Some Work, All Play

We had one of the most fun sports-watching weekends of our lives before this great episode! The main science topic was a new study on Kilian Jornet at Western States, breaking down his fueling, the metabolic demand, and lots more. Kilian is also the 2nd author on the paper! We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: In a world of external monitors, be the rectal thermometer.

We also talked about the amazing saga of USA Skimo’s Olympic qualification, featuring trail runners Anna Gibson and Cam Smith. This story needs to be a movie! In the meantime, a podcast will have to do.

And this episode was full of amazing topics! Other topics: David’s bad experience at the track, when data and belief conflict, Courtney Dauwalter’s blazing fast marathon time, a shoe review rant, what it means to improve VO2 max, why effort is cool, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, training through colds, and the perils of NCAA running and short-term incentive structures.

This episode finishes with the most joyous time of all: A PERIOD PARTY. We love you all! HUZZAH!

-David and Megan

On Saturday, Megan broke a 15-year-old course record at Quad Dipsea! This episode shares everything about the journey in a “no secrets” style.

The record was set by Caren Spore in 2010, back when Megan was playing field hockey and her biggest runs were wind-sprints. Years later, when Megan was in medical school in the Bay Area, the Quad became a bucket list event. But it never happened—a 28 mile race with 9000 feet of vertical gain and approximately three billion steps was just too much at that stage of her life.

Then came the heart issues and 2 kids. This weekend, she got back on the brutal, stair-filled trails and WENT PRIMAL. We break it all down, featuring listener questions and hot takes on training, strength work, nutrition, heart rate, stairs, and so much more! 

Thank you all for being here for the wild ride. Come for the story about how we almost Home Alone’d the bicarb. Stay for the reminder to watch where you sit on Southwest.

We love you all! HUZZAH!

-Megan and David

We got way too invested in dog food models before this amazing episode! The main topic was a new study on passive heat training (like the hot tub or sauna) that acts as a missing link between theory and real-world proof.

The study found that 5 weeks of hot tub training increases hemoglobin mass and VO2 max, which coincides with improved running economy. WOW! We break it all down.

And this one was full of incredible topics! Topics: a date night game that should have stayed in date night, Hans Troyer and Jade Belzberg’s wins at the JFK 50 Mile, hard hill strides to break through neuromuscular lulls, questions on heat training, unexpected events and prosocial behavior (including a study involving Batman), a 47-year study on athletic aging, persistence hunting science (and how that relates to human responses to heat), influencers, traveling with gels, stacking training plans, pre-wedding advice, and lots more!

If there’s one takeaway from the science in this episode, it’s this: BATMAN. It will make sense soon.

We love you all! Huzzah!

-David and Megan

We thought deeply about the societal implications of Paw Patrol before this amazing episode! The main science discussion involved a pair of strange, counter-intuitive wrinkles of physiology. The first was the sometimes paradoxical finding of higher hemoglobin A1c in many elite athletes. The second involved a new paper addressing a connection between suppressed thyroid hormones and low energy availability. 

Both phenomena demonstrate how physiology is a complex system. Also, it’s possible that concerning bloodwork means one thing... or the polar opposite. We have fun breaking it all down!

And this one was full of great topics! Other topics: Megan’s Just Say No To Rhabdo training run, David’s first treadmill workout on the comeback trail, a follow-up on bowls and buckets, the winter training plan, findings jobs in running, the pardon of Michelino Sunseri, running form 101, altitude tents, structuring training weeks, prepping for Survivor, fueling winter races, what to do about elevated heart rate, and lots more.

This one is full of nuance. And after you listen, you’ll realize that “full of Nuance” should be in the back room and cost extra.

We love you all! HUZZAH!

-David and Megan

We chocolatized our life before this amazing episode! The main topic was a new study on elite marathoners measuring responses to different carb intakes, finding a 2.6% lower oxygen cost at 120 grams per hour compared to 60 grams per hour. It showed massive carb oxidation rates at high outputs. In 10 years, we might look back on this study as a game-changing moment in the science of endurance performance. 

And this one had so many cool topics! Other topics: Megan’s biggest uphill treadmill threshold workout, David’s Zwift racing, the strange connection between energy intake and iron deficiency, how hydration could influence stress responses, the predictive power of smiling in pre-race photos, Anne Flower’s 50 mile world record, other records at Tunnel Hill, whether to walk onto the track team, offseason layoffs, race week nutrition, and AI messaging.

Stick around for a beautiful affirming Listener Corner message! Or you can stick around to learn what we do with the Tupperware. Your choice!

We love you all! HUZZAH!

-David and Megan