Health is one of those words we think we understand until life tests it.

For me, health is much more than blood markers, a functional threshold power, number of pull-ups (still at zero unassisted but working on it!) or hitting all my workouts. It’s holistic. It’s living true to all parts of who we are: the athlete, the parent, the partner, the friend, the professional. It’s aligning our actions with our values. It’s being able to adapt when life throws us the mix of stress, challenge, joy, and the plain old monotony of day-to-day living.

“Life is amazing.  And then it’s awful.  Then it’s amazing again.  And in between the amazing and the awful it’s ordinary and routine.  So breathe in the amazing, hold on though the awful and relax during the ordinary.”  

Quote shared by Marlo, Team Element Athlete since October 2021

When we think about performance, it’s easy to jump straight to metrics and data: power, pace or times. But without health, these performance metrics are fragile. Health allows us to sustain performance, to express it, and to keep showing up for the long game.

Grit and Grace

Health asks for both grit and grace.

Grit, as I describe it, is when we gather ourselves and mobilize around a goal, when we hold steady through the hard AND easy sessions, when we show up even when no one’s watching. It’s the drive that moves us forward.

Psychologist and researcher Angela Duckworth defines grit as “passion and perseverance for long-term goals.” This captures both the fire and the follow-through, the steady commitment that carries us through months and years of training in health, not just moments of motivation.

Grace is when we release the “shoulds” and “coulds,” when we recognize that doing less (or different) is sometimes the most powerful choice we can make. Grace requires compasssion.  It lets us rest, reset, and remember that we’re not defined by one workout, one race, or one version of ourselves.

The healthiest athletes I know, the ones who thrive through change and age, are the ones who know how to use both. They know when to push and when to pause.

Health as a System That Performs

Performance is something that we create. It’s what happens when stress is managed in a healthful way. It requires us to understand the sometimes fine-line of physiological challenges, and what is enough.  We don’t always have to go ALL OUT to get the signal to grow and learn. We want to create signals of stress, adapt to them, and not break ourselves in the process.

In training terms, this is what we call functional overload. It is the right kind of stress at the right time. Too little, and we don't maintain or grow. Too much, and we lose resilience. The sweet spot, the goldilocks principle, is where health and performance meet. It is where we feel powerful, capable, and calm even in the hard moments.

Performance is also emotional adaptability. It’s creativity, compassion, and strength in action. It’s being able to call on those qualities, not once in a while, but again and again, in all the small and big moments of life. 

Everyday Performance

Performance isn’t meant to be reserved for the “big day.”

It’s in the hill repeats you did on a Sunday morning with friends when you made it up for the first time, that 22% grade (well done Team Element Athlete Susanne!)

It’s in the moment you went back into the house to grab one more snack for the long ride to ensure you fueled your body properly.

It’s in the deep breath you took before a hard conversation.
These are all expressions of health and they build confidence in ways no single race result ever can.

When you take care of your health, your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, performance becomes a by-product. It becomes a state of readiness, not something you chase once a year.

Check out how Heather Wurtele managed year after year to podium as a pro in Triathlon. Watch HERE.  

Performance as Expression

For those who race or take on events, don’t wait for one day, some day to feel your ultimate performance. Let that day be a celebration with others of your commitment to mastering the process: aligning your body, your mindset, and your purpose. 

Health is the foundation of performance. Without it, we miss out on the opportunity, the possibility, and the sheer joy of expressing what our bodies and minds can truly do.

So as you move through this week, ask yourself: how can I choose health today, so performance becomes not the exception, but the expression of who I am?

MNTR Launches January 

This January, Team Element athletes will begin the MNTR Integrated Training System again or for the first time. We come together for a six-week reset to align mindset, nutrition, training, and recovery. You're Invited!

This is the perfect moment to pause, connect, and consider how you want to step into 2026. MNTR gives you the structure, the education, the community and the space to understand what your body needs now so you can train with clarity, confidence, and purpose all year long.

If you’re ready to start the new season feeling grounded, supported, and truly in sync with your whole-athlete self, MNTR is where that begins.

Learn more → www.tenillehoogland.com/inside-mntr-its

Podcast Highlights

Tenille and Courtney discussed the deeper meaning of health beyond diet and exercise, exploring how women can cultivate both grit and grace to lead themselves toward sustainable strength, purpose, and balance. They reflected on the power of self-leadership, alignment with personal values, and the importance of allowing identities to evolve through life’s transitions.

More Voices on  Health and Performance:

• Integrating Fitness in your Training for Optimal Health and Performance - Dr. Carla DiGirolamo: How to bridge medicine and fitness for peri- and postmenopausal athletes: emphasize strength, bone density, joint and core stability, protein-rich nutrition, and real recovery. Plan flexibly around symptoms so training stays consistent and performance improves across seasons. Watch HERE
• Integrating Health and Sport Performance for Longevity - Tenille Hoogland: Watch HERE