The Training MentalityThe race is decided in your head long before race day.
Sport psychology-informed coaching for Hyrox, marathon and Ironman athletes: pacing your mind as deliberately as your splits, from week one of the block to the finish line.
The first call is free: 20 minutes, no obligation, just a conversation.
I train the way I coach: under pressure, with a plan.
IRONMAN 70.3, Alcúdia, Mallorca. The same psychological skills I teach, pacing, composure, self-talk, are the ones I rely on myself.
For people who want to feel genuinely ready before race day, not just physically fit.
Committed to a race, dreading week one?
Support for the mental reset of starting a new training block, before the doubt has a chance to set in.
Motivation gone, race still months away?
Structured work on what actually carries you through the flat, unglamorous weeks of a training block.
Comparing your splits to everyone else's?
Break the comparison spiral that Strava and race-day leaderboards quietly feed.
One bad session and now you're spiralling?
Learn to treat a bad session as data, not a verdict on the whole block.
Progress plateaued, effort hasn't?
Work through the mental side of a plateau, so you don't quietly lose faith in the plan.
The "what if I don't finish" thought won't leave?
Face DNF fear and race-day nerves directly, with tools you can actually use at the start line.
Matt Fossey, Sport & Exercise Psychologist in Training (SEPiT), CASES SEPAR pathway
A psychologist in training, and a coach, training the same races you are.
I hold a dual role as a Sport & Exercise Psychologist in Training (SEPiT, CASES SEPAR pathway) and Personal Trainer (BSc, MSc) based in London, working with Hyrox, marathon, and Ironman athletes through 1:1 coaching.
I specialise in helping endurance athletes build the psychological skills that hold a training block together: pacing and composure, motivation through the flat weeks, bouncing back from a bad session, and managing the nerves and DNF fear that show up as race day gets close.
The mind is functional and trainable. Behaviour creates evidence. Evidence reshapes belief. Growth happens through values-aligned action.
As both a SEPiT and a coach who races myself (IRONMAN 70.3, HYROX, marathon), I understand the specific mental demands of endurance training, not just fitness in general. The Training Mentality exists to help you train your mind with the same intent you train your body.
No vague mindset advice. No generic motivational talk. Just practical psychological skills built for the specific weeks of a training block where things get hard.
Why I retrained
Across start lines, training blocks, and my own races, I kept seeing the same pattern: athletes weren't struggling because they lacked a good training plan. They were struggling because nobody had trained the part of them that has to hold that plan together: motivation, composure under fatigue, self-belief when a session goes badly, and the ability to front up on race day regardless of how the taper felt.
I retrained to help endurance athletes build the skills that create meaningful, sustainable performance: understanding the mechanisms behind motivation and adherence, building mental tools you can use mid-session, and creating a race-week mindset that holds under pressure.
Qualifications & background
- Sport Psychology & Exercise Psychology training
- REPS Level 2 and 3 Personal Trainer
- Mental Health First Aider
- Working with Young People in Sport and Exercise (Level 2)
- Mobility Level 1 – Stick
"Sport and Exercise Psychologist" is a title protected by law in the UK and regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). I am not yet HCPC-registered. I am a Sport and Exercise Psychologist in Training (SEPiT), working towards HCPC registration via the CASES Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route (SEPAR), under the formal supervision of Dr Lisa O'Halloran at Sports Education Solutions Ltd, an HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist. All work is carried out within the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and the CASES Code of Conduct. Read more about the SEPAR pathway.
Psychology shouldn't feel abstract. It should feel usable.
People struggle not because they are broken, but because they lack the skill to act and the belief that action matters. My work follows a clear sequence: build the skill, let it generate evidence, let the evidence reshape belief, let the belief deepen meaning.
Build the skill
Concrete, practical psychological tools you can use immediately, not theory for its own sake.
Generate evidence
Using the skill produces real proof of capability, evidence you gathered yourself, not evidence you were told.
Reshape belief
Repeated evidence shifts what you believe you're capable of, belief earned through action, not affirmation.
Deepen meaning
Belief, sustained, becomes meaning, the foundation for change that lasts beyond the programme.
Working with me
This is what we'd actually do together: a structured start, honest conversation about what's really going on, and practical psychological tools built around your training block and race calendar, not generic advice.
About me
I'm a Sport & Exercise Psychologist in Training and Personal Trainer who competes in Hyrox, marathon, and Ironman events myself, so the pressure, pacing, and race-day nerves I coach on are ones I've stood on the start line with too.
Why me
My practice is grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles woven in, a practical, evidence-based approach focused on psychological flexibility, values-aligned action, and building skills that hold up under pressure, not just theory for its own sake.
1:1 coaching for individuals
Who it's for: Hyrox, marathon, and Ironman athletes who want to hold a training block together mentally, manage race-day nerves, and stop one bad session from derailing the whole plan.
My coaching provides structure, clarity, and evidence-based support built around your training block and race calendar. The goal is to help you train and race with a clear head, not just a good plan.
What we focus on
- Pacing yourself mentally, not just physically
- Motivation across a full training block
- Bouncing back from a bad session
- Race-day nerves and DNF fear
- Building a race-week mindset that holds
Structure, then rhythm
Many clients start with a session pack, then move to rolling sessions, allowing time to build psychological skills gradually, practise them in real life, and generate meaningful, sustainable change.
What's included
- Structured 1:1 psychology-informed coaching sessions
- Practical psychological tools and skills frameworks
- Ongoing encouragement and support between sessions
Investment
Fees range from £60–£140 per session, depending on format, delivery, and client type. Two ways to work together:
- Rolling sessions, pay-as-you-go and person-centred, adapting as your training block evolves, in keeping with how I work.
- Session packs (CPT), a structured block agreed upfront.
Hourly rates differ for individual athletes and corporate or organisational bookings. Concessions are available for student athletes, get in touch to discuss.
Delivery
Sessions run online, hybrid, or face-to-face. Face-to-face sessions incur reasonable travel expenses. Exact pricing is confirmed on your free Chemistry Call.
Book a Free Chemistry CallHow it works
Chemistry Call
An unpressured 20-minute conversation of no cost about your training and what's getting in the way mentally. No pitch, just a chat to see if we're a good fit.
Structured block
We build a structured programme around your race calendar, working through the psychological skills that hold a training block together.
Ongoing support
Many move to rolling sessions for continued support through race season, so the skills stay practised, not just learned once.
Talks and workshops on the psychology of endurance racing
I deliver talks and workshops helping athletes and coaches understand how psychological skills shape performance across a training block and on race day. All talks are grounded in contemporary research.
What clients say
"Matt's MSc in sports and exercise psychology certainly shows in his work. His communication is clear and motivating, knowing how to challenge you without pushing too far and creating a safe space that feels very supportive."
"What makes him stand out is his knowledge with the psychological side of exercise, so what used to be me not wanting to get out of bed in the morning, has turned into literal excitement about gymming."
"Matt pushed me to find my strengths and weaknesses but helped me by talking through each exercise, telling me why and how we are going to move forward, and ultimately how we could build my strength and confidence."
Notes on the psychology of endurance racing
Posts coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Sport & Exercise Psychology supports performance, motivation, and mental resilience across training and competition, using structured, evidence-informed methods.
Hyrox, marathon, and Ironman athletes who want structured, evidence-informed support with the mental side of training: pacing, motivation, setbacks, and race-day nerves.
Many begin with a session pack to match a typical training cycle, then move to rolling sessions for ongoing support through race season.
A free, short, no-pressure conversation about what you're training for and what's getting in the way mentally, to see if we're a good fit before committing to anything. There's no cost and no obligation.
Get in touch
For 1:1 coaching, this starts with a short, unpressured Chemistry Call to see whether we're a good fit. For speaking and workshop enquiries, tell me a bit about your event and I'll come back with dates and options. Fill in the form, or reach out directly.