Podcasts
NEW!! The Nitty Gritty Podcast w/ Faye Stenning and Jessica O'Connell
Episode Info
OCR Champion Faye Stenning and Olympian Jess O’Connell, are bringing their coaching platform to the Obstacle Racing Media dysfunctional family of podcasts.
In the coming weeks, they will be providing tons of valuable information on running, strength training, OCR and more.
There’s a reason Lindsay Webster chose Grit Coaching for her strength programming in 2020!
Grit Coaching Chat #5 - Strength (Zoom Recording)
Episode Info
Grit athletes joined together to topics on strength including do's and don'ts for OCR athletes and runners in the weight room. We also discuss how to manipulate strength parameters to optimize workouts.
Grit Coaching Chat #4 - Running (Zoom Recording)
Episode Info
Grit athletes joined together to discuss topics on running including exercise physiology and how it relates to training, the uses (and failings) of heart rate zone training, running economy and form, and the aging athlete.
The Running Public Podcast
Episode Info
Coach Jess chats about what she's learned about overcoming disappointment and injuries in her career as a professional runner and Olympian, and gives tips on how to apply these skills to the Spartan community in the face of race cancellations. Faye, of course, chimes in as well!
Grit Coaching Chat #3 - Sports Nutrition (Zoom Recording)
Episode Info
Grit athletes joined together to discuss sports nutrition and fueling for peak performance.
Grit Coaching Chat #2 - Goal Setting (Zoom Recording)
Episode Info
Grit athletes joined together to discuss bouncing back from disappointment, using training as an opportunity to practice "emptying the tank", and developing mental skills from both training sessions and dealing with adversity to enhance race performance.
The Highly Functional Podcast
Episode Info
For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Faye Stenning and Jess O’Connell. We had a great conversation about how they bring their backgrounds as athletes and their educational backgrounds into what they do as coaches when they are programming for their clients to improve performance decrease their risk of injury.
Grit Coaching Chat #1 - Zoom Recording
Episode Info
Grit athletes joined together to discuss training during Covid-19, including how to remain motivated and shift focus, how to re-frame goals and intentions, and how to stay safe and healthy. Coaches Faye and Jess shared their own experiences and coping strategies and answered questions from athletes.
Obstacle Racing Media Podcast
Episode Info
Faye Stenning, one of the best female obstacle racers around, and Jess O'Connell, an Olympian runner and record holder come on the show to discuss their platform, Grit Coaching.
Did we mention Lindsay Webster just chose them as her strength program coaches for 2020? Let's dig in!
The Shakeout Podcast
Episode Info
This week we chat with 3 elite runners who are also coaches, about the value of incorporating strength training into your running program. Jess O’Connell, Dylan Wykes and Brittany Moran each share some of their favourite exercises. Plus, they offer advice about how to make strength training a realistic part of your week. Whether you’re focusing on the track, training for an ultra marathon, or anything in between, these coaches explain why activation, strength and mobility help every runner stay healthy and perform at their best.
Reinforced Running
Episode Info
Faye Stenning and Jess O’Connell are childhood friends who grew up to be mega athletes. Faye is the most winningest female Spartan athlete in the last decade, and Jess is a Canadia Olmplyian in the 5k.
Along with their athletic accomplishments, both Faye and Jess have established themselves as high-level fitness professionals through Faye’s Kinesiology Degree and experience as a personal trainer and Jess has a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology.
They have teamed up to form a coaching company called Grit Coaching.
During the episode, we do a deep dive into Grit’s philosophy and how they are helping OCR athletes and runners with a unique approach.
In the episode, we talk about
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Why a templated coaching service is less than optimal for athletes.
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Some mental training tips that Jess and Faye use to improve their performance.
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And how to use a pre-run strength training to reduce injuries.
BeastNet Podcast
Episode Info
Today we launch our new monthly special BeastNet International Canadian edition with hosts Charity and Ryan Fick. This episode they have Spartan's winningest female athlete of the decade Faye Stenning and Canadian Olympian Jessica O'Connell. Faye and Jessica started personalized online fitness programs created by Faye and Jessica under the name Grit Coaching and came on the show to talk about it. Ryan and Charity discuss quite a few things including training for the Olympics and the Million Dollar Mile. This is a fun episode with some new voices and a different twist.
Obstacle Order Podcast
Episode Info
Welcome to Episode 102 of the Obstacle Order, You will be hard pressed to find a more qualified duo when it comes to the combination of academic proficiency and athletic prowess. Jessica O’Connell represented Canada in the 2016 olympic games in the 5000 meters and Faye Stenning is the Second best Spartan Racer in the … Continue reading E. 102 Faye Stenning and Jessica O’Connell on Grit Coaching →
The post E. 102 Faye Stenning and Jessica O’Connell on Grit Coaching appeared first on Obstacle Order Podcast.
Articles
Some we've written, some we've consulted on. Click to read.
So you have knee pain......
Article in partnership with GRD Biomechanics, Jessica O'Connell
Knee pain is one of the most common injuries for athletes and regular folk alike. In this article, we explore why the knee is so prone to injury and what to do if pain strikes.
This article is in partnership with GRD Biomechanics, an innovative company who produce the Ascend knee brace. Find them at
Mental Toughness - Enable Your True Potential
VJ Shoes blog, Faye Stenning and Jessica O'Connell
Mental skills are absolutely instrumental to peak performance. Read on to learn about how to train your brain to get the most out of yourself on race day!
Foot and ankle mobility exercises for runners
Canadian Running Magazine, Jessica O'Connell and Madeline Kelly
Foot and ankle strength is key for running-injury prevention
The five-minute full-body strength routine for runners
Canadian Running Magazine, Jessica O'Connell and Madeline Kelly
For injury prevention, strength training is key, so here's a routine that can help you keep things running smoothly
Polarized Training – An effective and scientifically sound method of training for endurance athletes!
VJ Shoes blog, Faye Stenning and Jessica O'Connell
Is your training holding you back from your highest potential? Can you achieve more with a simple but effective change to your training?
Read more on how you can super charge your workouts and get more from each effort!
12 Hacks That Will Make Cold-Weather Running Less Miserable
Self Magazine, Cindy Kuzma
Running in cold weather during the winter seems terrible: The footing is slippery, icicles can gather in your eyelashes, and your frozen fingers fumble with your GPS watch. When snow drifts and cold wind howls, the last thing you may want to do is head outside for a few miles.
Faye Stenning's #1 Secret to Success in OCR
Spartan Training, Siobhan Colgan
Introducing our new OCR training and fitness columnists Faye Stenning and Jessica O'Connell
Get Out There Mag, Ron Johnson
When Get Out There decided to run a column on training for obstacle course racing (OCR), we went straight to a Canadian legend, Faye Stenning, one of the top competitors of all-time, who held the number one ranking in the world in 2016.
The Art of Periodization
Blog, Jessica O'Connell and Faye Stenning
Periodization is a term that gets thrown around a lot in the sport and fitness world, but many don’t really know what it is or why it is important. Periodization is the planned act of training in different ways at different times of the year, in order to achieve peak performance.
The Scoop on Activation Exercises
Blog, Jessica O'Connell
"When you decide to make a movement, your brain sends a signal to recruit, or “fire”, necessary muscle fibers. This is a neuromuscular connection – neuro being brain, and muscular meaning muscle, of course. The more muscle fibers that are activated, the stronger the muscle contraction and subsequent power production. However, neuromuscular connections can become rusty with disuse, like a night’s sleep or sitting at a desk..."
Aerobic Capacity - Building on That Base
Blog, Jessica O'Connell and Faye Stenning
In the off season, you hear all sorts of endurance athletes talking about building up their “aerobic base”, but very little about the next phase of training - aerobic power training which supercharges aerobic capacity.
Chalk Talk - Let's Talk About Planning
Blog, Jessica O'Connell
Why is planning training important?
There is a distinct difference between exercising and training. While both have value, training has an element of planning that simply exercising lacks. Exercise of any sort is undoubtedly beneficial for overall health, but training for performance requires mindfulness and discipline in order to get the best bang for your sweaty, laborious buck.
Maybe We Can Work it Out - A Quick Guide to Cross Training
Blog, Jessica O'Connell
I get asked questions about cross training all the time, unfortunately because I have more experience than most at trying to maintain fitness during a period of injury. In the year before the olympics, I ended up with FIVE injuries requiring anywhere from a week to five months of amended training. During these periods, it was absolutely critical that I maintained the running fitness I had built as best as I could, and I'm happy to share my tips and tricks with you.
Coach Jess Elevates Her Training at Altitude Camp
Blog, Jessica O'Connell
I’m writing this blog in a coffee shop in Flagstaff Arizona, a small city located at an eye-opening 7000ft of elevation. Endurance athletes from all over the world flock to Flagstaff because of its temperate spring weather, appropriately high altitude, and close proximity to lower elevations for hard workouts. So far this trip, I’ve seen Canadian, American, Swedish, Australian, Dutch, British, Icelandic, Japanese, and Norwegian athletes preparing for the upcoming track season. Pretty diverse for an otherwise sleepy college town in the middle of nowhere!
Off-Season Breaks: You're Telling me to do WHAT?!
Blog, Faye Stenning
Taking a break from training in the off season can be a challenge and many people ignore this important time of year. I find people either love or hate time off; I go back and forth every year. What I have found is the longer and more intensive my competition schedule is, the longer a break I need and the more I enjoy and look forward to this break. It can seem counter-productive to purposely lose fitness after working for so long, but a break should be looked at not as an indulgence but as an investment towards the upcoming season.