Nick Hannah Personal Training

06/09/2026

QUICKER 5K

I started 2026 running a 24-minute parkrun, and yesterday I got a season PB of 20 minutes 27 seconds.

I'm not a qualified running coach, but do hold coaching qualifications from British Triathlon and in strength & conditioning and just wanted to share my experience from this year.

RUN TRAINING

I've had 3 knee operations and have moderate arthritis in my right knee, so I initially went cautiously with a 4-day running week. I coupled this with 2 indoor bike sessions to help build aerobic fitness without the impact and fatigue of more running.

About 3 months ago, I moved to 5 run sessions per week and plotted how to increase volume as part of a 3-month periodised plan. Basically aiming to peak for early Sept. My biggest week was 38km.
My runs were split as ...
1 hard session - normally parkrun
3 easy sessions - zone 2 so keep my heart rate to around 130 ish. Either use a running watch to calculate or talk test or MAF which is 180 minus your age
I would then throw in the odd interval session but kept it simple with 1km efforts so maybe 3 * 1km with 90s rest. I don't have a car anymore so used the Brighouse "running track". This is a 1 mile flattish road near Sainsburys along into industrial units. I still did an indoor bike session, but now as recovery.

DATA CAPTURE & ANALYSIS
I used a 2nd-hand Garmin and chest strap (£50 off eBay; see picture below). I then fed the data into intervals.icu (see link below). This is a free alternative to TrainingPeaks. I used this, my own thoughts and chatGPT to plot my training plan and sessions. AI was a useful tool for discussing how the week went and potential future times.

STRENGTH TRAINING
I rarely missed run training sessions and only had a slight ni**le on my left Achilles. I put this down to strength training twice per week. I did a mix of - HEX/trap deadlifts, lunges, step-ups, upper body, core and calf raises. Strength training has 3 big benefits for runners: injury prevention, increased power to improve performance, and greater resilience to absorb more volume. I can highly recommend my S&C coach - google Nick Hannah PT :)

RUN KIT

I'm now a big fan of Decathlons own brand - Kiprun. I did all my run training in 2 pair of their trainers, budget ones at £25 and a £53 pair. I switched to my carbon plated Hokas (£80) for the final parkrun.

https://intervals.icu/

Let me know any queries or thoughts and happy running

01/09/2026

⭐ LORENA’S STRONGER FOR LIFE JOURNEY – WEEK 4 ⭐

Another 0.4 kg lost this week, taking Lorena’s total weight loss to 1.5 kg. 👏

It would be easy to look at the scales and think 0.4 kg isn’t much—but sustainable progress doesn’t happen in a perfectly straight line. Lorena is currently averaging a very healthy 0.5 kg loss per week.

More importantly, this week she:

✅ Completed an incredible five gym sessions
✅ Averaged around 1,500 calories per day
✅ Continued choosing nutritious, balanced food
✅ Kept building habits that she can maintain long-term

With Lorena’s health conditions, this project has never been about chasing dramatic weekly losses. It’s about steadily improving her strength, mobility, health and confidence—while helping her lose weight safely.

No drastic calorie cuts and no punishing exercise. We’ll continue doing exactly what is working and judge progress over several weeks rather than allowing one weigh-in to define success.

Lorena talked about not always feeling motivated to go to the gym and we used a quote that Joe Wicks posted ..
"No matter what you lift or how slow you run, you always beat the version of you that stayed at home".

Another 0.4 kg gone. Another successful week. Another step towards a stronger, healthier Lorena. ❤️💪

24/08/2026

🌟 STRONGER FOR LIFE PROJECT: WEEK 3 UPDATE 🌟

Another brilliant week for Lorena! 👏

This week, she’s lost 1kg, but the number on the scales is only part of the story.

She’s already noticing that everyday movements, such as sitting up and climbing the stairs, are becoming easier. 💪

These are the changes that really matter: feeling stronger, moving with more confidence and making daily life that little bit easier.

Three weeks in, and Lorena is showing what’s possible when you take things one step at a time.

Proud of you, Lorena. Let’s keep going! 🙌

16/08/2026

Lorena’s Week 2 Update ❤️

This was Lorena’s first week working towards a calorie deficit, with a target of 1,800 calories per day.

Although the scales showed only a small loss of 0.1 kg, her body fat reading dropped by 1%. With Lorena’s lower-leg oedema, changes in fluid can easily mask what is happening with her weight, so we’re not going to panic or overreact to one result.

The biggest success this week was that Lorena got her head around logging calories—and that was exactly what I asked her to achieve. 👏

Her average intake was lower than planned due to a few very low-calorie days. We’ve discussed the importance of fuelling her body properly, so this week the goal remains 1,800 calories, while gradually improving portion awareness and logging accuracy.

We’re keeping the focus firmly on the process rather than becoming obsessed with the scales. Lorena is also increasing her gym visits from three to four this week, which is another positive step for her health, fitness and confidence.

No panic. No drastic changes. Just learning, consistency and trusting the process.

Well done, Lorena—another positive week! 💪❤️

10/08/2026

Lorena’s Week 1 Update — 1kg Lost! 🎉

What a brilliant start for Lorena: one kilogram lost in her first week!

Even more importantly, she has planned a fantastic menu filled with healthier breakfasts, lunches and evening meals. That preparation gives her a really strong foundation for the weeks ahead.

This week, we’re introducing calorie tracking. This will help us understand exactly how much she is eating and allow us to create a sensible, sustainable calorie deficit—without making drastic changes or leaving her feeling hungry.

We’re taking things one step at a time, building habits that Lorena can maintain for life. A great first week and plenty to feel proud of! 👏

03/08/2026

🥗 The next step in Lorena’s journey… improving her lunches!

After making positive changes to her breakfasts, we’re now focusing on simple, nutritious lunches that will keep her satisfied and support her health.

Lorena asked me: “If I’m eating better, why aren’t I losing weight?”—especially after the scales showed a one-pound gain.

I explained that we haven’t started calorie counting or introduced a calorie deficit yet. Right now, we’re building healthier habits one meal at a time. Once those foundations are in place, we’ll tighten up the numbers—and we’re not far away from that stage.

This isn’t a setback; it’s all part of the process. 💪

29/07/2026

🌟 More Support for the Better for Life Project 🌟

I’m delighted to announce that my friend Denise from Brighouse Mind and Body has generously offered free sessions to Lorena—and to every future client selected for the Better for Life Project.

Denise is a qualified hypnotherapist and a former gym owner, so she understands that improving your health isn’t only about food and exercise. Our mindset, confidence, habits and emotional wellbeing can all play an important part in making lasting changes.

I also know personally how valuable Denise’s support can be, having benefited from her help myself.

Her involvement adds another valuable layer to the project, giving our chosen clients access to both physical and mental wellbeing support as they work towards a healthier, happier future.

This is an incredibly kind offer from Denise, and I’m genuinely grateful to have her joining forces with me. The Better for Life Project is becoming about more than one person helping—it’s about people coming together to make a real difference. ❤️

Thank you, Denise!

https://brighousemindandbody.uk/

28/07/2026

🌟 Lorena’s first week

When someone wants to lose weight, it can be tempting to change everything at once. But for Lorena, this journey is about taking small, manageable steps that she can maintain.

Our first week has focused entirely on refining her breakfasts. We’ve introduced three simple choices designed to provide better nutrition, keep her fuller and support her in feeling better throughout the day. Rather than discard her Weetabix, we've upgraded it with blueberries and chia seeds.

No strict diet. No calorie counting yet. Just one positive change at a time.

Lorena has embraced the new options brilliantly, and next we’ll start looking at her lunches. She's already reported feeling better.

Nutrition can be approached in different ways, but I've illustrated my approach for Lorena as a pyramid. Some of the top layers might not be needed. With her health conditions, I felt it was important to prioritise eating for health first. The trade-off means weight loss might not happen for a few weeks.

27/07/2026

26/07/2026

Privilege helping these ladies get Stronger 💪

If you're interested in my Stronger for Life classes, drop me a message :-

- A maximum of only 3 people can book on
- Private space
- 60 mins on Strength, functional movement and balance
- £10 per person