Field Notes for Adventure Athletes
Weekly Performance, Mindset & Exploration Insights
This is my weekly newsletter for my coached athletes that I will now share with my subscribers here as well. This is a FREE offering, all you need to do is subscribe. It’s short, concise, and packed with insights on Performance, Mindset, and Exploration.
Take from it what you like. I hope it serves you in some manner.
— Coach Chris
🎯 Performance
As we enter 2026, I’m asking all of my athletes to spend some time on your Why. Not in the traditional sense of “Why am I doing this training and why do I have these goals, events, desired outcomes in 2026?” I’m asking more: Why are you putting in this effort? Where are you heading? What is it you are looking to achieve with these events, goals, desired outcomes in 2026?
Who will you be when you achieve them? Is that the version you are wanting? Is this an identity you like? In this next year, knowing who we want to be, what we want to feel like, and Why can be an incredible gift. Do more things we like, we enjoy, that make us feel good, in alignment. Too often we get caught up in wanting what we think we should want. Nothing sticks with a should. When we truly want what we want, we figure out how to achieve our desired outcomes.
📋 Assignment:
Please list your goals and objectives for 2026 along with your why. How you want to feel, what you’re willing to sacrifice for it, what not. And how you see yourself when having achieved your desired outcome.
(And don’t any of you dare write: “because it will prove to me I can do hard things” or “that I can show my kids”… that’s lame…)
This exercise (as many of my longer-term athletes know) will go back and forth a bit. I will challenge you to look deeply within.
What will make 2026 a success? And is that the direction I want to be heading in? Professional life, personal life, and athletic life: Where are you heading? Is that your desired direction? I’m asking myself these same questions annually. By looking ahead, it allows us to set a standard for why we are doing TODAY what we are doing.
Now that we’ve kicked out the other side of the Holidays, where do you stand? Hopefully all of you did some exercise. Some of you might have actually trained as well. Either way, it’s 2026—time to get this party truly started.
Remember: There’s a difference between exercising and training. One is intentional, has a desired outcome, is thoughtful, and requires preparation. One has a plan. One comes with a mindset: I am training, not merely exercising.
🧠 Mindset
What is coaching? Most of you could find a great training plan online or via ChatGPT. They actually advertise this. And most of you know this already. So what is coaching?
My job in coaching is to help you achieve outcomes. That happens by setting the conditions for consistency. My primary goal is to help you stay consistent and not have you veer off course by convincing yourself that there’s a faster way to get the endurance thing done.
Why consistency? 90% of success can be boiled down to consistently doing the obvious thing (training) for an uncommonly long period of time without convincing yourself that you are smarter than you are or that there is a shortcut.
Training (online plans, ChatGPT) is science. Coaching is art.
Don’t look for a coach if you merely want a trainer (training plan), and don’t look to a trainer for coaching—in both cases you’re wasting time and money.
🗺️ Exploration
Besides Dry January, I’m also on an Intermittent Fasting Schedule and a Cleanse. Well, micro-adjusted cleanse as I’ve kept caffeine. It’s an annual thing that Emilee and I do, the January Cleanse. Every year I learn more about myself, my eating habits, my lack of intention with food, and new things in the field of nutrition.
IMF for me is currently between 17/7 and 18/6—which is also interesting for mindset, energy management, workout timing, and how you can turn hunger on and off. Again, for learning and observation. I have no interest in losing weight. I do have an interest in resets, in breaking habits, in understanding where habits and routines lie, and becoming aware of what serves me (and what doesn’t!).
I’m not running in 2026. I’ve decided to take a year off. None of my adventures require running and my body, mind, and chassis can use it. I’ve been running for 26 years. Sure there have been weeks off, but never a full month. So this year I’m focused on cycling, strength, and of course, swimming. Being a multisport athlete also comes with decision fatigue. Taking one of them off the table is liberating.
Next week I’ll share my focus for 2026, my intentions, where I’m heading, etc. 2026 Intentions.
“Isn’t it funny how people who’ve suffered together have more in common than those who are most content”
— Bob Dylan
This is why I offer my Adventures in 2026 to all. Not merely for coached athletes, but to anyone curious. Curious to find out what ultra endurance is, to challenge yourself deeply. Email me for more information.
📅 2026 Adventure Calendar
Timberline Trail — July 15-18
Cactus to Clouds — October 21-24
Have a great long weekend!