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    endurance sports

    Explore " endurance sports" with insightful episodes like "Episode 253: Enduring the Antarctic Chill and Unveiling the Power of Ketones with Akshay Nanavati and Tecton Life", "Rehab for Runners: Overcoming Injuries and Achieving Goals - Alyssa Ford", "Hydration Consideration for Female Ultrarunners with Nidia Rodriguez-Sanchez, PhD #208", "Navigating Pseudoscience with Nick Tiller, PhD #207" and "Carbohydrate Periodization for Ultrarunning with Jeff Rothschild, RD, PhD #205" from podcasts like ""Flex Diet Podcast", "Assemble Performance Podcast", "KoopCast", "KoopCast" and "KoopCast"" and more!

    Episodes (100)

    Episode 253: Enduring the Antarctic Chill and Unveiling the Power of Ketones with Akshay Nanavati and Tecton Life

    Episode 253: Enduring the Antarctic Chill and Unveiling the Power of Ketones with Akshay Nanavati and Tecton Life

    Join me, Dr. Mike T Nelson, as I embark on a journey through the heart of one of the most extreme environments on Earth with the awe-inspiring Akshay Nanavati, who's gearing up for a solo ski crossing of Antarctica. Together with performance nutrition experts Mike Chesney and UJ from Tecton, we unravel the intricate tapestry of mental and physical preparation required for such an endeavor. Akshay shares his riveting story of overcoming PTSD and transforming into an ultra-runner and explorer, all while we dissect the importance of ketones in fueling such monumental feats of endurance.

    Episode Chapters:

    • (0:00:01) - Expedition Preparation With Ketones
    • (0:11:16) - Antarctica Expedition and Key Tones
    • (0:19:26) - Preparing for Solo Antarctica Expedition
    • (0:27:58) - Benefits of Ketones for Endurance Expeditions
    • (0:41:00) - Navigating the Pain Cave
    • (0:52:34) - Monitoring and Improving Performance in Endurance
    • (1:01:35) - Importance of Sleep and Expedition Preparation

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    Rehab for Runners: Overcoming Injuries and Achieving Goals - Alyssa Ford

    Rehab for Runners: Overcoming Injuries and Achieving Goals - Alyssa Ford

    In this episode I sat down with Alyssa Ford, aa Doctor of Physical Therapy, running coach, and strength and conditioning specialist who specializes in working with runners. We discussed Alyssa's remote rehab and performance coaching business, her approach to working with runners, and the importance of individualized care and collaboration in the coach-athlete relationship. Alyssa shares insights on the misconceptions surrounding running and its impact on the body, emphasizing the research that supports the benefits of running for joint health. She also highlights the significance of addressing the mental and emotional aspects of injuries and provides strategies for navigating the challenges of injury recovery. The conversation touches on topics such as pain science, load management, and the role of communication in healthcare. Alyssa also talks about her role as a race director for a race in Montana that supports a non-profit organization called Warrior Transition Outdoors, which helps veterans and their families transition back to civilian life through outdoor experiences.

    REVENANT: https://www.warriortransitionoutdoors.org/revenant
    Alyssa: https://www.instagram.com/alyssaford.dpt/

    Contact Me: justin@assembleperformance.com
    IG: https://www.instagram.com/justinsjones/
    Website: https://assembleperformance.com/

    Contact Me: justin@assembleperformance.com
    IG: https://www.instagram.com/justinsjones/
    Website: https://assembleperformance.com/
    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@justinjonesfitness

    Hydration Consideration for Female Ultrarunners with Nidia Rodriguez-Sanchez, PhD #208

    Hydration Consideration for Female Ultrarunners with Nidia Rodriguez-Sanchez, PhD #208

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Nidia Rodriguez-Sanchez, Ph.D., has spent her career in the field of sports nutrition and physiology. She earned her BSc in Dietetics / Clinical Nutrition and later pursued postgraduate studies in Anthropometry and Nutrition applied to Sports, which gave her a better understanding of the unique nutritional needs of athletes and physically active individuals.

    Dr Rodriguez-Sanchez has worked as a sports dietitian for a Mexican professional football team and as a nutrition advisor for the Gatorade Sports Science Institute Mexico. She also holds an IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition, and she is an ISAK Level 3 Instructor.

    Dr Rodriguez-Sanchez holds a PhD in Hydration Physiology and has completed post-doctoral research in the field.

    She is a Physiology and Nutrition Lecturer at the University of Stirling, where she also serves as the MSc Sport Nutrition Programme Director.

    In addition, Nidia is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), a Graduate member of the Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr), and a member of the Physiological Society (PhySoc).

    Episode highlights:

    (17:53) Theory on hormone cycles and hydration: estrogen and progesterone can impact nutrition needs, performance, brain function, investigating fluid and electrolyte balance

    (25:27) Practical considerations for females: no meaningful differences in hydration for female athletes versus males or across different phases of their cycle, no performance differences, avoiding overhydration, cross-cycle variations in core temperature are insignificant

    (36:23) Sweat testing: Precision Hydration sweat testing at CTS, sweat testing protocol, menstrual cycle phase does not impact results

    Additional resources:


    Fluid and electrolyte balance considerations for female athletes-https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34121620/

    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible.
    Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.com
    Koop’s Social Media: Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

    Navigating Pseudoscience with Nick Tiller, PhD #207

    Navigating Pseudoscience with Nick Tiller, PhD #207

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Nick Tiller, PhD is an exercise scientist at Harbor-UCLA. He is also the author of The Skeptics Guide to Sports Science, a columnist for Ultrarunning Magazine and the Skeptical Inquirer.

    Episode highlights:

    (9:09) Science communication: academics fighting back against media claims, Don't Be Such A Scientist, the importance of science communication, examples

    (44:48) Identifying bad science: 28% increase in VO2max is a red flag, sedentary versus trained individuals, training and EPO example, unsubstantiated citations, statistical errors, absolute versus relative VO2max, retracting the article

    (1:37:10) Inverse relationship between media presence and credentials: fitness influencers on Instagram, being a full-time influencer and capitalizing on sensationalization, science is incremental and rarely sensational

    Additional resources:

    You can find all of Nick’s work here, https://www.nbtiller.com/

    Our combined Twitter list-
    Louise Burke- @LouiseMBurke
    Asker Jukendrup- @Jeukendrup
    Brad Schoenfeld-@BradSchoenfeld
    Guillaume Millet- @kinesiologui
    Stuart Phillips- @mackinprof
    Michael Joyner @DrMJoyner
    Kristy Sale- @ElliottSale
    Trent Stellingwerff- @TStellingwerff
    Inigo San Milan-@doctorinigo
    Marco Altini- @altini_marco
    Sian Allen- @DrSianAllen
    Stephen Seiler- @StephenSeiler

    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible.
    Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.com
    Koop’s Social Media: Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

    Carbohydrate Periodization for Ultrarunning with Jeff Rothschild, RD, PhD #205

    Carbohydrate Periodization for Ultrarunning with Jeff Rothschild, RD, PhD #205

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Jeff Rothschild is a registered dietician, PhD, and research associate at Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand.

    Ever been curious about the science behind fueling your athletic performance? Look no further, as we are joined by Jeff Rothschild, a registered dietitian and researcher, who is here to break down the complex concept of carbohydrate periodization for trail and ultra runners. We dissect the misunderstood principle of "fueling for the work required" and dive into how an athlete can manipulate their carbohydrate intake during periods of high intensity or high training loads. Jeff's innovative research on this topic unveils an index for quantifying carbohydrate periodization - a game-changer for athletes aiming to enhance their performance through optimized nutrition.

    Episode highlights:

    (17:32) Calculating periodization: any metric of training load, daily carbohydrate intake in g/kg, correlation coefficient, reasons for including range and monotony

    (36:24) How to track your carbohydrate periodization: track your diet, consistent measures of training load, TSS or CR100, TSS is best, use the spreadsheet in the description, help from Jeff’s app

    (43:38) Use cases for carb periodization: predicted TSS for your upcoming workout, adjusting carbohydrate intake based on each day, you can consume more after the workout if the true TSS was higher than expected, examples

    Additional resources:

    The quantification of daily carbohydrate periodization among endurance athletes during 12 weeks of self-selected training: presentation of a novel Carbohydrate Periodization Index
    Jeff’s app-https://rothschild.shinyapps.io/carb-index-app/

    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible.
    Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.com
    Koop’s Social Media: Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

    What Coaches Can Do To Be Relevant in the Next 10 years with Jim Rutberg #204

    What Coaches Can Do To Be Relevant in the Next 10 years with Jim Rutberg #204

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Jim Rutberg is the Content Director for CTS. He has co-authored ten books on training and sports nutrition, including “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” and “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning,” and produced more than 20 full-length indoor cycling videos. He is also the primary author for the Research Essentials for Ultrarunning Newsletter.

    Episode highlights:

    (31:32) Finding coaching mentors: the best way to progress as a coach, personal example, collaboration and competition

    (51:24) Second phase of coaching: growth and expertise, creating a product to innovate in business or sport, variability of duration, personal examples from Rutty and Koop

    (1:23:55) Safeguarding you reputation: coaching is a small community, competitors may eventually be colleagues, be someone other coaches want to work with

    Additional resources:

    FastTalk labs- How to Remain Relevant in 10 years
    Podcast with Lindsay Golich
    Podcast with Andy Kirkland

    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible.
    Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.com
    Koop’s Social Media: Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

    The Business of Ultramarathon Coaching-Hosted by Dirk Friel with Jason Koop, Heather Hart and Jeff Browning #203

    The Business of Ultramarathon Coaching-Hosted by Dirk Friel with Jason Koop, Heather Hart and Jeff Browning #203

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Coaching industry veteran and Training Peaks’ co-founder Dirk Friel takes over the KoopCast to discuss the business of ultramarathon coaching. The panel of coaches and coaching business owners includes Jason Koop, Heather Hart, owner/founder of Hart Strength and Endurance Coaching, and Jeff Browning, who owns his own coaching company.

    Episode highlights:

    (13:50) Jeff and Heather’s startup experience: technology and marketing background, taking baby steps, making the move to full-time coaching, transitioning from flexible gig jobs

    (57:44) Heather on recruiting assistant coaches: Heather’s experience, admitting assistant coaches, your reputation is on the line, UESCA certification, networking but not actively recruiting

    (1:50:23) Jason on coach-athlete ratios: athletes require roughly 1 hour per week, 40 athletes for a 40 hour work week, most CTS coaches are full time, Jason is able to take ~1 new athlete per year

    Additional resources:

    Heather’s coaching website
    Jeff’s coaching website

    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning
    Become a certified ultramarathon coach
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon and Audible.
    Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.com
    Koop’s Social Media
    Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

    Weighted Vests in Ultrarunning with Diego Jaén-Carrillo PhD #202

    Weighted Vests in Ultrarunning with Diego Jaén-Carrillo PhD #202

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Diego Jaén-Carrillo PhD is a postdoctoral researcher at Universität Innsbruck. Weighted vests are a common intervention used by both coaches and athletes, yet the existing research on weighted vests is virtually nonexistent. In this episode we discuss his pioneering study on weighted vests and their potential training applications for running and hiking.

    Episode highlights:

    (16:41) Research design: incremental speed and gradient test, 5-10% body weight vests represent in-race loads

    (21:26) Stride length and stride frequency: both increase with speed, both variables were unchanged with weighted vests, individual preferred stride frequency and stride length

    (29:08) Weighted vests for running economy: example ways to train leg stiffness, weighted vests training leg stiffness with greater specificity to running, ~5% bw is reasonable, application across a range of running velocities

    Additional resources:

    Training Specificity in Trail Running: A Single-Arm Trial on the Influence of Weighted Vest on Power and Kinematics in Trained Trail Runners

    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible
    Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.com
    Koop’s Social Media
    Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

    Coach Roundtable - What We Screwed Up, and How We're Fixing It | Nicole Rasmussen, Sarah Scozzaro, Ryne Anderson #201

    Coach Roundtable - What We Screwed Up, and How We're Fixing It | Nicole Rasmussen, Sarah Scozzaro, Ryne Anderson #201

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Didn't we all, at some point, feel that prick of regret at a mistake made or a lesson learned the hard way? As your devoted trail and ultra running coaches, we've had our share of missteps over the past year. From seemingly minor issues like failing to thoroughly educate athletes about the World Anti-Doping Agency's rule on IV fluids to more significant ones, we've seen it all. And today, we're pulling back the curtain on our successes and missteps alike to help you avoid the same pitfalls.

    Episode highlights:

    (2:04) Nicole’s mistake: IV fluids are banned in and out of competition, reasoning, example where an athlete gave themselves IV before a race, the role of coaches as educators

    (18:41) Ryne’s mistake: considering weather and training, factoring in heat and humidity to long range plans, key training blocks happen May-July, examples, being proactive with scheduling, using cooling strategies in training

    (25:23) Sarah’s mistake: assuming athletes make good recovery decisions, example, forcing athletes to take recovery when they need it

    (41:43) Koop’s mistake: accounting for the stress of travel, time zone changes and long-range travel for athletes, examples

    Additional resources:

    Time Shifter app
    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible.
    Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.com
    Koop’s Social Media
    Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

    Exploring the Limits of Ultrarunning with Nicholas Berger, PhD #200

    Exploring the Limits of Ultrarunning with Nicholas Berger, PhD #200

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Dr. Nicolas Berger is a Senior Lecturer in Sport & Exercise at Teeside University’s Centre for Rehabilitation. In this episode we discuss Nic’s new study on the limits of ultramarathon performance, which brings together a who’s-who of researchers in the ultramarathon space to create a framework of performance that will be foundational for years to come. We focus on the myriad of factors that influence performance outside of pure fitness including GI distress, psychology, durability, and the integrative way in which these factors combine to affect performance.

    Episode highlights:

    (28:26) Stephen Seiler’s chart: physiological improvement plateaus with time in trained athletes but performance does not, performance is multifactorial, during longer duration events multifactorial factors matter more, examples, small changes with big impacts

    (43:40) Malleable strategies: recognizing that strategies must change based on environmental factors, example, gastric emptying, cycling example, taking advantage of features of the race

    (46:54) Durability: Andy Jones and physiological resilience, how we perceive fatigue matters more than the physiology itself, nerve blocking example

    Additional resources:

    TU Research Profile
    Google Scholar Profile
    ResearchGate
    Twitter
    Limits of Ultra: Towards an Interdisciplinary Understanding of Ultra-Endurance Running Performance

    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible.
    Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.com
    Koop’s Social Media
    Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

    Coach Roundtable - What we learned this year with Addison Smith and Adam Ferdinandson #199

    Coach Roundtable - What we learned this year with Addison Smith and Adam Ferdinandson #199

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    CTS coaches Addison Smith and Adam Ferdinandson join the podcast for an insightful coach roundatble. We discuss subjectivity from coach participation in sport, the delicate balance of simultaneously supporting and challenging your athletes, and the importance of being there either in-person or virtually for your athletes before, during, and after events. We round out our discussion with takeaways from the UESCA conference and the developing professionalism of ultramarathon coaching.

    Episode highlights:

    (20:24) Addison’s takeaway: supporting your athlete while managing expectations and challenging them as athletes, being the cheerleader while also pushing challenge, fueling example

    (28:50) The athlete owns their training: a material coaching philosophy, taking the ego out of coaching, examples, your athlete’s training is not your training, changing vocabulary to reflect coaching philosophy

    (35:58) UTMB example: Addison on UTMB, feeling like you have a teammate, example of an athlete who lost all their gear on the way to UTMB, impromptu Billy Yang care package, athlete feedback

    Additional resources:

    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning

    Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.com
    Koop’s Social Media
    Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon and Audible.

    #20 Pat Casey - Community, Adventure, Balance

    #20 Pat Casey - Community, Adventure, Balance

    Today we have an amazing guest. He's a man who followed his passion for cycling and I'm talking about none other than Pat Casey, the co-owner of Peak State Fit, a bike fitting, coaching, and nutrition company, alongside his wife, Heather.

    But Pat's journey into the world of bikes didn't follow the conventional path. In fact, he initially pursued med school, However, a sudden change of heart led him to embark on an incredible adventure—a cross-country bike ride that's nothing short of awe-inspiring.


    Pat's story is a testament to the notion that life's greatest adventures often lie just beyond the beaten path. He dropped out of college, traded in his textbooks for a bike, and hasn't looked back since. Today, he races professionally with EMPYR Cycling, and he shares his story into cycling stating in St. Louis.


    But this episode is about more than just racing. We delve deep into the heart of the cycling community, exploring the mental health benefits of cycling, and the delicate balance between the love for the bike and the thief of joy, comparison. It's a conversation that will resonate with cyclists and non-cyclists alike.

    Mastering Interval Training for Ultrarunners with Michael Rosenblat, PhD #198

    Mastering Interval Training for Ultrarunners with Michael Rosenblat, PhD #198

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Michael Rosenblat is a researcher and coach with expertise in kinesiology, physiotherapy, and exercise science. In this episode we discuss his three most recent meta-analyses on interval structure, including how to translate cycling intervals to protocols for runners, interval duration and macrostructure, and the relationship between VO2peak and time trial performance.

    Episode highlights:

    (14:24) Translating interval structure: it depends, direct translation usually works, tendon loading, injury prevention, recovery, metabolic load is probably 1:1

    (32:59) HIIT volume: example of 20x1min versus 4x5min, metabolic differences, total session volume does not correlate with improvement, duration of work bout does, maximizing versus optimizing time at intensity

    (51:14) VO2max vs. performance: %change in VO2peak does not correlate with %change in performance, Paula Radcliffe example, VO2max plateaus with years of training but performance keeps improving, CTS lab example

    Additional resources:


    Papers discussed-
    The Additional Effect of Training Above the Maximal Metabolic Steady State on VO2peak, Wpeak and Time‑Trial Performance in Endurance‑Trained Athletes: A Systematic Review, Meta‑analysis, and Reality Check

    Effect of Interval Training on the Factors Influencing Maximal Oxygen Consumption: A Systematic Review and Meta‑Analysis

    Programming Interval Training to Optimize Time‑Trial Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta‑Analysis

    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible.
    Information on coaching-https://trainright.com/
    Koop’s Social Media
    Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

    Anti-doping Solutions for Ultrarunning Part 1-USADA and Dr. Fedoruk (2021) #197

    Anti-doping Solutions for Ultrarunning Part 1-USADA and Dr. Fedoruk (2021) #197

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Dr. Fedoruk is the Chief Science Officer for USADA. In this episode, we discuss the landscape of anti-doping solutions and what USADA does to combat doping within the sports they have jurisdiction over.

    Episode highlights:

    (32:48) Global anti-doping structure: USADA is one of over 100 signatories of the World Anti-Doping Agency, protecting the independence of the anti-doping framework, application to professional sport, examples

    (45:40) Therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs): why TUEs exist, medical prescriptions, ADHD example, independent specialists examine blinded samples to confirm diagnoses are legitimate

    (56:14) Contamination: supplements, increasingly precise tests pick up on contaminated medication, examples of contamination from pharmaceutical manufacturers and restaurants, solutions, minimal reporting limits, aligning technology and policy, examples

    Additional resources:

    https://www.globaldro.com/Home
    USADA Athlete Resources-https://www.usada.org/resources/
    USADA Reasoned Decision-
    https://www.usada.org/athletes/results/u-s-postal-service-pro-cycling-team-investigation/
    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning-https://www.jasonkoop.com/research-essentials-for-ultrarunning
    Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.com
    Koop’s Social Media
    Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon and Audible

    #18 Brandon Nelson - Goals, Change, and Lotoja

    #18 Brandon Nelson - Goals, Change, and Lotoja

    In this conversation I sit down with a fellow local from Idaho Falls, Brandon Nelson or has he’s known around town, Noodle. Brandon is an absolute maniac on the bike and one of the strongest guys I know. I have been inspired by Brandon since the beginning of my cycling experience and he continues to inspire not only me, but anyone I talk to from the area. His repeated victories at Lotoja are wild and I had a great time talking about his experience into biking and nerding out about the industry. Hope y’all enjoy this one and thanks for being here.


    High Performance Coaching in Ultrarunning with Guillaume Millet & Vincent Viet #196

    High Performance Coaching in Ultrarunning with Guillaume Millet & Vincent Viet #196

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Guillaume Millet and Vincent Viet manage the Salomon High-performance program for their elite athletes.

    Episode highlights:

    (12:57) HPC coaching structure: team sports the U.S., the high performance coordinator, bringing in other experts

    (24:30) Building athlete confidence: the process takes time, not all athletes are interested, being careful with the framing of HPC, examples, injury prevention

    (44:08) Who should create HPC: example of athlete concerns about the HPC as a screening process within Salomon, recognizing bias, theorizing athlete-driven HPC, data confidentiality

    Additional resources:

    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning
    Information on coaching
    Koop’s Social Media
    Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible.

    #17 Kyle McFarland - More Bikes

    #17 Kyle McFarland - More Bikes

    Kyle Mcfarland is back for the 2nd time on the podcast. We discuss how his race season has been going as well as the season for his athletes at white pine athletics. We talk a lot about the bike community especially around the gravel scene and what’s currently happening on the pro stage within the sport. We spend some time talking about the mental health side of the sport and some ways we have managed it and how he coaches his junior riders as they navigate their relationship with the sport. It was really good to catch up with Kyle after a busy summer for both of us and hope y’all enjoy this one

    Potential Long Term Health Effects of Ultrarunning with Nick Tiller PhD (2021) #195

    Potential Long Term Health Effects of Ultrarunning with Nick Tiller PhD (2021) #195

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:

    Originally released on October 14, 2021.

    Nick Tiller Research is a fellow at the Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA where he studies clinical respiratory and exercise physiology, and the physiology / pathophysiology of ultra-endurance exercise. He is also a columnist at Skeptical Inquirer Magazine, and the author of The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science.

    Episode highlights:

    (20:01) Recap of potential cardiovascular health effects: athletes who train high volumes are not at risk, races and high intensity training are more likely to be problematic, the emergent state of ultramarathon research

    (27:20) Respiratory risks of racing ultras: chronically no different than other endurance sports, drops in acute lung function, most are not clinically significant, asthma or other conditions mean you start from a lower baseline and can experience clinically significant problems

    (35:23) The renal system: UTMB health policy, banning NSAIDs, duration, heat, altitude, dehydration, and hyponatremia all compound, NSAIDs make everything worse, acute kidney dysfunction in ultras is common and generally non harmful, chronic effects are unknown

    Additional resources:

    Potential Long-Term Health Problems Associated with Ultra-Endurance Running: A Narrative Review-https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354387155_Potential_Long-Term_Health_Problems_Associated_with_Ultra-Endurance_Running_A_Narrative_Review
    Nick’s Interview on Triathlete magazine-https://www.triathlete.com/culture/the-fight-against-pseudoscience-and-bad-training-advice-in-endurance-sports/
    Nick’s Book: The Skeptic’s Guide to Sports Science-https://www.amazon.com/Skeptics-Guide-Sports-Science-Confronting/dp/1138333123
    SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning-https://www.jasonkoop.com/research-essentials-for-ultrarunning
    Information on coaching-
    https://www.trainright.com

    Koop’s Social Media
    Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop
    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon and Audible.

    Mitochondria and Amplifying Adaptation with Professor David Bishop #193

    Mitochondria and Amplifying Adaptation with Professor David Bishop #193

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:


    Professor Bishop is a world leader in muscle exercise physiology, with over 250 scientific publications. He leads the Skeletal Muscle and Training research group at Victoria University in Australia.

    The focus of his research group is to examine how diet, exercise, and genes interact to regulate skeletal muscle adaptations.

    Throughout his career, Professor bishop has held many different and important leadership positions within the exercise science community in Australia.  He was the youngest-ever president of Exercise & Sport Science Australia (ESSA). He has been named one of the top 25 influencers of exercise & sports sciences in Australia. He has twice been on the Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) panel. He was made a fellow of three different organizations, Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and the European College of Sports Science (ECSS). Professor Bishop is now a director of the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) and an assistant editor of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

    Episode highlights:

    (19:56) Physiological limits to mitochondrial mass: homeostasis and why athletes plateau, mitochondria can never be 100% muscle mass, car analogy and spatial limitations

    (43:29) Acute responses to training with low carb availability: cell signaling and mitochondrial benefits at lower intensities, no benefit at high intensities, train low can augment moderate intensity, recovering from low carb takes time

    (54:12) Mechanisms of sodium bicarbonate: lactate and hydrogen ions move down concentration gradients, sodium bicarbonate lowers blood acidity by pulling hydrogen ions out of the muscle, applications to anaerobic performance

    Additional resources:

    David’s Twitter

    Podcast with Renee Eastman on Physiological Testing

    Mighty Mitochondria with Iñigo San Millán


    Effects of Dietary Supplements on Adaptations to Endurance Training

    Principles of Exercise Prescription, and How They Influence Exercise-Induced Changes of Transcription Factors and Other Regulators of Mitochondrial Biogenesis


    Get my deep dive newsletter Research Essentials for Ultrarunning

    Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible.

    Information on coaching-https://www.trainright.com

    Koop’s Social Media
    Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop

    Iron Metabolism and Supplementation for Ultrarunners with Dr. Alannah McKay #192

    Iron Metabolism and Supplementation for Ultrarunners with Dr. Alannah McKay #192

    View all show notes and timestamps on the KoopCast website.

    Episode overview:


    Alannah McKay completed a Bachelor of Science (Exercise, Health, and Sports Science) at the University of Western Australia in 2014. Subsequently, Alannah completed a post-graduate position within the Physiology department at the Australian Institute of Sport, where she was involved in preparing many Australian athletes before the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic games. Since Alannah has submitted her Ph.D. titled “The Effect of Dietary Manipulation on Iron Metabolism and the Immune System in Elite Athletes,” which was undertaken in partnership with the Australian Institute of Sport, Western Australian Institute of Sport, and the University of Western Australia. Alannah joined Australian Catholic University as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in 2020. Her research will continue to explore the impact of diet and exercise on a range of health outcomes in athletes, with a specific interest in iron metabolism.

    Episode highlights:

    (20:48) Iron metabolism and low-carb diets: 3 week ketogenic intervention followed by <24 hours of carbohydrate intake, low carb diets decrease hepcidin, the acute carb intervention did not restore hepcidin, low carb states are when you are at greater risk for iron deficiency

    (39:40) What iron supplements to use: ferrous sulfate, 100mg of elemental iron, maltofer, deficiency versus topping off, tailor frequency and dosing, avoid multivitamins

    (47:39) Frequency of supplementation: absolute and relative absorption, the more iron you consume the more you absorb, alternate day dosing is well supported, mechanistic reasoning

    Additional resources:

    Papers discussed-

    CONTEMPORARY APPROACHES TO THE IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF IRON DEFICIENCY IN ATHLETES

    Acute carbohydrate ingestion does not influence the post-exercise iron-regulatory response in elite keto-adapted race walkers


    Chronic Adherence to a Ketogenic Diet Modifies Iron Metabolism in Elite Athletes

    Six Days of Low Carbohydrate, Not Energy Availability, Alters the Iron and Immune Response to Exercise in Elite Athletes

    Acute carbohydrate ingestion does not influence the post-exercise iron-regulatory response in elite keto-adapted race walkers

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