Hybrid Athlete 2026
A working father in his late-thirties chasing strength and endurance — one race at a time.
📅 2026 Race Calendar
🏆 2026 Deka Trifecta Completed
⚔️ Spartan Salinas — May 2026 Completed
🔥 July 2026 — Run · Strength · Swim Completed
Three races in sixteen days, one from each pillar — a 10K road race, a DEKA Strong PR, and a 1.2-mile open water swim. The clearest read yet on whether training all three at once actually works.
🌊 Tri Santa Cruz — August 2026 Completed
The same Olympic course as 2022, four years and one hybrid season later. The season goal was sub-2:50. The result was 2:39:53 — a thirty-two minute personal best over the distance, and a first triathlon age-group podium.
| Leg | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|
| Swim | 40:56 | 2:43 /100m |
| T1 | 5:15 | — |
| Bike | 1:00:51 | 22.09 mph |
| T2 | 0:55 | — |
| Run | 51:54 | 9:06 /mi |
| Total | 2:39:53 | — |
⚔️ Spartan NorCal — August 2026 Completed
🌊 IRONMAN 70.3 Santa Cruz Relay — September 2026 Completed
| Relay Leg | Split |
|---|---|
| Swim — my leg | 46:36 |
| T1 | 4:55 |
| Bike — teammate | 3:16:58 |
| T2 | 2:03 |
| Run — teammate | 2:04:23 |
| Team finish | 6:14:53 |
Team standings on the race badge: men's relay 11/26 · gender 892/1670 · overall 1096/2238. The badge marks results as preliminary; splits and finish time are reproduced as shown.
🌊 Santa Cruz Triathlon — September 2026 Completed
| Leg | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|
| Swim | 34:46 | 2:19 /100m |
| T1 | 10:12 | — |
| Bike | 1:30:13 | 16.56 mph |
| T2 | 1:40 | — |
| Run | 1:01:05 | 9:51 /mi |
| Total | 3:17:59 | — |
Standings from the results card: overall 282/455 · gender 212/319 · M35–39 33/44. Run splits: 1.5 mi in 15:47 (10:31/mi), 4.5 mi in 46:43 (10:22/mi).
🎸 Rock 'n' Roll San Jose 10K — October 2026 Completed
📊 Current Rankings
Individual results: Male 35–39 · relay team results listed separately · as of October 2026
DEKA — Global Leaderboard · Villa Sport
Best-time standings on the Global DEKA individuals leaderboard. Deka Strong reflects the 20:00 mark set on Jul 12, 2026.
Spartan — 2026
Road & Open Water — July–October 2026
Triathlon — Santa Cruz, CA · August–September 2026
📸 Monthly Progress
InBody scan data — Villa Sport
| Date | Weight (lb) | Body Fat % | Δ BF (pp) | Skeletal Muscle (lb) | ECW/TBW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 24, 2026 | 162.5 | 16.3% | — | 77.8 | 0.367 |
| Mar 28, 2026 | 159.1 | 14.5% | ↓ 1.8 | 77.6 | 0.369 |
| May 7, 2026 | 161.2 | 14.9% | ↑ 0.4 | 78.7 | 0.365 |
| Jun 3, 2026 | 161.9 | 13.9% | ↓ 1.0 | 79.8 | 0.367 |
| Jul 9, 2026 | 159.5 | 14.4% | ↑ 0.5 | 78.3 | 0.368 |
| Sep 30, 2026 | 161.1 | 14.9% | ↑ 0.5 | 78.5 | 0.368 |
Body fat changes are shown in percentage points (pp) since the previous scan.
September scan highlights: InBody score 88 · BMI 25.2 · visceral fat level 4 · basal metabolic rate 7,167 kJ.
View the September 2026 InBody report (PDF)
🏋️ Training Plan
Nick Bare's Hybrid Athlete method is built on one core belief: you should never have to choose between being strong and being fast. The program combines heavy compound lifting with structured endurance training — running, swimming, and cycling — in a two-a-day format where strength comes first in the morning and cardio follows in the evening. Both domains are trained with progressive overload, never letting one stagnate to serve the other. The philosophy demands consistency over perfection: a modified session always beats skipping one, and attacking your weakest pillar is what drives real growth. Fueling is treated as non-negotiable — protein at every meal, carbs around every session, and recovery prioritized as seriously as the training itself.
The strength side of this program draws from Dorian Yates' Blood and Guts HIT method — the approach used by the 6-time Mr. Olympia to build one of the most muscular physiques in history in under 40 minutes a session. The principle is simple: instead of multiple sets at moderate effort, each exercise is taken to absolute muscular failure on a single all-out working set, preceded by two pyramid warm-up sets. Controlled tempo (2 seconds up, 4 seconds down), no momentum, and full range of motion ensure the muscle — not the joints — does all the work. With maximum intensity replacing maximum volume, the muscles are fully stimulated and then left to grow during recovery, making this method ideal for a hybrid athlete who needs time and energy left for running, swimming, and racing.
- Incline Barbell Press: 2 warm-up + 1×6–8 to failure
- Seated DB Lateral Raises: 1 warm-up + 1×8–10 to failure
- Overhead Press: 1 warm-up + 1×8–10 to failure
- Tricep Pushdowns: 1 warm-up + 1×10–12 to failure
- Box Jumps 3×5 — DEKA explosive power
- Zone 2 easy run
- Conversational pace
- Warm-up 200m easy
- Drills: single-arm, catch-up, finger-drag 4×50m
- Main set: 8×100m at race pace, 20s rest
- Cool-down 100m easy
- Zone 2 easy run
- Conversational pace
- Back Squat: 2 warm-up + 1×8–10 to failure
- Romanian Deadlift: 1 warm-up + 1×8–10 to failure
- Hip Thrust: 1 warm-up + 1×10–12 to failure
- Calf Raises: 1 warm-up + 1×12–15 to failure
- Sandbag Lunges 3×20m — DEKA/Spartan
- Hanging Leg Raises 1×15
- Bike 30 min Zone 2
- Zone 2 easy ride
- Conversational pace
- Warm-up 200m easy
- Main set: 3×500m continuous at steady pace, 30s rest
- Pull buoy 200m for stroke focus
- Cool-down 100m easy
- Weighted Pull-Up: 2 warm-up + 1×6–8 to failure
- Barbell Row: 1 warm-up + 1×8–10 to failure
- EZ Bar Curl: 1 warm-up + 1×6–8 to failure
- Farmer's Carry 3×40m — DEKA grip + traps
- Flush ride
- Bike 60–90 min Zone 2
- Immediately into Run 20–30 min
- No rest between bike and run
- Gel every 40 min on bike leg
- Simulates triathlon race transition
- Zone 2 effort throughout
- Sighting practice every 10 strokes
- Race simulation — no rest, steady pace
- Build to 2km+ by August
- Mobility & foam roll
- Sleep 8–9 hrs
- Nutrition focus day
| RPE | Feel | HR Zone | Used For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Very Easy | Zone 1 | Warm-up / Cool-down |
| 4–5 | Moderate | Zone 2 | Long aerobic work (nasal breathing) |
| 6–7 | Comfortably Hard | Zone 3 | Tempo / bike intervals |
| 8 | Hard | Zone 4 | Threshold intervals |
| 9–10 | Max Effort | Zone 5+ | Sprints · DEKA finish · VO2max |
🥗 Nutrition
Four-week metabolic flexibility protocol after the upcoming race. Keep protein steady, move most carbohydrates toward harder sessions, and let easy days create a controlled low-carb stimulus without compromising recovery.
| Day | Training focus | Carbohydrates |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Strength | 220–250g · normal |
| Tuesday | Easy Zone 2 | 180–200g · lower |
| Wednesday | Legs + harder bike/run | 300–330g · high |
| Thursday | Easy / recovery | 160–190g · lower |
| Friday | Strength / quality session | 250–300g · moderate-high |
| Saturday | Long brick | 320–380g · high |
| Sunday | 45–60 min easy Zone 2 before breakfast or rest | 160–200g · lower |
How to use it: Keep the 175–180g protein target daily. Put the largest carb portions at breakfast and the meal before or after hard sessions; on lower-carb days, keep vegetables and protein high and replace some starch with olive oil, avocado, nuts, or eggs. This creates the repeating pattern fat → carbs → fat → carbs across the week.
- Creatine 3–5g in water/juice
- 1–2 cups black coffee or tea
- High-carb days: banana + oats or toast before the session
- Lower-carb Zone 2 days: coffee, water, and electrolytes if energy is good
- Overnight oats + mixed berries
- Half banana + nuts + milk
- Protein powder + cinnamon
- Increase oats, fruit, or toast on Wed/Fri/Sat; reduce the starch portion on Tue/Thu/Sun
- Chicken shawarma + rice + salad (staple)
- Mediterranean: Greek bowl / falafel plate / grilled fish
- Indian: Chicken tikka masala / tandoori + dal / paneer bowl
- Mexican: Chicken burrito bowl / carne asada tacos
- Scale rice, potatoes, tortillas, or pita to the day’s carbohydrate target
- Pure Protein bar (pre-PM session)
- RXBAR (whole food alternative)
- Apple or banana + nut butter
- Greek yogurt + honey + nuts
- Roasted masala chickpeas (rest days)
- Med: Salmon + quinoa + Greek salad
- Med: Lamb kofta + tabbouleh + hummus
- Indian: Butter chicken + roti / tandoori + rice
- Mexican: Shrimp fajita bowl / tacos
- Keep the largest dinner starch portions for Wed and Sat; emphasize vegetables and protein on lower-carb days
- 2 hrs before: Light oats, no heavy foods
- 30 min before: Gel or gummy chews + electrolyte drink
- During: Nothing needed (20–40 min event)
- After: Protein + carbs ASAP