These are the questions I’m going to be taking to the sports scientists and psychologists from Northumbria University on Friday and Tuesday. I’m pretty excited about talking with them. Less excited about the process of transcription that will follow. Very lucky to be working with them.

Phil 1.30pm Friday 6th

Hannah: I want to make this because…
What factors influence running (tell me about your research)?
What is the ‘quantification of training’ (tell me about your research)?
What does training ‘do’?
What kinds of training is there?
What technique is there in running?
Tell me about how I run.
Talk to me about the physiology of running
What’s different about running in endurance sport contexts?
And triathlon?
Could you please talk about hamstring function/endurance/economy of movement?
Have you heard of the Central Governor Theory – is it widely recognised? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_governor
What training tips do you have for me?
What haven’t I asked you?
What sport do you do? Why? What does it feel like to you?

Sarah 2.30pm Tuesday 10th

Hannah: I want to make this because…
Do you have any thoughts on the stories we tell ourselves about the future? ‘crawling across the finish line’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTn1v5TGK_w
Tell me about sport in non-elite competitors (why do we do it?)
Can you talk to me about this performance modifiers diagram http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3323922/figure/F2/ ?
Why do we do it? Why do we carry on?
Please talk to me about possible psychological preparation for the physiological challenges of endurance sport.
Explain ‘flow’ – what is it, why is it important, how does it work?
What is the ‘storied self’ – and what does it mean in endurance sport?
What training tips do you have for me?
What haven’t I asked you?
What sport do you do? Why? What does it feel like to you?

Angela 9.30am Friday 6th

Hannah: I want to make this because…
What is the field of biomechanics?
How do we swim/bike/run, biomechanically speaking?
How do we power ourselves?
What happens to your body when you are fatigued?
What happens to your body in the 12-16 hours of an ironman?
Please talk about tactical approaches to ‘solo’ sports activity – personal bests
Where are you at in your training?
How do you fit in training?
How do you feel about your ironman? What preparation (psychological and physiological) are you doing?
What training tips do you have for me?
What haven’t I asked you?
What sport do you do? Why? What does it feel like to you?