Endurance Planet

By Endurance Planet Inc.Health & Fitness

Endurance Planet episodes

April 27, 2018 ATC 259: Why Do I keep Getting Injured, How Long is a Long Run, Cramping Off the Bike, Training for a Mountain Race, How to Self-Coach, and more!
Coaches, Lucho and Brock, answer the questions: Why Do I keep Getting Injured, How Long is a Long Run, Cramping With Speed, Training on a Road Bike for a Mountain Race, How to Self-Coach, and more!
1 hr 41 min
April 13, 2018 ATC 258: When to Lose Weight, How to Build Upper Body Strength, Elevation Training, Best Strength Training for Runners, and more!

Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Generation UCAN Superstarch, the incredible fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts looking for burn more fat for fuel, optimize sports performance and keep blood sugar in check. EP fans get 15% of UCAN, shop now. You can also use the code “enduranceplanet” if you’re shopping at generationucan.com for that 15% discount. Join the revolution. You can burn more fat for fuel. Oh, and be sure to check out the UCAN bars with peach and also another flavor with coffee beans for an added kick!

On this episode of Ask The Coaches, with guest coach/host Brock Armstrong:
Chris asks:
I am 34 years old and only got into endurance sports over the last 3 years. I’ve always been overweight, even as a D1 athlete in college (soccer). I’ve done several 13.1’s, a few 70.3’s and am running my first 26.2 in a few weeks, followed by IMLP next summer.
So here’s my question –
Does MAF discriminate when it comes to weight? I have respectable times, despite being 240lbs at 6’0” tall. I’m a sub 2 hour 13.1 and sub 6 hour 70.3. The problem is that I generally am running at much higher HRs than anyone else I know or train with. I can run at 170-175bpm relatively easily for extended periods of time. No, my HRM is not broken – this is over several iterations. To the contrary, when I try to run my MAF pace of 147, I am stuck walking the majority of the time. I can’t in good conscience train for races by mostly walking. At the same time, I would like to be a much better fat burner. I do think that my fat burning must be better than my MAF efforts entail, as I have little problem completing a 15-18 mi run on very minimal calories. My 18 mi run this past week for example at an average HR of 159 only required around 150 calories during the run.
So – should I use a different measurement to determine “easy” pace, or should I legitimately be walking? Obviously losing weight should be a focus, and it is, I am mostly LCHF and spend a good amount of time in the gym lifting, doing Lucho’s favorite, Olympic lifts, in an effort to improve my body comp.
It’s so hard to find good endurance information for those of us who do not fit the standard athletic body type. So many principals are built on an assumption of body composition. Please help!
The coaches say:
– Everyone walks when they first start MAF. Well… nearly everyone.
– Brock’s article called “Can Losing Weight Make You Run Faster?” and “Is BMI an Accurate Way to Measure Body Fat?”
– A study called “Kinematic, Cardiopulmonary, and Metabolic Responses of Overweight Runners While Running at Self-Selected and Standardized Speeds”
– Maybe your slow pace is close enough? 156hr would be very acceptable.
Sabrina asks:
I am a long course athlete. I love just being out there in a race and enjoying the experience no matter how long it takes me. I train primarily in Zone 1-2 (swimming 2 days per week, walks/hikes 2-3 days per week (3-4 miles), a longish run (7-9 miles), a longish bike (15-20 miles), a long bike (25-30 miles) and a long run (12-15 miles).
I love the pre-dawn hours and watching the world wake up during a run/bike.
My daughters, on the other hand, are into obstacle races (I was the one who ran to a family obstacle race last fall – and yes I completed it). On our way to their first Spartan Kids event, I quickly agreed to do a full event once my oldest meets the minimum age requirement. Then we arrived and the gravity of my quick decision hit me.
I do not want to hold my daughter back on the obstacles…..she has a hardcore game face during the Spartan Kids events and finishes well!!!! I have no measurable upper body strength!!! This is no joke……I have spent years disregarding your advice to do offseason weight training.
It is not a love of mine so it is easy to choose a different workout. I will definitely need a lot to avoid the dreaded burpee zone if I cannot complete an obstacle. The upside is I have 1.5 years to fix this issue.
So where to start? And still be able to complete my races next year?
Also, due to my kids, my husband has built Monkey Bars, a mini Salmon Ladder, and a rope climb in the backyard.
Next 1.5 years race plan:
March 2018 Local Half Marathon (registered)
May 2018 IM 70.3 Chattanooga (registered – A race – going with my tri club)
Nov 2018 Local Marathon I do every year
Spring 2019 IM 140.6….One of those I am turning 40 things
The coaches say:
– Study on high reps/ low weight or low reps / high weight were best.
– Start conservatively and build to the point where muscle failure happens at 12-15 Reps. That is your starting weight for each exercise.
– Two days a week on non-swimming days. Bike days would be good.
– Al Kavadlo bodyweight exercises
Ben asks:
I am a long time listener of the podcast and appreciate all of the ATC episodes that you and Lucho do, as you both provide unique and great perspectives. I am a 40-year-old male, 6’, 170 lbs. I started endurance racing 12 years ago, and have since completed 70+ endurance events.
PR’s:
OLY – 2:09
HIM – 4:54
½ Marathon – 1:38
Marathon – 3:33
2x qualifier for Duathlon Worlds
I took a few years off with low training volume (~2 hours wk) due to work, family, and other obligations. In late 2014 I decided to get back into the swing of things, and subsequently posted my Marathon PR in the fall of 2015, but came out injured w/ severe plantar fasciitis. After months of rehab, multiple cortisone shots, and other attempts at curing it, I opted for surgery in May of 2016. Under the direction of my doctor, I started biking a few weeks after surgery, and on the 3rd ride I was hit by a car. Luckily enough, there were no broken bones, but there was a lot of body trauma and a severe concussion that eliminated any resemblance of working out for 3+ months. Once I was able to return to working out, I noticed that my surgically repaired foot still did not feel “fixed”, so in talking with my Dr, we opted for a 2nd surgery in November of 2016. I am happy to say that I have been on a solid road to getting back to decent training volume. While on a group ride in August I was buzzed pretty close by a vehicle, and realized that I wasn’t fully recovered mentally from my car/bike accident, and sold the road bike that I had built from scratch. So, I did the only thing any self-respecting (read: crazy) endurance athlete would do, I spent too much money on a mountain bike, and have dedicated my training/racing to off-road triathlons and mountain biking J Because after all self-inflicted injuries > car inflicted injuries J
I will be racing my first off-road triathlon in July at the XTERRA Mountain Championships at Beaver Creek, and while I am not expecting to qualify for XTERRA worlds, I would be lying if I said it wasn’t at least in the back of my mind. The predicament that I am in is that I live at 900 ft and will be racing at 7500 ft, with the bike course having 3000 ft of climbing (with almost 2000 in the first 5 miles) and the run course having 1300 ft of elevation gain. I will be flying in the day before the race, but have a couple of work-related trips that will afford me at least a little bit of elevation training a few weeks before the race –
– 4 wks out – 3 days of riding/running between 5,000 and 6,000 ft
– 2 wks out – 2-3 days of riding/running between 6,500 and 7,500 ft
Outside of what I am already planning on, what recommendations do you have to help bridge the 7,000 vertical foot gap/lack of oxygen that I am faced with so that I can perform to my full potential in July? Looking forward to hearing back from you.
The coaches say:
– Beet Root and Echinacea to improve oxygen transport capacity.
– A supplement like BioTropics Chlorella
– HIIT to help develop oxygen carrying capacity.
– Practice that first ascent but don’t forget about speedy descent as well.
– Breathing exercises that strengthen the diaphragm.
– Those practice sessions will only be good mentally, they’re not going to help physically.
– Nutrition is key at altitude. Especially hydration.
Max asks:
Been listening to your podcast for a few months and really enjoy it. Lots of useful advice! I am wondering how to incorporate strength training into my training program.
Some background: I am just getting into trail running and have never run regularly in my life. I am 23 and have a background in swimming and water polo competitively and hiking/backpacking or skiing recreationally. I am running a race in mid-August (6.8 miles 2,200ft of vertical) and may run a trail half marathon 3,400ft of vert) in early September depending on how my training goes over the next several months. I live in Denver so I can get to the mountains on the weekend but generally not during the week. Through my research and listening to your podcast I have settled on doing 3 months of only MAF HR training building up volume and consistency over the three months. Then the next 3.5 months leading to the races will be mostly MAF training incorporating strides and trying to pack in as much vert as safely as possible (to avoid injury) on the weekends.
During the second part of this training cycle, I am considering adding some strength training a couple days a week after easy runs. I imagine doing strength exercise using Dumbbells or body weight nothing extreme. My goal with the strength training is to build durability to avoid injury and strength to tackle hills as I can’t always run on hills during the week. Also, I always take one rest day per week. My long-term goals involve moving up to longer distance over the next several years and would like to enjoy this sport for a long time.
How should integrate strength training into my training? Should I focus on running volume now and incorporate strength training in the winter?
Thanks for all the great advice and for putting on this podcast. Keep up the great work!
The coaches say:
– Areas that all runners need to strengthen: Core (form and efficiency), Upper body (fatigue resistance), Legs (extra power), and Stabilizers in the ankles, knees, and hips.
– Single leg work.
– Plyometrics
– Barefoot work to running efficiency, agility, and strengthen your feet and lower legs.
The post ATC 258: When to Lose Weight, How to Build Upper Body Strength, Elevation Training, Best Strength Training for Runners, and more! first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 38 min
April 06, 2018ATC 257: Building Durability and Toughness, Too Fast For MAF, Hamstring Niggles, When Resistant Starch Backfires, Ground Contact Time, and More!
Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you byGeneration UCAN Superstarch, the incredible fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts looking for burn more fat for fuel, optimize sports performance and keep blood sugar in check. EP fans get 15% of UCAN, shop now. You can also use the code “enduranceplanet” if you’re shopping at generationucan.com for that 15% discount. Join the revolution. You can burn more fat for fuel. Oh, and be sure to check out the UCAN bars with peach and also another flavor with coffee beans for an added kick!
Sponsor:
Join the Endurance Planet crew for a race experience of a lifetime! This year we’re hosting three Ragnar teams: an ultra team and regular-distance team at Ragnar SoCal on April 6-7 (THIS WEEKEND), and a regular team at Ragnar Cape Cod on May 11-12. Lucho, Tawnee and some awesome athletes will all be together for an unforgettable weekend. To get the details and join the team email [email protected]. Need more convincing? Listen to some of our Ragnar podcasts here and watch a video of the experience here.
On this episode of Ask The Coaches (with the special guest coach, Brock Armstrong):
John C
Besides long runs, what type of training builds muscle and connective tissue durability and toughness?
What training will help muscles and connective tissue develop resistance to the pain and stiffness from tissue damage that occurs during the later stages of a marathon?
With just 3 Training sessions spaced out over a week consisting of Hill Repeats, VO2 Max Intervals, and a 25 Minute Tempo Run (totaling 2 to 3 hours of running a week), I can maintain a very high level of fitness. With this minimal training, I can perform to my abilities up to Half Marathon Distance (1:30 duration). In races beyond a half marathon, stiffness, pain and general lack of spring sets in and slows me down.
I am savvy with regards hydration, fueling, minerals, amino acids, managing overheating, preventing neurotransmitter depletion and warding off fatigue. I would like to build durability without having to slog it out doing long multi-hour training runs.
From experience, I know first-hand longs runs help build durability but have the negative side effect of taking up a lot of time and causing stiffness and tissue damage. To counteract these negatives requires adding additional training measures such as flexibility, massage, and plyometric training. I want to keep things simple and not have to devote more than a few hours a week to running, but still want to run a quality marathon up to my potential. Is it possible?
Look after your joints: Inflammation Factor website and book, fish oil, collagen.
Pre-fatigue exercises before running.
Active lifestyle outside of workouts (standing desks and Dean Karnazes).
Prioritize Recovery.
Weights, box jumps, deadlifts, and so on for strength.
Allison
Just listened to ATC 250 – specifically the segment about the 30-year-old female whose MAF heart rate puts her at an exertion beyond what she can hold-the opposite of what usually happens for new MAF-ers. I’m so glad you addressed this question and hope you address it further. I have the exact same issue. I am a 34-year-old female-my MAF is 146 and I have a really hard time going this fast. Dr. Phil Maffetone did begin to address this in ATC November 29, 2017, but did not go into details. He says something like – “people get too fast, but there are ways to handle this….” but that’s it. I would love to hear more on this.
Previous question from ATC 250: “MAF HR for 30-year-old female is very close to her apparent max HR of 165 (feels like she will collapse and pass out); used to running “aerobic” runs at 115-125 bpm.”
Run a 5k all out and use that to build zones from.
Switch to a pace based plan. Dr. Daniels.
Modifying MAF to still get aerobic gains.
Glenn
I’m a long distance runner and have a constant upper hamstring niggle that I’m aware of but it doesn’t impact performance. It’s flared up after some back to back days of beach sports. I can lightly run on it but mentally don’t want to fully extended/push myself so I’m not training efficiently.
I’ve got about 10 more weeks of base building before marathon training ramps up so looking to eliminate the problem. Could you please ask Lucho what his program for his situation looks like and forward if willing, please. Any advice would be welcomed.
High Hamstring Tendinopathy? These are the signs:
– Pain deep in the buttocks, upper thighs, or back of the hips that starts gradually.
– Pain or discomfort when sitting down, especially if it gets worse after sitting for a long time.
– Pain that is triggered or worsened by an activity that involves repetitive leg motion, particularly running or biking. The pain may even begin at the same point in the workout.
– Pain when bending fully at the waist, for example, to pick something up off the ground.
– Pain that gets worse when accelerating or sprinting.
Anti-inflammatory cream, massage, ART, PRP
Ham issues can often be traced to foot inflexibility and/or glute mobility and strength. Look at those.
Strength training to prevent this.
Eccentric hamstring contraction.
If you sign a waver – you might be able to ignore this.
Nordic Hamstrong curls! Hip thruster, glute bridge, RDLs.
Katy Bowman book Whole Body Barefoot
Jessica
Love the show and all of the great advice and crazy things y’all talk about. I had a question about marathon and 50k fueling. I working on becoming more fat adapted. The last marathon I ran, I took UCAN at the start and then one gel at 14 miles and another at 18. I did pretty well with that, no bonking or anything. The problem, though, is that I have finally narrowed down that UCAN is making me sick for nearly 3 days after I use it. Every time I use it I get severe stomach cramps, heartburn and I am nauseous.This lasts for 2-3 days. I’ve figured this out through some pretty detailed food journaling and workout log records. I’m 90% sure I have nailed it down to the UCAN. So what kind of fueling strategy would you recommend for someone running marathons (in about 3:30) and 50ks in about 5-6 hours?
Gut health? Microbiota could be off. Or lacking. Try some probiotics.
It’s ok to have some carb based fuel, just not every day.
Nike 2:00 fuel is www.maurten.com
Jay
In a recent ATC episode, you mentioned using a Stryd foot pod to measure ground contact time. So, of course, I went out and bought one of these devices. At my 8:20 MAF pace my GCT is 255 milliseconds at a 173 cadence. I really have no idea if this is good, bad, or ugly. But, I have started jumping rope anyway.
What sort of ground contact time should I be aiming for? Am I correct to assume it will vary with pace and cadence?
I guess I should add that I am a 47-year-old male, 4-5 runs/week, 20-40 miles a week, recently ran the Lake Tahoe Marathon in 3:56, planning on running a couple of trail 50Ks next year.
Also, if you want to talk about it, what is your opinion of using power meters for running? Fad or future? My wattage seems to be about 200 for what it is worth. I’m going to contact Stryd to get their response to this question.
Normal is between 160 — 300 milliseconds.
Elite runners are under 200-milliseconds (Kenyans have the shortest – a factor in their speed?)
GCT is linked directly to cadence. Increase cadence and you will lower GCT.
Glute med strengthening – hip hikes, fire hydrants, glute bridge.
Box drops, hill bounding.
Get-Fit Guy jump rope.
Foot plant is key. Move to the mid-front of your foot.
The post ATC 257: Building Durability and Toughness, Too Fast For MAF, Hamstring Niggles, When Resistant Starch Backfires, Ground Contact Time, and More! first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 48 min
March 30, 2018 An Update From Tawnee and Her Husband John
Your host Tawnee and her husband John give you a brief update on Endurance Planet and the news of their baby girl Whitney, who passed away at birth.
You can read more on Tawnee’s new blog: Life After Whitney.
Tawnee will be taking some time off as she heals, and in the meantime Lucho and guest host Brock will be recording new episodes of Ask the Coaches.
The post An Update From Tawnee and Her Husband John first appeared on Endurance Planet.
2 min
March 30, 2018 An Update From Tawnee and Her Husband John
Your host Tawnee and her husband John give you a brief update on Endurance Planet and the news of their baby girl Whitney, who passed away at birth. You can read more on Tawnee’s new blog: Life After Whitney. Tawnee will be taking some time off as she heals, and in the meantime Lucho and […]
2 min
March 16, 2018ATC 256: Waking Up Hungry At Night, Cortisol Rhythms, Ways To Know You’re Eating Enough, Athletic ‘Sabbaticals,’ and Why We Don’t Like Running Streaks
Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Precision Hydration, the sweat experts who provide personalized hydration strategies and drink mixes to athletes of all levels. Not sure about your sweat and sodium loss? You can start by taking Precision Hydration’s free entry-level Online Sweat Test and get a recommendation for a formula that fits your needs, or go the next step with their exercise-free Advanced Sweat Test. Then use the code “ENDURANCE15” to get 15% off your first order.

1/15/18 Calesse
Trouble sleeping and waking up at night hungry
My question is related to sleep and was sparked by your episode several months ago about chronotypes (fascinating!) I took the quiz and determined I’m a dolphin, which makes a lot of sense to me given my tendency to have difficulty falling asleep, awaken multiple times thoughout the night, and sleep most soundly in the wee hours of the morning right before my 5 am wake alarm so I can go run before heading off to teach.
Do you have any strategies I might implement in order to minimize mid-night awakenings? I also often find that I often wake up ravenous in the middle of the night (usually between 12 and 2 am), despite feeling that I’ve eaten enough throughout the day. I’ve been working with a nutritionist to include more healthy fats and increase the protein in my diet and make sure I’m eating enough to account for my activity level (I mostly train for half and full marathons and typically run about 50-70 mpw, marathon PR: 3:10, half: 1:27). We’ve been particularly focusing on moving towards more intuitive eating and listening to my body more. (I’m a 26 year old female, about 117 lb., 5 ft. 3). Have been doing long-distance running since middle school. Ran competitively in high school, college NCAA D1, and now do road races.
I also often have difficulty sleeping well on the night after I’ve done a long run or hard race, even when I run in the morning (evening races make it extra difficult to wind down, so I try to avoid them).
Some strategies I’ve tried so far with minimal to no success:
Listening to relaxing music at bedtime/ when I awaken/ reading a book
Taking melatonin 30 min. prior to bed (now also incorporating L-theanine and Magnesium as well).
Having a bedtime snack (cereal, milk, some Peanut butter, or a scoop of Generation UCan or sweet potato w/nut butter)
Limiting screen time in the 1-hr. before bed.
5.Getting natural light during the day whenever possible.
Going to bed/ waking up at regular schedule (usually in bed 9-9:30 pm, up 5- 5:30 am on weekdays, this shifts a tad later on weekends).
Ensuring my room is cool and dark, and quiet.
This has been going on for several years, and I’m sure has a negative impact on my training and recovery in particular. I’m also getting married in 2 months, so I want to ensure that my poor sleeping doesn’t negatively impact my soon-to-be husband.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your great work!

1/5/18 Mark T.
I have a simple question, and hopefully not a stupid question: How do I know I’m eating enough as my training ramps up? I tend to eat clean and lower carb so I’m not hangry, but I also want to make sure I’m not undergoing it. I think I heard Tawnee say that fat adapted athletes still need to eat and sometimes this can be harder with hunger cues.

1/14/18 Frank
I have been nursing a calf injury since September and have taken off running for quite some time, this Thursday January 18 will actually be 9 weeks to be exact. I’ve been on my trainer and do strength training, but zero running. Since I started endurance training/racing over 17 years ago, its the longest I’ve ever taken off of running. I am signed up for two Ironman races this year….IMLP (July) and IM Maryland (Sept).
Do you guys have any advice on how to bring running back into my training? I feel that I can start running again, but not sure how much volume or intensity to include. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
https://enduranceplanet.com/the-sock-doc-ditch-the-orthotics-and-fix-your-body-plus-finding-flexibility-without-static-stretching/

12/26/17 Filipe dos Reis
Big big fan here, have been listening for a year now, and I finally think I have a question that has not been asked before.
Background:
Ex military, since leaving the Air Force, went from my ideal weight of 96kg to 142kg. Started training again after 8 years of neglect due to work (averaged 90hrs a week for a few years) and now I have the lifestyle that allowed me to go back to training. After a few months training on carbs (mtb/cycling background) with very very poor results and no increase in fitness, went looking and found Phil Maffetone and Tim Noakes.
Started on the 1st of May 2017 LCHF and went from 132kg to 116kg before the 1st of October, training only on the bike (too much weight feels uncomfortable running, or so I told myself) and I’m now running again.
I have now free time for consistent training and I’m loving the improvement on my health from real food, real training.
I have no A races, all my races are C races, as in, when I have a weekend off, check online what’s happening, register if possible and wing it! I’m in it for the finisher medals, the camaraderie, and nice pictures. Theses races can be anything from a park run, to a mtb marathon, to a 100k road granfondo, I have absolutely no preference apart from cost versus availability!
I have 2 questions:
My MAF HR using the MAF app, is 149, but I cannot maintain it for the life of me!
If I walk briskly, cannot go above 130/132… If I change for a run, as slow as possible, I go into 154/155!
True MAF is like a black hole, a no man’s land! But On the bike I can pick point exact HR’s and stay there but on the run… Not even close!
Can I make my fitness meet my MAF HR and then make my MAF HR improve my fitness, as in, keep the pace a few more months, so at my minimum speed my HR decreases from 155 to 149 or below, and then, keep the HR and increase the pace???
I listened to Lucho talk about his 20×20 miles and saw it as a challenge for my base training, starting from zero. 20x5k, then 20x10k, then 20×10 miles, then 20×15 miles and finally 20×20 miles. Is this as bad idea as it sounds…? :SmileyFace:
11/19/17 Mat H.
Mat from France/Switzerland.
I am a 60y old female who has been racing and training up to the half marathon for 3 years now. I am running about 30 km/week on average (3-4 runs), I am very injury prone, especially with my Achilles that I first hurt back in the 70s. I can do only little, if any, speedwork (even though I just love sprinting and really envy Lucho for his 400m racing), so I am very slow – but in my age group it’s easy to podium anyway.
My running is mainly at MAF (about 7 minutes/km at 120, not subtracting the 10 for my Hashimoto – with the T4 replacement that drove up my heartrate it would be double “punishment” and my maximum HR is over 178). I am eating low carb since I jumped on the Atkins bandwagon in the 70s (but adding at least 1kg of organic vegetables per day), I suppose I am quite fat adapted – at least I have no problem to go out fasted for 1-2 hour runs in the morning, even without having had dinner.
This year, I am going back to school in Paris for a week once a month to learn UX Design, have moved houses to train on the job for my new trade in Switzerland (competing with 20-something digital native nerds ;-), On top of that I have a 4 hour commute every day – boat, metro, bus – whereas before I could ride my bike to work (never owned a car) … in short, 60 hours weeks and lots of travelling. Unfortunately it also makes me miss out also on the gym and my customary daily 1 hour bike ride.
To get through this, I decided to take a “performance pause” in 2018: no more racing, just as much running and strength training as needed to stay healthy, not lose muscle, not put on fat, sleep well, and be able to come back in 2019.
What do you recommend for this athletic sabbatical?
– How many hours of running per week is a “healthy”, stress friendly minimum? (Also to replace my once daily 1h bike ride)
– (What) strength training is necessary?
– Should I stop running fasted and/or having breakfast as late as 2 1/2 hours after getting out of bed?
– Is going out for runs at 5AM a supplementary stress, should I rather try to run at lunch?
– Are there diet tweaks to better cope with stress? I have experienced that some carbs in the evening help me sleep better .. (but I am carb sensitive and put on weight quickly … however anything that might lead to weight loss seems to trouble my sleep. Actually BMI 20-21)
The post ATC 256: Waking Up Hungry At Night, Cortisol Rhythms, Ways To Know You’re Eating Enough, Athletic ‘Sabbaticals,’ and Why We Don’t Like Running Streaks first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 22 min
March 16, 2018 ATC 256: Waking Up Hungry At Night, Cortisol Rhythms, Ways To Know You’re Eating Enough, Athletic ‘Sabbaticals,’ and Why We Don’t Like Running Streaks
1/15/18 Calesse Trouble sleeping and waking up at night hungry My question is related to sleep and was sparked by your episode several months ago about chronotypes (fascinating!) I took the quiz and determined I’m a dolphin, which makes a lot of sense to me given my tendency to have difficulty falling asleep, awaken multiple […]
1 hr 22 min
March 02, 2018ATC 255: Top Ways to Boost Functional Threshold Power (FTP), VO2Max for Masters Athletes, MAF Training For Spartan Races, Fartleks for Ironman, and More
Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Precision Hydration, the sweat experts who provide personalized hydration strategies and drink mixes to athletes of all levels. Not sure about your sweat and sodium loss? You can start by taking Precision Hydration’s free entry-level Online Sweat Test and get a recommendation for a formula that fits your needs, or go the next step with their exercise-free Advanced Sweat Test. Then use the code “ENDURANCE15” to get 15% off your first order.

On this episode of Ask The Coaches:
Ways to boost FTP for lean triathletes
Don’t just focus on training at FTP – you need a solid foundation/base (Z1/Z2/MAF) and also the ability to work your high end (e.g. VO2max).
Sweet spot training (just below FTP) to help FTP.
Sessions to do at FTP (3 x 10min, 2 x 20min, etc).
How weight training fits into FTP gains if at all.
Start FTP focus 18 weeks before A race.
Don’t just do hills for FTP training, make sure you can hold FTP on flats.
Specificity!
Ironman run training plan
Add intensity further out (~18 weeks) and as race nears get closer to race specificity (Z2, low Z3)
Fartleks for IM training?
Is it a brick if there’s a 15min gap between bike and run?
When there’s nowhere safe to run, would short hill repeats be an ok sub for a flatter run?
Is it ok to do extra training when the stars align knowing that the following week(s) you may miss some?
MAF training for a 50k Spartan Ultra Beast
MAF can be hugely beneficial, but it’s also very necessary to get over MAF to best prepare for the intensity of the obstacles
Training grip strength.
Not sure if intensity is helping or hurting your base? Just be sure to do your MAF tests to make sure aerobic fitness is staying where you want it to!
Training for endurance and strength that’s needed in an obstacle race.
VO2max for masters athletes into their 80s
It’s “depressing” to see charts showing the decline in VO2 MAX with age, so how can an 80 year old can improve VO2 Max?
Take it from Ironman legend Lew Hollander who raced Kona into his 80s: Get your heart rate up every day and get anaerobic.
How to Be 80 Year Old and Have a VO2max of a 35 Year Old
“He has a lifelong history of endurance and strength-exercise training. Born and raised on a small farm in a roadless mountain region, his childhood was dominated by the vigorous manual labor of farm work, fishing, hunting, and berry harvesting (Figures 1(c) and 1(d)), as well as exercise training. He has continued this lifestyle as an adult. He currently self-reports ~30 minutes of structured endurance and strength training 3 times/week (Figure 1(e)), ~20 minutes of endurance training, including short durations with moderate-to-lactate threshold intensity, and ~ 10 minutes of strength training three times per week, mainly on the upper body and core with 10–12 repetitions per set. Each year, he takes a 7-day ski trip in the mountains and has competed in ultraendurance ski races. His current objectively measured daily activity level is high at 10,843 steps·day−1. His total energy expenditure (TEE) was 2,476 Kcal·day−1, out of which 877 Kcal·day−1 was due to active energy expenditure (AEE). Daily active time (≥3 METs) was 2:51 hr·day−1, with 2:31 hr·day−1 of moderate activity (3–6 METs) and 0:21 hr·day−1 of vigorous activity (6–9 METs), while no time of >9 METs was logged.”
The post ATC 255: Top Ways to Boost Functional Threshold Power (FTP), VO2Max for Masters Athletes, MAF Training For Spartan Races, Fartleks for Ironman, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 6 min
March 02, 2018 ATC 255: Top Ways to Boost Functional Threshold Power (FTP), VO2Max for Masters Athletes, MAF Training For Spartan Races, Fartleks for Ironman, and More
On this episode of Ask The Coaches: Ways to boost FTP for lean triathletes Don’t just focus on training at FTP – you need a solid foundation/base (Z1/Z2/MAF) and also the ability to work your high end (e.g. VO2max). Sweet spot training (just below FTP) to help FTP. Sessions to do at FTP (3 x […]
1 hr 6 min
February 21, 2018Brock Armstrong: Testing Today’s Top Biohacks – What Are They, The Science, Potential Benefits, and Are They Worthwhile?
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Our friend Brock Armstrong is back on Endurance Planet (and also back doing EP’s audio editing) and he shares the experiences he’s had using some of the most sophisticated, advanced biohacks in existence. He runs through a handful of machines, supplements and more to tell us what they are, how they work, his experience, the science and his n=1 conclusions on their effectiveness. At the end, he gives us his biggest takeaways on utilizing biohacks vs. good old fashioned exercise and diet.
Brock is a busy guy these days: he is the host of the Get Fit Podcast and Workplace Hero Podcast, launching the Weightless Project, coaching athletes and much more.
The biohacks discussed on this episode with references mentioned in the show:
Qualia
Nootropic (not a smart drug)
Helps brain function and cognition
Could it be the placebo effect?
Dr. Daniel Stickler of the Neurohacker Collective
Human Charger
Blasts blue light into ears like light therapy (just 12 minute sessions)
Can help circadian rhythm, jet lag, SAD, etc.
Summary of published, peer-reviewed findings
SARMS
Not legal for athletes to take in sanctioned competition
Why Brock was a bit freaked out by these
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) as Function Promoting Therapies
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator Treatment Improves Muscle Strength and Body Composition and Prevents Bone Loss in Orchidectomized Rats
Vasper
Similar to a recumbent bike
Takes you through 20min of HIIT
Occlusion therapy (blood flow restriction)
Recruits more muscle fibers
Enhanced muscle protein synthesis
Cold therapy: Also includes a cooling device directly on body
Ask The Muscle Prof: What’s The Deal With Occlusion Training?
ARX Fit
Motorized resistance training
Utilizes a wench and puts you through extreme loads
Weights vs. ARX (video)
LiveO2
Form of hypoxic training on an exercise machine
Levels of oxygen are adjusted
Hypoxic environment leads to desired adaptations for endurance exercise, e.g. increased RBCs, EPO response, and other desirable adaptations
Combined intermittent hypoxia and surface muscle electrostimulation as a method to increase peripheral blood progenitor cell concentration
CVAC
Machine (pod) that you sit in and it goes through varying pressures, i.e. a hypobaric hypoxia chamber
May boost mitochondria and aerobic gains
Cyclic Hypobaric Hypoxia Improves Markers of Glucose Metabolism in Middle-Aged Men
Pilot study: rapidly cycling hypobaric pressure improves pain after 5 days in adiposis dolorosa
Cryotherapy
A form of “extreme” cold therapy for enhanced recovery
how this compares to cold water immersion
Recovery From Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: Cold-Water Immersion Versus Whole-Body Cryotherapy.
Recovery following a marathon: a comparison of cold water immersion, whole body cryotherapy and a placebo control.
The Effectiveness of Whole Body Cryotherapy Compared to Cold Water Immersion: Implications for Sport and Exercise Recovery
Brock’s takeaways from utilizing biohacks…
The post Brock Armstrong: Testing Today’s Top Biohacks – What Are They, The Science, Potential Benefits, and Are They Worthwhile? first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 15 min