{"id":798483,"date":"2026-10-10T21:40:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-10T21:40:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/798483\/"},"modified":"2026-10-10T21:40:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T21:40:24","slug":"ben-shephards-endurance-formula-5-ways-he-builds-serious-strength-and-stamina-in-his-50s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/798483\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Shephard\u2019s Endurance Formula \u2013 5 Ways He Builds Serious Strength and Stamina in His 50s"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ben Shephard<\/a> has just completed the National Three Peaks Challenge<\/a> \u2013 and set a record in the process.<\/p>\n

After summiting the three highest mountains in Scotland, Wales and England \u2013 Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike \u2013 in under 24 hours, Shephard secured a Guinness World Records title<\/a> for the lowest fuel consumption during a National Three Peaks Challenge, alongside car manufacturer Jaecoo.<\/p>\n

He needed plenty of endurance in his legs to do it. The challenge covers around 23 miles on foot and more than 3,000m of ascent and descent, meaning Shephard\u2019s varied training routine would have been key to keeping him strong on the mountains.<\/p>\n

‘I\u2019ve wanted to take on the Three Peaks for years, and doing it as part of a Guinness World Records attempt added a whole new level of pressure. Three mountains, three nations and a whole lot of rain were brutal on the legs,’ he said.<\/p>\n

5 Ways Shephard Builds Endurance in His 50s1. Fitness Challenges<\/p>\n

The National Three Peaks is only the latest endurance challenge Shephard has taken on over the past 12 months. In that time, he has completed the London Marathon<\/a> in 3:29, a Hyrox in 1:15<\/a> and, most gruelling of all, a 24-hour World\u2019s Toughest Mudder<\/a> alongside his son and godsons.<\/p>\n

Spreading those events across the year has allowed Shephard to dedicate specific blocks of training to each challenge, without trying to cram everything into one short, high-risk window. It also means he always has a new goal to work towards.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a key part of Shephard\u2019s approach to long-term fitness: rather than chasing one-off bursts of motivation, he builds consistency around challenges that fit his lifestyle.<\/p>\n

2. Running<\/p>\n

Of all his training tools, running is central to Shephard\u2019s endurance. That\u2019s despite the fact he spent years struggling to do as much of it as he wanted after a long-term back issue.<\/p>\n

‘I always loved running,’ he told Runner\u2019s World<\/a>. ‘Running was such a massively important part of my life and a wonderful part of my life because it was my meditation. I could do short runs, but I couldn’t go off for an hour or an hour and a half, really lose myself in the run. Your listeners and readers of the magazine will know how magical that is.’<\/p>\n

Over the past year, however, he has been able to focus more heavily on running again. It has clearly paid off, with Shephard completing the London Marathon after a dedicated training block at the start of 2026.<\/p>\n

His running has included longer efforts, interval sessions and slower runs, and he continues to run around three times a week.<\/p>\n

3. Cycling<\/p>\n

Cycling may be less of a focus for Shephard than running, but it still forms part of his wider endurance base.<\/p>\n

He told Men\u2019s Health<\/a> in 2025 that he enjoys lung-busting Digme spin classes, where riders work to the beat of a high-octane playlist. He does them either online with friends or in a London-based studio.<\/p>\n

4. Supersets<\/p>\n

Climbing the Three Peaks requires serious leg strength as well as endurance. Shephard\u2019s legs needed to handle repeated climbing, descending and long periods of time on his feet.<\/p>\n

His weekly routine includes one dedicated lower-body workout, while leg exercises also feature in a full-body session<\/a>later in the week.<\/p>\n

Supersets<\/a> are another useful tool in his training. By moving from one exercise directly into the next with minimal rest, you keep your heart rate elevated for longer, adding a greater cardiovascular and metabolic challenge than standard straight sets.<\/p>\n

That reduced rest also teaches your muscles to keep working under fatigue \u2013 especially useful when you\u2019re repeatedly hiking uphill and controlling each step on the way back down.<\/p>\n

5. Metabolic Conditioning Workouts<\/p>\n

Shephard dedicates one workout a week<\/a> to raising his heart rate through intense circuit-style sessions.<\/p>\n

He works through two circuits before finishing with max-effort sprints, helping him build the kind of all-round conditioning needed for endurance challenges, Hyrox-style events and long days in the mountains.<\/p>\n

Ben Shephard\u2019s Conditioning Workout<\/p>\n

Complete 40 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds of rest for 3-5 rounds.<\/p>\n

A1. Push-Up
<\/a>A2. Box Jump
<\/a>A3. Kettlebell Snatch
<\/a>A4. Skipping<\/a><\/p>\n

Complete 40 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds of rest for 3-5 rounds.<\/p>\n

B1. Split Squat Jump
B2. Walking Plank
B3. Dumbbell Curl into Press
B4. High Knees<\/p>\n

Finisher: Sprint \u2013 10 sets of 30 seconds <\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it\u2019s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in \u2013 all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.<\/p>\n

Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here<\/a> to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men\u2019s Health app.<\/p>\n

\"kori\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men\u2019s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.<\/p>\n

During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.<\/p>\n

Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running \u2013 he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark\u2026<\/p>\n

You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs<\/a> or on X @ryandabbs_<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n