Our favorite episodes involve answering listener questions in a "no secrets" style. That means we might be right, we might be wrong, but we'll always be honest (and hairy!).

We started with a game theory analysis on how we think this year's Western States 100 will play out. This is the type of conversation that athletes have before every race, but they usually wouldn't play it out in public. We can check our work in 2 weeks!

And then we broke down tons of great questions! Topics: what drives us, messages from our younger selves, The Feed's new high carb mix that is resetting the cost curves, responders and non-responders to passive heat, going for it at the back of the pack, diagnosing and improving offsets between climbing and flats, adding passive heat v. adding more training, whether you need heat training in the summer, a couple hypotheticals on road and track athletes coming to trails, a spicy hypothetical on Kilian Jornet, adding weight vest training, balancing competition with self-acceptance, sub-ultra v. ultra for making the sport more accessible, getting into coaching, and the popularity of Park Run in the UK v. the US.

May your legs be carbed-up and may your hairs not be given names on a podcast. We love you all! Huzzah!

-David and Megan

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This episode was such a fun mix of science, emotions, and hot tubs that could cook a turkey! We started with some thoughts on Western States, less than 3 weeks out from the race. Does embracing the stage also mean embracing social media posts telling you that you aren’t being picked to perform well? Our argument channeling Tyrese Halliburton of the Indiana Pacers: the “noise” can be performance enhancing if you have fun with it!

The main science topic was a WILD study on the hot tub improving hemoglobin levels, resting heart rate, and altitude performance. It’s “wild” because the hot tub was set astonishingly high, with participants staying in for an astonishingly long time. I like my participants like I like my eggs: hard-boiled. We talk about what it means and why passive heat training might be the easiest advanced training intervention that goes beyond the basics.

And this one was full of our favorite topics! Other topics: a training trip out to the Western States course, Kilian Jornet searching for a pacer, Cam Jones consuming 185 grams of carbs per hour on his way to winning Unbound Gravel, Jessie Diggins’ amazing poem on fueling her body to take a hit, a study on ketones and altitude that found no benefits, using downhills to improve strength for flat running, and a genetic link between muscle stiffness and strains, plus a Q+A on the new OTQ standards getting faster for men (we don’t like it), whether to GO FOR IT if going for it might not lead to your big goals, a hypothetical about gold medalist Kristian Blummenfelt at a mountain race, and heat and family planning.

The episode finishes up with questions about alcohol and celebrity-flavored bathwater. It’ll make sense soon. Maybe.

We love you all! A unit for a unit,

-David and Megan

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We gulped down some pungent juice before recording this amazing episode! The main topics were the two big pieces of news: Jim Walsmley won't be racing Western States, and Kilian Jornet is making training videos now. Jim is the GOAT and we gave him an 85% chance of winning just last week. He's the supermassive black hole at the center of the Western States galaxy. Without Jim at the start line, how does it change the race?

Kilian is the GOAT too (yes, we have a GOAT herd), and he just released a training video! He abides by the "no secrets" approach, and we analyzed every frame of that video to try to find clues about whether he might be beatable. Answer: no. Bonus answer: Kilian is the best and it's fascinating that he started his own video series by talking about his heat training.

And this one was full of great topics! Other topics: our magical coaching day at the US Mountain Championships, thoughts on training for mountain races, Unbreakable 2 cancellation, the wild triumph of Simon Yates, a new bicarb gel that could upend the bicarb market, the wild science of broccoli sprouts and a new juice supplement from Nomio, anti-histamines and athletic performance, why we're eating dark chocolate (it tastes good), lung training via breathing devices, the relationship between speed work and form in ultras, a hypothetical about Conner Mantz racing Leadville or Western States, an article in the New York Times on unethical mountaineering, training with a newborn, dealing with life transitions, fitting the Naked Belt, the cost of running, cheaper suphershoes, and an incredible poem on failing and flying.

Everyone forgets that Icarus also flew. Also, if Icarus had broccoli sprouts and Kilian's training video, maybe he would have flown a bit longer.

We love you all! HUZZAH!

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This episode was a total joy with toe warmers in all the right places (and some of the wrong ones)! The main scientific topic was a new study on how high carb fueling may improve heat adaptation. We broaden that out to a question from a listener on the old "calories-in, calories-out" framework, and why that doesn't apply to athletes from evolutionary or exercise science perspectives.

The big takeaway from 2 decades of research: avoiding excessive within-day deficits from training may improve health, performance, and body composition. Eat during hard training, or the body may have to take unhealthy steps to avoid shutting down.

And this one was full of great topics! Other topics: a hopeful update on David's knee heading into Western States, the decision to get a cortisone injection, Megan having enough watts to be confused for an e-bike, a new study on weight-vest warm-ups improving running economy, how we think training theory might evolve based on that study, last week's controversial news in trail running, why we think that love and grace for humans needs to lead the way, and a Q+A on fear of vulnerability, workout intensity, and athlete sponsorship.

Stick around to the very end for the hardest we have ever laughed on an episode!

May your knees stay healthy and may your tooth bags stay hidden. We love you all! HUZZAH!

-David and Megan

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We had a ridiculous amount of fun recording this episode! The main science topic was on a new pre-print study on post-exercise ketones, showing higher carb storage and lower glycemia in athletes taking them.

Is it possible that high carb has a special interaction with post-exercise ketones that might be at the heart of recent performances? It's uncertain. We just take them because we like the taste of robot butt.

We also had a big breakdown of the cost of high-carb fueling. Megan did calculations on the price per gram of carbohydrates of different fueling sources, from gels to drink to at-home creations. It seems like some companies are giving you amazing deals, and some... are not. We name names.

And this one was full of great topics! Other topics: heat training, a promo for the Core 2 sensor, David's post-race knee pain and the uncertainty of being an athlete, total energy expenditure during and after ultras, thoughts on the Cocodona 250, Stephanie Case's remarkable performance at Ultra Trail Snowdonia, plus a Q+A on depletion runs and a how-to on uphill treadmill.

May your pantry be full of carbs and your secret drawer be full of SECRET hair.

We love you all! Huzzah!

-David and Megan

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Endurance sports are in the midst of a revolution that will change everything about what we think humans can do. This week at the Quad Rock 50 Mile, we felt it firsthand.

David set a 14-minute course record at this classic, steep Colorado race. We break it all down, "no secrets" style. Topics: high-carb fueling, big hydration totals, why heat training might be the next frontier, pre-race meals and supplements, ice bandanas, gut training, downhill running, uphill treadmill, and lots more.

No matter what distance you go or speed you run/bike/hike, there's a path within these approaches that will make everything easier, healthier, and more fun. It's one thing to talk about it... it's another thing to FEEL IT. We try to bring you within those feelings, laying it all out there so that you can use the playbook.

Thank you so much for being here for the whole journey. If you told us when we started this podcast 5 years ago that we'd be 7 weeks before the Western States 100 with this level of hope, we'd have said you're dreaming. Listeners have made it all possible. You have showed us that love is waiting on the other end of both success and failure.

It's one thing to say that results don't matter and that love is waiting either way. It's another to FEEL IT. Thank you and we love you.

7 weeks until the Western States 100 Mile moonshot. We got this.

-David and Megan

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Our favorite episodes are these Q+As where we answer listener questions on all of the hottest topics! It's called a "No Secrets" Q+A because we try to take you behind the curtain, speculating about ideas that might not be talked about in public very often. Let's get spicy!

The main topic was Cam Wurf's reported 200 grams of carbs per hour at Ironman Texas to set a bike split record. These extreme carb totals are starting to become more prevalent in triathlon. Do we think they're here to stay? Surprisingly, we have doubts. Forgive us, carb daddy, for we have sinned.

And there were so many great topics! Other topics: heat suit long runs, race week thoughts, our new favorite recovery product, our initial thoughts on the Nix hydration biosensor, high carb and GI concerns, minimum dose heat training, AI titles, sodium intake during training and racing, kids and hydration, track and speed training for ultras, 2nd opinions in medical settings, working through low motivation and mental health struggles, structuring training camps, and more.

May your quails be peaceful and your critics get a minor case of plantar fasciitis. We love you all! HUZZAH!

-David and Megan

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We put on our space cowboy outfits for this great episode! The main topic centered on the almost-ubiquitous use of higher carb intakes in recent races, from the Canyons 100k to the Boston Marathon to the cycling classics. What once seemed optional is now mandatory. Where do the next breakthroughs come from? We outline some ideas to try to catch the waves before they become obvious.

There was also some fascinating science on warm-weather and metabolic processes, showing reduced carb oxidation rates in heat. That could have big implications for how fueling and GI training changes with harder efforts.

And this one was full of the best topics! Other topics: Megan’s heat suit debut, our current thinking on heat suit guidelines, David’s 50k race, what he is learning approaching Western States, fluid intake, a study on intense PM exercise and sleep, the wild Canyons 100k, Kilian’s fascinating training approach for Western States, a follow-up on the shoes dominating the road scene, the Breaking 4 Project, and putting power in your stride, plus a Q+A on steep vert, Jess McClain’s Boston Marathon training, and fueling from gas stations!

You are all heat champions to us. May you be blessed with the stickiest treadmills.

We love you all! Huzzah!

-Megan and David

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