The Weekly Wrap – 21/7/25
Your Weekly Dose of Running Highlights, Coaching Insights & Smarter Training Brought to you by Coach Matty Abel
G’day and welcome
Thanks again for tuning in. Whether you’re deep into a race prep or rebuilding through winter, I hope these weekly wraps continue to provide value, not just for your running, but in how you approach challenge, structure, and growth across the board.
It’s been a massive week across the Academy. We had runners toe the line from the tracks in New York to the trails of Switzerland and Colorado. On my end, it’s been a test of patience and perspective, as you’ll read in today’s update.
Inside this week’s wrap:
Global team highlights from the US to the Alps
A personal update as we hit 5 weeks to TDS
Our July Focus: Intentional Strength - Purpose Over Ego
This week’s coaching tip: training your weak links in the off-season
Let’s dive in.
Team Highlights
It was another huge week for the Academy, with standout efforts on both the roads and trails.
Dave opened the week with a sharp hit-out at the Bronx One Mile; a race that demands precision pacing and top-end speed.
Evan completed a solo 50km track session as part of his build toward a 100-mile track ultra. Here we were testing the master lap format, nutrition, hydration and pacing.
In Colorado, Jo Bailey tackled the High Lonesome 100 Miler, a brutal mountain race with sections above 4,000m altitude. Jo battled nausea early and fought hard before narrowly missing the final cutoff. While the outcome wasn’t what we hoped for, her grit and determination were exceptional. Altitude can be a significant performance limiter, especially for athletes living at sea level. There’s plenty to take forward here.
Over in Switzerland, Erwin lined up for the Eiger E51, which was shortened due to storms. Despite the course change, Erwin executed well and came away strong.
Back home, a number of runners completed their 5K baseline runs, a crucial benchmark in our programming. These runs help us dial in zones, track fitness changes, and provide a controlled space for learning how to pace under pressure. For marathoners especially, execution is everything and these checkpoints help refine that.
Personal Highlights
We’re five weeks out from TDS (148km with 9300m elevation gain/loss), and last week threw an unexpected curveball.
A lingering ankle niggle forced me to pull the pin on running from Thursday onward. It’s the same ankle I rolled earlier in the year before Buffalo Stampede, and again three weeks ago during a night run. Last week it began to flare, mild swelling, discomfort, and a few alarm bells.
As runners, we all know that spiral:
Is it bone? Tendon? Ligament? Something worse?
Rather than push through, I made the call to pull this week’s deload forward, taking four full days off running (Fri–Mon) and swapping in:
Strength sessions on Friday and Monday
A 2-hour ride on Saturday
A 3-hour climbing ride on Sunday
Training didn’t stop, it shifted.
I’ve always said it’s not about perfect training. It’s about consistent, smart decisions stacked over time. The goal remains: line up in Courmayeur healthy, primed, and ready to cross into Chamonix. Right now, we’re still tracking well.
“Injuries don’t derail a build, denial and inaction do.”
July Focus: Training with Intent – From Execution to Elevation
This month we’re raising the quality of your training by refining how you show up. Intent sharpens execution and better execution leads to better results.
Week 4: Intentional Strength – Purpose Over Ego
Strength training is only effective if it serves your running, not your ego.
It’s easy to get caught up chasing numbers in the gym, but durability is built through control, consistency, and execution.
What intent looks like in the gym:
Choosing movements that support your running mechanics
Slowing down the tempo to build control through range
Leaving the session feeling strong, not depleted
“Strength is not just what you lift—it’s how you move.”
– Dr. Stacy Sims, Exercise Physiologist
Action Step
In your next gym session, choose one key lift; squat, RDL, or lunge and slow it down. Control every rep. Film your movement if needed. Ask yourself:
“Did I move with purpose, or did I just finish the set?”
Purpose > ego. Always.
Tip of the Week: Train Your Weak Links in the Off-Season
Winter is a golden opportunity to rebuild—especially in areas that get overlooked during race blocks.
Whether it’s ankle stability, glute activation, or downhill control, now’s the time to address your limiting factors. Mobility, proprioception, and strength aren’t just add-ons, they’re your insurance against future injury.
“You’re only as strong as your weakest link, so train it.”
Research supports targeted neuromuscular work to reduce injury risk and improve running economy (Balsalobre-Fernández et al., 2016).
Don’t default to just doing what you’re good at.
Focus on what’s holding you back.
Quote of the Week
“Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” – Abraham Lincoln
Whether it’s fuelling, rest, or backing off to prevent injury, this is what high-performance looks like day to day.
The weekly wrap supporter - CurraNZ
Proud to be supported by CurraNZ, the NZ blackcurrant extract backed by over 50 clinical studies.
CurraNZ has been shown to:
Improve endurance performance
Enhance fat metabolism
Speed up recovery between sessions
Each capsule delivers a high dose of anthocyanins, supporting blood flow, oxygen delivery, and reduced soreness, ideal when training volume ramps up.
https://www.curranz.com.au/
Use code WrapMA20 for 20% off (first-time buyers only)
Client Spotlight: Simon Kluckow
1. What has been your proudest running moment so far?
As part of the Run Queensland event team I have many proud moments involving our races. It’s very special to stand at the Finish line welcoming home runners knowing what most of them have been through to get to that point. My job is to provide a platform for people to ‘do epic shit’ and I’m super proud of that. On a personal note, last year after DNF’ing my UTCT 100 mile attempt (to slow) I had the opportunity to then go and pace a good friend and training buddy to his first 100 mile Finish. So proud my eyes may have watered.
2. What’s the number one place or trail you’ve run and why does it stand out?
The UTCT route is something else. Incredible views at every turn. Running across the top of Table Mountain in the middle of the night in complete isolation is an experience I will never forget. As an expat South African I guess it was extra special.
3. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting out?
Comparison is the thief of joy’ – run for you and you only. Running has a lot of noise around it in recent years. Run for your right reasons and it will give you back so much more than you ever imagined.
Final Note
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your training isn’t more, it’s knowing when to pause, pivot, or pull back.
Whether you’re mid-build or in a rest phase, remember: it’s the consistent, intentional actions, not the heroic ones, that move the needle
See you next week,
Coach Matty Abel