#21 "Keith Russell’s 89-Hour Backyard Ultra: The Epic Endurance Battle and the Heartbreaking Loss that drives him.

Fresh off my first HYROX experience in Bangkok, I'm sharing the highs, lows, lessons, and surprises from race day. From the atmosphere and race strategy to the stations that broke me and the moments that kept me moving, this is an honest reflection on what it was really like to compete in my first HYROX event. I discuss the biggest mistakes I made, what I learned about pacing, why being strategic matters more than simply being fit, and how HYROX compares to my background in endurance sports. And despite crossing the finish line exhausted, sore, and questioning my life choices, I somehow found myself signing up for another race before I'd even fully recovered. In this episode: Why I decided to do HYROX Race-day nerves and the Bangkok atmosphere The stations that challenged me most Lessons on pacing and race strategy What surprised me about HYROX Biggest mistakes and takeaways Why I immediately signed up for another race Advice for anyone considering their first HYROX If you've ever finished a race and said, "Never again," only to find yourself entering another one a few days later, this episode is for you. 📩 Email: [email protected] 📷 Instagram: @aidoalan 📊 Strava: Adrian on Strava 📘 Facebook: Adrian on Facebook

Finally the time has come to give my first HYROX a CRAIC!! Race week is here, and it’s time to find out where I really stand. In this episode, I break down my first ever HYROX race in Bangkok, how I’m feeling heading into it, what I’ve learned in training, and most importantly… my prediction. I dive into: My expected finish time Where I think I’ll perform well The stations that could make or break my race Mistakes I’m trying to avoid And what success actually looks like for me on the day This isn’t about being perfect, it’s about showing up, testing myself, and seeing what happens when training meets reality. Whether you’re racing HYROX, thinking about it, or just enjoy the process of pushing limits, this one’s for you. Let’s see if I’m right…

Most people know their goals. Very few know their values. In this episode of The GymCraic Podcast, I go into the idea of living according to your values and why it’s one of the most important things i think i can do for longterm fulfilment. I break down the four values im trying to guide my life right now, freedom, health, connection, and creativity and how they influence everything from the way I train, to the work I do, to the relationships I build. But I also talk honestly about the fact that right now I’m not fully living in alignment with all of these values as of right now . Like most people, I sometimes drift away from what truly matters. This episode is about recognising that, reflecting on where I’m at and consciously redirecting myself back toward the life I actually want to build. Sometimes we chase achievements without asking if they truly matter to us. This conversation is about stepping back, getting clear on what you stand for, and making sure the life you're building actually reflects it. Keywords: personal growth, endurance mindset, values, self-development, life direction. Listen to The GymCraic Podcast: 🎧 Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/the-gymcraic-podcast 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-gymcraic-podcast/id1580946939

Welcome back to The GymCraic Podcast. Today’s episode is all about one thing: becoming a high performer in 2026. Over the past few days, I’ve just come out of a powerful two-day goal setting workshop, where I sought guidance from The Mindset Mentor, Rob Dial. And in this episode, I want to reshare what I’ve learned, what challenged me, and what genuinely shifted how I see discipline, identity, and growth. Because high performance isn’t about motivation. It isn’t about hype. And it definitely isn’t about perfection. High performance is about goal setting with intention. It’s about discipline as the highest form of self-love. Choosing your future self over your current comfort. It’s about identity. Belief. Action. Repeat. Who you believe you are shapes what you do. What you do shapes who you become. We’ll talk about finding your why, building goals that actually stick, and even strengthening something called the anterior mid cingulate cortex, the part of the brain responsible for doing hard things when you don’t feel like it. So if you’re ready to stop drifting… If you’re ready to stop negotiating with your potential… And if 2026 is the year you decide to show up differently… This episode is for you. 📩 Email: [email protected] 📷 Instagram: @aidoalan 📊 Strava: Adrian on Strava 📘 Facebook: Adrian on Facebook

Now just felt like the right time to try and speak about the last 5 months since my mom Catherine Allen has passed away in July after a year long battle with cancer. A tough topic but this is life. Over the past while life changed in a way I never really knew how to prepare for my mom passing away. In between life has been hectic and im trying to find stability once again. I didn’t want to record this straight away, and I also didn’t want to avoid it completely. So this isn’t a polished episode or one with answers. It’s just me being honest about what the last few months and what moms final weeks with us were like for everyone , what I’ve leaned on, what’s helped a in the "emotional moments" that have happened since. If you’re listening and you’ve been through loss or you’re in it right now this isn’t advice. It’s simply my lived experience, shared in real time to a certain extent. And if you haven’t experienced something like this yet, maybe this is just a reminder to slow down, check in, and appreciate the people you still get to call today. So yeah… this is me, talking about one of the hardest topics ill ever have to share but maybe it helps me and everyone else going through tough times.