Fast Talk
Fast Talk Labs
The Fast Talk podcast offers the best guides to cycling performance and endurance sports training from world-class experts.Cohosted by cycling coaches and sport scientists Trevor Connor and Rob Pickels, Fast Talk episodes feature fascinating conversations with world-class experts discussing the endurance sports topics they know best: the best ways to train, effective workouts, questions on polarized and interval training, sports nutrition, physiology and recovery, and sport psychology.Fast Talk guests and regular contributors include Dr. Stephen Seiler, Joe Friel, Dr. Asker Jeukendrup, Sebastian Weber, Jim Miller, Dr. Andy Pruitt, Dr. Timothy Noakes, and elite professional athletes like Kristin Armstrong, Sepp Kuss, Brent Bookwalter, Kate Courtney, and many more.Fast Talk is part of Fast Talk Laboratories, a new endurance sports knowledgebase for endurance racers and adventurers.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 26, 2026 • 1h 14min
416: Setting the Example for Youth Development with NICA
Carter Smith, a NICA team leader who runs high school mountain bike programs. Mike McGarry, NICA director of coaching and education shaping national coach training. They discuss serving riders from casual newcomers to aspiring elites. Topics include balancing inclusivity with performance, late specialization and multi-sport benefits, injury prevention through skills training, equipment equity, and building fun, long-term programs.
4 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 60min
415: The 5 Most Important Things to Know About Nutrition
Five core nutrition principles for athletes are laid out in quick, punchy segments. Topics include energy balance and the risks of chronic under-fueling. Practical fueling strategies cover what to eat before, during, and after training. Protein timing and amounts are explained. Tests and special needs like iron and B12 are discussed, plus whole-food alternatives to sugary sports products.
Mar 12, 2026 • 32min
414: Fast Chats — Navigating Complex Injuries, and Evidence that Hormonal Changes Don’t Degrade Performance
They dig into how to find real solutions for vague, persistent injuries and when to stop guessing and seek athlete-aware clinicians. They discuss building a trusted local referral network and smart rehab strategies that balance movement, rest, and long-term exercise rotation. They review new research showing hormonal fluctuations do not degrade performance and consider implications for coaching and confidence.
Mar 5, 2026 • 1h 11min
413: The Critical Roles of Inflammation, the Immune System, and the Gut in Performance, with Dr. Fred Chaleff
Dr. Frederick Chalif, a cardiologist focused on nutrition and gut health, explains why the gut, immune system, and inflammation matter for athletic training. He covers how microbiome balance, leaky gut, and exercise-induced ischemia affect performance. They discuss probiotics, beta-glucans, medication harms, and balancing inflammation for adaptation versus infection risk.
Feb 26, 2026 • 49min
412: Zwift’s Next Chapter in Training and Racing
Ryan Cooper, product lead in science and performance who applies analytics and AI to endurance sports, and Nick Kalkunis, product manager who builds training and competition features and is a longtime Zwift user. They trace Zwift’s evolution from social indoor rides to esports and personalized training. They discuss integrations with training platforms, using outdoor data, AI-driven recommendations with guardrails, and how Zwift funnels riders toward coaching.
54 snips
Feb 19, 2026 • 1h 27min
411: Dissecting Training Zones with Siren Seiler and Dr. Stephen Seiler
Siren Seiler, former pro runner and exercise physiology master’s student, and Dr. Steven Seiler, endurance training researcher, break down the rise of training zone systems and the Norwegian five‑zone model. They compare power, heart rate, and RPE, discuss polarized training and stress management, explain splitting low/high zones, and show how a shared framework improves communication and athlete planning.
Feb 12, 2026 • 1h 14min
410: Exploring the New UCI Consensus Statement on Supplements
Dr. Jamie Whitfield, a human metabolism and performance professor who led the UCI supplements review, discusses evidence-based supplement use in cycling. Short takes cover creatine for sprints, beta-alanine and bicarbonate buffering strategies, nitrates, glycerol for hydration, skepticism about ketones, contamination risks, and how supplement choices depend on discipline and athlete level.
10 snips
Feb 5, 2026 • 38min
409: Fast Chats – New Research Challenging Whether We Should Do Efforts on Our Long Base Rides
They question whether short intense efforts on long base rides actually harm adaptations. A study testing a three-minute all-out sprint during a 180-minute ride is examined and critiqued. The conversation explores neuromuscular work, motor unit recruitment, and practical ways to add short sprints, cadence drills, and plyometrics to boost on-bike explosiveness.
Jan 29, 2026 • 45min
408: Potluck Discussion - The Value of Average Power, Sustaining What Works Season to Season, and Our VO2max Ceiling
In this week’s potluck episode, we discuss when and how to best use average power from our rides, whether there’s a ceiling to our VO2max capacity, and how we can replicate success from season to season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 22, 2026 • 57min
407: Reclaiming Success Through Mattering, Connection, and Purpose in Competitive Sports, with Sonya Looney
Mattering is the experience of adding value and feeling valued, both to the self and interpersonally. It's the feeling of being seen, heard, valued, and needed. It's a psychological need and a human instinct, but is rarely discussed in performance contexts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
