water swim. 

There had also been a stomach upset issue for a few days on the previous week. I’d had a beautiful test run in Weymouth on the Saturday but things didn’t feel right. The views were lovely but my tummy was grumpy. I decided to call whether I did it or not on the morning, with the decision already made about dropping it down from middle distance to sprint distance. 

Doing a long event when you're not feeling 100% or on not enough training isn’t being a hero, it’s being a pillock. I don’t want to be a pillock so a short swim, short bike and a 5km run sounded like more manageable distances. I reckoned I could get through an hour or so of a triathlon without incident.

But waking up at 0500hrs on the morning of the race, I wasn't feeling it. I get excited before my events, but I was dreading having to get into the sea. This wasn't like me, so I made the decision to skip this one. 

Triathlon will wait. There will always be another one. 

So instead, I went on an ADVENTURE RUN! (Suggested kit here)

Because if things went horribly wrong mid-run, I could always call a taxi. Whereas in the triathlon, I couldn't exactly hail an Uber from the middle of the bay. 

Armed with my very reliable (cough) Garmin, I plotted a route through all the places I fancied seeing. I ran along Weymouth Promenade, picked up the Rodwell Trail (a gorgeous disused railway path), past Sandsfoot Castle and the Dripping Well, across Chesil Beach to Portland, then hopped onto the South West Coast Path for some gorgeous but brutal running.

I ran through Tout Quarry Sculpture Park, where Old Roy—an enormous stone creature with stone eyeballs woven into his fur (an old Portland legend) almost made me jump out of my skin.

Then, the route popped me out by St George’s Church — a disused, beautiful church built of the grey Portland stone. I wandered around the gravestones and found the bomb crater which had been turned into a memorial of the headstones destroyed by the bomb.

I still wasn’t feeling 100%, but there were no pace goals, no finish lines to chase, just curiosity and sunshine. I even stopped at Portland Museum and spent a happy hour looking at shipwreck artefacts and dinosaur bones. You don’t get that in transition.

Of course, no Booker run is complete without a detour through brambles and bad decisions. I attempted a 'shortcut' into what turned out to be a thorny tunnel that ended in a chain-link fence. Cue a bit (lot) of muttering and some scrambling to get out of the thorny tunnel. Why I had thought there might be a path at the end of a bramble patch which I LITERALLY had to crawl through, I have no idea. Lessons. 

From bramble patch to prison and I passed the famous grey stones of Portland prison, then descended what might actually be the steepest hill in Britain. My quads are still holding a grudge. At the bottom, I chatted with a lovely local runner around the marina who was flying along and I carried on exploring.

Then I got stung by a bee on Chesil Beach (not a euphemism). It was breezy, it panicked, I panicked, it ended up in my top and someone got stung (me). I felt a bit bad. I like bees but it had stung me before I had even realised it was trapped so didn't have a chance to rescue it.

Sorry bee.

I stopped at the Dripping Well, where the sunlight slanted through the trees and the drops of water glittered in the light. It felt peaceful. And magical. And I felt slightly less sting-y.

Sixteen miles later, I rolled back into Weymouth. Tired, sun-kissed, salt-sweaty and absolutely chuffed. I met Mum and Auntie Jen at the beach for a cider and an ice cream, like a true athlete. Fuelling, innit.

Moral of my story?

Listen to your body. Don’t be a pillock. And sometimes, ditching the race number is the best race day decision you can make.

Triathlon can wait. But adventures? They’re always ready when you are.

NOTE: I'm lucky enough to have been approached by ADIDAS who have invited me to be a part of their Blogger Community. This means I get to link up with other like-minded bloggers (which I take to mean other snack-obsessed runners) and they give me some ADIDAS vouchers to write my blogs … which I do anyway! Sounds like an absolute win to me!

I'm doing nothing different except adding some links to ADIDAS kit that I'm looking at getting with my vouchers and which I think you might also like!

Map of run: Strava

Links to suggested kit if you fancy doing this run: Kit

Dreaming of Footpaths Named One of the Top 20 Running Mum Blogs!

I’ve got some exciting news to share today — Dreaming of Footpaths has been named one of the Top 20 Running Mom Blogs on the web by Feedspot! 

I was genuinely surprised (and very honoured!) to receive the email from Anuj Agarwal, the founder of Feedspot, letting me know that my blog had been selected by their panel as one of the best out there for running mums. As someone who juggles motherhood, shift work, and squeezing in as much triathlon and running training as possible, it feels incredibly special to be recognised alongside so many inspiring women who are doing the same.

When I started writing this blog, it was a place to share the highs and lows of training, racing, and dreaming of footpaths while navigating everything that life throws at me. I never imagined it would grow into something that connects me with such a brilliant community of fellow runners, mums, and dreamers.

Being listed as one of Feedspot’s Top 20 Running Mom Blogs is not just a milestone — it’s a lovely reminder of how powerful it is to share our stories. Whether it’s fitting in 5Ks after bedtime, marathon training with a buggy in tow, or just trying to get out the door some days, we’re all doing something amazing.

If you’re new here — welcome! You can follow along on Instagram and other platforms (check the sidebar or links above). And if you’re one of the many incredible running mums out there reading this — thank you for being part of this community. Let’s keep showing the world that mums can absolutely run the world (and a few finish lines too).

Thank you again, Feedspot, for the recognition — I’ll proudly be displaying the badge on the blog and socials soon!

Here’s to more miles, more stories, and many more muddy trainers.

Long Course Weekend 2024: Chafed at Both Ends, Jellyfish-Stung and Slightly Overcooked

Long Course Weekend is three days of swimming, biking, and running in the beautiful (read: brutal) Welsh countryside. I've done this event before and if I've learned one thing from it, it's that no matter how well I think I've trained, this event will school me in how well I HAVEN'T trained. It's basically a weekend of “Choose Your Suffering.” Over Ironman distance.

Swim: A lesson in Appalling Navigation and Jellyfish Wrangling

First lesson of the weekend was 'Don’t save your wee for the wetsuit'. I'd had a dicey tummy since the my poor choice of pizza from a street vendor for my pre-swim dinner. It had tasted lovely at the time, but judging from the gargling down below it wasn't being appreciated by my stomach. It's a bit of a joke that triathletes and swimmers 'warm up' their wetsuits by having a sneaky wee in them before the swim. Standing on the sand waiting for the go, I DID need a wee – quite badly in fact – but my stomach was making noises that sounded like a donkey and squid fighting. I wasn't brave enough to allow anything downstairs to be unleashed into my wetsuit in case it was all systems go.

I did NOT want to be the girl that ran into the sea leaving diarrhoea footprints behind her. I've heard of running from your mistakes, but I reckoned half the pizza and my stomach contents would still be in the wetsuit with me. 

I spent the entire swim with stomach cramps and a newfound appreciation for the phrase “when nature calls.” Nature was calling and I was trying desperately to silence those calls. 

The sea definitely had some swell and while it wasn't as bad as my swim in Spain a couple of years previously, it was still very much a case of being thrown around and not in the direction I was planning on going which was towards the next buoy. I'd also had a bit of a knock in the face from a flailing arm. Not my arm. The swim was fun though but it wouldn't be a fast swim. I quite like a challenging swim so I settled in and tried to make progress. And then I spotted the jellyfish. Ugh. They're basically the spiders of the sea but slimy and with a hatred of stupid-looking humans swimming in their manor. Me. I was the stupid-looking human swimming in their patch. I got a couple of stings but it felt like nettle stings, not too awful. There was no avoiding them. 

I managed the first lap, sighting on the last section of land, then just off the red lifeboat roof, then the gap in the house roofs and then a run along the sand before plunging back into the foamy white waves again.

The first stretch out to the first buoy seemed to take ages again, but I was sighting back on the gap in the houses before I knew it and swimming into the sand on the beach before pulling myself up and running on damp, shifting sand towards the finish arch. 

My swim buddy, who is usually a little slower, emerged 20 seconds ahead of me instead of the expected 15 minutes behind. Either he had suddenly turned into Michael Phelps, had been doing some excellent training – or drugs! - or I had made some questionable swimming choices.

The sea had been choppy, but I'd felt like I was making reasonable progress… and maybe I had been. Except it turned out my “expert” sighting had me swimming 4.5km instead of 3.8km. I might have been swimming quickly (for me) but I hadn't been swimming in the right direction. And my swimming buddy had had a cracking swim. Bloody good for him.

Although I hadn't shit in my wetsuit either so bloody good for me too.

Possible reasons for my extended tour of the ocean:

✅ Pre-swim pizza (but didn't soil my wetsuit – hooray!)

✅ Poor sighting (although I swear I was on track … clearly I took a scenic route)

✅ A jellyfish sting or two (glad I was wearing a full-length wetsuit!)

✅ Getting smacked in the face, knocking my goggles askew and filling them with seawater  (Meh … standard triathlon swim)

✅ All of the above

On the bright side, at least I made it through the bad sea conditions. A third of the field didn’t finish, and I - despite my scenic detour and questionable bladder control - made it to the finish arch. Which I was very grateful for.

Also, I had fish & chips with curry sauce afterwards, which made everything better. Even the stomach was pleased.

Bike: Chafed at Both Ends

The alarm went off at 05:00hrs because why sleep when you can get up and prepare for a 112-mile bike ride with the lingering taste of seawater in your mouth? And a stripe of jellyfish stings across your neck and forehead.

Breakfast included eggs, toast, and a fresh burn from the baking tray. Good start. At least the welt on my hand matched the ones on my face and neck from the jellyfish. 

The bike course was stunning and savage. Wiseman’s Bridge still felt like a wall, but Saundersfoot? A WALL OF PEOPLE. Drummers. Cheering. Kids with cowbells. Honestly, I’d consider cycling up hills more often if I got this kind of fanfare every time.

We also met up with buddies from last year – what were the chances! So a nice catch up and a chatter made the miles go faster too.

Things I learned on the bike:

✅ The Welsh people are incredible supporters. One guy was there cheering at 6:30hrs and still there at noon. Absolute legend.

✅ Rich decided to go full Tour de France and race for KOM up Saundersfoot… 40 miles before the finish. What could possibly go wrong? (Answer: everything.)

✅ Bacon rolls at the first aid station, chips at the second. 10/10, no notes.

✅ I tried new food strategies instead of just inhaling sugar: mini sausage rolls, egg bites, salted nuts, ginger cake. Surprisingly effective, but sandwich bags are a menace.

Of course, there were some downsides. Like the suncream making my already chafed neck worse and the realization that I was now chafed at both ends. A human-shaped dog toy, but with more salt and regret.

Also, at mile 98, my cycling buddy's legs fully gave up. I politely refrained from reminding him about Saundersfoot. For about 30 seconds. Then, obviously, I reminded him.

The final miles were a blur of granny gears, shouting at Rich to stay on my wheel, and rolling under the finish arch together. Woo! Bike Day Done!!

Run: Soggy, Humid and Squashed Snakes

The plan was simple: run at Ironman goal pace. The execution? Slightly less simple.

I made the classic mistake of setting my watch to average pace, rather than current pace which meant that after the first few hills, I spent the next several miles trying to correct it. Idiot move. By the time I figured it out, the middle miles felt harder than necessary.

Other notable moments:

✅ Wayne paced me for a bit—until he saw a buddy, abandoned me, then caught up and pushed the pace. Thanks, Wayne.

✅ It was weirdly humid. Everyone was drenched, sweat wasn’t evaporating, and I was very glad for my visor.

✅ A squashed snake on the road at the top of a hill. Not a small one, either. Absolutely no need for that.

✅ Ran past the cottage. I'd rented for the weekend It had thick white walls, high sash windows, a sloping kitchen ceiling, and a distinct lack of jellyfish. 10/10, would stay again.

✅ A place called Skrinkle. Sounds like an undiscovered sea creature.

At mile 18, I finally found my legs. Suddenly, the miles ticked by quickly, and counting down gels became a motivational game. Banoffee and black cherry yogurt Torq gels = solid choices. Energy Bytes caffeine sweets? Absolute treat.

The morning was overcast and drizzly, but halfway through, the sun made an appearance—along with mist rolling off the sea, making it all feel very cinematic.

Crossed the line as the 23rd woman out of 75 finishers—and out of 171 female starters. 67 DNFs.  Reckon I was 2nd or 3rd in AG. This race does not mess around.

Final Thoughts: The Art of Suffering with Style

LCW 2024 was a rollercoaster of chafing, dodgy stomachs and scenic detours. But despite the jellyfish, questionable pacing, and my bike basically becoming a medieval torture device, I had an absolute blast.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. Would I make better decisions? Probably not.

But hey—if you’re going to suffer, at least do it with good snacks and a sense of humour. And a few good stories. 

How Sleep Fuels Performance: The Key to Recovery and Success - Sponsored Content

* I have been sent a mattress by Simba to try free of charge and have posted this blog post as a thank you *

How sleep fuels performance: the key to recovery and success

Sleep deprivation can significantly impact athletic performance, slowing reaction times, reducing endurance, and hindering recovery. Simba Sleep, renowned for its innovative Hybrid® mattresses, is committed to enhancing sleep quality with advanced design and materials. Prioritising rest isn’t just about feeling refreshed, it’s a critical factor in achieving peak performance, both physically and mentally.

The overlooked factor in athletic performance

When striving to improve athletic performance, most athletes focus on training, nutrition, and recovery methods such as stretching or ice baths. But one crucial factor is often neglected, quality sleep.

Lisa Artis, Deputy CEO of Simba’s charity partner, The Sleep Charity, highlights its importance: “Prioritising quality rest is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity for physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Athletes who optimise their sleep see significant improvements in performance, recovery, and injury prevention.”

She further emphasises: “Lack of sleep increases levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which can negatively affect muscle recovery and endurance. Ensuring adequate rest is just as important as training itself.”

Whether you're a professional athlete or someone looking to improve your fitness, quality rest can give you the edge you need. Here’s why sleep should be a non-negotiable part of your routine.

Faster recovery and stronger muscles

After a long run, your muscles need time to repair and grow. This process primarily occurs during deep sleep. 

Lisa Artis adds: “Deep sleep is the body's natural recovery phase. Without it, your muscles remain fatigued, increasing the risk of injury and delaying improvements in strength and performance.”

Without enough sleep, your body struggles to rebuild muscle, leading to prolonged recovery, increased soreness, and a higher risk of injury. Deep, restorative sleep ensures your body is ready to take on the next mile.

Sharper focus and faster reactions

In competitive sports, split-second decisions can make or break a game. Whether it’s reacting to an opponent’s move, maintaining precision, or strategising on the go, your brain needs to perform at its best.

Lisa Artis, explains: “Lack of sleep reduces vigilance, alertness, and focus, making it harder to perform tasks that require sustained attention. This can be a serious disadvantage in both training and competition.”

Sleep deprivation impacts cognitive function in a way similar to alcohol consumption. Reaction times slow, decision-making suffers, and concentration declines, none of which are ideal for an athlete aiming to perform at their best. By getting enough sleep, you enhance cognitive function, reaction time, and decision-making ability, giving yourself the best chance of success.

Injury prevention and coordination

Fatigue leads to poor coordination, slower reflexes, and weakened muscle control, all of which increase the likelihood of injury. Research shows that athletes who average less than eight hours of sleep per night are 1.7 times more likely to experience an injury compared to those who sleep eight or more hours.

Lisa Artis stresses: “Sleep is when your body restores energy and repairs damaged tissues. Without it, balance and coordination suffer, increasing the risk of strains, sprains, and serious injuries.”

Getting sufficient rest means better control over your body, reducing the risk of sprains, strains, and missteps.

More energy and endurance

Sleep plays a vital role in regulating energy levels and stamina. Well-rested athletes efficiently store and utilise glycogen, the fuel muscles rely on during exercise. Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, leads to quicker exhaustion, making even routine workouts feel significantly harder.

Lisa Artis points out: “Your body relies on sleep to regulate energy expenditure. Athletes who consistently get high-quality sleep tend to have better stamina, endurance, and overall performance.”

A well-rested body functions optimally, ensuring endurance, strength, and motivation remain high throughout training and competition.

Why your mattress matters

Even if you prioritise sleep, its quality matters as much as its duration. An unsupportive mattress can cause discomfort, poor posture, and restless nights, all of which negatively impact muscle recovery and overall performance.

The Simba Hybrid® Mattress is designed for optimal support, featuring innovative Aerocoil® springs for full-body alignment and pressure relief. Its extra-deep Simbatex® foam adds elasticity for cushioning comfort, while the nine-zone foam base supports key areas like the hips and shoulders. Upgrading to a high-quality mattress improves sleep efficiency, reduces stiffness, and helps you wake up refreshed and ready to perform.

The bottom line

To train harder, perform better, and recover faster, sleep must be a top priority. Just like a solid training plan and balanced nutrition, quality rest is essential for peak performance. By prioritising deep, restorative sleep, you give your body the recovery it needs to stay strong, sharp, and ready for any challenge.

Investing in better sleep isn’t just about comfort, it’s about unlocking your full potential.