The Run Smarter Podcast

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In this month’s research breakdown, Brodie dives into four fascinating studies every runner should know about. From bone health and marathon pacing to hamstring flexibility and recovery tools, these findings reveal how science can help you train smarter and avoid common pitfalls.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Bone Health in Distance Runners
  Why running alone isn’t always enough for strong bones, and the crucial roles of nutrition, vitamin D, strength training, and recovery. Learn the red flags—like stress fractures and missed periods—that signal compromised bone health.
• The Science of Negative Splits in Marathons
  How running the second half faster than the first can preserve glycogen, improve thermoregulation, reduce cardiac drift, and even protect your biomechanics. Plus, practical training strategies to master pacing discipline.
• Hamstring Flexibility & Performance
  A small but insightful study shows how hamstring tightness may reduce quadriceps strength—but doesn’t necessarily affect speed or endurance. What this means for your strength balance, mobility work, and injury prevention.
• Foam Rolling vs Massage Guns for DOMS
  Which recovery tool actually works? Foam rolling improved muscle tone, elasticity, and stiffness faster than rest, but neither reduced soreness compared to doing nothing. Find out what this means for your post-run recovery routine.

Key Takeaways for Runners:

• Fuel properly—low energy availability harms bone health.
• Strength training twice a week boosts bone density and performance.
• A slight negative split is often the optimal marathon pacing strategy.
• Hamstring flexibility supports strength balance but doesn’t guarantee speed gains.
• Foam rolling may help restore function, but don’t expect it to erase soreness.

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In this powerful conversation, Brodie Sharpe sits down with physical therapist, running coach, and lifelong runner Steph Mundt to explore her remarkable journey from repeated bone stress injuries and dangerously low bone density to becoming a stronger, healthier, and faster runner.

Steph opens up about her history with disordered eating, how Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) impacted her bone health, and the wake-up call that led her to overhaul her training and fueling strategies. She shares exactly what worked — from nutrition changes to targeted strength training and plyometrics — and why bone health should be on every runner’s radar, not just those who have experienced stress fractures.

Whether you’re looking to prevent injury, improve performance, or run for decades to come, this episode delivers science-backed strategies and inspiring lessons for all runners.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Steph’s early running journey and how a desire for speed led to under-fueling and multiple stress fractures
• The truth about RED-S and its impact on hormones, recovery, and bone density
• Why running alone is a poor bone-building stimulus (and what to do instead)
• The specific strength training and plyometric exercises Steph used to rebuild her bone density
• How often to train, and why timing matters for bone adaptation
• Fueling strategies and key nutrients for strong bones
• Why all runners — even those without bone health issues — should focus on building and maintaining bone strength
• The mindset shift from chasing short-term PRs to prioritizing longevity and consistency in training

Links & Resources

• Follow Steph on Instagram: @stephmundt.dpt
• Steph’s Coaching & PT Services: Volante PT & Performance

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🧠 Episode Summary

In this episode, Brodie dives into a newly published paper titled “Female Tendons are from Venus and Male Tendons are from Mars: But Does it Matter for Tendon Health?” by Gerard McMahon and Jill Cook. The paper explores how male and female tendons differ in structure, adaptation, healing, and injury risk—and what it means for those dealing with tendinopathy.

🔍 What You’ll Learn

• Key structural differences between male and female tendons (size, stiffness, collagen synthesis)
• Why female tendons may stretch more but adapt less to training
• How men and women respond differently to tendon rehab protocols
• Surprising findings about pain, healing, and tendon blood flow
• Whether injury prevention or rehab should differ based on sex

📌 Key Takeaways

• Female tendons are more compliant, have lower stiffness, and show slower collagen production—even at rest.
• Male tendons respond more favorably to traditional rehab (like eccentric loading), often reporting greater pain reduction and functional improvements.
• Despite men experiencing more frequent tendon injuries in some data, women may be closer to their strain “danger zone” during exercise, possibly increasing injury risk.
• Women may need longer rehab timelines, heavier resistance training (beyond just eccentrics), and closer attention to recovery, nutrition, and hormonal cycles.
• Men should be cautious about overloading tendons due to higher force-generating capacity and should still progress gradually.

💡 For Runners With Tendinopathy

• Don’t compare your progress to someone of the opposite sex—recovery is sex-specific.
• Trust the process: healing may be happening at a microscopic level even if pain relief is slow.
• Tailor your rehab by considering not just gender, but also age, training history, injury severity, and more.

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To celebrate 400 episodes of the Run Smarter Podcast, Brodie brings on his sister Zoe for a heartfelt and relatable conversation about one of the most transformative shifts in her running journey: learning to truly slow down.

After years of red-lining every session, feeling fatigued, and struggling with motivation, Zoe had a revelation that changed everything. In this episode, she shares what triggered this shift, how removing the pressure of apps like Strava helped, and what it actually feels like to run slow enough to enjoy the process and stay consistent.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• Slowing Down Can Speed You Up: Running slower than you think you “should” may be the key to unlocking consistency and long-term improvement.
• Strava & Social Pressures: Public tracking apps can subconsciously push you into unsustainable efforts. Zoe ditched Strava and focused on how running felt rather than how it looked.
• Enjoyment Fuels Consistency: For the first time, running became enjoyable — not a chore. Zoe looked forward to her runs instead of dreading them.
• Signs You’re Running Too Hard:
  • You constantly red-line
  • You struggle to breathe or feel exhausted post-run
  • You feel unmotivated to start your runs
• Tips for Running Slow Enough:
  • Try “embarrassingly slow” pace for recovery runs
  • Sing a line of a song as a breathing test
  • Focus on how your legs and breath feel, not your watch
  • Finish feeling like you could do it again
• The 80/20 Rule: About 80% of your weekly mileage should be at low intensity — slow enough to hold a conversation or feel relaxed throughout

🧠 Reflection Prompts:

• Are you genuinely running slow enough on your easy days?
• Do apps or social comparison affect your running intensity?
• Would removing pressure improve your enjoyment and consistency?

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Struggling with running during illness, lingering muscle pain, or training for a faster marathon? In this special Ask Me Anything episode, Brodie dives into listener-submitted questions to cover a range of critical topics—from when to return to training after a cold, to how long injuries actually take to heal, to strategies for a faster marathon.

🎧 What You'll Learn:

🔹 Running After Illness:

• How to know when you're ready to return to training after a cold, flu, or COVID.
• The role of heart rate variability in gauging recovery.
• Brodie's personal recovery experience from COVID and his return-to-run strategy.
• Practical illness recovery tips: breathwork, hydration, supplements, and more.

🔹 When Rest Isn’t Enough for Muscle Healing:

• Why complete rest often delays recovery.
• How early rehab exercises support healing and reduce dysfunction.
• The “pain-rest-weakness” spiral and how to avoid it.
• Step-by-step progressions for hamstring rehab.

🔹 Injury Recovery Timeframes:

• Why Brodie avoids giving specific timelines for recovery.
• The importance of physical benchmarks over time-based goals.
• Key recovery factors: daily load, psychological mindset, treatment methods, and training mistakes.

🔹 Is Chronic Injury Harder to Heal?

• The impact of long-term pain on your nervous system and mindset.
• Why recovery is still possible—even after years of dealing with injury.

🔹 Marathon Performance Boosters (Beyond Mileage):

1. Strength training (and how heavy you really need to lift)
2. Pacing strategy (even or negative splits for optimal results)
3. Fueling & hydration (don’t wait until race day to figure it out)
4. Recovery strategy (why sleep is your best performance tool)
5. Footwear (how super shoes like Vaporfly affect performance)

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In this episode, Brodie explores the latest research on vitamin D and its role in tendon health, diving into a 2024 comprehensive review that examines both cell-based and animal studies. You’ll learn how vitamin D influences tendon healing, inflammation, and collagen production—and how low levels could delay your recovery. Plus, Brodie shares practical advice on vitamin D testing, optimal levels, sun exposure, supplementation, and the potential role of vitamin K2.

🧠 What You'll Learn:

• How tendons respond to training and stress via collagen synthesis
• Why vitamin D is like a “site manager” during tendon repair
• The difference between in vitro (lab) and in vivo (animal) studies
• What research shows about vitamin D deficiency and tendon healing
• The importance of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels (and what’s considered optimal)
• Whether supplementation is necessary—and how to combine it with vitamin K2

🧪 Research Highlight:

Study: Exploring the Impact of Vitamin D on Tendon Health: A Comprehensive Review (2024)

• 14 studies analyzed: 5 in vitro, 9 in vivo (mostly animal models)
• Key takeaway: Vitamin D deficiency may impair tendon healing and increase re-injury risk

🛠️ Practical Takeaways:

• Ask your GP for a 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood test
• Aim for blood levels between 75–125 nmol/L for optimal musculoskeletal health
• Get sun exposure for 10–30 mins/day (arms and legs, mid-morning or afternoon)
• Include dietary sources like fatty fish, egg yolks, and fortified foods
• Supplement with 1,000–2,000 IU/day if needed; higher doses may require supervision
• If supplementing long-term, consider pairing vitamin D with vitamin K2 to support bone health and calcium balance

🎯 Ideal For:

• Runners and athletes recovering from tendinopathy
• People looking to optimize tendon repair and performance
• Anyone curious about the role of micronutrients in injury recovery

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In this mind-expanding episode, I’m joined by sports scientist and biomechanics researcher Gustavo Leporace, who unpacks the findings from his newly published paper:

“The Search for the Holy Grail of Running Biomechanics – Is There an Ideal Movement Profile for Minimizing Mechanical Overload?”

https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/PZ8SVIXH7GSZI7YPTJVQ/full
We discuss:

• 🏃‍♂️ Why no single “perfect” running form exists
• 📊 How machine learning revealed 5 distinct running profiles based on load patterns
• ⚖️ The difference between peak vs. cumulative mechanical load—and why it matters
• 🧬 Variables like cadence, duty factor, vertical stiffness, and movement smoothness
• 🔄 When changing your running technique can help (and when it can backfire)
• 🔍 Why injury rehab should first focus on load management before movement retraining

📚 Mentioned Resources 
 🎥 YouTube explainer video of the 5 running profiles

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Is it safe to exercise while fasting? What if you're a recreational runner? A woman? Or trying to lose weight?

In this episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Kira Sutherland, a naturopath and sports nutritionist with over 25 years of clinical experience and a deep passion for endurance sports. Together, we unravel the science (and myths) behind fasting and athletic performance.

Kira shares practical, evidence-informed insights about:

• 🕒 The different types of fasting (intermittent, dry, Ramadan, fasted training)
• 💪 How fasted exercise influences fat adaptation, performance, and recovery
• ⚠️ Common mistakes athletes make with fasted training
• 👩‍🦰 Why women respond differently to fasting than men (and what to do about it)
• 🍽 The truth about post-exercise eating windows and what matters most
• 🧠 Why the body’s natural rhythms may matter more than your fasting schedule
• 📆 How often and when runners should fast depending on their goals

Whether you're curious about using fasting for performance, longevity, gut health, or fat loss — this episode will help you understand how to do it safely, effectively, and in sync with your body.

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In this episode, Brodie dives into three new studies aimed at helping runners prevent injury and understand how tech and biomechanics affect performance. Whether you're a recreational runner or an aspiring marathoner, these findings offer practical, science-backed takeaways.

Featured Studies & Key Insights

Asymmetry & Bone Stress Injuries

Study Title: Can biomechanical variables and asymmetry predict bone stress injuries in collegiate distance runners?

• ✅ Key Finding: Even small left-to-right asymmetries may increase injury risk — particularly for female runners.
• 🧍‍♂️ Implication: Asymmetry under 10% was still meaningful in injury prediction. Don’t ignore minor imbalances in cadence, step length, or ground reaction force.
• 🧠 Tip: Wearables that track contact time or vertical oscillation may help identify early imbalances before pain begins.

Strength & Flexibility Self-Assessments for Marathoners

Study Title: Strength and Flexibility Self-Assessment and Subsequent Training Injuries Among Recreational Runners of the NYC Marathon

• ✅ Key Finding: The single-leg glute bridge was the only test significantly associated with injury risk.
• ❌ Flexibility tests (sit & reach, quad stretch) and other strength tests (planks, heel raises, push-ups) had no predictive value.
• 🏠 DIY Test: If you can’t hold a single-leg glute bridge for >20 seconds on your weaker side, your injury risk may be higher.

Super Shoes & Injury Risk

Study Title: Technology Advanced Running Shoes Reduce Biomechanical Factors of Running-Related Injury Risk

• 👟 Super shoes (like Nike Alphafly) encouraged mid/forefoot striking without increasing joint or muscle strain.
• ✅ They reduced load on key areas like the ankle joint, soleus, and peroneus longus.
• ❗️Minimalist shoes, on the other hand, tripled ankle joint forces and heavily loaded the calf and foot — a risk for Achilles and metatarsal injuries.
• ⚠️ Caution: Transition slowly into super shoes or minimalist footwear. Your body needs time to adapt to new mechanics.

Practical Takeaways for Runners

• Monitor asymmetries using wearables or self-awareness — don’t wait for pain.
• Use the glute bridge hold as a simple strength test at home. Aim for >20 seconds on both sides.
• Super shoes aren’t just for speed — they may actually help with injury prevention, especially for habitual forefoot strikers.
• Avoid going cold turkey into minimalist shoes unless you're conditioned for it.

📚 Want to Go Deeper?

🔍 All referenced studies are stored in the Run Smarter Research Database — accessible for just $8.99/month.
💬 Plus, get access to the Run Smarter AI Assistant, which answers your running questions based on podcast episodes, papers, and course content.

👉 Click here to explore membership options

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In this episode of the Run Smarter Podcast, Brodie sits down with world-renowned sports dietitian and researcher Professor Louise Burke to clear the air on one of the most debated topics in endurance sport: low-carb vs high-carb diets.

After receiving listener pushback from a previous episode on low-carb nutrition, Brodie brings in Louise — who has decades of elite-level experience and research — to explore:

• The theory behind fat-adaptation and low-carb, high-fat diets
• Whether the science supports keto for endurance performance
• The trade-offs between fuel efficiency, oxygen use, and high-intensity output
• What recreational runners should consider when planning their fueling strategies

Louise also shares:

• When keto may be appropriate (hint: not for everyone!)
• How to train your gut to tolerate more carbs
• The dangers of extreme diet restriction
• Why individual response should guide your nutrition plan
• Her concerns around misinformation, particularly in female athlete nutrition

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• Yes, keto increases fat burning, but it can impair high-intensity performance due to reduced oxygen efficiency.
• Carb periodisation—adjusting intake based on session intensity—is a smart strategy for most runners.
• Carbohydrate source and quality matter just as much as quantity.
• Training the gut is essential if you're increasing carb intake for race day.
• Avoid extreme rigidity in diets. Nutrient density, food range, and enjoyment are critical for long-term success.

💬 Quotes to Remember:

Follow Prof Louise Burke on Twitter (X)

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