Gold Coast training with Henry Reynolds
Henry Reynolds is a qualified lawyer turned fitness coach. Originally from New Zealand, Henry made the journey across the Tasman to the Gold Coast, where we talk about life and training. Mornings are sacred, the ocean is 400 metres from his door, and discipline - in his words - is a literal breeze.
New Zealand to the Gold Coast. What made you cross the Tasman, and what's kept you here?
"Lifestyle. Simple as that. Being obsessed with health and fitness, the Gold Coast is the ideal place to live, train and work, especially as I build out my online fitness coaching career."
The Gold Coast sells itself as a holiday. What does it actually feel like to live here?
"Really does feel like you're living in holiday destination most of the time. It's surprisingly a lot more quiet than it's made out to be which allows you to find a good balance between work and enjoying the lifestyle the Gold Coast offers."
Sunrise run, ocean swim, coffee by eight. Lifestyle to most people, training protocol to you. Where does the line sit?
"My mornings are pretty sacred training time... but I love to be flexible with what that training consists of.
I live about 400m from Mermaid Beach so am spoilt for choice as to whether my morning training consists of a run, swim, surf or gym session."
The crews here - Currumbin to the Spit, surf-run-swim, a looseness you don't get in Sydney or Melbourne. What does the community give you that the training can't?
"Training and the community go hand in hand. Fitness is so deeply ingrained into the lifestyle here, making training often a very social occasion. It's so inspiring to see everyone up early, getting after their fitness goals, that its almost impossible not to buy in yourself."
What do you still carry from New Zealand, and what's the Gold Coast given you that you couldn't have found at home?
"Training in NZ calloused a deeply ingrained disciplined mindset in me that enables me to show up day after day regardless of the conditions or how I feel. I'm super grateful for that and wouldn't trade those hard years for anything.
If you can get through a consistent training block battling through a winter in Wellington, doing the same thing in the Gold Coast is a literal breeze. It's not just the climate, everything here is set up around the fitness lifestyle so the friction to locking in is so much lower."
Salt, humidity, a storm off the hinterland by afternoon. What have you been training in, and what's actually working?
"All of it. Surprisingly running in the rain while it's still fairly warm is actually my favourite running condition - keeps the heart rate hella low for elite Z2 training!"
A great moment on the coast recently - not a session, not a number.
"Midday surf, crystal clear water, 30 degree heat, not a cloud in the sky - life is good here bro."
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Quickfire Questions
Favourite Perspect product?
"Sapphire Core Shorts"
Running with music - yes or no?
"Yes if alone - definitely not if running with others"
Pre-run meal or post-run meal?
"Post-run sweet treat"
Best coffee on the coast?
"House of Halsa"
Saturday night on the Gold Coast looks like?
"Early bed time getting ready for Sunday morning session"
One thing you miss about New Zealand?
"my family (tbh it's like a 6hr trip from the door of my apartment here to my doorstep back home so it's pretty easy to make the trip home whenever I like)"
Worst running habit you'll never fix?
"Forgetting my shirt..."
A perfect Sunday on the Gold Coast?
"run -> cafe breakfast -> swim/surf -> chill arvo feeling refreshed and getting prepped for the week ahead"
