Endurance Planet

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 a n added kick! Dr. Phil Maffetone is back for this instant classic episode talking about heart health and athletes with everything you need to know, what information out there that you can ignore, and proactive tips to stay healthy for a lifetime. We often see articles and hear unfortunate stories of athletes with heart health complications, sometimes resulting in death. It understandably would make anyone a bit nervous to think their exercise routine might be deadly. But is it as simple as assuming that exercise puts one’s heart at risk? Or are there underlying issues that would make one more prone to developing a heart condition or experiencing a cardiovascular event. What are legit vs. inaccurate concerns about types of damage to the heart muscle that may be associated with running and endurance sports? The basic physiological adaptations that occur in the heart and CV system when one trains for endurance – these adaptations all boost performance but could put more “stress” on the heart. Phil outlines the real reasons athletes get heart issues—from diet to stress—and why you can rest easy that exercise is ok and that a lot of the news media you hear is hyped up or not telling the whole story. Even if someone appears healthy and eats clean, could there still be an underlying risk? Easy ways to monitor and assess your health and risk: Things we can do to be proactive: Clean diet low in “junk” foods and rich in nutrient dense whole foods Mostly avoid refined sugars/carbs and vegetables oils; avoid carb intolerance Tailor carbs to your needs Interview with Dr. Cate Shanahan MAF test HRV measuring Recovery focus Frequent blood work Triglycerides (fasted) Cholesterol TG HDL Ratio Fasting blood glucose—monitor this often Measure your waist circumference—waist to height ratio; Health history and physical from doctor; with you asking the right questions – record your office visits or appointments! Blood pressure monitoring Risk factors: Pre-diabetes or diabetes Pre hypertension or hypertension—sympathetic system revved up, will perform well at expense of health. Waist-to-height ratio—if waist circumference is half your height or more, that’s not good. More info here. Only then go to: EKG, ECG, treadmill stress test (don’t go to this first). Studies mentioned: Potential Adverse Cardiovascular Effects From Excessive Endurance Exercise Long-term excessive endurance exercise may induce pathologic structural remodeling of the heart and large arteries. What are issues with the heart that can happen over years? Acute effects: Volume overload of the atria and right ventricle, with transient reductions in right ventricular ejection fraction and elevations of cardiac biomarkers. Returns to normal within 1 week. Months to years of repetitive injury may lead to: Adverse CV remodeling Patchy myocardial fibrosis, particularly in the atria, interventricular septum, and right ventricle, creating a substrate for atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Coronary artery calcification Diastolic dysfunction Large-artery wall stiffening. Are Olympic athletes free from cardiovascular diseases? Systematic investigation in 2352participants from Athens 2004 to Sochi 2014 Assessed the prevalence and type of CV abnormalities. 2352 Olympic athletes average age of 25. 92 athletes (3.9%) showed abnormal CV findings. Structural abnormalities (6 types) included Inherited cardiomyopathies (n=4) Coronary artery disease (n=1) Perimyocarditis (n=4) Myocardial bridges (n=2) Valvular and congenital diseases (n=45) Systemic hypertension (n=10) Primary electrical diseases (4 types) included Atrial fibrillation (n=2) Supraventricular reciprocating tachycardia (n=14) Complex ventricular tachyarrhythmias (non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, n=7; bidirectional ventricular tachycardia, n=1) Major conduction disorders (Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW), n=1; Long QT syndrome (LQTS), n=2). Conclusion: “This study revealed an unexpected prevalence of CV abnormalities among Olympic athletes, including a small, but not negligible proportion of pathological conditions at risk. This observation suggests that Olympic athletes, despite the absence of symptoms or astonishing performances, are not immune from CV disorders and might be exposed to unforeseen high-risk during sport activity.” Running as a Key Lifestyle Medicine for Longevity Recently, specific questions have emerged regarding the extent of the health benefits of running versus other types of PA, and perhaps more critically, whether there are diminishing returns on health and mortality outcomes with higher amounts of running. In general, runners have a 25%–40% reduced risk of premature mortality and live approximately 3 years longer than non-runners. After controlling for smoking, booze consumption, body mass index, and the like, running still was found to reduce all-cause mortality risk. Roughly each hour spent running adds 7 hours to one’s lifespan. Running might just be the most cost-effective “life medicine” from a public health standpoint, Found that even slow jogging is consistently considered a vigorous-intensity physical activity. Physical activity and telomere length in U.S. men and women: An NHANES investigation Telomeres are nucleoprotein caps positioned at the end of chromosomes. Aging causes telomeres to shorten significantly and results in gradual cell deterioration. Regular physical activity reduces disease risk, possibly due to the preservation of telomeres. Results showed that regular activity accounted for significantly longer telomeres in U.S. adults. The longer telomeres found in active adults accounted for 9 years of reduced cellular aging. Dose of jogging and long-term mortality: the Copenhagen City Heart Study Compared with sedentary nonjoggers, 1 to 2.4 h of jogging per week was associated with the lowest mortality. The optimal frequency of jogging was 2 to 3 times per week. The optimal pace was slow or average. The lowest HR for mortality was found in light joggers, followed by moderate joggers and strenuous joggers. “The findings suggest a U-shaped association between all-cause mortality and dose of jogging as calibrated by pace, quantity, and frequency of jogging. Light and moderate joggers have lower mortality than sedentary nonjoggers, whereas strenuous joggers have a mortality rate not statistically different from that of the sedentary group.” The post Dr. Phil Maffetone 21: Heart Health For Athletes – Identifying Risks, Weeding Out Hype and Why Exercise Is Still Your Best ‘Medicine’ first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: If you’re looking to take the holistic healthy life a step further but you’re not sure how to start head to Life Post Collective, an inner-circle community created by Tawnee Prazak Gibson. At LPC you’ll find Tawnee’s resources on holistic health, wellness, nutrition, fitness and more to help you on your path to optimization–the same resources and tools she uses for her athletes and clients. No gimmicks at LPC, Tawnee created this community for your wellbeing and as a home to share practical evidence-based and experienced-based ways to kick more butt. Through LPC’s integrative forums and features on the site, you can learn from not only Tawnee but also like-minded people all working toward common goals. EP fans get your first month FREE at Life Post Collective using code “ep2017” – act now and make this the best year ever! Sponsor: You can support EP when you shop online! Simply open Amazon via enduranceplanet.com to do your online shopping—it’s just one extra click to link to Amazon through the banner on our sidebar or click theAmazon links in the show notes. Lucho has a guest host, GZ. Psychology of coaching kids vs. adults. Lucho’s first race since the Leadville 100 4 years ago. How to structure training for an older athlete struggling with recovery.The post ATC 237: Lucho and Fellow Old Guy GZ Talk Masters Training first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Open Amazon via enduranceplanet.com to do your online shopping—it’s just one extra click to link to Amazon through the banner on our sidebar or click the Amazon links right here in the show notes.   Dr. Cate Shanahan is a board certified family physician and author of Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food. She’s an expert on epigenetics and has studied culinary traditions and dietary habits of her healthiest patients. She’s applied her learning and experiences in all these scientific fields in the book Deep Nutrition, which we’ll be discussing today and applying to the needs of athletes too. Intro Dr. Cate’s background as an athlete and after, plagued with injury and joint problems, and what she discovered about the role of nutrition in healing? Is Dr. Cate a functional doctor, or does she define herself another way? Plus her thoughts on functional medicine and Western medicine practices. How Dr. Cate got interested in epigenetics and gene expression—and what these things mean. We essentially have the power to change our health and wellbeing via diet; in other words, diet affects gene expression. Diving into concepts presented in Deep Nutrition We’re not “stuck” with the DNA we’re born with; we can “turn on” or “turn off” certain genes based on what we do. Tied into this is genetic wealth and genetic momentum—i.e. what our ancestors have brought to the table for our wellbeing. So this day in age, the diseases and health issues we’re seeing are largely due to diet not just random chance. Many of us are nutrient starved from the empty calories we eat and that’s what’s making us sick. People will argue that we’re living longer, etc., but just because we’re living longer doesn’t mean we’re healthier—or does it? And furthermore, as you present in the book, are we really living longer? What are the two worst food villains? Vegetable oils—just how bad are these and what kind of health effects do they have? In particular brain health and oxidation. Sugar—avoid refined processed added sugar, and from there generally keep sugar (all kinds even natural) to less than 100g day. Read Dr. Cate’s Good Fats bad Fats article here. Sugar’s role in glycation—what this is and how we can change our diet to fight glycation? Meanwhile, it’s not just the vegetable oils and sugars, there’s a connection between modern over-consumption of vegetable oils/sugars and under-consumption of traditional foods and health issues. Are there flaws with the concepts of the Paleo diet? Dr. Cate introduces The Human Diet, which is based on eating the foods our ancestors did—this isn’t exactly paleo, and it’s not exactly about low carb, so what does it mean? The Human Diet looks to traditional cuisine & foods… “The native diets had ten or more times the fat-soluble vitamins and one-and-a-half to fifty times more minerals than the diets of people in the United States.” The Four Pillars of World Cuisine that we all need in our diets: Meat cooked on the bone Organs and ofal (what Bourdain calls “the nasty bits”) Fresh (raw) plant and animal products Fermented and sprouted foods—better than fresh! Dr. Cate is not anti-carb and allows and recommends (in moderation) sprouted breads, sprouted beans and legumes, yogurts, rice, even corn masa in the Human Diet—we’ve evolved to be able to eat and digest these things! But at the end of the day all carbs even healthy ones essentially turn to sugar, so what’s her take on this considering she’s anti-sugar (refined, processed stuff) but ok with certain carbs? Do you budge at all on eating this perfect nutrient-dense diet, say for the occasional indulgence in a social setting, or in effort to not be too orthorexic and mentally crazy over food? I mean I love everything you say, but I can already see myself wanting to get OCD about only eating perfectly and I know many in our audience are probably like me where we can take health perfection too far. Can healthy eating/living go too far where it’s mentally unhealthy? Tying in the Human Diet and Deep Nutrition to the needs of athletes: First, how can so many elite endurance athletes get away with a crap diet and still perform well and look awesome? (Is this related to the supermodel who eats twinkies and smokes—as mentioned in the book?) Junk diets destroy collagen and can even put athletes at risk for diabetes. Is the Human Diet safe for athletes? For example, it’s still on the low carb side—basic recommendation in the book are for about 90-130 g carbs over a day (14% of calories), and definitely high on fats. This information MUST be adjusted for an athlete’s activity levels and likely more carbs needed, but be sure to have your carbs post workout and/or with dinner; not at breakfast and not before workouts. But the Human Diet allows for a variety of carbs like sprouted bread or beans, rice, corn masa, fruit, etc., just keeping to moderation. Also is 14% calories from carbs is too low for females, athlete or not? Too high carbs can mess with hormonal function, but can’t also too low carb? Sports nutrition talk and looking at new-age science to make new guidelines Dr. Cate’s take on fat for fuel for athletes, vs “old school” carb loading. Lately there have been more FODMAP intolerances being identified in athletes, especially dairy, so how would you suggest individualizing this? Yay or nay on food allergy tests – why Dr. Cate says they’re incredibly flawed and that elimination diets are your best bet. Some inclusions in the Human Diet you don’t see everywhere these days: Gluten, dairy, corn tortillas… things like real milk not nut milk, and plenty of cheeses and yogurt. On gluten—why gluten may be ok for some, and not for others in particular immune function and when we create antibodies to gluten? What are some fast, simple changes to make to one’s diet according to Dr. Cate: Salad Dairy Organ meats Fermented Quotes from Deep Nutrition: “Within a given family, the earlier the abandonment of traditional foods for a diet of convenience, the more easily perceptible the decline.” “As much as hospitals and clinics like to talk about wellness and prevention, the truth is, a real discussion about healthy eating cannot take place in a doctor’s office. Tis is why in order to check of the “nutrition-discussion box” they rely on sound-bites, like “eat your colors,” which doesn’t really mean much, or “everything in moderation,” which, in a world where toxins are marketed as health foods, can be harmful advice. Providing real dietary guidance requires far more time with patients than insurance models currently allow. You could fill a book with what needs to be discussed for anyone to adopt a truly healthy diet—which is why, in 2003, I started writing this one.” “One of the most important new concepts of Deep Nutrition is the idea that the foods parents eat can change the way their future children look. recognize two toxic substances present in our food that are incompatible with normal genetic function: sugars and vegetable oils. We’re going to put calorie counting and struggling to find the perfect ratio of carbs to protein to fat on the back burner. These exercises don’t reveal what really matters about your food.” “What if you could re-engineer your genes to your liking? Want to be like Mike? How about Tiger Woods? Halle Berry? George Clooney? Or maybe you want to change your genes so that you can still be you, only better. Maybe you want just a modest upgrade—a sexier body, better health, greater athleticism, and a better attitude.” “Epigenetics helps us understand that the genome is more like a dynamic, living being—growing, learning, and adapting constantly. You may have heard that most disease is due to random mutations, or “bad” genes. But epigenetics tells us otherwise. If you need glasses or get cancer or age faster than you should, you very well may have perfectly normal genes. What’s gone wrong is how they function, what scientists call genetic expression.” “Getting sick isn’t random. We get sick because our genes didn’t get what they were expecting, one too many times. Most importantly, I’ve learned that food can tame unruly genetic behavior far more reliably than biotechnology. By simply replenishing your body with the nourishment that facilitates optimal gene expression, it’s possible to eliminate genetic malfunction and, with it, pretty much all known disease. No matter what kind of genes you were born with, I know that eating right can help reprogram them, immunizing you against cancer, premature aging, and dementia, enabling you to control your metabolism, your moods, your weight—and much, much more.” “The reason that so many of us have health problems today is that we no longer eat in accordance with any culinary tradition. In the worst cases of recurring illnesses and chronic diseases that I see, more often than not, the victim’s parents and grandparents haven’t, either. Tis means that most Americans are carrying around very sick genes.” The post Dr. Cate Shanahan: Deep Nutrition and ‘The Human Diet’ – The Role of Epigenetics, What Your Ancestors Ate and Your Activity Levels to Determine Your Dietary Needs first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Phat Fibre, an MCT powder supplement designed by athletes and scientists that aids in maximum performance without causing GI side effects. Phat Fibre is a gluten-and dairy-free hypoallergenic slightly digestible fibre that gives just enough slow-release carb to maximize performance without affecting blood glucose levels and also curbs appetite for hours. It’s ideal for low-carb or carb-conscious athletes and you can use it in conjunction with other products we love including UCAN and PerfectAmino. Find out more details on our shop page. BEST OF ALL: EP fans get 15% off this cutting-edge sports nutrition product with code “EP.” Click here to get your hands on Phat Fibre now! 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 a n added kick! If fat-adapted and for long training runs fueling with UCAN, Vespa, Nuun, and water, do you still need to add more carbs/sugar during a marathon to account for higher heart rates or cardiac drift? UCAN’s tips for fueling a marathon. Nutrition tips for running a marathon 10-15 seconds faster than MAF pace. Tips for training for a sandy ultra (Badwater Cape Fear) and the best way to build specific strength for sand running when you don’t have access to sandy beaches to train on. Are 3 mile MAF runs enough of a stimulus to elicit a change in fitness? Why it depends and for whom would 3 miles be great and for whom would it be not enough? Since the success of a MAF program is heavily dependent on volume but ramping up hours too quickly is dangerous, adding in some elliptical training seems wise to strengthen your aerobic base but not risk injury…. Does doing MAF on the elliptical for 60-plus minutes complement MAF running training or would this not be enough of a stimulus? Would it be better crosstraining than the MAF on the bike? Is MAF right for me or should I add more intensity? “I work out for health but also to be able to compete with my friends on MTB races (and the occasional run). I have to balance training with a full time job and family of four kids. So I get between 2-6 workouts per week, it varies a lot.” Periodizing MAF based on your time availability and goals. Recovery tips… What’s Lucho prioritizing with his recovery these days? Nutrition: eating/supplementing after a long run? PerfectAmino – powder or pill form Stretching: when to stretch, mobility practice, yoga, etc? Rest day: what’s the best to do? Other: contrast bathing, cold therapy, sauna? The post ATC 236: Fueling a Fat-Adapted Marathon, Recovery Priorities, Adding X-Training To Build Volume, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: Open Amazon via enduranceplanet.com to do your online shopping—it’s just one extra click to link to Amazon through the banner on our sidebar or click theAmazon links in the show notes. Headed to the Big Island? Then take a listen. Our buddy Thorsten Radde is FINALLY making the trek to Kona this year so we dedicate this show to discussing travel plans and questions he had for being in Hawaii during Ironman, including: What’s the “best” location to stay in Kona? What’s the layout like and pros and cons of being walking distance to the pier vs. driving distance? Tawnee shares insight on places she’s stayed over the years and what you get based on where you stay: The “best” location just depends on the environment that appeals to you and the level of action you want (or lack thereof) outside your door. If you want to be totally in the mix and like hotels, look at the King Kam (host hotel) or Seaside Inn (Seaside is right on Palani). Uncle Billy’s is another popular one within a mile of the finish. If you want to be a bit further from the finishline area but still in a popular area and within walking distance from town, check out places further down Ali’i drive—a mix of hotels, condos and house rentals. Starting at the Royal Kona (about .8 miles from the pier) there are decent places. I’ve stayed at the Wyndham and Aston Kona By The Sea and liked both (probably prefer the Wyndham); both are within 2 miles from the pier on Ali’i Drive. Anything beyond mile marker 2, and you’re going to want transportation (car rental) for sure. It gets quieter but every day it will still be packed with runners and cyclists all week long, as well as houses rented by popular companies like GU, Clif Bar, Training Peaks, etc. If you want a nice hotel a bit further down Ali’I look into the Sheraton. In my time, I’ve started staying farther away and only doing VRBO rentals (vacation rental by owner). I’ve fallen in love with the Coffee Belt and the neat little houses you can find and rent for really cheap ($100/night for nice 2 bd places with kitchen)—great as long as you don’t mind staying 10-15 miles from the Pier. Or you could go the opposite way and head north and check out resorts like Mauna Lani and places in the Waikoloa area—a 25-30 mile trek from the Pier but some people wouldn’t stay anywhere but these places, and I can see why. Gorgeous. Quiet. Ultimate Hawaii. Last tip—while hotels are nice, you can usually find a VRBO.com house/condo or privately owned rental for cheaper and with more room and more amenities, like a kitchen. Personally, we stock up the fridge and make breakfasts in our place, which saves us money and justifies eating out for lunch and dinner for days and days. This is also nice when you’re staying for an extended time—hotel rooms are cramped! Is there a place to rent a bike? Both to “travel around town,” but also for riding parts of the course? For most of us NOT racing, it doesn’t make sense to bring our own … Tawnee’s take: Easier said than done when it comes to bike rentals during Ironman week, but I also haven’t had much time to do riding in Kona due to work and other obligations so I haven’t dug that deep to find a bike. Call Bike Works (in Kona) well in advance to ask about reservations. For beach cruisers, often hotel/condos will have spares to borrow (Wyndham has this), ask when reserving. Otherwise, I think rentals are scarce. Timing – when do you ideally want to be there and how early before the race? Also island hopping options pre or post race. If you really want to get the full experience get to Kona on or around Monday before the race (race is second Saturday of October always). Any earlier not really necessary. I’d definitely stay the week after the race too—tons to do on the Big Island and since it’s the biggest island it takes longer to get places—shocking revelation, I know Island hopping can take a good chunk of time so plan for at least 3-5 full days on another other island(s) if you plan to visit—fewer than 3 full days is not enough in my opinion (you’re already there so find the time, you won’t regret it!). There’s always so much to do no matter what you’re interested are. Thorsten is planning a lot of island hopping time! John and I have only gone to one island at a time post-Kona but that’s because we can’t really take more than 2 weeks away from home. If you have more time, go for it. I’d say you’ll have your fill if you do 3 islands and stay for 3 weeks. Each island is SO different—I’d say Maui and Kauai are my top picks after the Big Island. Tawnee’s Favorite Restaurants Driving Distance Da Poke Shack – you cannot skip this place, best poke there is! Coffee belt – Rebel Kitchen, Keei Cafe, Kaya’s, Donkey Balls Kona Brewing (walking distance for some) Kenichi Pacifc for Sushi – in shopping center Walking distance from pier Umeke’s (not as good as da poke shack IMO) Daylight Mind Cafe Huggo’s – Fine dining or on the rocks – best sunset view Basik Cafe Lemongrass Bistro Krua Thai Cuisine Lava Java Grocery shopping For health nuts check out Island Naturals market!!! Also a Costco, and big supermarkets all in town, easy drive Must get gear Get a souvenir shirt or two from Big Island Running Company The post TriNews Special: Traveller’s Guide To Staying In Kona, Hawaii, During Ironman World Championship Week first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by BodyHealth, the makers of PerfectAmino, an athlete’s secret weapon featuring eight essential amino acids in the exact ratios needed to ensure proper protein synthesis in the body. PerfectAmino has been tested and approved for in-competition athletes and professional sports; and all of us over at EP have used in in our athletic careers. BodyHealth also recently debuted Perfect Calm, a new well-formulated magnesium powder supplement to round out an athlete’s needs in particular getting good sleep and stress management. And did you know that BodyHealth also offers well-formulated natural vitamins and supplements to meet your other needs including their Body Detox, Healthy Sleep Ultra, Intestinal Cleanse, weight loss aids, and more. Plus, PerfectAmino now comes in a sugar-free powder form that’s great for those who don’t like pills and/or want something tasty to mix in your workout drink! Sponsor: If you’re looking to take the holistic healthy life a step further but you’re not sure how to start head to Life Post Collective, an inner-circle community created by Tawnee Prazak Gibson. At LPC you’ll find Tawnee’s resources on holistic health, wellness, nutrition, fitness and more to help you on your path to optimization–the same resources and tools she uses for her athletes and clients. No gimmicks at LPC, Tawnee created this community for your wellbeing and as a home to share practical evidence-based and experienced-based ways to kick more butt. Through LPC’s integrative forums and features on the site, you can learn from not only Tawnee but also like-minded people all working toward common goals. As a special offer for EP fans, we’re giving you your first month FREE at Life Post Collective using code “ep2017” – act now and make this the best year ever! Our guest Steve Magness is a coach to top distance runners including Olympians, World Championship qualifiers, and top 10 finishers at Major Marathons. He is also a lecturer and writer on the topic of science of performance. He has two books, including The Science of Running and the latest titled Peak Performance, which drops in June, along with numerous articles and a newsletter at the scienceofrunning.com, and a podcast called “On Coaching” that can be found on iTunes. As many know, Steve’s also an accomplished runner himself. Topics discussed with Steve: Steve’s favorite topic these days in the sports world: psychology and the mind, and in particular what he’s learned coaching collegiate runners. The distinct patterns of coping with pain and fatigue that he observes in his athletes – what the top performers vs. the rest do naturally. Mental toughness with NO limits! One thing Steve is sick of hearing or talking about: Weekly volume and/or weekly mileage – that’s missing the point! Steve has a coaching program that’s unique from others out there – what is his work all about and what makes it different? “We are consumed with becoming experts on the physiology and the technical, which is all well and good. But we’ve lost our teaching roots.” For coaches, what matters: concepts or details? Steve has a more detailed article on this here. We have to understand WHY we are doing certain things for our athletes, not just execute details. What are some of his “rules of coaching.” See the full article here. At the end of the day make sure it’s simple + usable. “In an age where we are inundated with information, the problem is no longer collecting what the greatest minds on the planet do, it’s in making sure it is applicable.” When working with an athlete and you see passion that could go too far and become destructive how do you “fix” that without bringing them down? Why he thinks Malcom Gladwell’s 10,000 hour rule misses the point, especially for endurance athletes. Read Steve’s full article here “Instead of telling everyone they can be an expert with deliberate practice, let’s just say, you never will find out where your ceiling is without a lot of work. And to me, that’s what the journey is about. “ Seems like 10k hours is different with endurance sport where too much doesn’t always equate to success especially if you pile on too much too fast? For athletes, is deliberate and smart practice for at least THREE years a better rule of thumb? It takes time to absorb training and figure out racing, and after 3 years it’s just beginning. On patience! Tackling battle between the scientific side and the practical side training. Where does Steve stand on this? Is there a balance and synergy between the two? Some of us at EP want to know: What’s your definition of “tempo” is and where it fits with Z3, marathon effort, threshold? Steve’s recommended reads The Biology of Desire – by Marc Lewis Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing – by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman Letters from a Stoic – by Seneca Ego Is the Enemy – by Ryan Holiday The post Steve Magness: Coping Skills of Top Athletes, His Rules of Coaching, Science vs. Practice, Defining ‘Tempo’ (It’s Not Just a Heart Rate), Book Recs, and Much More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Phat Fibre, an MCT powder supplement designed by athletes and scientists that aids in maximum performance without causing GI side effects. Phat Fibre is a gluten-and dairy-free hypoallergenic slightly digestible fibre that gives just enough slow-release carb to maximize performance without affecting blood glucose levels and also curbs appetite for hours. It’s ideal for low-carb or carb-conscious athletes and you can use it in conjunction with other products we love including UCAN and PerfectAmino. Find out more details on our shop page. BEST OF ALL: EP fans get 15% off this cutting-edge sports nutrition product with code “EP.” Click here to get your hands on Phat Fibre now! 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 a n added kick! On this episode of Ask the Coaches: Followup from ATC 234: Were we ‘too harsh’ or even wrong on American marathoners slowing? Lucho spews some stats and another good article mention. Speaking of fast running, we discuss the Sub-2 Hour Marathon attempt, before it happened. Correction from that episode: The Ironman swim cutoff is 2:20 not 1:30! Are neoprene shorts (like Roka Sim) legal in warmer water triathlons? Do we think neoprene shorts might be a good speed boost? What you can and can’t wear in triathlons, based on water temps, etc. – read and learn the official rules here! If each of us were to open a restaurant, what would your menu look like? Is the MAF approach arbitrary, overblown and over-hyped? Do we “idolize” MAF? One fan chimes in. Are both MAF and the 220-minus-age formula not based on good science and lacking consideration of the athlete’s fitness, or do they have value? When finding target HR goals – considering the fitness of the athlete, metabolic efficiency, cross-over point, etc. The MAF White Paper Is there a market saturation of triathlon events, Ironman specifically? Too many events to the point of many races not even fulling up? What is the current state of the sport looking like?  How to better estimate my future race paces? Coming off a marathon and actually ran much faster than the ol’ “MAF minus 15 seconds” for overall pacing (estimated my target race pace to be 8:40 min/mile, as it turned out, ran at an average pace of 8:25 min/mile, and in control). Using marathon time to predict half-marathon goal pace. What went wrong aka common half Ironman mistakes? Help with possible reasons that one athlete’s 70.3 race went poorly. In  a nutshell, issues with cramping, pacing, weather and nutrition that we tackle and try to make sense of.  Possible theories: Not enough training in the heat before the race. Overcooked the bike, even though the heart rate was really low (aerobic endurance vs muscular endurance). Dehydration, the “wrong” type of drink, or too few calories. Thanks for any input you can give me. I don’t ever want to feel this way again… Link to an interview with Stacy Sims, possible answer in there as it relates to hydration. Talking about hydration needs on EP with Paul Lausren. The post ATC 235: Common Half-Ironman Mistakes, Is MAF Over-Hyped and Overrated, Predicting Goal Race Pace, And More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by BodyHealth, the makers of PerfectAmino, an athlete’s secret weapon featuring eight essential amino acids in the exact ratios needed to ensure proper protein synthesis in the body. PerfectAmino has been tested and approved for in-competition athletes and professional sports; and all of us over at EP have used in in our athletic careers. BodyHealth also recently debuted Perfect Calm, a new well-formulated magnesium powder supplement to round out an athlete’s needs in particular getting good sleep and stress management. And did you know that BodyHealth also offers well-formulated natural vitamins and supplements to meet your other needs including their Body Detox, Healthy Sleep Ultra, Intestinal Cleanse, weight loss aids, and more. Plus, PerfectAmino now comes in a sugar-free powder form that’s great for those who don’t like pills and/or want something tasty to mix in your workout drink! Dr. Tamin Lewis is back and also is working on a new business Fibr Health. Check it out! On this show: Discussing risks of the pill and IUD for female athletes. What can happen when on birth control: Inflammation CRP Disrupt microbiome Decrease B vitamins Increase needs for Mg The pill can also raise SHBG, which binds to testosterone, and there have been claims of cancer risks but that remains controversial. Birth control and athletic performance Also should women on the pill avoid LCHF diets? LCHF diets will more likely affect thyroid hormones, which is relative to perceived energy deficit. Women who are at the point in life where they want to be on BC (after having kids, etc.); suggestions for a good method of birth control for someone who’s scared about birth control’s cancer risks and performance losses? Pro female athlete’s recovery from overtraining syndrome (OTS): Cycles have returned but painful periods and fatigue remains.What to do? Female athletes need to support hormones and the liver Supplements mentioned: Alpha lipolic acid NAC Glutathione Calc D. The liver enzyme and muscle breakdown issue – high AST and ALT are not just a sign of liver issues if you’re a hard-training athlete! Advice for female athletes going through perimenopause and training recommendations. Resource mentioned on this show: http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/ The post Dr. Tamsin Lewis: Risks of Birth Control Pill and IUDs, Tips for The Perimenopause Transition, Recovering from Overtraining Syndrome, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Phat Fibre, an MCT powder supplement designed by athletes and scientists that aids in maximum performance without causing GI side effects. Phat Fibre is a gluten-and dairy-free hypoallergenic slightly digestible fibre that gives just enough slow-release carb to maximize performance without affecting blood glucose levels and also curbs appetite for hours. It’s ideal for low-carb or carb-conscious athletes and you can use it in conjunction with other products we love including UCAN and PerfectAmino. Find out more details on our shop page. BEST OF ALL: EP fans get 15% off this cutting-edge sports nutrition product with code “EP.” Click here to get your hands on Phat Fibre now! 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 UCAN’s new bar made with coffee beans! On This episode of Ask the Coaches: With all of the data, apps, online coaching, supplements, research, blogs, podcasts (great and otherwise), interwebs, and all… Why is America so slow in the marathon compared to where it was 30 to 40 years ago? Article from Outside Online on this topic More runners Incentives Habits Are runners are becoming more keen to health risks of running so much Are we too connected to the world and getting too stressed over that? Endurance athlete with sinus bradycardia and extremely low heart rates. What’s normal, what’s not? Bradycardia is defined as “the presence of sinus rhythm with a rate less than 60 beats per minute (bpm) in the sinus node of the R atrium; sinus arrhythmia is said to be normal in many individuals.” Bradycardia is common in endurance athletes – it’s simply the heart adapting to physical demands making it more efficient producing a greater stroke volume, which in return allows the heart to circulate the same amount of blood with fewer contractions. Normal resting hear rate ranges can be 40-60 bpm for athletes (or even in the 30s!). That said, train by watts (going off  FTP) or HR for those with bradycardia/very low heart rates? More on bradycardia here. Heart rate and swimming – do we need to worry about heart rate when we swim the same way we do with running and cycling? When your current swim pace won’t allow you to make the Ironman swim cutoff (e.g. 2:45/100yard) what to do to get up to a speed that will work if Ironman is your goal. Suggestions for a HRM watch for swimming? How injured runners can make use of the pool and water sports during their recovery – swimming, aqua jogging, etc. Good resource on waterproof fitness devices. Maintaining run-specific fitness when you can’t run due to injury, what activities to do?Walk, hike steep hills, swim, and use the bike trainer, rowing ergometer, elliptical, stairmaster, weights, gym workouts, etc.? Which activity or combination of activities are best to keep run fitness as sharp as possible? Using the elliptical during injury recovery to maintain run fitness. Tawnee’s love for rowing machines. The post ATC 234: Are American Marathon Times Getting Slower? Plus: Athletes with Bradycardia, Getting In Ironman Swim Shape, Maintaining Run Fitness When Injured, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by BodyHealth, the makers of PerfectAmino, an athlete’s secret weapon featuring eight essential amino acids in the exact ratios needed to ensure proper protein synthesis in the body. PerfectAmino has been tested and approved for in-competition athletes and professional sports; and all of us over at EP have used in in our athletic careers. BodyHealth also recently debuted Perfect Calm, a new well-formulated magnesium powder supplement to round out an athlete’s needs in particular getting good sleep and stress management. And did you know that BodyHealth also offers well-formulated natural vitamins and supplements to meet your other needs including their Body Detox, Healthy Sleep Ultra, Intestinal Cleanse, weight loss aids, and more. Plus, PerfectAmino now comes in a sugar-free powder form that’s great for those who don’t like pills and/or want something tasty to mix in your workout drink! On this episode, Dr. Tommy Wood of Nourish Balance Thrive is back! Sign up for Tommy’s weekly highlight emails here. Adrenal Fatigue Tommy’s take on a recent systematic review looking more deeply into adrenal fatigue as a medical condition. 58 articles Terminology and methodology need to be normalized Not able to find studies in which there’s a gold standard test for assessing the integrity and functionality of the HPA axis—one test is the insulin tolerance test (ITT). Cortisol tests – The results of our review indicate that the three major tests (CAR, DAC and SCR) used to identify the underlying causes of the fatigue/exhaustion state failed to do so, since they were unable to demonstrate significant differences or proper causality. for further prospective studies aiming to correlate fatigue, exhaustion, or burnout status with impairment of the HPA axis, an ITT or a 250 μg CST should be performed to evaluate the adrenocortical ability to release cortisol, measurements of ACTH, DHEA-S, and corticosterone (an intermediate steroid product that is impaired earlier than cortisol [127]), the adoption of the most validated questionnaires, particularly Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Chalder Fatigue Scale, SF-36 or the General Fatigue Scale of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventor, and considering different study populations… Keeping it relevant to athletes: we are often told we are at a high risk or have adrenal fatigue, but a PCP may call BS, saying “that doesn’t exist.” What’s one to think? What’s the bottom line? HbA1C vs. Glucose Readings Once on EP we discussed that it is possible that an HBA1C measurement can be incorrect possibly due to having increased red blood cell lifespan, therefore leading to a higher reading since the measurement assumes a 8-12 week RBC lifespan. Is there some test that can be performed to see if one’s RBC are causing this effect? What could it mean when fasting blood glucose is regularly in the 70’s, postprandial 60-90 minutes is usually less than 100, and waking and pre-meal is low 90’s, but HBA1c comes back somewhat high at 5.6-5.7% for years now? Are there any other possible causes for this issue? Thyroid Conditions and/or Grave’s Disease Athletes living with Graves Disease and still training; how to navigate life and thrive given the condition? How to be a more efficient T4 to T3 converter? Are there common causes to poor conversion? Is there an optimal time of day to take the levothyroxine, ie: morning vs. bedtime vs. the middle of night/early morning? What role does cortisol play in T4 to T3 conversion? Helpful supplements: Anti-inflammatories (for gut etc.) Liposomal Curcumin Liposomal GTH CBD oil Gut tonics – slippery elm GI revive Gaia Turmeric sport Some with Graves may find that breathing is more labored due to paralyzed vocal cord, even at an easier effort, so my perceived level of exertion feels harder than “normal” people at any given effort. Any thoughts on how to maximize training while dealing with this higher than normal RPE? Training adaptations and recovery take much longer due to Graves – just accept this and deal or is there something we can do? Athletes who have or complain of chronic hay fever when they train and resorting to antihistamine every 12 hours so would be interested to know if anyone else has complained of the same symptoms and found a way to manage them. The post Ask the Doc: Is Adrenal Fatigue a Myth? Plus: Tips for Athletes with Graves Disease, Overcoming Hay Fever and Histamine Intolerance, Clearing up HBA1C Readings, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.