Fueling Endurance - Nutrition for Runners, Cyclists & Triathletes

We’ve often talked about the benefits of carbohydrate for runners, cyclists and triathletes, but for many people there’s an underlying concern - does eating all those carbs increase the risk of developing diabetes or heart disease? It’s certainly a common message that’s pushed online in some circles, but is this really the case?
In this episode I speak to diabetes researcher and clinical dietitian Dr Nicola Guess from the University of Oxford, who has often been asked this exact question by concerned runners, cyclists and triathletes. We break down what science tells us about the underlying cause of diabetes, how carbohydrate, exercise and body composition fit into the picture, whether high carb diets are a risk factor for chronic disease in their own right, and whether the approach should be different based on the level of training and fitness, age, family history, and existing health conditions.
 
Podcast Guest:
Dr Nicola Guess - University of Oxford and private practice clinical dietitian
 
Nicola's online presence:
Instagram: @dr.nicola.guess
Blog/Substack: drguess.substack.com
 
Diabetes risk calculators mentioned:
AUSDRISK Calculator (Australia): https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/risk-calculator/
Diabetes UK: https://riskscore.diabetes.org.uk/start
American Diabetes Association Risk Test: https://diabetes.org/diabetes-risk-test
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

It's the 4th birthday of the podcast! And like each previous year, we’re going to look back and provide a brief summary of every question we’ve answered on the podcast in the past year, from “How do I work out my calorie needs for training?” to “Does pickle juice actually work?”, and “What do I do when my race nutrition plan falls apart?”. So if you’re new to the podcast and don’t have time to go through the whole back catalogue, or you just want a refresher and the key points from the past year's episodes, this is the place for you.
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

Over the last two episodes we’ve been discussing the ‘high carb trend’ - taking in very large amounts of carbohydrate during exercise. Today we’re looking at this topic through the lens of the road marathon, an event where access to your own nutrition products is limited. In this episode I speak to marathon runner, running coach and co-host of the Inside Running Podcast, Brady Threlfall. Brady’s set a new personal best in the marathon this year, and that race included these higher carb amounts. We get his perspective on how higher carb intakes have made their way into marathon running, how he achieves this in training and on race day, and whether he feels it’s been beneficial for him and the athletes he coaches.
 
Podcast Guest - Brady Threlfall
Instagram: @bradytrell
Brady's Podcast - Inside Running Podcast
Coaching - Run2PB Coaching
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

In the last episode we investigated the ‘high carb trend’ - taking in very large amounts of carbohydrate (>100g/hr) during exercise.  In this episode we speak to Aussie pro cyclist Jack Haig to get an athlete's perspective. Jack’s professional career to date spans both sides of this high carb trend with almost perfectly symmetry, and so he has a great insight on how this approach took hold in the pro peloton, how it’s changed the sport, and how he achieves such high intakes from a practical perspective.
 
Podcast Guest:
Jack Haig - Bahrain Victorious Pro Cycling Team
Jack's Podcast - The Rest Day with Jack Haig (Escape Collective)
Instagram: @jack_haig
 
Rice Krispies bar recipes mentioned:
A range of recipes for Rice Krispies bars and other on-the-bike goodies from Pock-It Fuel (Lizzie Holden & Nick Shultz) - Instagram: @pockitfuel
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

You’ve probably come across discussions in the last year or so about the ‘high carb trend’ - taking very large amounts of carbohydrate during exercise, often well over 100g per hour. These levels are significantly greater than official sports nutrition guidelines, so what’s behind the trend? Is it based on new science, product marketing, or is it just another fad that will come and eventually go? And most importantly, is it relevant to you?
In this episode we speak to the Lead of Human Science at the Ineos Grenadiers Pro Cycling Team, Aitor Viribay, who has also worked with some of the biggest names in ultra trail running. He discusses how, when and why these very high carb intakes have become a thing in recent years, the scientific rationale behind it, when it’s used vs when it’s not, and whether non-professional athletes need to worry about these levels of intake.
 
Podcast Guest:
Aitor Viribay - Ineos Grenadiers Pro Cycling Team
 
Aitor's online presence:
X/Twitter: @MVAitor
Instagram: @glut4science
Website: GLUT4 Science (in Spanish)
Podcast: 90 Gramos de MetHub (in Spanish)
 
Aitor's research mentioned:
Viribay, A et al. (2020). Effects of 120 g/h of Carbohydrates Intake during a Mountain Marathon on Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Elite Runners. Nutrients. 12(5):1367. DOI: 10.3390/nu12051367
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

In the final episode of this T -12 podcast series, we catch up with our guest athlete Brad, just over 2 weeks after racing the Chicago Marathon. We find out how the race went for him, as well as how our planned strategies for accommodation, carb loading, and everything he’d worked on in the 12 weeks prior to race day turned out. We review what worked well in hindsight, what didn’t, Brad’s key learnings, and what he’d do differently next time.
Back for its second season, T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brad with sports nutrition products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

We’ve often talked about periodised nutrition on this podcast, adjusting the carbs you eat across the week based on your training schedule. But in the down periods, how do you achieve this without being ravenously hungry? And on the flipside, when you do need to load up for a big training session, sometimes it's hard to do this without feeling uncomfortably full and bloated.
In this episode we discuss some of the key strategies to managing hunger and satiety through the ups and downs of a periodised nutrition approach. How to get those carbs in when you don’t feel like eating more, and how to increase the feeling of fullness you get from lower carb, lower calorie meals. By applying these principles you can help to even out the hunger and fullness across the training cycle, even when the carbs and calories are going up and down with training.
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

Brad's now into the taper for the Chicago Marathon. Here we discuss the nutrition aspect to this, the flight from Melbourne to Chicago and coping with jetlag, last minute nutrition logistics, and what to do if things do go south mid-race.
If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Marathons or another event in October or November you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations.
Back for its second season, T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brad with sports nutrition products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

Brad has done a couple of attempts at a full nutrition dress rehearsal for the Chicago Marathon. We review how it went, finalise his race nutrition plan, discuss some travel logistics and important considerations for his nutrition, and come up with a Plan B for race day.
If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Marathons or another event in October or November you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations.
Back for its second season, T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brad with sports nutrition products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

Brad has just completed an all-important test of his fluid tolerance, to see how far he's come. We also plan his upcoming nutrition dress rehearsal for Chicago.
If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Marathons or another event in October or November you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations.
Back for its second season, T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brad with sports nutrition products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

Guest Brad White is back after his trip to Queensland for the Sunshine Coast Marathon. We review how it went, what he did the day before the race, and use this to plan his carb loading strategy for Chicago.
If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Marathons or another event in October or November you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations.
Back for its second season, T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brad with sports nutrition products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

We check in with athlete guest Brad White. We discuss his progress in scouting out places to eat before the race, his current carb intake in training and planning ahead for race day, and estimating his sweat rate for race day and what to do with this information.
If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Marathons or another event in October or November you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations.
Back for its second season, T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brad with sports nutrition products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

In the first episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we meet our athlete guest Brad White and begin the process of preparing him for the Chicago Marathon in 12 week's time. We discuss his previous marathon experience and what's gone wrong, his daily training nutrition, and start with a look at race logistics - travel, accomodation, and aid stations. If you're racing Chicago or Melbourne Marathons or another event in October or November you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations.
Back for its second season, T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brad with sports nutrition products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

Are you someone who’s never quite sure what to do nutrition-wise in the final week before a race? When do you start carb loading? Do you load up on fluids, electrolytes, or both? Do you avoid gluten, lactose or FODMAPs? Should you be adding or removing supplements from your usual routine?
On today’s podcast we’re going to cut through the confusion and provide you with a simple strategy you can use to approach the week leading into your next event. A strategy that will have you arriving at the start line well fuelled but not bloated, well hydrated but not peeing every 10 seconds, and with a reduced risk of gut issues or cramping.
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

How many times have you had a nutrition goal for your training or race day, researched what to do, made a plan of action, and then…nothing.
It’s one thing to know what to do, but something altogether different to actually do it. So in this episode we’re going to look at one important aspect of this - goal setting for your nutrition. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand why so many athletes set the wrong goals for their nutrition, how we can learn from the world’s best athletes and coaches, how to avoid this mistake and come up with goals and an action plan that’s more likely to set you up for success.
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

It’s pretty much assumed nowadays that pickle juice is a sure fire remedy for cramping. But why pickle juice? What’s in the pickling brine that’s supposed to work? How is it meant to work? And most important of all, does it actually work?
In this episode we welcome back a past guest Prof. Kevin Miller, a world expert in exercise associated muscle cramping and the researcher behind perhaps more pickle juice studies than anyone else on the planet, to gives us some answers.
 
Podcast Guest:
Prof. Kevin Miller - Texas State University
 
Research mentioned in the episode:
Miller, K et al. (2022). An evidence-based review of the pathophysiology, treatment, and prevention of exercise associated muscle cramps. J Athl Train; 57:5–15. DOI: 10.4085/1062-6050-0696.20
Miller, K et al. (2009). Electrolyte and plasma changes following ingestion of pickle juice, water, and a common carbohydrate-electrolyte solution, J Athl Train; 44 (5):454–461. DOI: 10.4085/1062-6050-44.5.454
Miller, K. C. (2014). Electrolyte and plasma responses following pickle juice, mustard, and deionized water ingestion in dehydrated humans. J Athl Train, 49(3): 360–367. DOI: 10.4085/1062-6050-49.2.23
Georgieva J et al. (2021). Effectiveness of Mouth Rinsing versus Ingesting Pickle Juice for Alleviating Electrically Induced Cramp in Physically Active Adults. Appl Sci. 11(24):12096. DOI: 10.3390/app112412096
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.
 

What’s the deal with cluster dextrin, super starch, hydrogels, and multiple transportable carbohydrates? Why are some companies claiming that ultra slow delivery of carbs into the blood is advantageous, when others are marketed on the basis of rapid absorption? And how do these ingredients affect gut issues, the body’s ability to use carbohydrates during endurance exercise, and ultimately performance?
Dr Dan Baur (Virginia Military Institute) is one of the few researchers in the world that's studied many of these novel carbohydrates. He helps demystify what all these novel carbohydrate terms actually mean, how they’re different, and ultimately, what’s going to suit your training and racing.
 
Podcast Guest:
Dr Dan Baur - Virginia Military Institute
 
Research mentioned in the episode:
Dan has published a great review paper that nicely summarises the research done to date in this area, including several studies of his own.
Baur D & Saunders MJ. Carbohydrate supplementation: a critical review of recent innovations. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2021. 121(1):23-66. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-020-04534-y
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.
 

It’s an area where recommendations have evolved rapidly in the last few years with new research. In this episode, we speak to Dr Alannah McKay, one of the researchers whose work has led to these changes. You’ll learn whether it’s better to take tablets or liquid iron, the formulation of iron in supplements that’s most effective, the optimal dose and timing of supplementation, and the role of training or other nutrients in food on enhancing or reducing the effectiveness of your iron supplement.
 
Podcast Guest:
Dr Alannah McKay - Australian Catholic University.
 
The study mentioned in the episode:
Alannah is currently recruiting female athletes in Melbourne for a study that puts the two most popular iron supplements in Australia head-to-head.
Who's eligible: Female runners and triathletes based in Melbourne, aged 18-45 years old, not using hormonal contraception and running ~40 km or more per week.
All eligible participants will have a free ferritin/hemoglobin assessment, with athletes that return a ferritin <50 ug/L receiving a free 12 week course of iron supplements. 
What's required: Five x 20 minute visits to the ACU Fitzroy campus, 4 blood samples, completion of surveys to track symptoms from using iron supplements.
What's in it for you: Free iron screening, 3 months of iron supplements, tailored advice to improve your iron status, and free barista coffee following each visit to the university.
To find out if you are eligible: https://redcap.acu.edu.au/surveys/?s=9PEX3JPLXTHNFKYY 
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.
 

In this bonus episode for the T -12 podcast series, we catch up with our guest athlete Brett, less than 48 hours after completing the 100km Ultra Trail Australia. We find out how the race went for him, the ups and downs on the day, as well as how our planned strategies for accommodation, eating the day before the race, and the gut training he’d worked on in the 12 weeks leading up to race day, all turned out. We review what worked well in hindsight, what didn’t, Brett’s key learnings, and what he’d do differently next time.
T-12 is a unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brett with the race-provided products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

It's one thing to talk about the theoretical needs of nutrition for altitude, but what does it actually feel like? In this episode we chat to US pro triathlete and sports dietitian Megan Foley, who experienced relocating from her home town near sea level to a much higher altitude, and then going even higher for training.
 
Podcast Guest:
Megan Foley - pro triathlete and sports dietitian.
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

In the final episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we catch up with our athlete guest Brett Kone last time before the 100km Ultra Trail Australia. We focus on some final preventative strategies to reduce the risk of gut issues, how to troubleshoot if things go wrong on the day, and Brett discovers a gem of an idea for carrying your drink mix powder. 
T-12 is a unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brett with the race-provided products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

In the fifth episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we catch up with our athlete guest Brett Kennedy in his preparations for the 100km UItra Trail Australia (UTA). We review Brett’s "dress rehearsal" of his race nutrition plan, and discuss taper nutrition for the final 2 weeks before race day. 
T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brett with the race-provided products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

Whether you're travelling to altitude to train, or using an altitude tent at home, nutrition can make a big difference to how much benefit you'll get from the lower oxygen environment. In this episode we're joined by Beccy Hall, a sports dietitian and researcher who’s worked with, and studied, elite athletes before and during altitude training camps. We’ll look at the key nutritional issues with altitude exposure, the importance of planning ahead before you even begin altitude training, and the factors to be aware of during and immediately after an altitude training block.
 
Podcast Guest:
Rebecca Hall - formerly Australian Catholic University, Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, Australian Institute of Sport, and Canadian Sports Institute Pacific.
References/Resources discussed in the episode:
AIS Sports Supplement Framwork - Iron Supplementation: https://www.ais.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/1000490/Sport-supplement-fact-sheets-Iron-v4.pdf
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

In the fourth episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we check in with our athlete guest Brett Kennedy in his preparations for the 100km UItra Trail Australia (UTA). We review Brett’s progress with his sweat rate testing and gut training, his run-through of eating the day before the race, and start to lock in his race day nutrition plan as we enter the last month before race day. If you're racing UTA or another event in May or June you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations.
T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brett with the race-provided products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

In the third episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we check in with our athlete guest Brett Kennedy less than 8 weeks out from the 100km UItra Trail Australia (UTA). We catch up on his attempts to collect sweat rate data, and how he's gone with his gut training. We then focus on planning nutrition for the day before his race, and the pre-event meal. If you're racing UTA or another event in May or June you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations.
T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brett with the race-provided products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

Supplements contaminated with banned substances are an athlete's worst nightmare. In this episode we’ll understand how much risk there actually is of testing positive from nutrition supplement use. And if you’re not an elite athlete and don’t think this is relevant to you - think again. We’ll hear how this applies to ALL athletes competing in organised sport, no matter what level, and how to minimise the risk of a positive test coming back to haunt you.
 
Podcast Guest:
Kerry O'Bryan - Bond University & Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS)
References/Resources discussed in the episode:
Sports Integrity Australia (SIA, formerly ASADA) on supplements: https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au/what-we-do/anti-doping/supplements-sport 
SIA App: https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au/resources/sport-integrity-apps-and-vr 
Protein Fortified Foods - is there any risk? (Sports Dietitians Australia): https://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/fuel-articles/protein-fortification-foods/ 
Global Drug Reference Online(GlobalDRO) (for checking medications): https://www.globaldro.com/Home 
 
Fuelin:
This episode is supported by Fuelin, the world's first training-based nutrition app. It syncs with your training plan (in TrainingPeaks, Final Surge, and TriDot or Run Dot) and creates a personalised nutrition plan, built around your training schedule and tailored to your goals. You’ll see adjustments in your fuelling both within and outside of training sessions, using a traffic light system to adjust your carb intake to fuel appropriately for your needs. 
To get 30% off your first month, go to https://www.fuelin.com/ and enter the code FE30 at checkout.
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

In the second episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we check in with our athlete guest Brett Kennedy 10 weeks out from the 100km UItra Trail Australia (UTA). We review the changes made to his daily training nutrition, his progress on trying the race-provided producst, get him started on collecting sweat rate data for his hydration planning, and get the ball rolling on some gut training. If you're racing UTA or another event in May or June you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations.
T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.
A big thanks to Aid Station who have come on board to provide Brett with the race-provided products to try in training, to assist with his race nutrition planning. And you can get 10% off your Aid Station order by clicking this link https://www.aidstation.com.au/discount/FUEL10 or use the code FUEL10 at checkout*
*T&Cs apply. Limit one use of code per customer.

Sounds like a simple question, but for runners, cyclists & triathletes, accurately estimating calorie needs is anything but simple. We're joined by Fuelin co-founder Scott Tindal to discuss how it's done, and the challenges he and I faced trying to accurately predict calories needs for users of the Fuelin app based on their training schedule, when they vary from complete novices to professional Ironman triathletes. But whilst predicting calorie needs from a training schedule can be tricky, for individuals, perhaps there's a simpler way...
 
Podcast Guest:
Scott Tindal - Founder and Nutritionist, Fuelin
Fuelin: https://www.fuelin.com/ 
Instagram: @getfuelin
 
References/Resources discussed in the episode:
The systematic review/meta-analysis paper discussed in this episode for Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) equations in athletes:
O'Neill JER et al. (2023). Accuracy of Resting Metabolic Rate Prediction Equations in Athletes: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 53(12):2373-2398 (Open Access). DOI: 10.1007/s40279-023-01896-z
Ten-Haaf equation for RMR (kCal/day):
Males     = (11.936 × weight in kg) + (587.728 × height in m) - (8.129 × age in years) + 220.306
Females = (11.936 × weight in kg) + (587.728 × height in m) - (8.129 × age in years) + 29.279
Compendium of Physical Activities for the calculation of Metabolic Equivalents (METs): https://pacompendium.com/ 
Physical Activity Level (PAL) values - explanation & examples: https://support.foodworks.online/hc/en-au/articles/360004401336-Physical-Activity-Levels-PAL-explained 
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

In the first episode of this special 6 part podcast series, we meet our athlete guest Brett Kennedy and begin the process of preparing him for the 100km UItra Trail Australia (UTA) race in 12 week's time. We discuss his daily training nutrition, and start with a look at race logistics - accomodation, support crew and drop bags. If you're racing UTA or another event in May or June you can follow along and apply the same principles to your own race nutrition preparations.
T-12 is a brand new, unique podcast series that follows an athlete's journey as they prepare for race day. Over the final 12 weeks before the big event, we'll look at all aspects of race nutrition, from organising accomdation and race foods, to gut training and hydration, to eating during the taper and the day before the race.

For the last 15 years, we've recommended that athletes space out protein evenly across the day, in 20-40g serves. But is this based on poor assumptions? A new study, published in December 2023, put this narrative to the test. The lead author, Jorn Trommelen, joins us to discuss the results and what it means for you.
 
Podcast guest:
Assistant Prof. Jorn Trommelen - Maastricht University
M3 Research Group: https://www.m3-research.nl/
Jorn's website, Nutrition Tactics: https://www.nutritiontactics.com/ 
Instagram: @nutritiontactics
The study discussed in this episode:
Trommelen J et al. (2023). The anabolic response to protein ingestion during recovery from exercise has no upper limit in magnitude and duration in vivo in humans. Cell Rep Med. 4(12):101324. DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101324
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

When things go pear-shaped on race day, it's one thing to keep your head and come up with a plan, but how do you know it's the right plan that's going to work? In this episode we're joind by sports dietitian and ultra-runner Erin Colebatch to talk through strategies you can use when disaster strikes mid-race, from bonking to flavour fatigue, gut issues and cramping. 
This episode follows on from our last one (72A) with coach Jason Koop, where he shared his simple framework to refocus and reset when things go wrong on race day. It's highly recommended you listen to that episode first if you haven't already.
 
Podcast guest:
Erin Colebatch - Ultra Appetites
Web: https://www.ultraappetites.com.au/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ultraappetites/ 
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

Ever been deep into the second half of a race, when things start falling apart? It could be bonking, cramping, gut issues or flavour fatigue. In the space of just a few minutes, your carefully constructed nutrition plan goes right out the window. 
It’s easy to lose your head in situations like this, so in this podcast we welcome back legendary trail and ultra-running coach Jason Koop to share his simple framework to use when things go wrong on race day. It will help you refocus, reset, and go about addressing your issues, replacing panic with a plan. It might just help prevent a DNF, or sometimes, turn your race around for a great result.
 
Discussed on the podcast:
Koop's Research Essentials for Ultrarunning (monthly publication): https://www.jasonkoop.com/research-essentials-for-ultrarunning 
His podcast, Koopcast: https://www.jasonkoop.com/podcast 
To get involved in the Monash University study discussed in the episode, email [email protected] 
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

Does replacing the sodium lost in sweat actually influence our thirst, our drinking and our hydration? If so, how much is enough? And do we need to measure our sweat sodium losses to give us the answers? In this episode Alan describes his recently published study where ultra-runners replaced 100% or 0% of their sodium losses during 5 hours of running in the heat, and what happened.
 
The study:
McCubbin AJ, Costa RJS. Effect of Personalized Sodium Replacement on Fluid and Sodium Balance and Thermophysiological Strain During and After Ultraendurance Running in the Heat. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2023;19(2):105-115. DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2023-0295
 
Fueling Endurance eBook:
At over 260 pages, the Fueling Endurance eBook contains answers to 49 of the most common nutrition questions that runners, cyclists and triathletes ask. Covering the first two years of the podcast, the eBook contains additional insights, tips, and quotes from experts and athletes. Every copy sold helps cover the cost of making the podcast. 
Purchase directly from https://fuelingendurance.com/ or search Fueling Endurance on Amazon for the Kindle version.

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) has reached significant awareness in recent years amongst runners, cyclists and triathletes. In late 2023 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) released an update to ther REDs Consensus Statement, the first in 5 years. It's based on the growing body of research and experience working with athletes in this area and provides more nuance, new insights and new health and peformance consequences added to the model. We sat down with one of the consensus statement authors, Prof. Louise Burke OAM (Australian Catholic University), for an update on what's new in REDs, and what the authors want athletes to know about it.
 
2023 REDs Consensus Statement and associated articles (British Journal of Sports Medicine): https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/17 

It’s our final podcast of 2023, and the follow up to our 3rd birthday special episode. And as we do each year, we’re going to look back and provide a brief summary of every question we’ve answered on the podcast, from “Should I eat like the pros?” to “What’s the deal with magnesium”, and “How do I work out my fluid needs during exercise?”. So if you’re new to the podcast and don’t have time to go through the whole back catalogue, or you just want a refresher and the key points from this year's episodes, this is the episode for you.
 
To get a copy of our new eBook, summarising the first 2 years of the podcast, go to fuelingendurance.com or search Fueling Endurance on the Kindle store on Amazon.

From preventing food poisoning to optimising performance. From doctors demanding supplements be added to food, to food being the performance enhancer. In this special 3rd birthday episode, you'll learn how nutrition has evolved in pro cycling in the past decade, and what it takes to feed a team of riders at the Tour de France. Our guest is Nicki Strobel, a performance chef (and now dietitian) who's worked in pro cycling since 2010 (first with GreeEdge and then Uno-X) and seen the transformation in how nutrition is managed within the sport. Find out what the riders are eating, the strangest requests he's ever got, and most importantly, where he was when the GreenEdge bus got stuck under the finish line at the 2013 Tour de France.

Triathlete Jenny Zenker joins us to describe how she manages double sessions alongside managing a major scientific research group at Monash University. From (very) early morning starts, commuting to and from work by bike, and managing the risk of gut issues in the evening session, Jenny tells the story of her journey to optimising her nutrition for these complex training days. Also listen out for a huge announcement about the future of the podcast.

The double-session day. It's common amongst triathletes, but increasingly popular amongst runners and cyclists too. But are you running out of gas in the second session, or even in the afternoon at work? In this episode, Alan & Steph explain the nutrition priorities for double-session days, as well as some practical tips on how to make it happen when you're flat out at work between sessions.

With a single genetic variation, some of us are fast, moderate or slow caffeine metabolisers. So should competitive athletes be doing genetic testing to inform their race day caffeine strategy? Just last week, a new meta-analysis was published that tries to answer this question by bringing together all the studies published to date. Two of the authors, Gabriel Barreto and Dr Bryan Saunders from the University of São Paulo are here to explain their research and the implications for runners, cyclists and triathletes.
 
Read the research paper:
Barreto G, Esteves GP, Marticorena F, Oliveira TN, Grgic J, Saunders B. (2023). Caffeine, CYP1A2 Genotype and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. In Press: https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000003313
 
Read the summary Twittter/X thread: https://twitter.com/Bicycle_Bryan/status/1714311368709460319
 
Follow Bryan on Twitter/X: @Bicycle_Bryan
 
Follow Gabriel on Twitter/X: @nutrigabarreto
 
 

Metabolic adaptation, adaptive thermogenesis, metabolic compensation or even metabolic damage. These terms are thrown around a lot online, but what exactly do they mean, how much is science vs hype, and what's the relevance to runners, cyclists and triathletes?
Dr José Areta (Liverpool John Moores University, UK) is a researcher and co-author of a recent paper looking at whether the metabolic adaptations to an energy deficit in athletes is different if the energy deficit is induced by increased training load, or reduced calorie intake.
 
Follow José on Twitter/X: @jlAreta
 
Watch the talk mentioned from the The Royal Society Meeting in October 2022:
https://www.youtube.com/live/hkuktx5FUto?feature=shared&t=17901
 
Read the accompanying paper:
Halsey LG, Areta JL, Koehler K (2023). Does eating less or exercising more to reduce energy availability produce distinct metabolic responses? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 378(1885):20220217.  https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0217
 
The Energy Stress Meeting at Liverpool John Moores University in September 2022 (José was an organiser and presenter):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyoTPwnnO4j3vpPsjU8AqWmdpYYekfiPw
 
 

In the last episode, Steph and Alan discussed how general nutrition advice may not always be suitable for runners, cyclists and triathletes. In this episode, we chat to distance runner Elise Beacom about her experience coming into the sport, trying to figure out sports nutrition vs general nutrition advice, and what she had to learn the hard way. And what it's like to run a half marathon in North Korea.

Nutrition advice can be confusing for runners, cyclists & triathletes. With a firehose of information coming at you, from general nutrition professionals, sports nutrition experts, and wellness gurus, sometimes it can be hard to pick it all apart and work out what’s relevant to athletes, and what’s not.
Today we’re going to look at those general nutrition messages, which whilst sensible for the general population, may be doing a disservice to runners, cyclists and triathletes. We’ll examine where the message comes from, why it might not be the best advice for you, and what to do instead. 

It’s called the sunshine vitamin, and given we’re just coming to the end of winter here in the southern hemisphere, our Vitamin D stores should be at their lowest point of the year. So what exactly is this nutrient that we can get without eating any food? Why is it so important to runners, cyclists and triathletes? How much Vitamin D is enough, when should you get tested, and when, how much and what type of supplements should you take to prevent or correct a Vitamin D deficiency?
Today, we’re speaking to researcher Dr Dan Owens from Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, whose research is aiming to answer these and more questions about Vitamin D for athletes. We’ll also discuss the different types of Vitamin D in food, supplements and the body, ethnic differences and their relevance to Vitamin D testing, and how much sun exposure is enough to meet your Vitamin D needs.

In our last episode, we discussed with Dr Dana Lis how to decipher sports nutrition information you come across, and Dana shared with us her five step process for filtering that information. One of those steps was to figure out what is the cost and benefits of different nutrition strategies, your Return on Investment if you like. So today, we’re going to have a look at some of the most common nutrition strategies that can be employed to improve performance on race day. We’ll discuss some of the practical pros and cons, and find out what the science says about quantifying the actual performance benefits you might expect from each one.

As runners, cyclists and triathletes, you often come across new information about nutrition for your sport. It can come from anywhere - a fellow athlete, a coach, an article you saw online, or even this podcast.
But how do you filter that information and decide if it’s valid, useful, and most importantly, worth implementing for yourself? In this episode we’re joined by Dr Dana Lis, a Canadian sports dietitian based in California who’s constantly asked this question with the athletes she works with: the EF-Tibco-SVB pro cycling team, and the Golden State Warriors (NBA). Dana will give you a framework to use when you encounter new information about nutrition for your sport, that you can use to decide whether it’s worth pursuing or not.

We often hear the message that plant-based protein sources are inferior to animal sources, and recommendations from sports nutritionists often emphasise the use of dairy and other animal-based protein foods. In this episode we speak to protein researcher Dr Alistair Monteyne (University of Exeter) who’s done of the more recent animal vs non-animal protein comparisons. We’ll look at where this common belief came from about animal proteins being superior, how the research has evolved just in the last few years, and what that means for this common sports nutrition assumption.

We’re joined by British ultra-trail runner and writer Damian Hall, who shares his personal journey to discovering the environmental impact of his running (including nutrition choices), the changes he's made as a result, and what he learnt along the way. We also chat about the Barkley Marathons which he ran earlier this year, and his recently published book, 'We Can't Run Away From This - Racing to improve running’s footprint in our climate emergency'. 
 
To learn more about Damian's books, blog, etc: https://www.ultradamo.com/
 
Our World In Data - information on food & the environment discussed in the podcast: https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impacts-of-food#explore-data-on-the-environmental-impacts-of-food 
 
To find out about The Green Runners: https://thegreenrunners.com/ 
 
Follow Damian:
Instagram: @ultra_damo
Twitter: @Ultra_Damo
 

We’ve answered almost 60 common questions about sports nutrition to date on this podcast, but one thing we don’t often consider is the environmental implications of our advice. Are we inadvertently contributing to climate change and destruction of the very environments we love to train and race in? Can we be good athletes and good global citizens, or are we facing an uncomfortable conflict of values?
 
We're joined by Dr Alba Reguant-Closa (Agroscope, in Zurich, Switzerland), one of the only sports dietitians in the world who is actively working in this area. We’ll unpack and simplify the complex relationship between food and the environment, discover which food choices have the biggest environmental impact, look at the impact of sports-specific nutrition strategies on the environment, and finish with the 3 things athletes should do from a nutrition perspective if they care about reducing their environmental impact.
 
Alba's research publications on this topic:
Meyer & Reguant-Closa (2017). "Eat as If You Could Save the Planet and Win!" Sustainability Integration into Nutrition for Exercise and Sport. Nutrients; 9(4):412. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9040412
 
Reguant-Closa et al. (2020). The Environmental Impact of the Athlete's Plate Nutrition Education Tool. Nutrients;12(8):2484. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12082484 
 
Meyer, Reguant-Closa & Nemecek (2020). Sustainable Diets for Athletes. Curr Nutr Rep.; 9(3):147-162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-020-00318-0 
 

It seems every second runner, cyclist or triathlete you meet is taking, or talking about, magnesium. Ask them why and you often get some vague kind of answer - for recovery, for muscle function, or something a bit more specific like cramping.
But when you delve into the sports nutrition guidelines, there’s no mention of magnesium in there. Literally nothing. So are athletes a step ahead of the science here, or have they been duped by the lure of a supplement that uses terms like “nervous system” and “muscle function” that are taken from a symptom list of clinical magnesium deficiency?
In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr Sophie Killer, a sports nutritionist and researcher who did some of the very few studies of magnesium and athletes during her time working with UK Athletics. We’ll look at what magnesium does in the body, how to know if you’re deficient in magnesium, whether deficiency is common in athletes, whether supplements can improve performance or reduce cramping, the benefits and risks of magnesium supplementation, and whether we should think about magnesium as a daily supplement like iron, or something that specifically needs replacing during exercise like sodium.
Sophie's study looking at magnesium testing in UK track and field athletes over an 8 year period: https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2019.1691953 

Many runners, cyclists and triathletes, male and female, can find themselves struggling to perform, or to recover, from training. Or they may have other health complications, like loss of their menstrual cycle for females and low testosterone in males, loss of bone density, effects on mental health, and constantly getting sick all the time. 
In this episode our guest is Tina Muir, former elite distance runner who represented Great Britain. Tina suffered with amenorrhoea for 9 years, and although she didn’t realise it at the time, Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). We chat to Tina about her realisation that energy availability was behind her lack of a menstrual cycle, some of the common symptoms of RED-S that she experienced but aren’t mentioned in the official guidelines, her decision to quit the sport at the peak of her career, her journey to recover from RED-S, and her ongoing work to support athletes (especially women) in understanding and recovering from this condition.
Useful resources mentioned in this episode: 
Tina Muir - An Open Letter to Runners With Amenorrhea - Self Magazine (2017) - https://www.self.com/story/letter-to-runners-with-amenorrhea-tina-muir
Tina's YouTube Channel (expert interviews about RED-S and recovery from it) - https://www.youtube.com/@TinaMuir/playlists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=1

In previous podcasts we've talked about the issue of low energy availability and the health and performance problems it can cause for athletes. But what if you're in that situation right now? In this episode Bronwen Lundy (Rowing Australia) joins us to outline the strategies that athletes can use to recovery from Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S).

If you ever wanted to hear how strong is the link between nutrition and bone fractures, this is the story. We chat to Bobby Clay, former Under 20 European Champion in the 1500m, whose career took a sudden and unexpected turn.
Many in the running community will already be familiar with Bobby's story after she wrote about her experience in Athletics Weekly in 2017. With the benefit of hindsight Bobby explains more about what went on at the time, what happened next, where she's at now, and most importantly the lessons that all athletes (or parents of young athletes) can take away from her experience.
** We want your feedback! Complete a short survey with your thoughts on the podcast - 3 people who complete it will win a copy of our new eBook when it launches in a few week's time. Survey link: http://ow.ly/AaZ050NRsNP **

Whether it's a fall off your bike and a broken collarbone, or a runner's dreaded stress fracture, it's clear that bone health is important for endurance athletes. But what's nutrition got to do with it? We're joined by Luuk Hilkens, a researcher at the HAN University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, who is doing his PhD with the Jumbo Visma Cycling Team, looking at nutrition and exercise strategies to improve bone health in elite athletes.
 
Luuk's recent research publications on this topic:
Fragile bones of elite cyclists: to treat or not to treat? - Journal of Applied Physiology - March 2021
Low Bone Mineral Density and Associated Risk Factors in Elite Cyclists at Different Stages of a Professional Cycling Career - Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise - Jan 2022
Bone turnover following high-impact exercise is not modulated by collagen supplementation in young men: A randomized cross-over trial - Bone - Feb 2023
 

How does nutrition change when transitioning from age-group to elite athlete? And does the perception of how the pros do nutrition compare to reality? We're joined by elite paratriathlete Jeremy Peacock who made this transition in the last few years, to hear how his approach to nutrition has changed as an elite athlete compared to his age-group days.

We all see pro athletes online, and get an insight into what they eat, how much they eat, and the products they use. But should we try to emulate the nutrition practices of the pros, or use the same products to get better ourselves? We're joined by A/Prof. Greg Cox, who worked for 20 years with Triathlon Australia, supporting many triathletes from their junior days through to the Olympic Games. This conversation follows on from part of a Masterclass that Greg and Alan ran for sports dietitians in late 2022, looking at nutrition for endurance athletes and the contrast between elite and non-elite athletes.

It's our 100th episode! So to celebrate we're deviating from the usual format to chat to Erchana Murray-Bartlett, who recently ran a marathon-a-day for 150 days straight. In doing so she broke the female world record for consecutive marathons run, covered 6330km from the northernmost tip of Australia back to her home town of Melbourne, and raised a heap money for the Wilderness Society. We chat to her about how she planned her nutrition for such an epic journey, how these plans stood up against the reality of her situation, and what she learnt along the way.
 
To support Erchana's fundraising efforts, check out her website: https://www.tiptotoe2022.com/
Instagram: @tip_to_toe_2022 
Facebook: @ErchanaMurrayBartlett
 
 

This episode introduces some simple but incredibly powerful add-ons to the weigh-before, weigh-after sweat rate testing process that will help you understand your results and what they mean, but most importantly, what to do with the results.

Elite distance runner Ellie Pashley returns discusses her experience with pre-exercise hyperhydration in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, and how she monitors and manages her hydration on a day-to-day basis. 

We're back for 2023, and joined by Dr Chris Irwin (Griffith University). We discuss what being well hydrated before exercise actually means, how you can tell if you are well hydrated or not, and what to do if you're not. We also discuss the strategy of pre-exercise hyperhydration, and the results of a meta-analysis Chris and Alan are in the process of writing up for publication.

We're joined by Accredited Sports Dietitian Gaye Rutherford (Tasmanian Institute of Sport) from chilly Hobart, to discuss the concept of "outrunning a bad diet". We'll unpack this question, the mentality behind it, why it's probably not a healthy way to view exercise and food, and discuss how to reframe this question in a more positive manner.

It‘s the 2nd birthday of the podcast, and to celebrate we‘re summarising all of the previous year's topics in one jam-packed episode! From ”How do I balance eating for training quality and body fat loss?”, to ”How much carbs should I have during training and races?”, and ”How do I stop cramping?”, we‘ll provide 3-5 minute summaries of each of them to bring you up to speed on any you‘ve missed. Oh, and some announcements about the future of The Long Munch.

A legend in ultrarunning coaching in the US, author, podcaster and running coach Jason Koop joins us for our special Episode 50. We discuss the evolution of nutrition in trail and ultrarunning, and what’s transferred over from cycling and triathlon. Jason also gives us a sneak peak of what the elite guys are doing in terms of their approach to race day fuelling and hydration, what we can or can't learn from that, plus his recent work with Mina Guli and her Run Blue project. Plus plenty of great practical tips along the way.
 

Dentist and ultrarunner Julie Savage joins us to discuss a topic that many of us may prefer not to think about. Julie explains whether sports drinks and gels themselves have a unique role in dental erosion and decay, whether exercise itself is the problem, and most importantly, what runners, cyclists and triathletes can do to protect their smiles.

We're joined this week by elite trail and mountain runner Blake Hose. Blake shares his experience with blood testing, what he's tested for and the feedback and value he's got from having bloods, and his thoughts on regular versus ad hoc testing.

Medical doctor and Sports Medicine Registrar Alice McNamara is back on the podcast. We discuss what blood tests can tell an athlete and their support team, what tests are related to nutrition for runners, cyclists & triathletes, and if athletes should get regular bloods for screening, or only when there’s a suspected issue.

Ultrarunner Martijn Doekes joins us to discuss his recent experience completing Alan's 5 hour sodium replacement study. We go through the results and how to interpret these, to determine the amount of sodium that needs replacing during exercise. 

Alan discusses his recently published research that uses existing equations to estimate the sodium replacement needs of athletes during exercise. We cover why sodium might be important to replace during exercise, what we're trying to achieve with sodium replacement, the factors that determine if deliberate sodium replacement is important or not, and how much we then need.

Aussie cyclist Neil van der Ploeg joins us again to share his experience with metabolic flexibility. We discuss the changes he made to improve his metabolic flexibility, why he did it, and how it worked out. 

Jeff Rothschild (Auckland University of Technology) joins us to discuss what metabolic flexibility means, when is it important, and his research which looked at what actually influences how our bodies use fat or carbs during exercise. A fascinating conversation with some common myths busted!

Elite cyclist turned triathlete Ben Hill joins us again, this time to discuss an issue he's struggled with most of his career. We discuss what Ben's done in the past to try and prevent or relieve his cramping, how his cramping changed from his recent transition from cycling to triathlon, and apply the questionnaire we discussed last week with Prof. Kevin Miller (Ep 45A) to try and identify Ben's specific cramping risk factors.

Prof. Kevin Miller (Texas State University) joins us to discuss one of the most common issues faced by endurance athletes. We cover what we know about cramping and why it’s so difficult to figure out the cause, the role nutrition does or doesn’t play in cramping prevention and management, and finding a strategy moving forward to help you reduce your risk of cramping.

Ironman World Champion in 2019 (60-65 yr age group), multisport master athlete Mary Mitchell joins us to share her experience over the decades of training and racing. We discuss how age has impacted her training and racing and her approach to nutrition, as well as the benefits that come with so much experience and years of accumulated training in the body.

Recently retired from Bond University, Prof. Peter Reaburn dedicated much of his career to studying the training & nutrition needs of masters athletes. He shares his wisdom about what changes in athletes as we get older, and how this impacts nutritional needs.

A researcher in supplements & performance at the University of São Paulo, Dr Bryan Saunders discusses what research has been done on creatine supplementation for running, cycling and triathlon performance, and in what circumstances might creatine supplements be beneficial or potentially detrimental for endurance athletes.

Aussie cyclist, coach and podcaster Cyrus Monk joins us from training camp in Germany, to discuss how sleep impacts his performance in training and during stage races, and the things he controls in his diet that help him to get a good night's sleep.

An expert in athlete sleep and recovery, Prof. Shona Halson (Australian Catholic University) joins us to discuss why sleep is so important for athletes, and whether the type, amount or timing of food and/or supplements can help or hinder getting a good night's sleep.

Ultra-runner Ash Daniels joins us to share his experience with gut training. We discuss why Ash did gut training in the first place, the process he went through and the end goal, the benefits he saw in just 2-3 months, and what he found easy or difficult in the process.

The term 'gut training' is thrown around a lot these days, but what does this actually mean? This week Steph will take us through what we mean by gut training, why would runners, cyclists or triathletes want to do it, what is the evidence that it works, and how you go about gut training.

We're back after a week's break to answer a listener question around fibre. Steph runs us through what fibre is and the general recommendations; what happens if you have too much or not enough fibre, both for general health and specific to exercise; why athletes might inadvertently eat too much fibre and what to do about it, and the timing of fibre around exercise and the importance in terms of gut issues.

Paratriathlete Liam Twomey joins us to discuss his carbohydrate needs in training and on race day, and the recent changes he made to get more out of his training. Steph & Alan also go back to basics on carbs, the different types, where they come from, and how to plan your training and race nutrition to ensure you're getting the most from your sessions.

The man who did much of the research that lead to our current guidelines for carbs during exercise, Prof. Asker Jeukendrup joins us to discuss the nuances of carbs during exercise - recreational vs elite athletes, running vs cycling, shorter vs longer duration, and much, much more. As head of performance nutrition for the Jumbo Visma pro cycling team, the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre and the Dutch Olympic Team, Asker also discusses the challenges & practical considerations for achieving your optimal carbohydrate intake on race day.

Two time Olympian in the 1500m & sports dietitian Linden Hall joins us to discuss the role of fruit & veggies in her diet, what happens when she doesn't get enough on the road, and her experience with the vast array of fruit & vegetable based supplements that are heavily marketed to athletes.

Researcher and sports dietitian Dr Andrea Braakhuis (University of Auckland) joins us to chat about her area of research on the components in fruit and vegetables and their impact on performance. We discuss whether we should just try to eat more fruit and veggies, some of the challenges in achieving that for runners, cyclists and triathletes, and whether there's evidence to support the use of supplemental forms like greens powders, New Zealand blackcurrant and tart cherry juice.

We're joined by Aussie pro cyclist Sarah Gigante, who shares her experience relocating to Europe and learning to adapt her on-bike nutrition in a much colder climate. From cozy gloves that stopped her accessing race food, to finding suitable alternatives to cereal bars in Europe, we hear stories of adapting to life riding in Europe, and the challenges eating and drinking in the cold, wind and rain of the Spring Classics in Belgium.

Beccy Hall is a sports dietitian with the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia and previously with the Canadian Sports Institute Pacific. She discusses if nutritional needs change when training through the winter, what does 'being cold' actually means, and some great practical tips and advice learnt from working with Winter Olympic athletes and others in temperatures both above and below freezing.

Elite ultra-runner & coach, mum of one and pregnant with the 2nd on the way, Kellie Emerson joins us to share her experiences with managing training (and racing) and nutrition whilst pregnant and breastfeeding. Plenty of great advice and practical suggestions for new mums or soon-to-be new mums.

Co-founder of Compeat Nutrition, sports dietitian for Australia's women's soccer team The Matildas & mum of three kids, Alicia joins us to discuss both the guidelines and the practical reality of nutrition during pregnancy & breastfeeding, and how your training nutrition needs change during this time. Plenty of practical tips for new mums or mums-to-be that are continuing to train during this time.

Cyclist Ben Hill joins us to share his experience managing food and nutrition whilst travelling, both domestically with the National Road Series, and internationally in Europe and Asia. We discuss what's worked, what's gone wrong, and what he always takes with him when travelling. We also chat about his experience with the Australian team in the UCI Cycling ESports World Championships, a former teammate who's now a multiple Tour de France winner, and his love of riding in the breakaway.

We're joined by Jess Rothwell, Nutrition Lead for Athletics Australia and Sports Dietitian at the Victorian Institute of Sport, working with their athletics program. We tap into Jess's experience travelling with teams to training camps, World Championships and Olympic Games, as well as her own experience as an athlete. This includes common nutrition issues and challenges for both domestic and international travel and tips for overcoming these, tips for choosing accommodation and what to take with you to be prepared for any situation, and how you as an athlete can be better prepared nutritionally when travelling for an event.

Our first returning athlete guest, triathlete and Tokyo Olympian Emma Jeffcoat's back on the podcast. We discuss her Olympic experience and plans for 2022, her personal experience with supplements, the products she's tried over the years, her thought process when deciding on whether to use a supplement or not, and her experience combining supplements with international travel.

We're joined by Greg Shaw, Nutrition Lead for Swimming Australia and Performance Manager for the open water program. As a former athlete and then sports dietitian, Greg has used supplements, researched supplement use, contibuted to the AIS Sports Supplement Framework and worked with numerous athletes to advise them on supplement use. We discuss how to define supplements, his process of determining if an individual would benefit from supplements, and how we would benefit by shifting from a "magic pills and potions" to a "nutrient optimisation" mindset.

Runner and sports science journalist Alex Hutchinson joins us to provide his experience of using a continuous glucose monitor, and his research and conversations with elite and professional athletes who have been using them. We discuss what it's like to wear the monitor, what data you get back, and what to do with it.
A columnist for Outside and formerly Runner's World, Alex is also the author of the New York Times best-seller Endure, where he examined the science of fatigue and the limits of human performance.

A hot topic in sports nutrition, discussed in our first ever double guest episode! Dr Dana Lis (Israel Premier-Tech) & Dr Dave Martin (formerly AIS, now in Silicon Valley) join us to discuss wearable tech in general, and continuous glucose monitors specifically for athletes. Are they accurate, what do they tell us, when are they useful, or is it pointless data capture?

Two time Olympian in the 1500m & now track and XC coach at the University of Victoria, Hilary Stellingwerff joins us to discuss her experience managing training and nutrition across the menstrual cycle, what she learnt from science and experience, how she works with the athletes she coaches, and what matters in the bigger picture.

Clare Minahan from Griffith University is a world expert in female athlete physiology, including influence of the menstrual cycle and contraceptive use. She joins us to discuss a topic with so many myths and misconceptions - should female athletes adjust their nutrition according to the phase of their menstrual cycle?

Triathlon coach Danielle Stefano from Elotik Pro Triathlon works with high school triathletes, elite juniors, and Olympic and Paralympic athletes. She discusses the similarities and differences between these groups, and how she sees the nutritional needs and concerns of younger athletes through the lens of a coach who works across the spectrum.

Prof. Ben Desbrow (Griffith University) joins us to discuss how the nutitional needs of younger athletes are different to adults, and the practical, social and ethical considerations with this age group. A must-listen for parents, coaches or support staff of young runners, cyclists & triathletes.

Cyclist, sports scientist, and cycling coach Dr Stephen Lane from HPTek joins us to discuss the use or misuse of training data to provide insights into nutrition practices, including what data to use and when, and when you can go by feel.

Dr Trent Stellingwerff (Director of Innovation & Research, Canadian Sport Institute Pacific) joins us to discuss the nuances of collecting and interpreting training data, how it could be used to inform your nutrition, and we finish with some practical examples.

Cyclist Neil van der Ploeg joins us to explain how he balanced training load & body fat loss in the lead up to key races. Neil's career included multiple National Road Series stage wins, the 2017 Grafton to Inverell Cycle Classic, a podium at the 2015 Road Nationals & several appearances on the UniSA National Team at the Tour Down Under.