Training for a marathon while maintaining strength isn’t just challenging—it’s a delicate balancing act that requires strategic nutrition and smart programming.
Most athletes fall into the trap of seasonal training, alternating between pure strength phases and endurance blocks.
But hybrid athlete and performance coach demonstrates a different approach: doing everything at once while in a caloric deficit.
His current mission? Drop from 94kg to 91kg while chasing a sub-3-hour marathon and maintaining his deadlift strength.
Jump to:
- The Morning Reality: Heavy Deadlifts on Compromised Recovery
- When Injury Forces Strategic Adaptation
- Nutrition Strategy: Variable vs. Fixed Calorie Approach
- The Daily Food Breakdown
- Evening Session: Track Pyramid Workout
- Post-Training: Strategic Dinner Choices
- The Bigger Picture: Adult Decisions Around Nutrition
- Key Takeaways for Hybrid Athletes in Deficits
The Morning Reality: Heavy Deadlifts on Compromised Recovery
The day begins with lower body work centered around deadlifts. After mobility drills, the coach works up to 205 kilograms for three sets of three.
This isn’t happening in optimal conditions—he’s coming off a hard half-marathon effort just days prior.
My current goals are developing and holding on to as much of my top end strength as I can whilst working towards a best effort ideally sub three hour marathon.
The first two sets move well. Set three? Not so much.
Fatigue catches up, and what should have been three reps becomes two. He sandbagged the approach, didn’t commit with enough aggression, and paid the price.
When Injury Forces Strategic Adaptation
For four weeks, a hip injury has kept squatting off the table. Strangely, deadlifting and running haven’t been affected—but squats aggravate it immediately.
After working up to 160 kilograms, the hip flares up again. Session over.
Real key detail is when you’re training as a hybrid athlete you want to be doing as much as you can consistently to hold on to the skills and development that you’ve achieved.
The lesson here is critical: don’t fall into seasonal training traps. If squatting disappears for months while running volume climbs and calories drop, strength and skill erode fast.
Instead of squatting, he pivots to barbell split squats at 85kg for sets of ten per leg. Then Atlas stone work—90kg triples—with eyes on the 150kg stone later this summer.
Nutrition Strategy: Variable vs. Fixed Calorie Approach
After training, the nutrition breakdown begins. First meal: mixed berries, baked apple, and fat-free Skyr yogurt.
His maintenance—Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)—calculated at 2,750 calories. Minus 10% puts him at approximately 2,475 calories daily.
Two Approaches to Calorie Management
Variable Approach: Establish a daily baseline (lifting days only). On endurance training days, eat back 90% of calories burned according to activity trackers.
- Daily baseline: 2,475 calories
- Burn 1,000 calories running? Add 900 calories
- Total intake that day: 3,375 calories
Fixed Approach: Average weekly calorie expenditure across seven days. Eat the same total daily, but periodize macros around training demands.
You might want to be a little bit more proactive rather than potentially being reactive so you might eat a same or similar calorie target equaled out across 7 days.
Both methods work. Choose based on hunger patterns and training variability.
Macro Ranges for Hybrid Athletes
- Protein: 1.5g per kg bodyweight to 1g per pound. Push higher in deficits for satiety and muscle retention
- Fat: 1g per kg bodyweight (or 0.35-0.45g per pound)
- Carbohydrates: Fill remaining calories, periodizing around high-intensity sessions
In this case, protein intake exceeds bodyweight in pounds because he’s cutting. More protein means better fullness and muscle preservation.
The Daily Food Breakdown
Following the morning session and initial yogurt bowl, a MyProtein chocolate chip cookie and second black coffee arrive mid-morning.
Caffeine curfew: no later than 11 AM, maximum two servings daily.
This strict cutoff protects sleep quality—non-negotiable when training volume is high and calories are low.
Lunch: High-Protein Bagels
Two Marks & Spencer high-protein bagels loaded with cooked chicken, light Philadelphia cheese, sweetcorn, light mayo, sundried tomatoes, and rocket.
Each bagel packs 15g protein—surprisingly light and less dense than expected for the macro profile.
Pre-Track Fuel
Thirty minutes before evening track work: one banana. Simple carbohydrates to top off glycogen without digestive distress.
Evening Session: Track Pyramid Workout
Second training session hits at 6 PM: Omni Performance Run Club at Meadowbank Arena in Edinburgh.
The pyramid structure:
- 200m sprint + 200m walk recovery
- 400m + equal rest
- 800m + equal rest
- 800m + equal rest
- 400m + equal rest
- Full-send 200m finish
That second 800m? Brutal. Fatigue from morning deadlifts carried over, but the hip held up perfectly.
There’s nothing better than fighting through sessions like these with a good Community a good bunch of people.
Group training provides accountability and pushes intensity higher than solo efforts typically achieve.
Post-Training: Strategic Dinner Choices
Dinner after track work: two ciabatta rolls with 3% fat beef burgers, low-fat cheese, caramelized onion chutney, light mayo, ketchup, rocket, mixed leaf salad, and butter.
Paired with a non-alcoholic lager from Days Brewing.
The Alcohol Strategy
Midweek alcohol consumption: essentially zero. Non-alcoholic alternatives satisfy the ritual without compromising recovery.
I try and really minimize alcohol intake most of the time to be honest for the most part but especially when I’m on a diet and I’m sort of cutting down.
Alcohol disrupts sleep architecture, impairs recovery, and often leads to poor food choices the following day. When calories are already compromised, these downstream effects compound rapidly.
Strategic indulgence happens occasionally—but only when sleep, recovery, and relaxation are abundant.
The Bigger Picture: Adult Decisions Around Nutrition
Beyond calories and macros, several lifestyle factors determine success:
- Micronutrients: Eat varied, nutrient-dense foods
- Sleep: Establish routines, protect quantity and quality
- Hydration: Water baseline plus electrolytes during sustained exertion or heat
- Caffeine: Strategic timing with strict curfews
- Alcohol: Moderate around recovery demands and performance goals
“Act like an adult” means acknowledging these variables exist and making informed trade-offs.
Key Takeaways for Hybrid Athletes in Deficits
Maintain training diversity: Don’t abandon strength work completely during endurance blocks. Skill and strength erode quickly without consistent practice.
Choose your calorie approach: Variable (reactive, day-by-day) or fixed (averaged weekly) both work. Select based on hunger patterns and schedule predictability.
Prioritize protein in deficits: Push intake above typical recommendations for satiety and muscle retention.
Protect lifestyle factors: Caffeine timing, alcohol moderation, and sleep routines become non-negotiables when calories drop and training stress climbs.
Work around injuries intelligently: If one movement pattern hurts, find alternatives that maintain training stimulus without aggravation.
Hybrid training during caloric restriction isn’t about perfection—it’s about strategic compromises and intentional effort allocation across competing demands.
