Mark Ellison
Age-Group Triathlete | Ironman 70.3 Racer | Data Analyst
20 articles published
About Mark
Mark Ellison is a 41-year-old triathlete from Cardiff who brings an analytical mindset to endurance sport. A data analyst by profession, Mark is fascinated by training metrics, heart rate zones, and the science behind performance gains. He races Ironman 70.3 events and writes in-depth guides on training technology, periodisation, and race strategy.
Articles by Mark
WTCS Quiberon shook up the 2026 rankings: what it means for Beth Potter and the GB women
World Triathlon’s post-Quiberon ranking update reshuffled the top of the women’s Series, with Beth Potter now second. Here’s what the points picture means for selection pressure and the rest of the season.
Hot-weather race day: cooling tactics that actually work (ice, shade, warm-up tweaks) and how to copy them as an age-grouper
A UK athletics governing-body checklist for hot-weather events includes ice, shade, reduced warm-ups and even misting stations. Here’s how to translate those organiser-level safety tactics into an athlete-level plan for triathlon.
IRONMAN’s 2026 performance-based qualification system: the UK age-grouper’s practical explainer
IRONMAN’s 2026 qualification rules blend automatic age-group winner slots with a performance-based roll-down. Here’s how the Kona Standard works, how the Performance Pool is ranked, and what UK age-groupers should do on race day and during roll-down.
UK Heat-Health Alert: a triathlete’s training and racing plan for the next 72 hours
UK heatwaves are different from “holiday heat”: you’re less acclimated, you still have work/life stress, and many UK routes have limited shade. With the UK...
Heat-health alerts in the UK: how triathletes should adjust training
Hot UK weather can feel like “free heat adaptation”. But when the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issues heat-health alerts, the bigger performance gain is...
IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea cut-off times (and what they mean for your pacing)
If Swansea is on your calendar, knowing the cut-offs early changes how you plan your swim effort, how conservatively you ride the Gower sections, and how much...
Heat-health alerts in the UK: practical triathlon training adjustments (without trashing your build)
Hot spells in the UK tend to arrive suddenly: a few cool weeks, then a run of days where training at lunchtime feels like a different sport. The UK Health...
Heat acclimation for late-June triathlon races 2026: a 14-day British protocol that actually works
With Frankfurt, Mont-Tremblant and Nice all forecast for 26–30°C race-day temperatures, the next 14 days are the window where British triathletes can earn a serious heat-acclimation adaptation. Here is a protocol grounded in current sports-science literature — and the four mistakes that waste the work.
British Triathlon’s 2026 ‘flannel in transition’ rule: what it means, why it exists, and how to use it well
Some rule changes are about fairness or safety. Others are about transition logistics: keeping aisles clear, stopping athletes from “claiming” extra space, and...
What Hamburg told us: the data behind the 2026 European Championship women's race
Solveig Løvseth's 8:11:11 at the 2026 IRONMAN European Championship was not just a win, it was a data point that reshapes the women's Kona favourites list. Here is the pacing breakdown, what it means for the IRONMAN Pro Series standings, and the next races that will confirm or reset the picture.
Taper week micro-dosing: how to keep sharpness without digging a hole
Cut volume, keep intensity. That is the consensus from 40 years of taper research. But the practical question is what intensity, how much, and how to micro-dose it so you arrive sharp without tipping into fatigue.
What wins a T100: San Francisco’s splits, and the shape of a 100km race
A T100 is short enough that everyone believes they can salvage it on the run, and long enough that a bad five minutes on the bike becomes a slow, expensive...
GLP-1 drugs and the triathlete — tendon and bone risks
New 2026 research links GLP-1 receptor agonists to higher tendon rupture, osteoporosis and gout risk, alongside the well-known muscle-loss problem. Here is what UK triathletes and their coaches need to know before reaching for Wegovy or Mounjaro.
70.3 peak week sharpening — the protocol that actually works
The taper is the part of a 70.3 build that goes wrong most often. Athletes who have nailed every brick and every long ride for sixteen weeks suddenly...
What Alghero's crash-heavy bike leg means for the rest of WTCS 2026
Alghero's technical bike course unseated Olympic champion Alex Yee, world-tour stalwart Matthew Hauser and Henry Graf. Vasco Vilaca and Cassandre Beaugrand stayed upright and won. Here is what that gap between handling and horsepower tells UK age-groupers about the rest of the WTCS season, and the specific skills worth drilling before your next race.
LA28 triathlon qualification explained: what changes now (UK guide)
The LA 2028 Olympic qualification period is open. Here’s what the rules actually mean, how quota places are earned, and what UK fans should watch over the next two seasons.
Triathlon training zones in 2026: set them properly (without a lab)
Most age-group triathletes don’t have a training-plan problem. They have a zone problem. If your watch tells you you’re in Zone 2 but you can’t speak in full...
Ice baths for triathletes: a protocol you can justify (and when to avoid it)
Cold-water immersion can make you feel better fast, but it can also become a crutch. Here’s how to use it with intent: temperature, time, timing, and when to leave it alone.
The fitness metrics that matter more than VO2 max
Your Garmin, Whoop or Apple Watch hands you a VO2 max number and you assume that number is the thing to chase. It isn't — at least not for most age-group triathletes. Lactate threshold, durability, fat oxidation rate and running economy are the metrics that actually predict race-day performance. Here is what each one means and how to test it in the UK.
Triathlon Training for Women: Addressing Unique Challenges
Triathlon training for women involves unique physiological, nutritional, and equipment considerations. Understanding these factors transforms challenges into competitive advantages.