Five to ten topics, sometimes about running, with lots of love and enthusiasm and science. We dig deep into training, races, studies, pop culture, and much more! With Megan Roche, M.D. and David Roche!
We put on some dinosaur onesies (our business formal) for this awesome Halloween episode! The big discussion was on UTMB's controversial announcement of a new race in Whistler, Canada, on the same weekend as the now-discontinued, grassroots race called Whistler Alpine Meadows. UTMB rode the sport's wave of exponential growth, gobbling up races to incorporate into their World Series. When Whistler Alpine Meadows was denied a permit, they swooped in and plopped a corporate race in its place. It's a fascinating mix of business strategy, economic models, relationships, and culture, and we try to break it all down in a nuanced and empathetic way. We accept that a rising tide lifts all boats, and we acknowledge that we benefit from it. But if that tide destroys the smaller boats (whether through intention or mere negligence), we need to reject that thesis of unrestrained growth. This could be a turning point in the future of endurance sports, and the community has the power.
Before getting to UTMB's big blunder, we talked about training intensity distribution through the lens of a new review study! Across sports, endurance approaches coalesce around similar intensity distribution numbers, whether the sport involves the pool, the snow, or the trails. How wild is that? What are we seeing? In that convergence, there are lessons about how you structure your weeks and think about long-term growth.
And there were so many other fun discussions! Topics: heat training via Halloween costumes, the sexiest dinosaurs, our feelings on ghosts, 2 show recommendations, the importance of easy training and how that influences weekly structure, why workout design may be less important than you think, speed development, a recap of Big's Backyard and Harvey Lewis' awesome achievement, the Javelina 100, and hot takes.
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We brought some Big Party Energy to this great episode! The main discussion revolved around different ways we put research into practice. This weekend, David had one of his best races ever at the Blue Sky Marathon, and we adventure to the coolest edges of the science to tell you what we are trying! That included a deep dive into caffeine's role as a performance enhancer, particularly for fatigue resistance. Strategic, individualized caffeine consumption could be a massive opportunity for breakthroughs. Or, you might crap your pants and never sleep again. Worth it?!
We also talked about the wild, emerging science on ketone supplementation after exercise. It's hotly debated, but studies have found increased red blood cell production and reduced symptoms of overreaching with this intervention. We use the topic as an excuse to jump into the choppy waters of new science, where there may be adventure opportunities! Or there may be sharks who politely ask for more studies before experimenting with new protocols. Science sharks?!
And this episode was a total party with some of our favorite topics! Other discussions: a 3-cake birthday party, stress and health, big breakfasts, high-calorie fueling during races, year-round heat exposure, thoughts on pacing, a new study on how shoes wear down over time, continuous lactate monitoring, a rundown of this week's endurance news, and hot takes. Somehow, we end the episode harmonizing to Nelly's "Grillz." That's how every podcast should end, along with every graduation speech and most presidential addresses.
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We ate a truly stunning amount of chicken and milkshakes to fuel this great episode! The main training topic was on a new review article connecting hemoglobin levels and VO2 max. Across nearly 400 studies, these variables have a strong statistical correlation. Blood volume could be primary a driver of performance, and we break down some simple ways to optimize your levels.
We also celebrated Megan's return to training after some good health news! That was a great excuse to talk about the lost art of Zone 1 training. Easy can be very, very easy (at least some of the time). Your mitochondria and muscle fibers will thank you!
And this episode featured a ton of our favorite discussion points! Other topics: energy availability and our jaw-dropping Chick-Fil-A order, developing the entire aerobic curve, 3 ways to support self-belief, an incredible story from baseball's Philadelphia Phillies, doping thoughts, our issues with prototype shoes, qualities of good coaches (and whether they need to run themselves), your watch's metrics, whether you should pay attention to them, and hot takes. One of our listeners has a disturbing view of toilet paper that you need to hear... and ignore.
For a weekly bonus episode (and bi-weekly newsletter), make sure you're subscribed to our Patreon. We love you all! HUZZAH!
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We brought some A+ brain energy and some C+ heart efficiency to this awesome episode! The main topics involved the extremely eventful weeks in the running world. On the joyous side, the Chicago Marathon was a race for the history books, with a new world record and blazing fast times from US runners. We celebrate the incredible Molly Seidel, plus talk about body image, fueling, rest days, training volume, and more. On the less joyous side, we discuss a controversy from a brand's social media post about the Boston Marathon. You know the one. And if you don't, get ready for a wild ride into the intersection of marketing, social media, and unintended consequences. We break it down, challenge each other, and hopefully come to a loving conclusion... After Megan was 100% right, of course.
And this episode was jam-packed with a mix of both important and irreverent discussions! Topics: last week's heart health setback, our hope for the future, training partners, protein intake, starting strength work, the cancellation of the Twin Cities Marathon due to heat and what that means for the future, abnormal heart rate responses, how to manage inflammation, and a listener corner email that will BLOW YOUR MIND.
For a weekly bonus episode (and bi-weekly newsletter), make sure you're subscribed to our Patreon. We love you all! HUZZAH!
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You want the best podcast vibes? Because that's what you get on this episode, with some 4 AM recording energy. Why were we recording at 4 AM? For the love of the game! The main training topic was answering a listener question about what excites us most right now in coaching and theory. We delve into some of the scientific history of VO2 max via a new study, whether you should do shorter races, how to think about intensity distribution, popular supplements we are intrigued by, and lots more. We backed that important discussion topic up with a silly compilation of shoe reviews. Do you want to find the next shoe for you? Start here. Then go other places too, since we are mainly making fun of shoe companies.
And that was just the start of the pre-dawn fun! Other topics: the FURTHER project seeing how far athletes can go, our one at-home recommendation to improve your quality of life, the most weird heart rate responses to stress, WHOOP's new use of AI, Transvulcania leaving the UTMB World Series, Jim Walmsley getting a golden ticket to Western States, a wonderful new study on ultras, and hot takes. Stick around for a beautiful listener corner email at the end that will bring tears to your eyes and put fire in your belly!
For a weekly bonus episode (and bi-weekly newsletter), make sure you're subscribed to our Patreon. We love you all! HUZZAH!
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The vibes were STRONG in this episode, even though the ankles were WEAK. It started off with a fun recap of the Grindstone 100k. What happens when an entire season is built around a goal, but it all ends in some delicious failure? Setbacks can be good for the soul, in moderation. In that way, they're kinda like bacon. Even more joyous than that was a full breakdown of Jim Walmsley's UTMB training, distilling some lessons from last week's interview. He gave us so many good nuggets, from weekly mileage to workout structure to season distribution, and we savor those tasty, tasty nuggets. Now we just need to convince Jim to let us co-write "The Walmsley Method."
All-in-all, this might have been the most fun we have ever had recording an episode! Other topics: the best sports story of the year, why we want to be like cyclist Sepp Kuss, a new study on training intensity in top cyclists, the $500 shoes from Adidas that were just used to set the road marathon world record, why that record makes us feel a bit queasy (with some unexpected tangents about economic theory), thoughts on caffeine intake via a new study on sleep impacts, and hot takes.
For a weekly bonus episode (and bi-weekly newsletter), make sure you're subscribed to our Patreon. We love you all! HUZZAH!
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This episode is one of the coolest moments of our lives: interviewing Jim Walmsley! We met Jim way back in 2016, and since then, we have been two of his biggest fans. Reconnecting more than 7 years later after his course record triumph at UTMB was such a joy.
Jim opened up about everything around UTMB, from his specific training approach to the emotional side of getting vulnerable, "failure," and finally achieving his big goal. Jim moved to France with his partner Jess, with everything pointed at this one event. How do you respond to adversity when so much is on the line in a very public way? He stepped into the fire with vulnerability and courage, and there are tons of lessons for anything you care about in life.
Topics: the emotional side of achieving his goal, overcoming low points and failures, pressure, training volume, his approach to workouts, going dark on Strava before UTMB, how his training has changed over time, nutrition during and after runs, his next big scary goal, and his legacy in the sport.
We can't wait for you to hear this one! We love you all! HUZZAH!
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We brought joy and so many spike proteins to this episode! The main training topic was on post-UTMB reflections about lower volume, higher energy training from the incredible Leah Yingling. You don't need to hammer your body to have success! We discuss why endurance training should uplift feeling good as a proxy for adaptation over time, starting at the cellular level and going all the way up to brain function. Healthy athletes crush b*tches!
A background theme of the episode was the sickness going around our house, and what it looks like to BELIEVE when dealing with tough moments. Though maybe we should have believed in booking refundable plane flights to the Grindstone 100k.
And there were tons of other fun discussions! Topics: acute versus chronic stress, volume accumulation, ultras and health, how our inner children might be guiding some of our athletic journey, the most uplifting story from a listener about their mile race, why Deion Sanders is our favorite coach, Coco Gauff's swag, Barry Bonds' Strava profile, heart rate changes across a season, interval duration, and hot takes.
Make sure you stick around for a beautiful Listener Corner email at the end. You'll be ready to run through a brick wall afterward!
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This very special episode is coming to you from Chamonix, right after the finish of the UTMB races! We were all around the courses, screaming until our voices gave out, gathering up all the inspiration from the incredible athletes. Our goal is to transport you to France with us for the most historic year ever! For the optimal listening experience, consume this podcast with a warm baguette.
The main stories were Courtney Dauwalter and Jim Walmsley at UTMB. Courtney redefined what is humanly possible this summer, and we discuss whether she is the best athlete ever across sports. Jim went all-in for his victory, moving to France to train on these trails. That course record is the payoff after years of hard work and belief. We are living in a moment of running history that will be talked about 100 years from now, and part of that future discussion will revolve around this year's race. How cool is it to be living history in real time?!
And there were so many other awe-inspiring things to talk about! Topics: Zach Miller's ability to dig deep, the importance of confidence, the power of being a hype squad, our European experience, France hot takes, training thoughts, why we are attending the CHURCH OF THE BIG QUADS, how age may not be the limiter that some previously thought, the benefit of cross training, and so much more.
We are extremely sleep-deprived, but more full of life than we have ever been before. The highs and lows of UTMB are metaphors for life, and this episode aims to bring you a steaming baguette of existence. We love you all! HUZZAH!
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We traveled halfway around the world to bring you this very special episode from Chamonix, France, the site of the UTMB races later this week! Our sleep is low, but our spirits are high. The main topic was on initial reflections on European racing and UTMB later this week. Our biggest prediction is that North American runners are going to have some major success over here in the coming decade, and we explain why. It's not just because we are extremely biased, though that plays a role. That discussion built into a new study on "physiological resilience" and how there may be a new pillar of training theory. For those scoring at home, that means there are now 4 pillars in the literature. Bonus pillar?! Huzzah!
That's not all! We chatted away the jet lag for one of our longest and most fun episodes ever. Other topics: the ubiquity of adversity, our deep thoughts on Europe, a wild new study on ultra endurance events and cognition, the evolutionary implications of the study, some breakthrough research on heat exposure and hemoglobin mass, hot takes, and an incredible listener corner.
From that listener corner: "The race showed me that strength didn’t come from doing the things I can already do, but trying the things I didn’t think I could."
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Amanda is a wife. A mother. A blogger. A Christian.
A charming, beautiful, bubbly, young woman who lives life to the fullest.
But Amanda is dying, with a secret she doesn’t want anyone to know.
She starts a blog detailing her cancer journey, and becomes an inspiration, touching and
captivating her local community as well as followers all over the world.
Until one day investigative producer Nancy gets an anonymous tip telling her to look at Amanda’s
blog, setting Nancy on an unimaginable road to uncover Amanda’s secret.
Award winning journalist Charlie Webster explores this unbelievable and bizarre, but
all-too-real tale, of a woman from San Jose, California whose secret ripped a family apart and
left a community in shock.
Scamanda is the true story of a woman whose own words held the key to her secret.
New episodes every Monday.
Follow Scamanda on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Amanda’s blog posts are read by actor Kendall Horn.